Argentina: In Tedeum, Archbishop called the “hope that does not disappoint”

The Argentines celebrated on July 9 a new anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, signed in 1816 in the city of Tucumán. There, the archbishop, Mons. Carlos Sánchez, led the prayer of the Solemn Tee.

With the early absence of the president of the nation Javier Milei, the celebration was attended by the vice president, Victoria Villarruel, and provincial and municipal authorities.

In his homily, the archbishop thanked God for the country and recalled the brave gesture of those congressmen that 209 years ago represented the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in the Constituent Assembly that declared his independence from Spain “unanimously and unquestionally.”

The prelate message focused on hope, which at that time “drove them to put everything of themselves” to generate “a fruitful space, dialogue and search for the common good.”

Therefore, the historical house of Tucumán – where independence was declared – “is for us a symbol of what we want to be like a nation,” he said, highlighting the ideal of living Argentina “as a great family, in which fraternity, solidarity and the common good include all of us who pilgrimage in their history”, an ideal that, he considered, “he is very far from having achieved.”

“We still have a long way to go, knocking down walls, having bridges, shrinking distances, all committing to us, putting our homeland on the shoulder ‘as Cardinal Bergoglio said, being bishop of Buenos Aires and then chosen Pope,” he encouraged.

Within the framework of the jubilee convened by the recently deceased Argentine Pope, Mons. Sánchez made his call to “rekindle hope”, which “does not give in to the difficulties because it is based on faith and feeds on charity.”

“Jesus is our hope, the hope that does not disappoint, the firm anchor amid the storms. He knows human suffering and offers us relief and comfort. Let’s learn from Him, who is patient and humble of heart,” he encouraged.

In reference to the current scenario in the country, the Prelate observed several “signs of hope”, such as the commitment signed by political candidates in 2023, the interreligious dialogue table, the solidarity of the Argentines who contributed in the annual collection of Cáritas and the multiple initiatives in favor of the common good.

In that line, he affirmed that “taking care of the poor, of the aimless youth, of the sick, of the prisoners, of those who are alone or excluded, is a song to human dignity, a true anthem of hope.”

“Let’s not let ourselves steal joy or hope!”

The prelate also prayed to the Virgin Mary, mother of hope, to protect Argentina and “accompany us, to take care and encourage us in hope, which sustained her at the foot of the cross when she saw her son Jesus dies.”