AMERICA/MEXICO - “The continent of hope must also be also the continent of love, life and peace”: says Archbishop of Antequera-Oaxaca after CELAM 5
Oaxaca (Agenzia Fides) - Archbishop José Luis Chávez Botello of Antequera-Oaxaca, Mexico, addressed a brief letter to the faithful "A new start for hope and life", sharing his experience during the 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean held in May in Aparecida and he mentions some of the resolutions taken: give new impulse and vigour to mission; work to guarantee a worthy life for the poor and maginalised people; promote respect for the common home, the land threatened with destruction; promote a culture of honesty to eradicate corruption, violence and illegal wealth.
"Our fidelity to Jesus Christ demands that we combat evils which harm or destroy life" abortion, drug trafficking, kidnapping, sexual abuse, armed violence, terrorism and war the Archbishop said calling on all politicians to “defend the truth and protect every person's inviolable right to life and respect for the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death”.
Seeing many baptised Christians unaware of their mission, with a weak and vulnerable identity and many believers who do not receive the Sacraments, the Bishops resolved to: promote a clear sense of identity to make people disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ, to promote the formation of lay person to enable them to assume their specific vocation as men and women of the Church in the heart of the world and men and women of the world at the heart of the Church and undertake a new Permanent Mission on the Continent starting from the local Churches. Archbishop Chávez Botello said "the continent of hope must also be the continent of love, life and peace" and he concludes: This demands from all of us a profound revision of how we nourish our Christian life, and profound personal and pastoral conversion".
(RG) (Agenzia Fides 19/6/2007; righe 24, parole 330)
