Vatican City, Sep 14, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Earlier today, Pope Benedict XVI met with visiting Mexican bishops and challenged them to help change their country's social structure, bringing it "more into line with the dignity of individuals and their fundamental rights."
The prelates, who were in Rome for their 'ad limina' visit, came from the ecclesiastical areas of Monterrey, Morelia and San Luis Potosi in central and north east Mexico.
During the Pope's address, he stressed that, "Catholics, who still constitute the majority of the population, are called to participate in this task, discovering their commitment to their faith and the unitary meaning of their presence in the world. Otherwise, the 'split between the faith which many profess and their daily lives deserves to be counted among the more serious errors of our age'."
He lamented that this social structure had broken down in many important areas, particularly, the lack of "healthy forms of coexistence and the management of public affairs." The Holy Father also noted the increase of "corruption, impunity, infiltration of drug trafficking and organized crime," all of which "leads to various forms of violence, indifference and contempt for the inviolable value of life. On this matter, the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation 'Ecclesia in America' clearly criticizes the 'social sins' of our times."