Madrid, Spain, Apr 4, 2007 / 10:07 am (CNA).- The bishops of the Spanish region of Catalonia issued a statement this week in which they equated the “large terrorist acts” of recent years and the mistreatment of women with other “forms of violence” such as abortion and euthanasia, which attack the inalienable right to life of every human being.

Auxiliary Bishop of Barcelona Joan Carrera and Archbishop Jaume Pujol of Tarragona presented the statement in which the bishops of Catalonia expressed their complete rejection of all forms of violence.  

“The large terrorist attacks of recent years, like in New York, Madrid, London or Mumbai, and the violence against women in the home are equal to two forms of violence that are taking place at the beginning and at the end of life,” Bishop Carrera said.

Abortion “cuts off the life of the unborn,” he said, and euthanasia entails “the elimination of persons when they are no longer apt for work,” both of which are anti-life practices that “put human existence in jeopardy.”

“We would like to see more recognition in Catalonia for fundamental values such as the gift of life from conception to natural death,” the bishops said in their statement.  They also denounced excessive violence in the media, which can have “unfortunate consequences” directly related to “a climate of absolute permissiveness.”  

While the bishops expressed their opposition to discrimination against the Muslim community, they expressed their hopes “to see the right of mothers and fathers to chose the kind of education—including that of a moral or religious nature—more fully respected, and to see the historical contribution of Christian education in Catalonia more fully appreciated and supported.”

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