catholicsphere

Today, Cardinal Sardono, Vatican Secretary of State, stated in response to an ongoing debate in Europe over legal recognition of couples — including homosexuals — who live together, that “Today, one speaks of the ‘right’ to live together outside of marriage. But it is not a right! It will be a desire, a yearning for some.”

“There doesn’t exist a right to other forms of union that aren’t the family,” contended the dean of the College of Cardinals. “This [the family], like the right to life, liberty, property, is founded in the natural law. And the natural law is universal and immutable. Laws cannot go against the natural law.”

There has been a fear among those who believe these truths, that the family is foundational to society, that marriage and the family — and therefore society in general — will be harmed by recognizing “other forms of union that aren’t family”. It seems that these fears are certainly grounded, given that there are fewer marriages, more cohabitation, and higher out-of-wedlock child-bearing. Agape Press recently reported Census Numbers Show Cohabitation Becoming the Norm. In fact, the last paragraph of this article quotes Rutgers sociology professor, David Popenoe, “As society shifts from marriage to cohabitation — which is what’s happening — you have an increase in family instability.”

With the family at the heart of society, the instabilities and difficulties created by cohabitation and “other unions” will make a decided blemish on society, and could create further burdens on government aid, education, law enforcement and other resources. How long will it be before there are additional “special rights” created to address these burdens?