The Heads of the Catholic Church and of the Russian Orthodox church met in Cuba and in a 30-point declaration reaffirmed their commitment to Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life
The
declaration makes direct reference among others to three areas of mutual
concern. First, it expresses concern about “threats to the inalienable right to
life, to the family, to the marriage”. They also condemn the spread of
euthanasia practices that cause people to feel that they are a burden on their
families and on society in general. Finally, they proclaim their opposition to
certain aspects of the use of Biomedical reproduction technology which is
presented on a manipulation of human life.
Bellow you can see the full article written by the "Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues"
Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill Call for Respect for
the Inalienable Right to Life
Friday,
February 12, 2016
Pope
Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met today in Cuba in an
historic first meeting between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches
since 1054 when the "Great Schism" began. The religious leaders
issued a joint declaration that declared, "It is with joy that we have met
like brothers in the Christian faith who encounter one another "to speak
face to face" (2 Jn 12), from heart to heart, to discuss the mutual
relations between the Churches, the
crucial problems of our faithful, and the outlook for the progress of human
civilization."
The
30 point declaration discussed past history and faith while looking at the
challenges of the contemporary world and the need for the Church to respond
stating, "Human civilization has entered into a period of epochal change.
Our Christian conscience and our pastoral responsibility compel us not to
remain passive in the face of challenges requiring a shared response."
Three
areas of mutual concern listed in the declaration are ones that pro-life and
pro-family organizations engage on a daily basis-- threats to the inalienable
right to life, to the family, and to marriage. In regards to abortion, Pope
Francis and Patriarch Kirill exhorted, "We call on all to respect the inalienable
right to life. Millions are denied the very right to be born into the world.
The blood of the unborn cries out to God (cf. Gen 4:10)."
They
raised concern over the emergence of "so-called euthanasia" which
they stated, "leads elderly people and the disabled... to feel that they
are a burden on their families and on society in general."
Biomedical
reproduction technology was presented as "the manipulation of human
life" with the religious leaders stating that it "represents an
attack on the foundations of human existence, created in the image of
God."
The
three sections on family, marriage and respect for life follow:
19. The family is the natural centre
of human life and society. We are concerned about the crisis in the family in many
countries. Orthodox and Catholics share the same conception of the family, and
are called to witness that it is a path of holiness, testifying to the
faithfulness of the spouses in their mutual interaction, to their openness to
the procreation and rearing of their children, to solidarity between the
generations and to respect for the weakest.
20. The family is based on marriage,
an act of freely given and faithful love between a man and a woman. It is love
that seals their union and teaches them to accept one another as a gift.
Marriage is a school of love and faithfulness. We regret that other forms of
cohabitation have been placed on the same level as this union, while the
concept, consecrated in the biblical tradition, of paternity and maternity as
the distinct vocation of man and woman in marriage is being banished from the
public conscience.
21. We call on all to respect the
inalienable right to life. Millions are denied the very right to be born into
the world. The blood of the unborn cries out to God (cf. Gen 4:10). The
emergence of so-called euthanasia leads elderly people and the disabled begin
to feel that they are a burden on their families and on society in general. We
are also concerned about the development of biomedical reproduction technology,
as the manipulation of human life represents an attack on the foundations of
human existence, created in the image of God. We believe that it is our duty to
recall the immutability of Christian moral principles, based on respect for the
dignity of the individual called into being according to the Creator's plan.
The
joint declaration began by stating their pressing mutual concern for the
religious persecution of Christians in the world today:
"Our
gaze must firstly turn to those regions of the world where Christians are
victims of persecution. In many countries of the Middle East and North Africa
whole families, villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are
being completely exterminated. Their churches are being barbarously ravaged and
looted, their sacred objects profaned, their monuments destroyed. It is with
pain that we call to mind the situation in Syria, Iraq and other countries of
the Middle East, and the massive exodus of Christians from the land in which
our faith was first disseminated and in which they have lived since the time of
the Apostles, together with other religious communities."
PNCI
is thankful for the Declaration by Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill which
recognizes the challenges to life, marriage and family that confront our world
today and the need for a united response.
May their words help to unite efforts around the world among people of
all religious faiths.
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