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The abbots of the famous historical monasteries of Poblet and Montserrat, Octavi Vilà and Josep Maria Soler, have called this Thursday for the governments of Catalonia and Spain to exercise "prudence and responsibility" to achieve a "constructive dialogue" that responds to the feeling of the majority, respecting the minorities.

The two abbots say that "the times Catalonia is going through are delicate and worrying" and need "responsibility on the part of everyone, to maximise the prudence of the governors, to look for and put into practise paths to solve the problems posed". "With all humility, we call on the leaders of Catalonia and of Spain to exercise maximum prudence and responsibility for a constructive dialogue."

"It is not our intention, nor is it our job to take part in anything that isn't peace, dialogue, democratic freedoms of expression, social coexistence and the respect for individual rights and the rights of our people," they say. As such, they note that the right to take part in political and social life "has to be guaranteed in a democratic state" by its leaders who, what's more, "have the obligation to interpret the common good of their country listening to the voice of the majority and at the same time respecting the those who find themselves in the minority".

Both also noted that their monasteries are "deeply rooted in the spirituality and the history of Catalonia".