Message for the Week for the Sanctification of the Family

On the occasion of the Week for the Sanctification of the Family starting from the Feast of Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, on December 27, 2009, the Most Rev. Paul Hwang Cheol-soo, President of the CBCK Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, issued a message and urged the faithful to reflect on the true meaning of the Sacrament of Matrimony and to look back on whether they have been faithful to it or not.

In the message entitled "Renew a meaning of the Sacrament of Matrimony", Bishop Hwang pointed out the situation of lower marriage rate due to the economical difficulties and an open outlook on marriage, as well as the cultural conflict caused by an increase of multicultural family. "This situation threatens the diverse meaning of the marriage life and makes us meditate on the original meaning of the Sacrament of Matrimony", he said.

He stressed, "For the low birthrate, which is a very grave problem in Korea, it is necessary to promote childbirth and prepare a social system facilitating a stable child care". Then he concluded, "When Christian spouses understand the proper meaning of the marriage and do their duties on the basis of it, anti-life culture which threatens the marriage and family can be overcome".