VATICAN CITY, Jan 24 (AFP) - Pope John Paul II called on Spanish Catholics Monday to defend the Christian way of life, which he said was under attack in Spain in a climate of increasing secularism and moral laxity.
The pope made his remarks to Monsignor Antonio Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid, and a group of Spanish bishops who were visiting the Vatican following a recent polemic in Spain over the use of condoms.
Last week, the spokesman for Spain's Conference of Catholic Bishops, Juan Antonio Martinez Camino, raised eyebrows by saying condoms could be used as part of the global effort to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Spanish church officials and the Vatican swiftly set the record straight, saying the Roman Catholic Church remained opposed to the use of condoms. The church hierarchy offered no alternative method of fighting the deadly virus.
Speaking to the visiting leaders, the pope criticized what he called an encroaching climate of permissive morality in Spain.
The pope asked Catholics to reach deep within their faith "to give credible and public witness to the defense of a respect for life in its every phase; to defend the religious education of their children, to protect the sanctity of marriage and family and to defend the name of God and the human and social values of the Christian religion."
The pope also criticized initiatives by the government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, such as its plans to make religious education in public schools voluntary by allowing students to replace a religion with a civics course.
The pope said religious education of Spanish youth could not be ignored in schools when parents are specifically demanding it, and that authorities ought to guarantee the parents that right.
A respect for life also meant a rejection of contraception, in-vitro fertilization, abortion and euthanasia.
Spain's current secular climate also risks forcing religious expression in Spain behind closed doors, said the pontiff.
"This ideology will lead to the restriction of religious freedoms and promote a disrespect and even ignorance of religion," he said.
"This is not one of the most noble Spanish traditions."
Spain's current social context, he concluded, meant that new generations of Spaniards were growing up in a climate of religious indifference and ignorant of their country's rich Christian spritual traditions.
Madrid's Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela described the Spanish capital as a "hotbed of sin" during a radio interview Sunday.
050124
AF050177
Copyright ©AFP 2005. All Rights Reserved. AFP articles contained on the AEGiS web site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without AFP's prior written permission. You may make one copy of each article for your personal, non-commercial use only; more copies would require AFP's prior written permission. obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP photos or materials. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP stories, photos or graphics. http://www.afp.com/
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Bridgestone Firestone Trust Fund, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2005. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1990, 2005 - AEGiS. AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
