杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

The Church in Peru holds its Social Week in Lima on August 14-16, which brings together Catholics to dialogue in search of responses to the country鈥檚 complex social issues.

杏MAP导航 Leo XIV sent a message to participants, which was read out in Spanish on Thursday evening.

The 杏MAP导航 recalled that his own pastoral ministry has been marked by the Church in Peru, noting that God鈥檚 Providence has always accompanied Peruvians.

He pointed to several Saints tied to the Latin American nation, including St. Rose of Lima, St. Martin de Porres, St. John Macías, and St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, and highlighted their unique examples of care for social justice.

杏MAP导航 Leo recalled 杏MAP导航 St. Paul VI鈥檚 words at the canonization of St. John Macías, who loved people 鈥渂ecause he saw in them the image of God.鈥�

鈥淗ow much we would like to remind this to those who today work among the poor and marginalized!鈥� he said. 鈥淲e must not depart from the Gospel, nor break the law of charity in order to seek, by ways of violence, a greater justice.鈥�

With his predecessor, 杏MAP导航 Leo invited those who work for social justice to transform people from within, along with their social structures so that they may become more just and more human.

Turning to the 16th-century St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, the 杏MAP导航 praised the Spanish-born bishop鈥檚 vast expansion of the Church in Peru by creating 100 new parishes, hosting a Pan-American Council, and spending all his strength to care for those who live on the peripheries of society.

鈥淭he Peruvian lands saw him not only in the fervor of an apostolic action that still amazes us today,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut also in the quiet of his serene face and his recollected, devout demeanor, which clearly showed whence that strength came to him: from an intense prayer and union with God.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Leo XIV then reflected on the contemporary situation of Peru, which he said faces multiple challenges regarding economics, politics, and culture.

鈥淭he pain,鈥� he said, 鈥渃aused by the injustice and exclusion suffered by so many of our brothers and sisters urges all the baptized to give a response which, as Church, must correspond to the signs of the times from the very heart of the Gospel.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 upheld the saints as models for our own times which call each person to build a better future.

鈥淟et us understand,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hat all the Church鈥檚 social action must have as its center and goal the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ, in such a way that, without neglecting what is immediate, we always keep awareness of the proper and ultimate direction of our service.鈥�

In conclusion, 杏MAP导航 Leo urged the Church in Peru to express their love for God by sharing both the material bread and the Bread of the Word of God with others, so that their hearts may be awakened with 鈥渉unger for the Bread of heaven, which only the Church can give.鈥�