Pope Urges Maximum Protection of Marriage, Unborn [View All]

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Fri Jun 18, 2004 09:39 AM ET

By Shasta Darlington
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope John Paul Friday urged "maximum protection" of heterosexual marriage and defended the rights of the unborn as battles over gay marriage and abortion dominate the presidential race in the United States.

"The family, the central and fundamental nucleus of all of society...deserves the maximum protection and help to carry out its mission," the pontiff said.

He said we "cannot give in to certain voices that seem to confuse marriage with other forms of union that are completely different when not contrary to it."

After Massachusetts in May became the first state in America to permit gay marriages, the issue has been hotly debated ahead of presidential elections.

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http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5458011