San José, Costa Rica, Feb 14, 2012 / 16:06 pm
At the conclusion of their annual meeting, the bishops of Costa Rica urged the country to reject the legalization of abortion and in vitro fertilization and adopt laws that protect life.
In a statement issued Feb. 10, the bishops criticized numerous proposals for abortion, in vitro fertilization, and same-sex unions, saying they “do not address the real needs of our nation and take no account of the dignity of the human person, the nature of the family and the values of Costa Rican society.”
The bishops also recognized the role of schools in helping to educate children but warned that when it comes to the issue of sexual education, “under no circumstance can parents be forced to allow their children to receive sexual education that is reduced to graphic sexual information stripped of moral values and that uses a language and methodology that does not respect the natural modesty of children or the authority of their parents.”
They also expressed support for the work of religious education teachers, who ensure that “students receive instruction in doctrine and Catholic practice” and help to pass on “the perennial values of our culture.”