AMERICA/COLOMBIA - “We must never tire of praying and working for peace!” says President of Bishops' Conference on the 90th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal

Saturday, 12 May 2007

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Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima and her Message of Peace, Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro Quiroga of Tunja president of the Colombian Bishops' Conference addressed a message to Colombian Catholics "Never Give Up" urging them never to tire of working to promote peace in the country. He reminds them that peace is a gift, "for which we must pray untiringly" and it is also a task "to be undertaken with courage, wisdom, creativity again untiringly".
The Archbishop warns the people not to give up when expected truth, which tries to make progress, instead of generating reconciliation, forgiveness and hope produces revenge, hatred and falsity. Or “when we see corrupt government ”, "when our efforts to protect life are annulled by sentences in favour of death and our efforts to strengthen the family clash with models built on ambiguous compromises". When fatigue is near - Archbishop Quiroga writes- "we must listen to Mary's call to peace, "united, untiring we must persevere in the twofold task of praying and working for peace," and look to the future with optimism and faith.
The Archbishop urges Catholics never to tire of working to promote the truth … to continue to work for the development of all and not just a few…to continue to demand a negotiated political solution to the conflict in Colombia and to support efforts in this direction .... to courageously denounce every episode of corrupt administration…to continue to work to promote respect for the life from conception to natural end and to defend and support the family". He calls for transparency in the coming elections so they may mark the difference with the past and inaugurate a new epoch of electoral social and economic democracy. The president of the Bishops' Conference concludes "may the Blessed Virgin Mary obtain for us the gift of enthusiasm, optimism and determination to continue work for peace and justice”. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 12/5/2007; righe 28, parole 406)