For Benedict XVI, the family is where life is first welcomed. He stresses the need for supportive laws and culture because today more importance is given to conjugal love than to procreation.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – During a visit this morning at the Santa Marta Dispensary for children in trouble in the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI stressed once again the need for governments provide concrete support to families, especially those on hard times. As the "first place" that welcomes life, the family needs laws to support it; it also needs a different cultural attitude than the one giving greater importance to conjugal love than procreation.

"Finding myself here with you and seeing your commitment to the children and their parents, I wish to stress that the fundamental vocation of the family is to be first and foremost the main place to welcome life'" the Pope said.

"The modern concept of the family—albeit in reaction to the past—places great importance on conjugal love. It emphasises the subjective aspects of freedom in choosing [one's spouse] and on emotions. It is increasingly harder to perceive and understand the value that is the calling to work with God to reproduce human life."

"Furthermore, despite their means modern societies are not always able to facilitate parents' mission in terms of fulfilling their spiritual and moral as well as practical needs", the Pontiff noted.

"For both cultural as well as political-legislative reasons, there is great need to support the family. Initiatives like this dispensary are very useful. As small as they may be, thanks to God the Church has plenty of such undertakings and never stops putting them at everyone's service," he added.

Benedict XVI, who greeted at length the 40 or so children currently helped at the dispensary, finally urged everyone to pray "for all the families of Rome and the world, especially those going through hard times, above all because they have to live far from their homeland".

"Let us pray," he said, "for those parents who are unable to provide their children with the wherewithal necessary to ensure good health, education, and a life of dignity and serenity".

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