According to the Catholic news portal CCM, Mexico is the most dangerous country in Latin America for priests. “For the ninth year in a row, and even though no wars are being fought on our soil, our country is the nation with the highest number of murders of priests,” said priest and journalist Sergio Omar Sotelo Aguilar.
“Killing a priest also sets an example, symbolises a demonstration of power by the criminal organisations.”
A cardinal and 47 priests were murdered
The research department of CCM maintains an exact and up-to-date register of priests, religious and lay persons in the service of the church who lost their lives or received serious threats in 2017. Similar to journalists, they have also become the targets of organised crime because they are considered to be opinion leaders who have joined the fight against the organisations. Organised crime has become even more powerful because it has formed alliances with politicians, judges and certain circles within the police and security forces. “It causes decay in society from top to bottom!”
The situation is becoming more and more dire
In this nation of 120 million inhabitants, 80 per cent of which are Catholic, the authorities reacted to most of the murders with complete indifference. In the last five years, 19 priests and two lay persons were murdered. Two priests are still missing. This has to change, Father Sergio Omar said, “We cannot remain silent as the blood of thousands of Mexicans is shed. This is why we are directing an urgent appeal to the federal government of Mexico, to the authorities of the various states and to the city governments: we want them all to guarantee that pastoral care can safely be carried out in regions beset by uncontrolled, growing violence. We cannot remain silent!”
Via @catholicnewsagency 🙏🕊🇻🇦🇲🇽
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