"Without the mutual love of the family our society dies,” said the first European Catholic-Orthodox Forum in a statement issued following its Dec10-14, 2008, meeting in Trent, Italy.

The forum was established by the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, Orthodox churches in Europe and the Vatican to “concentrate on anthropological issues of crucial importance for the present and future of humanity.”

The forum’s first meeting focused on family issues, noting that in the family “we have homes that are creative, dynamic and vital schools of socialization ... educating family members to a discovery of the value of community.”

While addressing alarming economic concerns is crucial today, the forum noted, it is not as important to the survival of societies as is the family.

“The family, born of marriage between man and woman that gives rise to children and an extended network of relationships, needs to be rediscovered as valuable social capital,” the statement continued. “We appeal to political and social leaders to address this major social issue before it is too late.

“Without this attention, lack of financial funds will pale before the lack of social and human resources that the family brings.” — By Carole Norris Greene, Associate Editor, Faith Alive!