No indication of how to vote, simply the conviction that to prevent women having recourse to the interruption of pregnancy, what are needed are “political will”, sense of “realism” and “measures of accompaniment” in favour of the family “worthy of this name”. This is what is stated by the Catholic bishops of Switzerland in a press release issued in recent days to rebut the “misconceptions” and “false interpretations” with which a declaration they had issued on abortion had been greeted. The document had been issued on 5 September, in view of the campaign announced by the government for a referendum on abortion, on which Swiss citizens will be called to vote next summer. In their declaration, the Episcopal Conference invited “believers and the whole of the Swiss population to commit themselves actively to a better protection of the mother and child”, but “did not give – as the document issued today points out – any indication on how to vote”. “The authors of the initiative – write the bishops – must accept the idea that others, as well as themselves, wish to devote themselves to the uncompromising protection of the unborn life”. But for the episcopate, “it is a proof of responsibility to propose a politically realistic and feasible course, though without ever losing sight of the fundamental objective of the protection of the weakest. The bishops lastly thank all those committed to the protection of the unborn life” and urge them to “unite their forces”. “Together – the press release declares – it is possible to combat the culture of death and launch a serious reflection on the real measures in favour of the family”.
