A Sanctuary of Peace
That's what the Tico Times weekly said about Costa Rica in its fine editorial of April 8, 2005, when it stated that "a legal system founded on religious principles affords a country some peculiar advantages, one of which is a certain lack of public controversy over topics that tear other countries apart. Abortion, cloning, euthanasia, in-vitro fertilization, gay marriage, sex change operations. these are things that the Costa Rican law prohibits".
The paper considered that "sidestepping debate of those questions may make public life more peaceful, but it shifts moral burdens onto those who are suffering most. It is time to give up a degree of peace and confront these messy topics, no matter what the result. Many countries around the globe have discussed difficult issues in a reasonable way". So why not Costa Rica too, it suggests. I believe, however, that this will be very difficult to achieve given that the country is so predominantly Roman Catholic. But, of course, nothing is eternal on earth and anything can happen most unexpectedly at anytime.
A Geographical Coincidence
The town of Limon on the Caribbean lies exactly on the globe's 10th degree of north latitude. Nobody has bothered to tell tourists nor even the local population about this. A memorial stone or monument put on the exact spot for everyone to see should be interesting.
Help Sought from Deceased Doctor
Ricardo Moreno Cañas, a prestigious medical doctor of yesteryear in San José, became much more famous when in 1934 he saved a man by dislodging a bullet from his heart. After that, Cañas was considered almost a saint and to this day street vendors on occasion sell pictures of him at the entrance of San Juan de Dios Hospital. Some people come from afar, even other countries, to pray and place flowers on his grave in the San José general cemetery. The seekers hope for a miracle.
Catholicism Is Country's Official Religion
Costa Rica is the only state, after the Vatican, whose official religion is Catholicism as stated in the country's Constitution. Annually the Church receives some government funds to assist it in helping the poor and other social causes. Every government ministry has a Catholic chapel. All other religions and sects are allowed.
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