Madrid, Spain, Jul 9, 2008 / 05:31 pm (CNA).- Father Jaime Larrinaga, a priest who was forced to leave the Basque region of Spain by the terrorist group ETA, spoke out this week saying that the measures by the country’s Socialist government against life and its promotion of secularism are in opposition to the Church.

In statements to Servimedia, Father Larrinaga said that Spain is a religiously neutral State so therefore, the government should “respect religion” and not put up obstacles with measures that impose secularism and eradicate the faith from the public square.

Socialists, he said, “in reality are going against the Catholic Church.”

Spain’s Socialist Party, meeting for its 37th Convention during which President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was elected as General Secretary, reaffirmed its intention to remove religious symbols from public places, such as schools and government buildings and streets, as well as to promote the legislation favoring abortion.

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