Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Mar 9, 2022 / 11:39 am
Bishop Daniel Fernández Torres, who was relieved Wednesday of his office as Bishop of Arecibo, said that he feels "blessed to suffer persecution and calumny."
In a letter published on the Diocese of Arecibos’ website shortly after the Holy See Press Office announced the Pope's decision, Bishop Fernández Torres, 57, stated that "today I can hold my head high and even being imperfect and sinful, know that I have done the right thing and that gives me a lot of inner peace.”
The bishop stressed that this experience “has helped me realize in a new way the grave responsibility that all bishops have in the government of the Church, which is apostolic and not pyramidal, synodal and not autocratic.”
“I think that for quite some time many bishops have been watching with concern what is happening in the Church and we have resisted believing what is happening. Today more than ever we must remember our calling to be prophets,” he noted.