photo - PR
The letter, written ahead of John Paul II Day next Sunday, points to data showing that in terms of population growth, Poland ranks a lowly 209th out of 222 nations in the world.
“This phenomenon resembles a real disaster,” the bishops' letter reads.
On Pope's Day – celebrated in Polish church's on the nearest Sunday to the anniversary when Karol Wojtyla was elected as Pope John Paul II on 16 October 1978 – "we will pray for Polish families, the sanctity of marriage, the gift of life and for wisdom for legislators and courage for the government to strengthen the family as the basic unit of society,” write the bishops.
The CIA World Factbook finds that Poland has one of the lowest birth rates in Europe, with only couples in the Czech Republic, Romania and Lithuania having less children.
Poland's fertility rate this year is estimated to be 1.3 – meaning for every 100 women over the age of 15 and under 50 years old there are 130 children being born.
For the country to maintain a stable demography, the fertility rate should be between 2.1 and 2.15.
Women are also leaving having children till later in life, with the average pregnant woman being 29 years old.
“Poland is ageing before our eyes,” say the bishops.
Pope's Day will be held under the slogan this year: “John Paul II – the family's Pope”.
On calls for a law on 'civil partnerships' for both hetro and homosexual couples in Poland by liberal and left wing MPs, the bishops write that, “yet again there are attempts to deny the family, with the introduction of 'civil partnerships' instead of marriage defined as a union between a man and woman”.
Pope's Day will be an “opportunity to reflect on the family, on its being and mission”.
The bishops also lament that financial insecurity in Poland also weakens married couple's desire to bring more children into the world.
October 16 was designated John Paul II Day by Poland's parliament in July 2005. (pg)
source: PAP