AMERICA/COLOMBIA - The Bishops of Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia tell governments: “Only through union and communion of our past, our talents, and our religious and moral patrimony, will we be able to overcome misery and poverty.”

Bogota (Agenzia Fides) – The Presidents of the Bishops' Conferences of Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia, in reaching the end of a meeting held this past Friday, September 4, exhorted their fellow citizens and governors to resolve their tensions through dialogue and create a “culture of peace and fraternity” that favors development in those three countries.
In light of the upcoming celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of the foundation of the three nations, the Presidents of the respective Bishops' Conferences – Archbishop Antonio Arregui (Ecuador), Archbishop Ubaldo Santana (Venezuela), and Archbishop Ruben Salazar (Colombia) – asked those in politics to “overcome any kind of negative feelings or ideological difficulties that could create an obstacle to sincere and constructive dialogue, in an effort to reach agreement.” The interests of the citizens in those three countries, the declaration says, “demands that their leaders work with creativity based on the many reasons for unity that we, fortunately, already possess.”
The clamor of the political and ideological debates should never let us lose sight of the most important, that is to say, “only through uniting ourselves and placing our resources in common, along with our talents, and our religious and moral patrimony, will we be able to overcome the misery and poverty that is still affecting a large portion of our urban, rural, and indigenous populations.” The solution of these evils demands a far-sightedness that “transcends nationalism and opens its doors to a fraternity without boundaries, that was the ideal of those who gave their lives for freedom.”
They later encourage all the members of the People of God to “actively contribute to the creation of a culture of peace and fraternity” and reflected on the need to “strengthen the social and cultural rights with a balance among public functions that avoids concentration and the arbitrariness of power.”
The local Churches in Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia have assured of their commitment to carry out “pastoral plans that promote a culture of life, solidarity, and social harmony.” In concluding, the Bishops expressed their hope that the upcoming bicentennial anniversary of independence of the three nations “will find us journeying hand in hand on paths of justice and peace, under the maternal protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mary.” (GT) (Agenzia Fides 8/9/2009)