Scottish bishops tell voters: put life first
April 10, 2015
The Catholic bishops of Scotland are encouraging voters to consider the sanctity of life as “the fundamental issue” as they weigh candidates in the coming British elections.
In a pastoral letter that will be read at all Masses in Scotland on Sunday, April 12, the bishops decry the acceptance of abortion and say that any law allowing assisted suicide or euthanasia is “profoundly unjust.” They write: “We do not want to accept the continued existence in our society of such fundamental violations of human rights and we commit ourselves to work peacefully and tirelessly to oppose and to change them.”
The bishops also insist that “politicians should defend the institution of marriage and the family as the basic unit of society on which so much depends." They warn that politicians who identify themselves as Catholics but support positions incompatible with the faith are guilty of “grave ethical injustice.”
The bishops’ letter lists six main topics for voters to consider:
- Life
- The Family
- The Economy
- Human Freedom
- Peace
- Evangelization
In their discussion of Human Freedom the bishops emphasize religious freedom, noting: “Around the globe, the right to religious freedom and freedom of worship are under threat.”
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Further information:
- Bishops urge Catholics to cast their vote (Scottish Catholic Media Office)
- English bishops release advice to voters on coming elections (CWN, 4/7)
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