Catholic bishops from Spain's Basque region have apologized for keeping quiet about the killing of priests by right-wing forces during the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939. "The memory of these priests has never faded in the eyes of their families, parishioners and diocesan presbyteries, nor (in the eyes) of the religious orders to which they belonged," said Bishop Miguel Asurmendi Aramendia of Vitoria. "What is not justifiable or acceptable any longer is the silence in which our church's official media has wrapped their deaths. We believe such a long silence was not only a wrongful omission, but also a lack of truth and an act against justice and charity, for which we humbly ask forgiveness from God and our brethren," the bishop said at a Mass for 14 priests killed by the late Gen. Francisco Franco's nationalist army on July 11. At the Mass, concelebrated by more than 200 Catholic clergy, Bishop Asurmendi said the priests were denied public burial rites, and most of their deaths were not recorded in diocesan registers. Speaking on behalf of all Basque bishops, he said the church wished to "recognize and repair" the damage and to "serve the truth by purifying memory."
Basque Bishops Apologize for 1930s Deaths
Show Comments (
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
The latest from america
The conclave that begins next Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in 46 ½ years for which the Vatican hasn’t ordered a set of cassocks from the two best-known papal tailors.
Papabile: How do conclave watchers come up with their lists of the next pope—and should we trust them?
The people of God see the bishop of Rome as a teacher, but they also unquestionably see him as a father.
Since the death of Pope Francis, lists of his possible successors have proliferated on social media and in newspapers. Should you trust them?