Catholic bishops in Scotland have called on the country's voters to challenge attacks on Christian values "at the ballot box".

In a strongly worded letter read out at all masses across Scotland's 500 Catholic parishes over the weekend, the bishops said that a "conflict of values in society" had led to "legislation and regulations which are seriously at odds with the insights and values of our Christian faith and of other faiths".

The bishops raised concerns in particular about abortion, embryo experimentation, "easy divorce" and civil partnerships, adding that it was necessary to constantly counter criticism of the existence of Catholic schools.

The Government's Sexual Orientation Regulations, which could compel Catholic adoption agencies to place children with same-sex couples, also came under fire.

The bishops said the regulations were "a stealthy and unjust attack on the freedom of religion itself and the rights of conscience".

They said such regulations were "detrimental not just to the good of the Catholic community but to the common good of humanity as a whole".

"They deserve to be challenged at the ballot box," they said.

The Scottish parliamentary elections will take place on 3 May.