Cardinal Errazuriz calls on Chileans to work to restore trust

Santiago, Chile, Sep 19, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Presiding at an ecumenical recitation of the Te Deum on the country’s Independence Day, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz of Chile called on Chileans to work to restore trust.

During the ceremony at the Archdiocesan Cathedral, which was attended by government authorities and representatives of different denominations, the Cardinal pointed out that “the reporting of possible crimes, the revealing of information, true or false, regarding ongoing investigations by the courts and the rush to judgment by certain media outlets have suprised us with various scandals, whether they be true, apparent, or simply non-existent.

Cardinal Errazuriz argued that some media outlets “do not adequately transmit the reality” of the country and he warned that “the reality of certain scandalous actions and the continual reporting of the names of those blamed for such things, whether they are economic crimes, drug trafficking, the abuse of children, the trafficking and consumption of drugs, etc, ends up eroding trust.”

“Many Chileans wonder, who can we believe?  Where are the honest people and the credible institutions that we can fully trust?” he underscored.

Cardinal Errazuriz insisted that Chileans want “to live in peace, but social peace demands a climate of trust.  This is what we most want.  Trust unites us together, strengthens relationships, helps us to work together and to ackowledge acts of kindness by others.”