Murdered by drug cartel?

adminonDecember 13, 2021January 5, 2022Leave a Comment

Mexico: Churchmen are murdered again and again © Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

A kidnapped priest has been found dead in Mexico. The body was discovered on Sunday in the city of Junamuato (Michoacan state). This is what the Archdiocese of Morelia shared on its Facebook.

The Mexican bishops' conference spoke of an "inexcusable crime" and demanded that the murder be investigated.

Jose Alfredo Lopez Guillen was kidnapped from his parish apartment last Monday. One day later his car was found with traces of an accident.

Churchmen get caught up in the drug war

On Monday of last week, police in the state of Veracruz discovered the bodies of two priests on the side of a highway. They were also abducted from the rectory. According to media reports, the bodies showed signs of torture and gunshot wounds.

Veracruz and Michoacan are considered particularly dangerous states where rival drug cartels fight for power. Since the beginning of 2013, 14 priests, a seminarian and a sexton have been killed in Mexico. Two other clergymen are considered missing.

Glorifying violence in video games or movies is perversion. Benedict XVI's verdict. in his message for this year's World Day of Social Communications. This day is celebrated annually by the Church on 20. May, but the pope traditionally publishes his appeal on 24. January, the commemoration day of the press patron Francis de Sales. The theme of the message: "Children and social communication tools: a challenge for education."

In his message, the Pope speaks of two kinds of education: the education of children and the education of the media. The media shape culture and society and are therefore a challenge for parents. "Indeed, there are voices that say that the influence of the media in the educational process is equal to that of the school, the church and – perhaps even – the family." Reality for many, he said, is what the media pass off as real. Consequently, the media industry must act responsibly. At the same time, children need to practice appropriate use of the media. This is how their consciences are formed, their cultural, moral and spiritual development is guided. "Educating children to be discerning in their use of the media is the responsibility of parents, church and school. The role of parents is of primary importance." Schools and parishes should support parents in providing. The Pope continued: "Media education should be positive. … beauty, a kind of mirror of the divine, inspires and enlivens the heart and mind of young people, while ugliness and vulgarity have a demeaning effect on attitudes and behavior.

"Ethical standards In the second part of the message, the Pope addresses the media professionals themselves. They are committed to ethical standards. This opinion is shared by all "who have a sense of social responsibility.". But economic competition is pushing for "low standards". "Although it should be noted that many people working in the media have a desire to do what is right, we must also note that those working in the media are subject to particular psychological preres and ethical dilemmas. … Any trend to produce programs – including films and video games – that glorify violence and portray antisocial behavior or the trivialization of human sexuality in the name of entertainment is a perversion – all the more repugnant when these programs are made for children or young people."The Pope's final appeal is directed at those responsible for the media industry. They should guide and encourage producers to "protect the common good, affirm the truth, defend the human dignity of each individual and promote respect for the needs of the family".

Dealing with abuse and prevention are major tasks for the church © Tinnakorn jorruang (shutterstock)

The diocese of Speyer has drawn up an interim balance of the efforts made so far to come to terms with the abuse. Current indications are followed up, every suspicion is reported to the public prosecutor's office.

For the years 2010 until today, the abuse commissioners of the diocese of Speyer have received information about 28 current suspected cases of sexual abuse or borderline violations. In five cases priests were accused, in the others it was a matter of misconduct of educators, nurses or volunteers, as the diocese announced on Monday. These figures show that there is no "fixation on priests as perpetrators".

Most recently, the Mannheim psychiatrist Harald Drebing had published a study according to which the rate of abuse allegations against priests had not decreased in recent times. Several dioceses now countered this analysis with reference to their own figures.

Every suspicion is communicated to the public prosecutor's office

The Speyer abuse commissioners Ansgar Schreiner and Dorothea Kuppers-Lehmann emphasized that an increasing number of indications of abuse or violation of boundaries could also be due to a higher level of attention and attentiveness. At the same time, not every recent case of suspected abuse in the diocese of Speyer has been confirmed.

Every suspicion was nevertheless reported to the public prosecutor's office. Since 2000, he said, two perpetrators have been convicted in the Speyer diocese, one a priest and the other a social pedagogue.

Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann said he had met with numerous people affected by abuse in recent months. "Every conversation is a harrowing experience for me." He had become aware that abuse experiences often have negative consequences for the entire life. In this respect, it is important for the church to take the perspective of the victims, said Wiesemann.

Personnel files of priests evaluated

In recent years, the diocese has investigated a total of 238 suspected cases of abuse. The vast majority of cases occurred decades ago, according to the diocese. As part of a nationwide study of clerical abuse, personnel files of priests in the Speyer diocese were also evaluated, in some cases going back to 1912.

In total, the diocese has 315 victims of abuse to date.000 euros paid as "recognition of suffering experienced" or to finance therapies, said Schreiner. Since 2010, six priests who were suspected of a sexual violation of boundaries had been sanctioned in church law proceedings, be it with a ban on celebrating church services or a ban on approaching children and young people.

"Recognize basic patterns of perpetrators" and "counter prevention"

Vicar General Andreas Sturm announced his own social science review in the Speyer diocese. The diocese is currently looking for a suitable partner. The goal is "to recognize the basic patterns of the perpetrators and to be able to counter them with effective prevention," said Sturm. The head of the administration of the diocese also referred to the prevention efforts made so far.

Thus 2.200 employees have been trained accordingly. Experts have also been trained for church schools.

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