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What is the meaning of marriage, family, and human sexuality?
A new DVD featuring Cardinal Raymond Burke entitled, “Marriage: God’s Design for Life and Love,” presents the vision of marriage in God’s eyes, as “a reflection of divine love that is faithful, enduring, and procreative.”
Launched this summer amid much discussion and controversy over marriage and the family — i.e. Ireland’s referendum legalizing gay “marriage”; the US Supreme Court’s recent decision; the upcoming World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia this September; and the Vatican Synod on the Family this October — the new DVD deals with matters pertinent to all of these discussions.
The 40-minute DVD is produced by the British Confraternity of Catholic Clergy, in collaboration with St. Anthony Communications.
With contributions from US Cardinal Raymond Burke, and Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury, England, the presentation does not shy away from taking some of the most challenging topics such as cohabitation, homosexuality, divorce and re-marriage.
Along with members of the hierarchy, the video features lay experts and married couples who speak from their own experience in support of the Church’s teaching on marriage and human sexuality.
A spokesman for the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy explained: “The DVD responds to the call of the Holy Father to support marriage and the family currently challenged and misunderstood. We offer this modern media tool of the New Evangelization, as a service to the Church, for parish viewing, for marriage preparation and for general catechesis.”
But this video is for everyone — the young and the not so young, Catholics and non-Catholics — who wonders what marriage is really all about.
When asked about supposed controversial material the Confraternity spokesman responded, “The content is just basic Catholic teaching which everyone has a right to hear. It is a clear, unambiguous and bold presentation, but always given with charity and without polemics. Now is not the time for hiding the true and beautiful vision of marriage and the family for the healing of our societies.”
St. Anthony Communications (www.saintant.com), which specializes in catechetical video presentations and is based in England, said “the production is a chance to set out the often hidden Catholic teaching in a simply and accessible way. The DVD explains why we teach what we teach, to offset confusion and inadequate and diluted teaching in the past, and offer hope for the future.”
The initiative has been supported by many generous donors, and has been sent free of charge to every priest and parish in Great Britain and Ireland. It has also been distributed to over 1,000 priests in Australia.
It is also hoped that this valuable resource for priests, married couples and especially young people will be sent to every parish in the United States and Canada. But with an estimated 17,000 parishes in the US alone, St. Anthony Communication needs a significant sponsor/donor to enable this project to promote an authentic Catholic vision and message about marriage and family life.
For more information, or to inquire about obtaining the full 40-minute video, “Marriage: God’s Design for Life and Love,” visit the St. Anthony Communication at: www.saintant.com.
Diane Montagna is Rome correspondent for Aleteia’s English edition.
And today we celebrate...