Pope in Colombia: The Church’s prophetic voice for
peace
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Preparations
for Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to Colombia.- AFP
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ Apostolic
Journey to Colombia shines
the light on a nation in which the Catholic Church has not only taken an active
role in peace negotiations between the government and guerrilla groups, but
also has made it its mission to accompany the countless innocents caught in the
crossfire, affirming their dignity and fighting for their rights.
As the nation embarks on what analysts describe as a long
road to reconciliation and reconstruction, Monsignor Hector Fabio Henao,
director of Caritas Colombia and representative for the Colombian Bishops to
the National Council for Peace, explained to Linda Bordoni that
throughout the 52-year armed conflict, the Colombian Bishops’
Conference has accompanied and cared for victims and is committed to
be a fundamental actor in the process of reconciliation.
Monsignor Henao speaks of his own experience and work as a
representative of the Bishops’ Conference in facilitating negotiations with all
parties involved in the conflict of Colombia and of his efforts in 2003 that
led to the release of a group of hostages held by ELN guerrillas, as well as of
his contacts with different guerrillas encouraging them to enter into peace
talks with the government.
“The Catholic Church itself in Colombia has been extremely
committed to peace and reconciliation for many years; it is important to say
that when nobody here in Colombia expected or believed in a peace process, the
Bishops insisted they needed to have an accord, to have conversations to solve
the internal conflict,” he says.
Mons. Henao notes that at the beginning of the peace process
that resulted from 4 years of negotiations in Havana, most Colombians did not
have enough information about the discussions on different points and that, he
said, led to the rejection, by plebiscite, of the accord in October 2016.
That “no” vote made it very clear, he explained, that people
were very polarized and needed to be informed and accompanied in a different
way.
Following that hurdle in the process, Henao says “the
Bishops released a very important document entitled ‘Artisans of Peace, Pardon
and Reconciliation’ which encourages parishes and dioceses to work very hard on
the issue of reconciliation and to try an build bridges within the various
sectors of society.”
Henao says reconciliation will take time; in the meantime,
more work must be done to recognize the rights of the victims.
Regarding the Pope’s visit at this special time in Colombia,
Henao says it will be an opportunity for Francis to engage personally with the
people and encourage them to go forward: “That’s why the logo chosen for the
Apostolic Journey is ‘Let’s take the first step’”.
Henao also explains that one of the important reforms needed
in order to pave the way to an inclusive and peaceful society is an agrarian
reform because throughout the conflict those living in the rural areas have
been the main victims – the countryside is where the fighting between the
various factions took place, in which tens of thousands of people were killed
or disappeared, and millions were forced from their homes and their lands.
“The peasants and the local communities have suffered too
much, they have suffered massacres and have been internally displaced (…) so
the third challenge in the country is to rebuild life in those areas” and
give opportunities to the peasants to achieve livelihoods and dignity.
Mons. Henao also speaks of his expectations for the legacy
of hope the Pope will leave and points out that the visit comes at an
especially crucial and historic moment for Colombia as the country prepares for
new presidential elections and while talks with ELN guerrillas proceed in Ecuador.
“It’s a moment when the people need to see that
reconciliation is possible and that we can, with the support of everybody, we
are able to build peace in our country.”
Monsignor Henao also notes that the Pope’s journey coincides
with the Colombian “Week
of Peace” which foresees a number of activities and celebrations and says
that this year, of course, it is linked to the visit of the Holy Father “and
that is very important”.
(Linda Bordoni)
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