Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Madrid (Fides Service) - As Spain’s families react vigorously to recent attacks against the institution of the family they are gaining strength and support and are ready to face any challenges in the future according to Carlos Cremades Carceller, spokesman of the Spanish Union of Families UFE who says the recent attacks against the family “have produced family movements and associations which are strong and changed”. He said as a result of these attacks families and family groups are stronger and more structured than in the past as it was seen by last year’s successful demonstrations on 18 June on the theme “The family is important to me” pro family and contrary to giving same sex couples same status as families and on 12 November to emphasise parents rights to choose the kind of education they want for their children. Those massive demonstrations brought together 1.5 million people from all over Spain and from other countries. At this time of a great reawakening of the family movement all over the globe, the World Meeting for Families, scheduled for 1-9 July in Valenci, “will be an opportunity for movements of Catholic families, such as UFE, to take the lead with their specific characteristics” according to Carlos Cremades. “Today when the family is under attack there is likely to be even more response to events of this kind and we have great hopes for the meeting and its fruits. Of course the presence of the Pope would be offer great support”. The same opinion was expressed by the President of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Ricardo Blázquez when he visited Valencia to view preparations for the 5th World Meeting of Families. Bishop Blázquez said the event “will be very good for the Church in Spain and for the families and for relations family-Church and family-society”. He also said the event will be an opportunity for an encounter which is bound to help the handing down of the faith in the family, to strengthen family bonds and highlight positive aspects which the family can transmit to society”. The Spanish Union of Families (UFE) was formed in 1993 and brings together various Catholic family realities. The aim of UFE is to spread reciprocal awareness of the activities of each reality; co-ordinate, at the level of the whole state, various initiatives; promote joint or separate initiatives to foster Christian and human growth and wellbeing of marriage and the family; defend, promote and spread Catholic values of marriage and the family; collaborate with all ecclesial and civil institutions involved in defending and promoting Christian marriage and the family. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 18/1/2006 - righe 33, parole 438)
