THE VATICAN: Pope John Paul II launched a strong attack on divorce yesterday, calling on Catholic lawyers to become conscientious objectors to marriage break-up and to refuse to represent clients seeking divorce.
In remarks to ecclesiastic lawyers at the Vatican, the Pope (81), urged those who practice civil law to "avoid becoming personally involved in anything which could be implied as co-operating with divorce". Maintaining the traditional anti-divorce message of the Catholic Church, the Pope described marriage break-up as "an evil" and "contrary to justice".
Though the Pope has often spoken out on divorce since the beginning of his papacy in 1978, yesterday's remarks were unusual as they were aimed for the first time at lawyers.
The pope was speaking to the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, the Catholic Church's own court of appeal which deals with marriage annulments. Referring to divorce as a "scourge on the social body", the Pope said the "indissolubility of marriage could not be considered as a simple private choice, being one of the fundamentals of all society". The Pope recognised the special difficulties his appeal would provide for judges providing over such courts, "because the rules governing their activities does not recognise their right of conscientious objection which would allow them the right not to make a ruling".
He acknowledged that judges could be presented with extreme cases, but they should use their wise counsel "to find effective means to encourage family union". Instead of becoming "simple technicians" in divorce cases, lawyers should work to assist people in a matrimonial crisis, the Pope said, adding that this would really serve the rights of individuals.
He called on Christians to fight against "all legal and administrative measures which open the door to divorce".