Cardinal elaborates call for Commission on family

by Murray White
CARDINAL Basil Hume's proposal for a Royal Commission on the state of the family emerged in greater detail this week, when the Cardinal described his vision of society's moral ills and focused on the family as the principal building block of society.
The Cardinal warned that there are "basic moral values" without which society "loses its way and starts to disintegrate". A loss of these values integrity, self-discipline, generosity, compassion, fidelity and respect for human life has contributed to the family being "severely undermined" in recent decades.
"A healthy family is fundamentally at odds with our culture because it is radically anti-individualist. Taking family responsibilities seriously leads people away from seeing themselves as the centre of their world," said the Cardinal this week in an article in The independent.
Membership of a community confers benefits on its members but also obligations. The family is the basic community, the place where "belonging and its benefits and demands" are first felt. Parents are the first educators of their children. Holding a Royal Commission of the family, said the Cardinal, would "provide a platform for a sustained public examination of the factors influencing family life today".
Downing Street this week played down suggestions of an imminent Royal Commission, telling the Catholic Herald that while Prime Minister John Major is "always interested to hear the views of the Archbishop, it is rather early to suggest such a Commission will be set up". A spokesperson said: "The Government
already recognises the importance of the family. It is central to its policies."
But Church leaders were this week hopeful that Cardinal Hume's deliberations, would, as one leading layman described, "awake people from a profound pessimism". Nicholas Coote, Assistant General Secretary to the Bishops' Conference. said: "It is possible that the cardinal has struck a nerve in this."
The hierarchy has always given notice of the high value it attaches to the family. In particular, it last year broadened dialogue on family issues. Mr Coote said: "We were n.cry enthusiastic that the Marriage and Family Life Committee should take on issues of social responsibility as well. Previously. it tend to concentrate on individual moral relations only."
The Catholic Teachers Federation, meeting in Manchester last weekend. was enthusiastic about the Cardinal's calls. Mark Philpot, CTF secretary ., said that many teachers felt any Royal Commission "should be wide ranging. We must avoid reacting too quickly to the moral panic resulting at this time-.