Catholics From Mexico

"Ecumenism is making progress in Turkey and we hope this will continue and grow. Communion among the different communities is increasing. We are all committed to dialogue and common prayer so we may offer the world around us witness of unity in Christ. Catholic religious in Turkey are keenly aware that they have a mission of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue if they wish to bear witness to the message of peace and harmony which Jesus Christ offers the world."

"His pastoral style was characterized by closeness and good-natured patience. He weaved relationships step by step, in the fabric of daily life, and always supported the occasions of common prayer with Christians of other Churches that I too have tried to promote in recent years here in Istanbul."

"Building peace and brotherhood in the world and among believers is and will always be a daily task which we Christians wish to announce in the truth of the Risen Lord. Christ is truly Risen."

"To meet the challenges of the present day to bear witness faith to our Christian faith and hope, the international Fraternity of Friars Minor in Istanbul strives to build relations of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue with men and women of good will and believers of other religions and Churches . We know the journey is long with obstacles at every step but we are certain that dialogue is the path to brotherhood and peace, in keeping with the will of the God of life."

"Of course the mission is not without danger because terrorism strikes anywhere. But this makes it all the more urgent and important to work for dialogue in the spirit of Francis of Assisi."

"If I were to remain silent I would fail in the mission entrusted to me by grace. Catholics who live their faith can never be in favour of euthanasia or vote for its legalisation in our country. Catholics will always stand for the culture of life."

"How should we behave as Catholics, in facing a problem that influences our poor brethren, who day after day find it harder to bring a bare minimum of food home? The hunger problem has always existed and it is evident how it has threatened entire nations of the earth over the course of history. The problem does not come from the insufficiency of the earth's food production, but the lack of equal distribution and the fierce attitude of those who take advantage of circumstances in order to hoard basic food supplies and increase their cost."

"People expect more effective action by the State. The recent events in this new year, 2014, have outraged our people, as they confirm that neither the politicians nor the government show signs of wanting to solve the problem in Tierra Caliente."

"Kidnappings, abductions, murders and bribes have increased, to the point that entire families have been forced to emigrate due to the fear and insecurity in which we are living. We walked down the street to rekindle the hope of the entire population. We want peace!"

"The first bishop was Don Pedro Barajas, who spent most of his episcopal life in exile. The second and third bishops had very brief episcopates The present (and fourth) bishop, Don Ignacio Montes de Oca y Obregón, rules in more peaceful times, and has been able to build a large seminary, where not only Mexican subjects, but also some students from the United States and Canada, receive a solid education, imparted by a choice staff of professors."

"Hispanics, and in particular Hispanic Catholics, are determined to be part of the solution to the current reality: the COVID-19 pandemic, the call for racial justice, and the continuing impact of global climate change."

"Social decomposition is due to a lack of integral health of communities. When there is no work, when there is injustice, when there is impunity, when there is an excessive ambition for money, when people's lives have a price, what is put at the center is money, then everything has a price and whoever has the money is the one who commands."

"The bishop began with great plans and a sincere desire to promote the welfare of the Church in his territory."

"These are days of profound joy, fruit of the presence of the Holy Spirit expressed in praise, proclamation of the Word through preachers, tools of God calling to conversion. The days include intense adoration of the Jesus present in the Eucharist. He walks among us today touching and healing hearts to grant health of body and spirit."

"Faith is strengthened when it is given to others and Guadalajara needs to grow in the faith. The best present to give any person is to tell them about Jesus Christ."

"Among the most distinguished prelates were Alonso de la Mota, a native of Mexico, who was an efficient protector of the Indians against Spanish usurpations."

"The cathedral, which has a nave and four aisles, is remarkable for the exquisite style and ornateness of its decorations, the beauty of its altars, sacred vessels, and vestments, the present bishop having devoted great thought and expenditure to improvements of this kind, which increase the dignity of the service."

"This diocese was the centre of a successful Christianizing movement, due to the apostolic labours of the first bishop who occupied this see, the great Bartolome de Las Casas."

"All of us Mexicans, but especially politicians, must get used to an open exchange, because democracy is in a one-way street in our history. There is still much work to be done by all of us, especially in the field of values. Too much concern has been given to economic issues and very little to the ethics that must flow beneath a true democracy. We have to realize that a sound economy and a wealthy nation is at the same time a fair one if values are placed first."

"It is believed the motives prompting his action were pure, and in keeping with the good qualities of his heart and mind. He did, or allowed to be done, what he considered proper in defence of the interests of religion and the church, though always endeavoring to avoid conflicts with the civil authority."

"His learning was extensive, covering theology, canon law, philosophy, mathematics, and letters, to which was added an exceptional gift of oratory."

"At the Council I went to learn what the episcopate of the whole world thought."

"Born of one of the noblest families in Mexico. He was noted for his charitable disposition and was the first bishop who conferred degrees in the college of Santo Tomás of Guatemala."

"At times man falls prey to man himself."

"We realize that we are all brothers and sisters and that together we must build a cleaner, more beautiful city"

"I do not care much what the United States says about the insecurity of other countries, because they to not distinguish themselves primarily to be "ambassadors of peace.""

"Think of a more humane economic model in the context of social justice, charity, and integral development. It's time to think about the "common good.""

"Conversion is nothing other than simply adhering oneself to a person, to Jesus Christ, to His Gospel, to the values of the Kingdom of God, and using the Gospel as the reference point in viewing reality, situations, in approaching life in a new way, with all its challenges."

"Difficulties continued to disturb the good understanding between the viceroys and the archbishops, although royal cédulas had clearly fixed the jurisdiction to which either of them was entitled, their tenor being essentially favorable to the viceroys. In later years under the rule of Mancera an outbreak of these old hostilities was prevented merely by the duke's diplomacy, and the modesty and genuine Christian spirit of the then archbishop Alonso de Cuevas."

"This is not the world as we know it with just another "tool," it is rather a world somehow culturally redefined by the new technologies."

"I think people are beginning to realize they were fooled and that there is a God. There is a saying that if you don't know the true God, you'll bow down before any old tree. So if there is a God, what else are we looking for?"

"Seek out reconciliation and forgiveness through all means possible. The spiritual force within each person must be activated to overcome the threats to human dignity."

"The Church has her principles and one of them is life. I am only stating that the Church supports life and will always support life, regardless of the politics or laws of the moment. God is the only owner of every life conceived by woman, and as such that life will always have rights, the most important of which is the right to life."

"The Church has a commitment to tell migrants they are sons and daughters of God and that their mission of being obliged to leave their place of origin is not to lose their culture and to share it with their host community. We should remind them of their task to regain their identity before God, themselves and other people so as never to feel they are a nuisance."

"Education as a psycho-social process is closely linked to evangelization, as well as being essential for its success. Cultural priority in Latin America lies in the coherent experience of human and Christian values. We cannot imagine the integral promotion of man, much less the commitment to it, without undergoing an authentic commitment and attachment to the educational process."

"May the testimony of dedication and the blood of the fathers encourage us to ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of parrhesia, that evangelical courage, to bear firm witness to the Kingdom of God and vigorously denounce violence, injustice and the structures of sin that oppose the project of Jesus of Nazareth."

"Open your arms to those who are suffering and searching for better lives."

"The Pope inspires in the bishops a new vitality, encouraging them to motivate communities toward unity and spiritual growth in the dioceses."

"The faithful who have strayed will become conscious of their spiritual identity. In this respect it will be necessary for the Church to change mentality, for priests not to continue to use past methods, for a "pastoral conservation"."

"In married life the capacity to love is concentrated in one person who is chosen forever, but in the option for celibacy the capacity to love is broadened and opened to many recipients, especially to those who are not loved. So being celibate does not imply loving less, but loving more. One renounces an exclusive love in order to live an inclusive love capable of embracing everyone."

"I have and always will preach the truth, but I have never pointed fingers at any one. For this reason I complain because they blame me for many things that happen. They can do what they want with me, but I will always preach the truth."

"Today our church, our Catholic Church has a great opportunity to evangelize our communities that are not just here or there but communities who don't have bread for their children."

"Every citizen has — in his place of origin — to have the necessary means for subsistence, so that we don't need to be immigrating. Therefore, I appeal to the Mexican authorities that they will find means to help millions of Mexicans live and work here, so that they don’t have to be humiliated, seeking the means to live elsewhere."

"May they know that despite our failings and human weaknesses, a sincere desire of brotherly service towards all of you spurs us on, as a sign of our faithfulness to the Lord, who has called us to work with Him in the building of the Kingdom of God, in the here and now of our Diocese of Juarez."

"This most shameful situation is making a fierce intent to rid us of our social and city peace and tranquility. We need to make people aware of the dignity of every human person, his right to live and work in fraternal harmony and live together in an environment of respect and community stability.”"

"I think we must identify the principal object and to focus all available means in this one direction. Our objective is to announce Christ and help people -Catholics included - to believe and live the Gospel. We must transmit hope based not on human objectives, social, economic etc. This hope must be based on the concrete person of Christ. This may seem obvious but it will do no harm to recall that every bishop must transmit solely the model of Christ. Clearly today especially in countries with serious economic, social and political problems - like many Latin American nations - the Church's ministry much reach every human sphere and offer concrete answers, but what kind of answers? On what must they be based? When the Church's mission becomes confused with earthly goals, economic, political or social, the Gospel ceases to be effective. Men cease to be effective!"

"Things must change: it is not a question of "repainting" the situation by saying that now one will adopt a system based on justice, but we must involve everyone in order to rebuild society from below. Although the situation is deplorable, we should not fold our arms, we cannot fall into the temptation of severe pessimism. Evil does not have the last word, we must always live in the founded hope that man, in spite of all that may sound bad, is not totally corrupt."

"Sometimes it's so hard with a lot of people: They think if it is about God, you're not going to get sick. Many times, I tried to explain, yes, God will protect you, but that God also gave you intelligence."

"The origin of violence in Mexico is the absence of God in the individual and community life of people, which makes them inhuman and cruel."

"Those of us who can speak, must speak; we cannot remain silent. We must change society — especially children — educate them in a different way; these days we don't trust anyone. Many come to ask me for my blessing because they're on their way to the United States and are leaving behind their children, their wives, and we must avoid that."