The bishop of Chilpancingo-Chilapa in Mexico, Bishop Jesús González Hernández, on July 30 called on the people to not remain silent amid acts of violence. He also called on the authorities to work to improve the living conditions in the country.

During a Mass he offered in Chilpancingo’s town square, the bishop said that “relatives of the disappeared have told me: Bishop, I can’t report it or ask for justice, because the same thing is going to happen to me, too.”

Given this situation, Bishop González said that “those of us who can speak, must speak; we cannot remain silent.”

Before the Mass, which was part of the Mexican bishops’ call for special prayers for peace during the month of July, about 100 faithful participated in a march that started out from the Alameda and ended in the town square.

Bishop González said that Mexico needs a reconciliation process that, in addition to ending the violence, requires improvements to the living conditions in the country.

“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,” the prelate said.

The bishop said that in order to change society, a commitment must be made to the formation of youth.

“We must change society — especially children — educate them in a different way; these days we don’t trust anyone. The Good Samaritan who stops to help is rarely spoken of, but sometimes not even the bishop stops, because he no longer knows if the person is really a victim or a criminal,” the bishop noted.

Speaking to the press, Bishop González said “we know how Mexico is and how the world is,” but in the face of it, one must resort to the weapon of faith in Christ “in order to be able to combat violence.”

Relying on faith is possible because “we believe that he [God] reaches the hearts of the hardest, of those who have the most hatred, resentment or revenge. We believe that Jesus Christ is the King of hearts.”

The bishop also mentioned Father Felipe Vélez Jiménez, a priest of the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, who was shot in the face July 28, noting that the priest is still in poor condition and has been transferred to a hospital in Cuernavaca.