European bishops and the World Congress of Families are setting a challenge before the European Union. They will not accept the EU’s “new social norm,” part of which is two-income households. Larry Jacobs of the World Congress of Families says, by standing firm in their convictions, the organizations could fend off a potentially crushing blow.

“The traditional family, we like to call the natural family as God ordained it, it is certainly under attack in Europe.”

The EU is also attempting to convince member states to recognize “de facto unions and registered partnerships,” according to Susan Yoshihara from the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute.

“EU is exceeding its mandate in some of these areas. By doing that, essentially what the EU is doing, is driving family policy in countries that are trying to preserve the traditional family.”

Jacobs says partnerships, between groups like the World Congress of Families and European bishops, help level the playing field.

“There’s extreme pressure to try to redefine marriage. Countries like Latvia and Poland have been subjected to European scrutiny and possible sanctions for their stand on traditional marriage.”

Jacobs adds some of the damage has already been done from these attacks on the family. He points to research showing dwindling fertility rates throughout the European population.