EUROPE/SPAIN - 19th Marian Day for the Family: “Society has the grave responsibility of supporting the family and its foundation, which is the truth about marriage as a lifelong indissoluble union between a man and a woman, rooted in love and open to life.”

Huesca (Agenzia Fides) – Families from all over Spain participated in the 19th Marian Day for the Family, an event held at the Marian Shrine of Torreciudad (Huesca) on September 14. This year, the theme was: “The family, educator in human and Christian values.”
The events began at 12 noon, with the traditional offering of flowers and fruit, presented to Our Lady by the families. After the offering, at 12:30pm, there was an outdoor Mass held, in the explanade of the Shrine, with nearly 15,000 people participating and with Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain, presiding.
In his homily, Cardinal Cañizares explained that the promotion and defense of the family is the basis of a new culture of love, the center of the new civilization of love. He said that “every person, without any exceptions, is called to promote and uphold the values and demands of the family. It must be supported and defended through the appropriate social means. Society has the grave responsibility of supporting the family and its foundation, which is the truth about marriage as a lifelong indissoluble union between a man and a woman, rooted in love and open to life.”
Using the words of Pope John Paul II, the Cardinal spoke of the family as the center of the new civilization of love and hope for humanity, and insisted on the need to support and defend it, so that it can spread a culture of solidarity and life in society.
After the Mass, the participants listened to a message from Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope, who was in France at the time, sent a message encouraging them to “place their gaze on the Lord’s Mother, to learn from Mary how to live the commitment of fidelity that leads to a realization of love in personal self-donation.” The Holy Father also encouraged all present to “continue carrying out the tasks of marriage with fidelity, without being discouraged by the difficulties that they may find in the world around them.” With these thoughts, and invoking the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, Pope Benedict XVI imparted his Apostolic Blessing to the participants. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 15/9/2008)