AMERICA/HONDURAS - Bishops' appeal against violence and corruption: a truce for Christmas

Monday, 23 December 2019 human rights violence prisoners hunger corruption

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Tegucigalpa (Agenzia Fides) - "To those who want to kill, we ask at least a truce for Christmas": said Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, in a mass celebrated yesterday, December 22, in which he launched a heartfelt appeal to stop the violence in prisons. "Please - Cardinal Maradiaga insisted - on this Christmas, Christ wants to be born in a Honduras that wants peace", and then he commented: "The situation of prisons is very sad (18 dead due to violent clashes), perhaps because God is not present in our lives".
A week ago the message of the Episcopal Conference of Honduras was released to the national community demanding peace in a country shaken by episodes of violence and corruption. The Bishops wrote last Tuesday in their Christmas message, sent to Fides: "The call of Jesus not to be scandalized by his commitment to the poor and by his requests for justice, truth, freedom and solidarity, precisely touches the scandal and shame caused by the actions of the powers of the state. These powers, especially the actions of the Congress of the Republic contrary to the political ethics and the will of the people, do not listen".
The text of the Bishops underlines: "The word 'scandal' means dishonor, obstacle that causes indignation. And it is precisely in the indignation of society that we see another reason for hope. Because far from wishing Honduras to enter a spiral of violence, what we hope is that the common sense of public and private powers will make them understand that, to save our country, most of the people no longer want to rely on them and no longer believes in them. Therefore, the hope is also that new leaders will emerge in all fields of national activity".
The message of the Honduran episcopate concludes with a reflection: "Joseph and Mary, in front of the cradle of the Child Jesus, are the model to be taken for all the families of Honduras. We must become a family that shares the difficulties without losing hope: a family open to coexistence with other families, migrants, support groups, groups of faith and social commitment". (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 23/12/2019)