Sergi d'Assís Gelpí, a monk in Catalonia’s Montserrat monastery for more than 20 years, has received a death threat for defending a Catalan referendum and the right to self-determination of Catalans. He was threatened for the homily he gave on 24th September last year, in which he described the referendum as a "human right". The referendum was held on 1st October, despite police repression.
In his homily, the monk encouraged people "to say no to repression and yes to freedom and respect for key rights" and he criticized the contempt for "the institutions of our people". "May God give us guidance us in how to face these days with a peaceful spirit. We have seen how fundamental rights have been threatened and in some cases violated: the right of assembly, freedom of expression, are forbidden –a right as basic as the right to be consulted. We must say no to repression and yes to freedom and respect for the most fundamental rights. If anyone doubts this, read the Declaration of Human Rights, for example, article 19 on freedom of expression", he asked.
Almost a year later, the monk has now revealed in an interview with local magazine Reviu that those words made him receive a "rather unpleasant threat". "At no time did I regret having defended human rights. I have no urge to be harmed, of course, but I have even less urge to give up defending the most fundamental rights," he explained.
Amb motiu de l’homilia del 24 de setembre vaig rebre una amenaça de mort. No desitges que et passi res greu, però encara menys renunciar a la defensa dels drets més fonamentalshttps://t.co/kp5Qpmw3pi
— Sergi d'Assís (@sergidassis) 11 d’agost de 2018
In the interview, Sergi d'Assis defends the active role that the Church must play in defence of civil rights. "We cannot remain silent where there is injustice, we cannot be neutral when human rights are violated", he said.