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African Archbishops Sound Alarm about Planned Parenthood’s “Ferocious Assault” : 27th Oct 09
Attacks on marriage and the family in Africa constitute a “ferocious onslaught”, says the Relator-General of the Synod under way at the Vatican. Cardinal Peter Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana, cited this attack in his recent “Relatio post disceptationem” (Report After the Discussion).
Pope Benedict XVI was present to hear the report. “Many synod fathers bemoaned the fate of the family in Africa: ‘the destruction of an authentic idea of marriage and the notion of a sound family’”, the cardinal stated. He said the synod participants have designated the institution “under serious threat of instability and dissolution” due to factors such as poverty, conflicts, so-called traditional beliefs and practises (including witchcraft), and disease, particularly malaria and AIDS.
“But the synod fathers,” Cardinal Turkson continued, “also described in various ways a ferocious onslaught on the family and the related fundamental institution of marriage from outside Africa and attributed it to diverse sources”.
The prelate listed these sources in three categories: ideological, clinical and emerging “alternative” lifestyles. In particular, he pointed to “gender” ideology, a new “global sexual ethic”, “genetic engineering”, “Planned Parenthood and Reproductive Health Education”, sterilisation and “same-sex marriages”.
Cardinal Turkson reported that the synod fathers have given the Church in Africa the priority of rehabilitating the African family in “its dignity and vocation”. “All African cultures hold the family in great esteem”, he stressed. The cardinal noted how the synod fathers “vigorously denounced the ideology and international programmes which are imposed on African countries under false pretexts or as conditions for development assistance. They are harmful for the family”.
He said the Church must train “competent persons” and enable them to “form Catholic family associations and other lay movements which defend the interests of the family and engage in public discussion”. Zenit . October 14.
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