AMERICA/MEXICO - Bishops publish message for autumn assembly: "Crisis can strengthen community"

Friday, 13 November 2020 coronavirus social situation politics healthcare poverty family episcopal conferences

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Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - "The Mexican Bishops address the pilgrim People of God in Mexico in the midst of a profound crisis which is exacerbated by the unexpected Covid-19 pandemic". The message that the Bishops' Conference of Mexico (CEM) published on the occasion of the plenary assembly, from 9 to 13 November begins with these words.
"The crisis has affected all areas of life", underlines the text, sent to Fides: economy, health system, politics, education system. Then there is drug trafficking and organized crime, ideologies that turn against life. "Fatigue, loneliness and despair increase when there is a lack of food and medicine", the Bishops note, who continue: "These shadows are transformed into signs of hope in communion with the risen Christ: many brothers and sisters help with their own lives, including doctors, nurses, cleaning staff, carers, volunteers, families, companies, priests, religious, deacons, pastoral workers who give generous service to various initiatives, and express the awareness of being a family, a community, that we are in the same boat and that we help each other".
"With our Lady of Guadalupe in mind, we hope to help build the Sacred House of our identity as the People of God in our homeland, throughout America and around the world", continued the Mexican bishops. "We discover and appreciate each other as children of the same Father and together we promote encounter, dialogue, coexistence and solidarity through our brotherly and sisterly attitudes, marked by forgiveness, love, justice and peace".
Addressing the believers with a "word of consolation, hope and encouragement", the bishops exhort everyone to be a "Church that goes forth", and with Christ crucified and risen, everywhere and always "in a physical, spiritual or virtual way" . In doing so, "above all we listen to the Holy Spirit, that guides and supports us". The bishops also encourage commitment to "an ecological change with a new attitude towards our sister and mother earth".
Finally, looking at next year's political elections, the Bishops invite you to find out more about the candidates' programs and to analyze them and then to participate responsibly in the election, invoking the Blessed Mother of Guadalupe to "support us in this journey of solidarity and fraternal encounter", says the message sent on behalf of all Bishops by Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera López of Monterrey (CEM Chairman) and the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference and Auxiliary Bishop of Monterrey, Alfonso Miranda Guardiola, and dated November 12, 2020. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 13/11/2020)