Ireland, Portugal, Ukraine

Ireland: Cardinal Brady on St. Patrick “In 2012 we celebrate our national saint’s day in the midst of a deep economic recession which has resulted in the heartbreak and pressure of unemployment and emigration for many individuals and families throughout Ireland”, says Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, in his Message for Saint Patrick’s Day 2012, celebrated on 17 March. St. Patrick is recognized throughout Ireland as the apostle and patron of the nation. After having emphasized the importance of the Christian dimension of St. Patrick’s legacy and the faith that “has shaped our identity and heritage as Irish people”, Cardinal Brady recalled the large numbers of people who have “emigrated from Ireland in recent times” and hoped that the memory of St. Patrick, “himself a migrant” and “a pioneer in an inhospitable climate”, may sustain “all those who have left our shores for other lands. May the example of Patrick’s faith in God, who comforted and protected him, protect and comfort them also”. In recalling Patrick’s faith in God, the Primate declared: “My earnest hope is that we will all rise to the challenge of announcing the Gospel in the Ireland of today. My prayer is that we will not shut out or lose the Christian message that has brought such hope, consolation and strength to generations of Irish people”. And the Cardinal concluded his message: “As we prepare for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Dublin this June [from the 10th to the 17th], we ask St. Patrick and all the Irish saints for a deep renewal of faith in God’s power to heal and renew in spite of our human weakness”.Portugal: FPV, abortion and laws of the State At the end of its second national congress held in Lisbon, the Portuguese Pro-Life Federation (FPV) has issued a statement in which it says that “abortion has been transformed into an act financed and promoted by the State”. The President of the Federation, Isisda Pegado, declared that the laws approved by the previous Socialist government are equally responsible for the economic and social crisis that Portugal is now going through: “The decisions taken over the last six years on abortion, assisted fertilization, marriage between homosexuals, sex change, divorce and sex education have been revealed as destructive of the mainstays of society”. Recalling in particular the 85,000 cases of voluntary interruption of pregnancy registered since 2007, the head of the association pointed out that “the possibility of a constant intervention of the state organization in society has been opened, and that this has placed at risk the role of the family as the prime place for mutual aid and support between persons”. So the FPV hopes for “the start of a new phase, in which the country would show its own dissatisfaction, and be capable of mobilizing itself for a more just and caring society and one with lower social costs. To this end, the congress voted for a collection of signatures in support of a petition “Defending the Future” to be presented to parliamentary discussion. Among its first signatories are some leading personalities of Portugal’s cultural, economic and political life such as António Bagão Félix, Manuel Braga da Cruz, João Luís César das Neves and António Gentil Martins. In its final document the FPV further asks that “the family be recognized as the foundation of social organization, and that the intrinsic vocational functions of marriage be confirmed, having as their main objectives responsible maternity and paternity, the protection and promotion of childbirth and of human life in all its phases, from conception to natural death”. Ukraine: survey on religion and national tradition According to the results of a survey conducted by the Research&Branding Group, 42% of Ukrainians consider religion and faith to be national tradition. Answering the question about their meaning, 32% of respondents stated the following of moral norms, 24% consider it to be personal salvation, 17% think it is a part of world culture, 13% view it as an exercise of religious rites and 4% of respondents haven’t replied. When asked about their attitude towards religion, 51% of respondents consider themselves to be believers but noted that they attend church only on holidays and don’t perform all customs and rites. 27% believe in God but have only little interest in church life, whereas 12% are believers who regularly attend church and perform all rites. According to the website http://religions.unian.net/ukr/, the survey was conducted between 10-20 February 2012, involving 1,600 people from central and south-eastern Ukraine.