A national coordinator for the family and marriage is about to be appointed by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and will have the job of keeping the bishops informed about policies and new legislation affecting the sector. The new coordinator will also have the task of supporting dioceses and animators in this particular pastoral field. The idea to appoint the coordinator was hatched in the “Christian responsibility and citizenship” office of the Bishops’ Conference following the request of some bishops who has urged that greater attention be devoted to the family, also by contributing to the debate on family policies. “I believe said Archbishop Peter Smith, head of the office that there is no graver threat to the well-being of our society than the crisis of the family. We in the Church must do everything in our power to provide pastoral support and contribute to the public debate to promote the institution of marriage and foster a more stable and enduring family life”. The bishops have expressed their deep concern about the situation: in England almost half of all births (the percentage has for the first time risen over the 50% mark in many regions) occur outside marriage; cohabitation before marriage is now a very widespread practice and one marriage in three ends in divorce. In a recent public meeting, the auxiliary bishop of Southwark, John Hine, made an appeal to Catholics to defend marriage.
