Saturday, November 21, 2009 Previous editions
The Pope lashed out today at what he said were laws threatening families and society, hinting at his disapproval of legislation permitting abortion and euthanasia.
“No law made by man can subvert the law written by the Creator, without society being dramatically injured at the base of its foundation,” Pope Benedict told a convention on natural law, which the Church considers ethically binding.
The Pope specifically spoke of the need to defend human life from “its beginning to its natural end,” hinting at the condemnation of abortion and euthanasia.
He also spoke of the need to defend “marriage,” an indirect reference to attempts worldwide to grant legal rights to same-sex couples.
Pope Benedict said natural law does not depend on “the will of the legislator.”
The Vatican has directed recent concern about legislation proposed by the Italian government that would grant recognition and rights to same-sex unions as well as unmarried heterosexual couples.
In Britain, there are plans to extend the Equality Act 2006 – forbidding schools, businesses and other agencies refusing services on the basis of age, disability, gender, race or religion – to give the same protection to lesbian, gay and bisexual people.
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