2006年VOA标准英语-Pope Urges Respect for Life

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
05 February 2006
 

Green balloons bearing writings 'Yes to Life' and 'Pro-life Movement', are seen in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, February 5, 2006  
  
Marking the Italian Catholic Church's Day for Life, Pope Benedict urged the faithful to develop a new respect for life, for the sick and the handicapped, as well as the healthy. His call comes as Italian Catholic bishops¹ have renewed a battle against abortion² and what is known as the abortion pill.

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Pope Benedict made a strong call for the defense³ of human life, as pro-life movements waved green balloons in Saint Peter's Square. Standing⁴ among the crowd to mark the Day for Life was the head of the Italian bishops' conference, Cardinal⁵ Camillo Ruini.

The pope's words echoed a recent statement by the Italian bishops' conference, which stressed the respect for human life must be a priority. The pope cited his predecessor's encyclical Evangelium Vitae, which strongly condemned⁶ abortion, euthanasia and research using human embryos⁷.

"Every human life, as such," he said, "deserves to be always defended and promoted."

Earlier, during a mass at the Saint Ann parish inside the Vatican, Pope Benedict said people today wrongly think that modern man is the master of life, when he is only the custodian⁸. He added that life depends on God, and, without God, life disappears.

With general elections just more than two months away in Italy, abortion has become a campaign issue for the first time since 1981. Then, Italians upheld the law allowing abortion in a referendum the church sponsored in an effort to overturn the law.

Pope Benedict recently told Italian officials, doctors should not give out what is known as the abortion pill. Cardinal Ruini has told voters they should consider issues such as abortion when choosing which candidate they will vote for in the elections.

In other comments made by the pope on Saturday, he condemned the violent reaction and protests against cartoons depicting⁹ Islam's Prophet Mohammed. But the Vatican also issued a statement condemning¹⁰ the publication of the cartoons in European newspapers.

The Vatican said that the right to freedom of thought and expression could not include the right to offend the religious sentiments of believers, whatever their religion. 

 

1 bishops   

（基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象

参考例句：

• Each player has two bishops at the start of the game. 棋赛开始时，每名棋手有两只象。
• "Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. “他劫富济贫，抢的都是郡长、主教、国王之类的富人。

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 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。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 cardinal   

n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的

参考例句：

• This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
• The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火，脸涨得通红。

6 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

7 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句

8 custodian   

n.保管人，监护人；公共建筑看守

参考例句：

• Benitez believes his custodian is among the top five in world football.贝尼特斯坚信他的门将是当今足坛最出色的五人之一。
• When his father died his uncle became his legal custodian.他父亲死后，他叔叔成了他的法定监护人。

9 depicting   

描绘，描画( depict的现在分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• a painting depicting the Virgin and Child 一幅描绘童贞马利亚和圣子耶稣的画
• The movie depicting the battles and bloodshed is bound to strike home. 这部描写战斗和流血牺牲的影片一定会取得预期效果。

10 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》