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Bishop Demetrio Fernandez of Tarazona called on the faithful this week to vote in the May 27th elections and said the Christian must vote for measures that defend life and the family, respect religious freedom and the right to a just wage, and that are welcoming to immigrants.“Let’s closely examine the proposals of each of the political parties in this election. One is not necessarily just as good as another. We should accept the results of the vote out of respect for the democratic system in which we live, but the Christian, based on his profound convictions of faith, should cast his vote for the person whose proposals are consistent with the Christian faith,” Bishops Fernandez wrote in his latest pastoral letter.
He said political policies should respect life in all of its states and that abortion “is against the Christian vision of man.”
He called for support for policies that promote childbirth and help families to have more children, as well as programs that assist the infirm and the elderly. “Life is sacred up until the last natural breath,” the bishop said.
He also called for respect for marriage and the family, saying the government should provide economic assistance to young couples and should favor policies that promote adoption.
Regarding religious freedom, Bishop Fernandez said the faithful have the right to practice their faith in private and in public and to pass it on to their children. Therefore he called on the faithful not to support “those who attack the Catholic faith in whatever way, those who do not respect the right of parents to choose the religious and moral education they desire for their children at home and at school.”
In conclusion, he addressed the right to dignified work and a “just wage.” Policies that encourage the welcoming of immigrants should be promoted, he said, “facilitating their assimilation into Spanish society” with appropriate respect for their own cultural background.
