Catholic Church in Argentina condemns the violence of the political leadership

The president of the Argentine Episcopal Conference, Mons. Marcelo Colombo, warned of Javier Milei’s “violent message”, a concern that the Church had already expressed before the recent repression of protesters.

In addition, the prelate valued the “heroic delivery” and the “pastoral heart” of Pope Francis in this moment of difficulty.

In dialogue with the Radial Program Source modesalso the archbishop of Mendoza recalled that on March 12, at the end of the Permanent Commission of Bishops, the Episcopal Conference sent a traditional message to the people of God in which they warned about “despicative languages” of the leadership towards minorities and their needs.

Hours later, it took place in the immediate vicinity of the Nation Congress, a retiree march to claim improvements in salaries, which this time had the support of football fans. The protest resulted in confrontations and police repression, with several injured and detained people.

“We warn society for the president’s violent message before Wednesday’s march. All that took place as part of the reflection of that small document that we broadcast on Wednesday. Then the repression would come in the afternoon,” he lamented.

Mons. Colombo acknowledged that in the march “there has been a prior general invitation to violence, by summoning people who had nothing to do with the original claim. But this does not mean, in any way, to skip the rules, shoot directly against people or exercise violence on people who cannot defend themselves,” he said.

“The claim of retirees is perfectly legitimate,” he said, considering that the population that accompanies him does not make use of that claim, “but many sectors see that this is the drama of their own father or grandfather, and they want to support them.”

“At a certain age it is a moral overwhelming that a person must live in indigence when he has worked a lifetime. The claim was legitimate, but the authorities will have to justify the modes of repression because in the images tremendous things are seen,” he said.

The economic situation, the ludopathy and the absence of the State

Another of the issues discussed in the Episcopal Assembly had to do with the economic situation, from the most palpable realities by the Church through Caritas and the Social Pastoral: the most needy table.

Within that framework “we insist that the demand for food has grown in our Caritas. We insist that it does not reach us with what we normally occur. The population of people in street situations has grown tremendously, and the responses tried from the legal or repressive plane have not enough. Clearly aggravate it,” said the president of the Episcopate.

Among the issues that concern the Catholic Church, said Mons. Colombo, is the project to lower the age of imputability. In this regard, “we have addressed the need to always say a word about this and the Social Pastoral is working on a text that will be these days on this issue,” he anticipated in the radial conversation.

“We are also concerned about the issue of ludopathy and we insist that this law must be treated, which was approved in the Chamber of Deputies, but now remains in the Senate for its sanction, and the project that should be treated first by different commissions not yet appeared on the screen,” he warned. “That worries us because it has to do with other consumptions that are problematic and make the gap grow, even in the line of mental health of our population,” he lamented.

The prelate deepened the lack of presence of the State, especially in the most needy sectors. “That makes there a necessity, that are others who provide those who are at a time of absolute destitution. This means that the dependency grows and the population is exposed to other leaderships that are not precisely those who will do well,” he said, referring promptly to drug trafficking and their networks.

An absolutely real Francisco

On the first image of Pope Francis after his hospitalization, broadcast on Sunday, March 16, the Archbishop stressed that he reflects a “absolutely real” Francisco.

“That physical posture, that way of praying with your eyes open forward and the look low, is typical of it. When we see it, we find Francisco, and that has done much good. Surely it will still need a stronger recovery to consolidate the progress of the treatment,” he said.

“We look forward to it and want to see it again in activity, although with a more limited rhythm, but not less intense in delivery and dedication,” he said.

The prelate considered that the image was a comforting message for those who hoped to see it: “We looked at it and feel comfortable. And for those who speculate, I think this makes them reflect on how people’s life is a greater good over any other meaning or meaning.”

In Francisco, the Archbishop sees “a heroic delivery” and is convinced that his legacy will be widely valued. “Today, beyond his illness, an authentic balance – both within the Church and from other expressions of thought and human sciences – will not be able to ignore the impact of their presence on the realities of the people.”

He also recalled key moments of his pontificate: “When he went to the community of migrants who reached the Italian coast and pronounced those moving words, he marked his papacy’s course. Then, each gesture confirmed that commitment. And today, although he continues to recover, he calls Gaza to express his proximity in the middle of the horror or sends a telegram to Bahía Blanca to show his concern. Pneumonia has not limited its generosity. ”