Bogotá, Colombia, Mar 18, 2004 / 22:00 pm
During a solemn Mass celebrated in St. Peter’s Cathedral, Archbishop Juan Francisco Sarasti of Cali, Colombia, said the Church has already forgiven those responsible for the assassination of his predecessor, Archbishop Isaías Duarte.
“We have forgiven those responsible for the assassination whoever they may be, and irregardless of the responsibilities of the Colombian Justice system and the penalties which it might impose in the exercise of its constitutional powers,” said Archbishop Sarasti, recalling the second anniversary of the death of Archbishop Duarte.
Archbishop Sarasti acknowledged that “losing him lead to serious and irreparable consequences,” but he asked Colombians to reconcile with one another and to rediscover the teachings on peace, which his predecessor conveyed during his seven years as leader of the Archdiocese.
“Our gathering during this Eucharist is not only to simply remember him or pray that justice be done to these materially and intellectually responsible for the killing. We want to delve into the teachings he left us and reiterate our Christian forgiveness for those responsible for this horrible crime,” he said.