Archbishop calls on Cuban families to teach children true vision of the family

Havana, Cuba, Jun 8, 2005 / 22:00 pm

The Cubanet news agency reported this week that during the celebration of Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, Archbishop Pedro Meurice of Santiago called on Cubans to educate children in the true meaning of marriage and family in order to combat the confusion caused by those who promote the legalization of homosexual unions.

The archbishop, who had just returned to Cuba after a three-month absence due to illness, celebrated “Christian Family Day” and recalled that “the family stems from a marriage between a man and a woman, from which later on life is born,”

Referring to the growing tendency around the world to legalize same-sex unions based on “supposed human rights,” the archbishop reminded Cubans that nonetheless, homosexuals deserve to be treated with respect.

He noted that acceptance of same-sex unions by even one-fourth of the world’s population would jeopardize human existence. He also criticized lawmakers for supporting adoption by homosexual couples despite the harm that such a policy would bring.

Archbishop Meurice emphasized the need for Cubans to be prepared to face these tendencies and he called on Christian families to educate their children in the proper understanding of marriage, taking refuge in the Eucharist in order to strengthen personal identity and making the family part of the mission of the Catholic Church.