Archbishop to Spain’s Senate: ‘I engage in politics whenever I can’

The archbishop of Oviedo in Spain, Jesús Sanz Montes, defended the presence of God in public life during a forum titled “ What the Catholic Faith Contributes to Spain and Europe ,” held at the Spanish Senate. “I engage in politics whenever I can,” he stated.

The event, organized by the Enraizados Foundation under the heading “God: A Light in Public Life?”, took place Oct. 19. It began with a prayer that included the following petition: “Transform our homeland into an anteroom to the heavenly homeland.”

During the gathering, the Franciscan archbishop took part in a roundtable discussion with Higinio Marín, rector of Cardenal Herrera CEU University; Sen. Fernando Gutiérrez, who represents Melilla; and Bieito Rubido, director of El Debate online news.

Sanz explained that he is frequently accused of being a bishop “who gets involved in politics,” a charge he acknowledges is fair, noting that he “rarely disappoints” in that regard with some of his homilies and writings.

“I say everything I can. I engage in politics whenever I am able,” he stated, further clarifying that by “politics,” he is referring to “the ministry of bearing witness within the ‘polis’ — in the city.”

He…