pari, forzata In the diocese of Ventimi glia–Sanremo, a bell has been ringing every evening at exact ly 8pm since 28 December. It sounds from the bell tower of the diocesan offices at Villa Giovan na d’Arco, in memory of unborn children. What might seem like a simple act of prayer has instead sparked fierce controversy.
From the moment the initi ative was announced, criticism poured in from left-wing groups, progressives, feminist move ments and even parts of the LGBT community. The target has been not only the bell itself, but also the bishop of Ventimiglia– Sanremo, Monsignor Antonio Suetta.
“This initiative offends,” some said. “It makes women who have had abortions feel guilty.” Others went further, calling it “violent,”
as the Liguria branch of the CGIL union did. But can the sound of a bell truly offend or judge anyone?
The answer, many argue, is clear ly no.
From the beginning, Bishop Suetta explained the meaning of the initiative: it was born “from the desire to give a voice to those who could not have a voice, and to keep in the heart of the Church the memory of unborn children lost to abortion.” It is, in essence, an invitation to pray at the same hour for children who never saw the light of day — without ac cusing, condemning or attacking anyone.
Yet these explanations did not stop the protests. Those who of ten defend freedom of expression seemed willing to allow it only when everyone thinks the same way.
There is no need for complex theology to understand the real, and harmless, purpose of this bell. Like all bells, it calls believ ers to prayer. It also breaks the silence around the topic of abor tion, but without judging. It does not ring to condemn women who have had abortions, nor to ex pose them publicly, but to invite reflection on the value of life.
The bell was cast during the 2021–2022 “40 Days for Life” in itiative, another period dedicated to prayer for unborn children and for their mothers. Its sound is meant to encourage compassion, recollection and memory.
Despite these intentions, Bish op Suetta found himself in the middle of a media storm. Even the Liguria Regional Councillor for Equal Opportunities, Laura Amoretti, wrote a letter of protest to Pope Leo XIV, revealing, crit ics say, a poor understanding of Catholic teaching on abortion.
Throughout history, bells have marked time not only for work, but also for prayer, celebration and mourning. Joyful peals an nounce Christmas and Easter; slow, spaced tolls signal a funer al, inviting people to pray wher ever they are. In the same way, the 8pm bell in Sanremo is sim ply another call to recollection.
Sanremo’s “Bell for the Un born” is not unique. Similar ini tiatives exist in other countries under the name “The Voice of the Unborn,” and some have even re ceived papal blessing.
In October 2021, Pope Fran cis blessed bells destined for Ecuador and Ukraine, saying their sound should “announce the Gospel of life,” “awaken con sciences,” and keep alive the memory of unborn children, en trusting every conceived child to prayer. In September 2020, he ex pressed the hope that such bells would “wake up the consciences”
of citizens and lawmakers. In March 2023, he blessed another bell for life bound for Zambia.
Given this background, the protests in Sanremo — includ ing a demonstration by the Rad ical Party — appear to many as an attempt to silence voices that differ from pro-abortion and pro gressive positions.
In response, the association Pro Vita & Famiglia has pub licly supported Bishop Suetta, launching a petition that gath ered over 30,000 signatures in just a few days. The bishop him self has remained firm, encour aging the association “not to give up this battle for the good of life”
and to be, in his words, “ringing bells without fear.”
JDN TRANSPORT Catherine Field JDN transport is a small family owned business that specialises in transporting fresh produce to fruit shops in and around Sydney and some country areas A Bell at 8pm and the Debate Over the Unborn Nel 2026 ricorrono gli 800 anni dalla morte di San France sco e l’anniversario diventa occa sione editoriale per Aldo Cazzullo e Alessandro Barbero, in tour con due libri di successo. Palazzetti pieni, applausi, presentazioni da star. Ma il Francesco raccontato è soprattutto “il loro Francesco”: povero, pacifista, amico degli ani mali, icona di buoni sentimenti.
Resta sullo sfondo il cuore della sua vita: Cristo. Le stigma te, l’Eucaristia, la missione di annunciare il Vangelo sono ac cennate o taciute. Così il santo diventa una figura rassicurante, adattata alle mode culturali di oggi, persino femminista e an ti-patriarcale.
Un Francesco svuotato della fede che lo ha reso grande. Senza Cristo, resta solo un santino, uti le a vendere libri ma incapace di spiegare davvero perché France sco cambiò il mondo.
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