Society has a vested interest in supporting marriage as the surest basis for family life, the Catholic bishops of England and Wales have said.

In their pre-election document, Choosing the Common Good, the bishops write that the family is “the first school of life and love, where the capacity to relate to others, to develop moral character, is founded”.

They also insist that politicians need to take care “not to put obstacles in the way of religious belief and practice which reduce it to devotional acts” in light of the contribution made by the Christian Churches to the promotion of the common good.

On the issue of the family, they say that the personal, social and economic costs of increased family breakdown are “unmistakable”.

And while they applaud the many parents who have provided stable and loving homes for their children despite family breakdown, they insist that society needs to accept that “the promotion and encouragement of family stability must be a high priority” if the trend of family breakdown was to be reversed”.

Families, the document stressed had “a right to a life of their own, and governments do well when they interfere as little as possible while supporting parents in the exercise of their responsibilities”.

It adds that any policy initiatives designed support ‘couple relationships’, must have marriage at its core.

It also points out that marriage brings “considerable and measurable benefits to individuals, children, family life and society” and deserves protection.

It continues: “A strong future for marriage is both achievable and desirable. A more realistic view of married life should be encouraged and couples should be prepared with the skills to maintain and develop their commitment.”

It calls on politicians of all parties to “recognise and support marriage as a key building-block of a stable society”.

Faith communities, the document continues, have “a distinctive and active role in building up a society which fosters the flourishing of all. They are one of the main pillars of support for the common good”.

The right to religious freedom means “the right to live by faith, within the reasonableness of the common good, and to act by faith in the public forum.”

Partnerships between Government and faith communities, it says “should be mutually respectful and permit these communities to act with integrity in the provision of public services for the common good”.

This had been the case in the provision of education and the benefits brought by that partnership were “substantial and clear”.

Faith communities, the document goes on, also have a role to play in the formulation of public policy and “have a right to make a proper contribution to the life of our democracy”.

The British General Election is to take place in the coming months.