Spanish bishops exhort voters to support life and family in coming elections

Madrid, Spain, Feb 18, 2004 / 22:00 pm

In anticipation of the coming general elections on March 14, the leadership of the Spanish Bishops Conference has published a statement calling for support for proposals that protect the right to life, support the family and unconditionally reject terrorism.

In the statement entitled, "Voting, a Right and a Duty," the bishops call on voters to choose between "the proposals and promises with clarity and critical judgment," making an effort "to know the truth about the candidates and their platforms."

Likewise they also underscored the "moral obligation" of the candidates and the media to facilitate "the knowledge of truth about the platforms and intentions of the different parties."

The bishops also call on voters to consider issues such as "the effective protection of the right to life of each human being from conception to natural death," adding that "the production of human embryos and in particular their premeditated fate to be killed through scientific study, procured abortion, in any form, and euthanasia" are all "attacks on the right life."

The bishops call on voters to give "clear and decisive support to the family, founded upon the indissoluble union of live and love between one man and one woman, that is, in a true marriage."

The bishops also showed their support for "social and economic policies that respect and promote the dignity of persons," and that manifest the solidarity of our country with those peoples that are most in need.