Majority Favour Family Planning

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31501, 16 October 1967, Page 13

Majority Favour Family Planning

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) ROME, Oct. 15. A majority of the representatives o f Roman Catholic laity discussing the controversial birth - control issue in Rome favour responsible family planning delegates said yesterday. The heads of national delegations of the 3000 delegates attending the first Congress of the Roman Catholic laity since the 1962-65 Vatican Council were also reported to favour a voice for the laity in Church government. Study groups of the con-

gress yesterday also approved motions condemning the bombing of North Vietnam and calling on all governments to respect the right of conscientious objection. After splitting into the study groups, delegates reported that most of those discussing family problems favoured - planned parenthood based on the enlightened conscience of parents, bearing in mind God’s will.

According to delegates, a French and German-speaking study group passed a resolution to this effect by 30 to nil with two abstentions, and an English and German group by 15 to 11. Anglo-French groups put up three similar resolutions, while delegates said that a French and Spanish-speaking group after a tense discus-

sion voiced anxiety and restlessness at the lack of a lead from the Church on the problem.

These views of the laity were seen by congress observers as putting further pressure on Pope Paul to make a definite statement.

In spite of detailed reports submitted over a year ago by a special Papal commission, the Pope has shown no indication that he plans a pronouncement on birth control at present He is, however, believed to be receiving privately the views of bishops attending the present month-long synod.

A memorandum to the synod drawn up by heads of national delegations at the laity congress and calling for a place for laymen in Church government was reported to

have been blocked. The memorandum declared: “The hour has come to associate the laity effectively in the process of decisionmaking on which Church government rests.”

It was believed to have gone through three drafts and to be still under private discussion by congress leaders. But a bishop attending the congress said that the lay authors had mostly been persuaded that the synod was not the right destination for such a memorandum.

The synod members were just temporarily in Rome, to be consulted by the Pope on five specific issues, the bishop said. The role of the laity was not among the issues to be discussed. Therefore, the laity should address any Such views to the

Vatican, or Pope Paul himself. The bishop said the seething of independent ideas among the laity at this congress—now half way through its proceedings—was “very like” the new ideas which swept through the bishops at the 1962-65 Vatican Council.

In the past the Roman Catholic Church has often been criticised by other Christians on the grounds that it condemned the laity to follow the clergy passively like sheep. Protestants and nonconformists, on the other hand, emphasise the active role,of the faithful.

• The present process of the congress was thus seen by observers as having significant undertones for Christian unity.