The Swiss bishops, at the end of their ordinary assembly held at Villars-sur-Glâne (Fribourg) from 27 February to 1st March, issued a statement expressing their utter condemnation “of any violent action committed in the name of religion”. They also expressed their “deep compassion for the victims of the violent protests in Nigeria, Liberia and Iraq”. The Swiss bishops had already taken a stance in the previous month on the caricatures of the prophet Mohamed, and now “support the appeal of Benedict XVI to pray for peace during this period of Lent”. The focus of attention at the assembly was the reorganization of the work of the general secretariat (with the nomination of the new general secretary Abbot Felix Gmür, current deputy rector of the Seminary of Lucerne, who will assume the post from July 2006) and of the episcopal Commissions, subdivided into four new departments: “Faith, evangelization and formation”, “Ministries and services of the Church”; “Pastoral ministry”, and “Church and the world”. The principles for the creation of a joint Commission for planning and finance were approved. Guidelines were also established for the “consecration of virgins”, given that “a growing number of women explain the Swiss bishops in their final communiqué are choosing this form of life” officially recognized by the Church. A guide to help the work of pastoral assistance to those women who undergo an abortion or suffer prenatal deaths will be published in German in July. The bishops also approved a pastoral letter for the National Day of Fasting 2006 on the theme: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me”, which places the emphasis on the apostolate of social assistance in Switzerland.
