Father Nicolae Dascălu, Director of the Lumina publications of the Romanian Patriarchate, granted an online interview to the Romanian version of the Radio Free Europe website. The discussion approached sensitive issues such as war, lack of confidence in politicians or the issue of abortion. “The work of the Church in society is quiet, but full of hope and love,” transmited the patriarchal counsellor.
“A nucleus of faithful Christians can be the basis of society renewal, because these peopole, who can be described as a quiet majority, who are active, not passive, work in their families, work in the Church and mostly in a very quiet way,” Father Nicolae Dascălu explained.
“The more we follow God’s will, the more each of us can contribute to world peace,” emphasised the patriarchal counsellor.
Asked why young people keep away from the Church, Father Nicolae Dascălu answered: “Young people have their own pursuits – even though in this process they seem to keep away from the Church, deep down they have a quest and a need for spirituality.”
“I discovered spiritual beauty and generosity in the least-expected environments and, in time, with God’s gift, I think all these will connect in the right places,” the patriarchal counsellor said.
“Romanian-born writer Eugene Ionesco used to say, as far as I remember, that good seems so frail because it is eternal and, even though we may not see it immediately, it is like a source flowing deep down inside the earth. This surely flows through the veins of our young people today.”
Asked to comment on the recent ruling of the United States Supreme Court on abortion, Father Nicolae Dascălu explained that the ruling in reality gave back to the states of the Union the right to decide their own policies regarding the legal status of human life in the first nine months of existence.
“We should always look at things carefully, because individual freedom is not absolute. Individual freedom ends where the other human person’s freedom begins,” added the director of the Lumina publications.
He also concisely explained the bioetical debate on abortion and offered the point of view of the Church on the matter: “For us, Christians, every conceived child is a gift from God. And being thus, we, as people should be very careful how we behave towards that gift.”
The patriarchal counsellor also explained why a legal ban on abortion would not be a solution.
“From our point of view, from the spiritual point of view, being aware of the reality is, I think, more important than forbidding it or not forbidding it, because the law is just the surface. In any society, legislation is practically the outermost end of the society’s life. From our point of view, Christ came into the world to change it from within,” Father Nicolae Dascălu declared.
He also offered a solution: “There are families who cannot have children. I think we should be oriented towards this area, because there are families who want children, but they cannot have them. And there are other who do not want children and God gives them children. The latter should reecive the gift and the former should adopt. There are people who love so much raising children that they adopt them.”
“We should work on this area of society, where coercion does not apply and there is no rights violation, we should work on a spiritual and moral life in accordance with Christian tradition,” added the counsellor.
The Lumina (“Light”) Publications of the Romanian Patriarchate include Ziarul Lumina, currently the largest-circulation printed newspaper in Romania and the only Orthodox daily publication in the world, Lumina the Duminică weekly and Vestitorul Ortodoxiei bimonthly.
Ziarul Lumina has published this year it 5000st daily edition.
