Celebrating Christmas Mass in Zagreb's Cathedral on Tuesday, Cardinal Josip Bozanic once again called for dialogue on health education, saying the faithful wanted it but "rightfully fear that it paves the way to a gender ideology," which he said contradicted the Christian world view and anthropology, the foundation of which was man, created as male and female.
"The Church still invites those responsible and interested to dialogue on health education. Bishops have recently launched the initiative, but it remains unanswered. On the other hand, we are told that it is about hygiene and not a world view," said the Archbishop of Zagreb.
"With regard to health education, not only is no one among the faithful against health and sex education. In fact, they desire and promote it. But the faithful don't want an ideology which changes the truth about man," he said.
"The faithful rightfully fear that it paves the way to a gender ideology which is contradictory to the Christian, and not only Christian, world view," he said, adding that the Christian anthropology was based on the truth that God had created man and woman.
"This duality is core to the human being. If there is no duality between male and female and it is left to one's choice, there is no family as a natural given. More than that, children lose their place, dignity and rights, they are no longer a subject of rights but an object of rights."
The cardinal went on to say that only through joint efforts and cooperation with those most responsible for the state and society was it possible to overcome the economic crisis. "Therefore we are renewing the bonds of trust, mutual respect and understanding in our homeland Croatia."
He welcomed President Ivo Josipovic and Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic and their wives, saying that by attending the service, they showed respect for the Catholics and the Catholic Church in Croatia.
Celebrating Christmas Eve Mass last night, the Archbishop of Zagreb told the faithful there were tasks in which they must participate personally, as protagonists, and that in them, as well as in the common tasks, they were increasingly challenged by this delicate moment in time.
The radical changes on the affective, cultural, social, political and economic fronts call for taking a rational and just position on various life questions, the cardinal said, adding that Christmas called on everyone to show responsibility towards others.
