'Pro-Life' march held in Warsaw

The March for the Sanctity of Life, Warsaw, Sunday 30 March. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymanski

In a sermon prior to the march, honorary patron Archbishop of Warsaw Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz called on Poles “to open your eyes to all the problems relating to respect for human life, from its beginning to a natural death.”

During the march, a number of disabled participants carried a banner with the words of the late Polish pontiff Pope John Paul II: “A nation that kills its own children has no future.”

This year, the extensive group of organisers was joined by the new 'Say No to Gender' foundation, echoing one of the Polish Church's main preoccupations at present, gender studies.

Over the last six months, 'gender ideology' has been the focus of a campaign by Catholic groups, prompting Poland's Congress of Women to write to Pope Francis, claiming that the Polish clergy “steadfastly reject agreement, equality, tolerance and respect for dignity, in which all people can equally share.”

Banners against 'gender ideology', with slogans such as “Gender is the illness of the 21st century” were carried on the march.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Nycz took the opportunity to criticise Saturday's Atheists' March in Warsaw.

The cardinal said that today, “there is no lack of modern Pharisees who will do everything they can to weaken the defence of the most fundamental and important values.

“How else can one look upon yesterday's march of atheists?” he asked, adding that the march was “full of provocation.” (nh)

Source: PAP