Prejudice won

The Churches of Europe (not only Catholic) are united in saying that the way of achieving social integration and peaceful co-existence between religions cannot be accomplished through laws that prohibit freedom of worship. That is the gist of the comments made by the Churches immediately after the results of the Swiss referendum held on Sunday, 29 November which, by a clear majority, decreed a ban on the building of new minarets in Switzerland. From the Vatican to Italy and Switzerland: according to the bishops the result of the referendum represents “a severe blow to religious freedom and integration”. The referendum. The initiative for the banning of Muslim religious symbols was accepted with 57% of votes. On the basis of the official results, only four of the 26 Cantons that form the Confederation (Basel city, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Vaud) rejected the proposal put to a referendum by the right-wing populist party of the UDC and the Christian right-wing part of the UDF. Given the majority both of electors and of cantons, the vote will involve the reform of article 72 of the Constitution, which regulates relations between the State and the religious confessions: the ban on the construction of minarets will be incorporated in it as a measure “aimed at maintaining peace between the members of the various religious communities”. Muslims form some 5% of the Swiss population and have some 200 places of prayer in Switzerland, but they only have four minarets, and even they aren’t used to call the faithful to prayer. Hard-line reaction of the Swiss bishops. The “official” comment was entrusted to Walter Müller, delegate for communication of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference. In the view of the bishops, the result of the referendum “represents an obstacle and a great challenge for the process of integration through dialogue and mutual respect. We failed to demonstrate in a clear manner to the people that the ban on the construction of minarets does not contribute to the salutary cohabitation of religions and cultures. On the contrary, it worsens it. The electoral campaign, with its exaggerations and its caricatures, showed that religious peace cannot be taken for granted and must always be defended”. “The ‘yes’ to the referendum – continues Müller’s statement – increases the problems of enabling religions and cultures to live together in peace”. According to the Swiss episcopate, “the first challenge is that of restoring to public opinion the necessary trust in our legal system and proper attention for the interests of everyone. And this requires the collaboration of everyone in Switzerland, and in particular of the authorities of the State and of the Church”. “The difficulties of peaceful co-existence between religions and cultures – points out the statement – are not confined to Switzerland. The pastors of the Catholic Church stressed before the vote that the ban on the construction of minarets would not serve the interests of Christians oppressed and persecuted in Islamic countries, indeed it would reduce the credibility of their commitment in those countries”.Like the crucifix. “Those who supported the referendum – declared the general secretary of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference, Monsignor Felix Gmür in a statement to Vatican Radio – say that religion should be a private matter; each person may pray where he likes, but not in public places. At the same time they declare themselves to be Christians, but for a Christian the practice of religion cannot be only a private affair. On this – said the secretary – a debate needs to be opened that may help to clarify the question, because society is confused: there’s a contradiction in all European societies, as shown by the question opened on the public display of crucifixes in Italy”. Fear can only be vanquished by living together, observed Bishop Gmür, emphasizing the fact that the referendum was rejected in cities like Basel and Geneva where the largest number of Muslims live. Daily paths of peace. The President of the Pontifical Council for Migrants, Monsignor Antonio Maria Vegliò, also intervened on the question of the Swiss referendum. He made it clear he “shared the same position as the Swiss bishops”. Vegliò, indeed, had clearly expressed his views on the referendum a few days before it was held, on the occasion of the presentation of the Pope’s message for World Migrants’ Day. “I don’t see how it’s possible to prevent the religious freedom of a minority, or of a group of people”. “Of course – he had added – we note a feeling of aversion or fear more or less everywhere, but a Christians must be able to transcend all this, even if there is no reciprocity”. And on the question Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, observed: “From whatever side it comes, the exploitation of religion for ulterior purposes is always wrong”. And he added: We need to “pursue paths of peace, paths of peace in practice and not just in words, both at the highest levels, in the international institutions, and at the levels of ordinary, daily life”. The German bishops have also expressed “great concern” about the Swiss referendum. “The result of the popular consultation – said Mgr. Robert Zollitsch, President of the German Bishops’ Conference – threaten to harm good relations between religions and cultures in our neighbouring country”.