EUROPE/SPAIN - Bishops ask Spanish Government to unite with Europe's call to stop violence against Christians

Madrid (Agenzia Fides) – In the final note of the CCXVIII meeting of the Standing Committee of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, held on 26 and 27 January 2011, the Bishops asked the Spanish Government to join the call of other European countries to stop the violence against Christians. During the meeting the Bishops dedicated themselves to drafting the new pastoral plan for the Committee, the document entitled, “The Truth of human love” (prepared by the Committee of the Episcopal Conference for the Family and for the Defence of Life) and to the World Youth Day to be held 16 to 21 August 2011 in Madrid.
The Bishops also addressed an issue of great concern to the Church in Spain: the increasingly frequent and bloody attacks against various Christian communities in around the world. Dozens of innocent people were killed, unbelievably at a time when they had gathered for the celebrations in sacred places of worship. Faced with this situation, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs for Hungary, Italy, France, Poland and Germany asked that the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union, to be held on 31 January, enter on the agenda the theme of the persecution of Christians in the world and the measures that must be taken in order to effectively protect their fundamental rights, the right to life and complete religious freedom.
“The bishops,” says the statement sent by the Commission for Communication of the Committee to Fides, “ask the Catholic faithful to continue to pray for persecuted Christian communities and for the religious freedom of all, especially where this this is essential for peace and where human social society does not exist or is compromised. They also called the Spanish government to join the request made by other European Governments. It will be an important milestone, which is appreciated not only by Spanish Catholics, but also – certainly – by all citizens who consider human dignity and rights as essential.”. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 29/01/2011)