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Cardinal Defends Marriage

15 May 2001

Cardinal Desmond Connell pointedly referred to the Catholic Church's reverence for the family and marriage when he spoke during last night's State reception held in his honour to mark his elevation to the cardinalate by Pope John Paul II.

(15 May 2001) The Dublin Castle reception, attended by nearly 1,400 people, was overshadowed by the role to be played at it by the Taoiseach's partner, Ms Celia Larkin, whose name was on the invitation cards alongside that of Mr Ahern.

In his address, the cardinal said a leading churchman had observed "that losing important values without people noticing what is really happening creates the situation that the church faces today. "It is the situation of those who find that fundamental values have been lost without their having noticed the danger. This explains why the Church so insistently defends that most basic of all human rights, the right to life.

"The Church too has a profound reverence for the home, designed by the Creator through marriage and family as the deep centre of human intimacy on which the whole future of our society depends.

"And so it has been critical, for example, of political moves in the European Parliament when this has been required in defence of the family," he told the guests gathered in St Patrick's Hall.

He said he "deeply appreciated" the honour accorded to him of a State reception. "I thank the Taoiseach and the members of the Government for this recognition of the Holy Father's great benevolence towards our land."

Later, he said: "I was greatly honoured by the presence of the Taoiseach and of the members of the State representation at the Consistory in Rome. With all my heart I thank them for their deeply appreciated goodness."

He paid tribute to politicians, past and present, for their "indispensable part in our recent economic advancement. "With a deep appreciation of our indebtedness, I willingly salute and wish to encourage those men and women who so generously devote their lives to this patriotic service," the cardinal said.