Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lima (Agenzia Fides) – At the end of its Plenary Assembly the Peruvian Episcopal Conference issued a document that presents a reflection for the community, in the context of the election for President of the Republic which will take place on 10 April.
A copy of the document, entitled “At the service of human dignity and the common good”, was sent to Fides, and recalls that the dignity of a person is at the centre of the social concerns of the Church. Faced with the important event of the upcoming elections this year in Peru, the Bishops state that the Church believes that the exercise of politics is a service to the nation and thus the candidates should remember that this gives the ultimate sense to their role. The document states: the “exercise of democracy is obliged to respect the ethical and moral principles linked to promoting the common good.” The bishops then point out that they have no preference in the election and insist that their only duty “is that of guiding the faithful in issues where there are religious and moral implications that contradict the Church's teachings.” Therefore, they add, “we have the duty to draw attention to proposals that threaten the natural law, respect for human dignity, truth and the practice of justice.” In particular, the pastors emphasize “respect and the defence of life from conception until its natural end.”
In the document, which was read by the President of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos, the Archbishop recommended that the Government take into consideration the ecology and rational use of natural resources, “consulting, at an opportune time, the places and the communities where they are granted land and operating licenses for the exploitation of natural resources.” The Church seeks to “prevent future conflicts and clashes which have caused so much pain” (alluding to the indigenous uprising in Bagua, where dozens of people died in 2009, see Fides 08/06/2009).
Finally, the Bishops recalled the words of the Aparecida document, n. 384: “There is an urgent need to create structures to strengthen the social, economic and political orders, in which there is inequality and where the same opportunities should be given to all. Similarly, we need new structures to promote an authentic human society, to avoid the arrogance of some and facilitate constructive dialogue for the necessary social consensus.” (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 28/01/2011)
