A more paramount interest

The Fourth World Meeting of Families last week saw the revival of certain proposals affecting marriage and family life.Media attention on the meeting and its topics presented another opportunity to publicize and drum up support for some legislations diametrically opposed to the stand of the Church which was the subject of discussion at the meeting.

Divorce is again being talked about as a way out of a solemn vow for wives who cannot withstand marital relationships that have gone sour, as if marriage is just like any promise that may be broken.Gays and lesbians have become active in advocating same sex marriage. Artificial birth control through the use of contraceptives is once more a hot topic of discussions on the methods of controlling the burgeoning population that is pinpointed as the reason for our economic woes. The rights of women to reproductive health has been brought out anew in justifying resort to the use of abortifacient drugs and abortion itself to supposedly protect the well-being of women with unwanted pregnancies.

The Church has consistently and clearly opposed these measures mainly because they threaten the integrity of human family and reject the sancity of human life. They are contrary to the plan of God for the human families as basic units of society,the rich soil where the seeds of love grow deepest and strongest to bear fruits a hundredfold. The proposed legislations would violate the inviolable social institution of marriage, weaken family solidarity, and thus eventually lead to the disintegration of the family which our Constitution itself has recognized as the foundation of the nation.In making such a stand, and opposing those legislations, the Church is accused of violating the inviolable principle of separation of church and state. Is it?

Definitely not.When the Church makes such a stand against these proposed legislations, she is merely performing her duty of pointing out to the faithful, what is wrong or what is bad about them.She is speaking of spiritual tenets, of belief in God and His teachings. She is speaking on matters of faith and morals. It is not interference in the affairs of the State if the Church speaks on issues with spiritual and moral implications affecting the people of God especially the integrity of family life and the sanctity of human lives.

Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide,Jr. in his speech at the Fourth World Family Meeting cites the Constitution itself particularly Section 12, Article II as "consonant with the fundamental Catholic teachings on the family" According to the Chief Justice the use of the word "sanctity" (of family life which the State recognizes in said Article II section 12) suggests "an order higher than merely legal to which the family must be referred" and "enshrines the principle of subsidiarity because the family is guaranteed protection as an ‘autonomous social institution’ with the result that matters within the purveyance of the family shall not be arrogated by the State itself". Our Charter is among the few if not the only one which "goes so far in protecting the integrity of the human family and upholding the sanctity of family life" concluded the Chief Justice.

So the Church stand is even in consonance with the Constitution.

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