Basic values ‘under threat’

Ukraine’s Latin Catholic bishops have given a warning that their country’s “basic values” are being threatened by liberal legislation, writes Jonathan Luxmoore.

“The Roman Catholic Church raises a most generous prayer of thanks to the Triune God for our country’s constitution,” the Bishops’ Conference said. “But today, as never before, the values ??upheld by this Basic Law are under threat. Alongside the external aggression [a reference to the continuing war against pro-Russian separatists in the east], there are also projects for constitutional reform which will impinge on the people’s rights.”

The bishops warned in their appeal to mark Ukraine’s Constitution Day that efforts to promote same-sex marriage and restrict “moral and religious education” in schools would undermine the constitutional order. Ukraine’s 1991 constitution describes marriage under article 51 as the voluntary union of a man and woman.