EUROPE/SPAIN - Spanish Bishops say moral dimension must be taken into account at elections next month: "not all electoral programmes are compatible with the faith and the demands of Christian life"

Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - At the end of a meeting 29-20 January the Standing Committee of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Spain issued a Statement in view of elections on March 9, offering Catholics and 'all who wish to listen' some considerations to stimulate responsible exercise of the right to vote. "We speak as the Bishops of the Church - the statement reads - who have the duty and the right to direct moral discernment necessary to make decisions which are to contribute to full recognition of the fundamental rights of all citizens and the promotion of the common good".
The Bishops ask for "freedom and respect to freely propose our vision of things, without anyone feeling threatened, or our intervention being interpreted as an offence or a threat to the freedom of others". With the orientations the Bishops intend to "collaborate sincerely in promoting the spiritual enrichment of our society, consolidating of authentic tolerance and coexistence with mutual respect, with freedom and justice, as the inseparable basis of authentic peace".
The Bishops suggest people should read and reflect at this moment on a Bishops' Pastoral Instruction issued in November 2006 "Moral guidelines in the present situation in Spain" (see Fides 27/11/2006), and they refer to certain basic ideas in that Instruction. They state clearly "not all programmes are compatible with the faith and the demands of Christian life, nor are they close or adapted to the goals and values which Christians should promote in public life". Therefore when voting, Catholics should assess each political proposal "with regard to the attention it gives to the moral dimension of life", because “the non confessional or secular condition of the state must not be confused with moral release or exemption for objective moral obligations".
The Statement deals with other questions, the danger of political and legislative decisions which contradict basic values and anthropological and moral principles rooted in the nature of the human person: respect and defence of human life in all its stages from conception to natural death, and the promotion of the family founded on marriage; injustice which claims to artificially build a society without any religious reference, exclusively of this world, without worship of God or aspiration to eternal life; necessary promotion of freedom of teaching and quality education for all; condemnation of terrorism as intrinsically perverse, totally incompatible with a moral vision of just and reasoned life, and political negotiation with terrorist organisations; nationalism and the necessary safeguarding of the common good; reference to certain concrete situations in Spain today, for example immigration, domestic violence, child abuse, work, housing, concern for the environment; internationally necessary attention for proper collaboration for the integral development of peoples.
"May the Lord illuminate and strengthen all of us that we may act in conscience and in keeping with the demands of social harmony in justice and freedom" the Statement concludes. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 1/2/2008; righe 38, parole 516)