KOCHI: KCBC family commission in a statement issued on Thursday supported the recent announcements of various perks for families with more than four children by the Pala diocese. The statement said that the action of the diocese was part of the welfare activities and schemes for ‘Protection of Life’ declared by the Kerala Catholic Church in connection with the direction from the Vatican to observe the year as the ‘Year of the Family’.
Recently, the announcement of providing various perks including job priority in a diocese-owned hospital, as per educational qualifications, by the Pala diocese to such families had set off debates in the state. Monthly financial aid and also free medical benefits were announced by the diocese.
Bishop Paul Antony Mullassery, Chairman of Pro-Life committee and Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) Family Commission said in the statement that it was evident that there was a lack of purity in the intentions behind making a controversy out of the welfare projects for families formulated in the Pala diocese.
“The Church encourages responsible parenthood. Parents have the right to receive children and nurture them as per their faith and circumstances. Attempts to deny that right needs to be discouraged. In 2011 also, a project, JeevaSamridhi was executed in which large families within the Church were felicitated. It is the responsibility of Church systems to respect life and families,” said Bishop Mullassery in the statement.