2006年VOA标准英语-Pope Speaks Out Against Abortion

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
30 March 2006

Pope Benedict XVI  
  
Pope Benedict XVI spoke¹ out against abortion², euthanasia and homosexual marriages during an audience Thursday with delegates from the center-right European Popular Party. The delegates are attending the party's two-day congress in Rome, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of its foundation.

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Pope Benedict addressed lawmakers from the center-right European Popular Party at the Vatican Thursday, and told them the Roman Catholic position on issues including abortion, euthanasia and homosexual marriages was not negotiable.

The pope said society should be shaped to defend human life, from conception to its natural end, should promote traditional marriage as the basis of the family, and safeguard the right of parents to educate their children.

With a general election in Italy just 10 days away, some politicians accused the pope and the Church of interfering³ in Italian politics.

Daniele Capezzone of the leftist Rose In the Fist party said he did not expect Italians to follow Church dictates⁴.

"I think Italian Catholics will not follow them, because Italian Catholics are secular⁵, liberal and have always known how to distinguish between their own opinion and the fact that state laws must be secular on divorce, abortion, on everything," he said.

In his speech to lawmakers, the pope said the Church was not interfering, but enlightening consciences. He asked lawmakers to defend the Church's right to proclaim what he said were principles inscribed⁶ in human nature itself, and, therefore, common to all humanity.

"Your support for Christian⁷ heritage more can contribute significantly to the defeat of a culture that is now fairly widespread in Europe, which relegates⁸ to the private and subjective⁹ sphere the manifestation¹⁰ of one's own religious convictions," said Pope Benedict.

Pope Benedict called on lawmakers to translate the values of Europe's Christian heritage into policies. By promoting its Christian roots, the pope said, Europe will be able to give a clear direction to the choices of its citizens and peoples, and this will reinforce the awareness¹¹ of belonging to a common civilization.

The two-day European Popular Party Congress opened in Rome Thursday, and is being attended by more than 700 delegates, including 10 prime ministers. The congress is celebrating the European Popular Party's 30th anniversary.

Speaking at the congress, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi also addressed the issue of Europe's Christian identity.
 

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi   
  
"Those, who, in the European Union, refused to accept a reference to the continent's Christian roots in the European constitution did not do a wrong to Christianity and our fathers, but rather did a wrong to our children," said Mr. Berlusconi.  "We do not want them to grow up without a history, without values and without an identity."

He also said Europe must have political autonomy, as far as defense¹² and security, but the ties between the European Union and the United States must remain strong and solid.  A conflict between them, Berlusconi added, would compromise security and prosperity in the whole world.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

3 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

4 dictates   

n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

6 inscribed   

v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接

参考例句：

• His name was inscribed on the trophy. 他的名字刻在奖杯上。
• The names of the dead were inscribed on the wall. 死者的名字被刻在墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

8 relegates   

v.使降级( relegate的第三人称单数 )；使降职；转移；把…归类

参考例句：

• This supercilious attitude relegates me to the level of the commonplace. 这种目空一切的心态把我归入大路货的档次。 来自互联网
• The enzyme then relegates the ends of the cleaved strand and releases itself from the DNA. 该酶从被解链的末端脱落并从DNA上释放出来。 来自互联网

9 subjective   

a.主观(上)的，个人的

参考例句：

• The way they interpreted their past was highly subjective. 他们解释其过去的方式太主观。
• A literary critic should not be too subjective in his approach. 文学评论家的看法不应太主观。

10 manifestation   

n.表现形式；表明；现象

参考例句：

• Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
• What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。

11 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。