Government recognizes Catholic Church in the construction of peace in Mexico

Mexican government authorities held on August 4 an encounter with representatives of various religious associations, including the Catholic Church, in which they were called to continue collaborating “actively to the construction of peace in the country”.

The meeting was headed by the head of the Ministry of the Interior (Segob), Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez. On the part of the Mexican Episcopate Conference (CEM) attended the president, Mons. Ramón Castro Castro; The Secretary General, Mons. Héctor Mario Pérez and the Treasurer, Mons. Jorge Alberto Cavazos.

According A statement released by bishopsDuring the meeting, the importance of combating the causes of violence by strengthening “community ties, harmony and social welfare” was emphasized.

Also, Rodríguez Velázquez highlighted that religious associations already “contribute greatly to the work carried out by the government itself” in specific actions such as the program “Yes to disarmament, yes to peace” and the Peace Councils that have been established at the local level.

The Catholic Church has identified at least 300 initiatives, active throughout the country, aimed at reducing violence, which include accompaniment to victims, the mental health care of young people, addiction prevention programs, social reintegration processes, among other actions.

The official said that her agency maintains a “fraternal and respectful relationship with all the country’s social actors” and reiterated the state’s commitment to guarantee “religious freedom throughout the population, regardless of its origin or nature.”

Although the dialogue with the authorities addressed issues related to pacification and social fabric, the CEM reported that the central objective of the meeting was to facilitate the administrative procedures that religious associations make before different instances of the federal government.

One of the important issues that were addressed at the meeting was to facilitate the administrative procedures of religious institutions before the Government of Mexico, specifically before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Tax Administration Service (SAT), the Institute of Administration and Appraisal of National Assets (INDAABIN), the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).

In addition to the Catholic representation, leaders of the Latin American Council in Mexico participated; the Church of Jesus Christ of the last days (Mormons); the Seventh Day Adventist Church; the National Baptist Convention of Mexico and the Anglican Church of Mexico.