The president of the Bishops’ Conference of Colombia, Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro Quiroga, said this week the Church is willing to serve as facilitator in the peace talks between the government and the different rebel groups, but he said the process needs to move forward with greater prudence.

“The Church has always been willing to serve as facilitator and to make the humanitarian exchange (of individuals that have been kidnapped by the rebels) a priority, for we see this as most urgent as there are human lives that are suffering tremendously,” the archbishop stated.

Speaking with reporters after a meeting with top government officials involved in the peace talks, Archbishop Castro Quiroga said, “We have arrived at the conclusion that the process should move forward, but in order for there to be success, it must be done with much prudence,” because “many things have been messed up by a lack of discretion.”