Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Monday urged African society to cherish Christian family life and marriage and expressed concern about some "agencies" that promoted abortion in the continent. "A key focus of unity in a community is the institution of marriage and family life, which the people of Africa hold in particular esteem," the pontiff told Kenyan priests during a meeting at the Vatican.
But he warned that "the ills besetting parts of African society, such as promiscuity, polygamy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, can be directly related to distorted notions of marriage and family life," Benedict said, according to a Vatican statement.
He reiterated the Catholic Church's stance against abortion saying that it was "a matter of great concern that the globalized secular culture is exerting an increasing influence on local communities".
"Campaigns by agencies promoting abortion" were to blame for this, Benedict said.
The pontiff did not identify any organisation by name, but the Vatican recently called on Catholics to stop donating to human rights watchdog Amnesty International because of its decision to support abortion in the case of rape, incest or health emergencies.
Amnesty, whose activists have worked closely with Catholic relief and humanitarian organisations in Africa and elsewhere, in August scrapped its traditional neutral stance on abortion, saying it would champion access to the medical procedure for rape and incest victims as well as on health grounds.
But in his remarks Monday, Benedict ruled out any attempt to terminate pregnancy.
"This direct destruction of an innocent human life can never be justified, however difficult the circumstances that may lead some to consider taking such a grave step," he said.
"When you preach the Gospel of Life, remind your people that the right to life of every innocent human being, born or unborn, is absolute and applies equally to all people with no exception whatsoever," the pontiff told the Kenyan priests.
In an interview published Monday in the London-based daily The Guardian, Amnesty's head in Britain, Kate Allen said she was "disappointed that the Church has categorized us as a pro-abortion group.
Amnesty was, however, "very keen to keep our approach to the Catholic Church open and keep a dialogue going," she said.
