Pope Benedict: Defend the family, the rights of the weakest

Defend the family, defend the rights of the weakest and of children, and oppose anti-life choices by state legislation. Pope Benedict XVI asked this of the bishops of Scandinavia, in his address at the end of their Ad Limina visit. The Pope noted that the family is the center of social cohesion and children have a right to be conceived and grow within a marriage between a man and a woman, so as to receive appropriate models for human development. Among other topics, the Pope asked the bishops to be especially concerned for couples where only one member is Catholic and to take care of immigrants- many of whom are from the Middle East and belong to the Eastern Churches. 

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