Bishop condemns 'assaults' on human life and marriage

The auxiliary bishop of Westminster last night urged Christians to pray for the restoration of family values.

Bishop Alan Hopes said the world was being marred by the "easy discarding" of life through abortion and assisted suicide.

He strongly criticised attacks on the "sacred nature" of marriage and family life.

"From the beginning God shows us that the family is a sacred unity given by him to provide stability for the human race," he said.

"Today’s ideas of living with one another and entering into the commitment of marriage, the acceptance of unfaithfulness and sexual immorality, the provision in law of pre-nuptial agreements which is symptomatic of a general disregard for marriage, the proposed marriage of same sex couples – none of these can replace the ideal of the family – mother, father children - which God intends should provide stability for society as a whole."

Bishop Hopes appealed to Christians to pray that those in power would uphold the dignity of human life and work to "strengthen and support" the family.