“Supporting marriage and family is a basic aspiration of the Church". This was stated today by mgr. Küng, manager of the family pastoral, on the occasion of the study day of the Austrian Bishops Conference which is under way in Sonntagberg, Austria, about this very subject. The main points on the agenda of the day, which takes place just before the Plenary Assembly of the Austrian Bishops (14-16 March), include: preparation to marriage, family pastoral in parishes, sex and marriage education in families, youth groups and schools. The speakers at the study day include the director of the Marriage and Family Institute, Günter Danhel, the manager of the Family Pastoral, Bernhard Mucha, and theologian Michael Waldstein. During the evening talks, three couples will tell of the experiences made in many church communities about the preparation to marriage, family pastoral, and marriage and sex education. The plenary assembly will discuss, in particular, the current trends of church and social life, and first suggestions will be given about the Pope’s visit to Austria, due in September 2007, for the 850th anniversary of the sanctuary of Mariazell.
