“Without children there is no future” was the theme of Pro-Life Week celebrated in all parishes in Portugal from 16 to 23 May, on the initiative of the Commission for the Family of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference. Msgr. Jacinto Botelho, chairman of the Commission, declared that we need to start out from the parishes to reflect “on the fact that there is a big decline in the birth rate in our country. We need to understand the reasons that lead couples to take this decision”. If in some cases the decision not to have children is “serious and conscientious”, there are also situations, said the bishop, that are determined by nothing more than “selfishness and convenience. Portuguese families don’t want to face up to the difficulties [of having children] and succumb to contemporary permissiveness”. A theme of reflection to give families suitable answers to the problems posed to them was proposed for each day during Pro-Life Week in the parishes.
