Bishops of Colombia: Defense of life and family are the priorities of the Catholic Church

The Colombian bishops, meeting since Monday in a plenary assembly, indicated yesterday that the defense of life, family and education will be the priority lines for the action of pastors in the following years, always in the light of the Gospel.

This is what it indicates a note published on the website of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia (CEC), which reports on the results of the analyzes carried out on Tuesday at the regional level.

“The synthesis defined that topics such as the defense of life, family and education will be priority lines for the action of pastors in Colombia, in the light of the Gospel and with a prophetic voice,” indicates the CEC.

The analysis took place moments before the election of the new board of directors for the 2024-2027 triennium, which will have the Archbishop of Cartagena, Mons. Francisco Javier Múnera Correa, as president; as vice president to the Archbishop of Tunja, Mons. Gabriel Ángel Villa Vahos; and as general secretary the elected Bishop of Engativá, Mons. Germán Medina Acosta.

Likewise, in the morning, the outgoing board, led by the Archbishop of Bogotá, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, presented “the management report with the main challenges, facts and achievements achieved between 2021 and so far in 2024.”

Bishop Múnera sends a message to the authorities

After his election, the new president of the CEC, Mons. Múnera, called on the authorities and leaders of Colombia to “work together for the unity of the country, to build a nation project that does us so much good” and that “so much need we have of him.”

Likewise, he urged them to strengthen institutions and democracy, being able to resolve conflicts “through the means of dialogue, consensus, conciliation”, and to eradicate the “two great evils that afflict the country: violence and corruption.”

With these “two tasks we can all work to build a more equitable, more supportive, more fraternal country,” stated the Archbishop of Cartagena.

For his part, Bishop Villa Vahos indicated that the analysis carried out by the bishops reveals the strong uncertainty that exists in the country in the face of signs such as polarization and violence.

However, he assured that “there are also many signs of hope” and encouraged the Colombian bishops to focus their work on respect for life, which is a gift from God, and for the family. Regarding education, he pointed out that parents have the right to choose the education “most convenient for their children.”

Likewise, Mons. Medina Acosta, general secretary of the Episcopate, assured that the new board is committed to serving, through the Gospel, especially those who suffer the most in the regions.

“We want to overcome indifference and commit ourselves from the regions, from the dioceses, from the different ecclesiastical jurisdictions, to give that response from the perspective of the Gospel. Our option is life, as has already been said, our option is non-violence, our option is to weave communion, brotherhood among all of us,” he expressed.

In that sense, Bishop Francisco Múnera pointed out that the mission entrusted by the other members of the CEC is a service that they assume “totally trusting in the Providence of the Lord and also counting on the support, collaboration, solidarity of all the people of God, especially from our brother bishops.”