Lima cardinal calls for reconciliation amidst conflict in the Amazon

Lima, Peru, Jun 16, 2009 / 15:01 pm

At the conclusion of his homily during the Corpus Christi Mass last Sunday, the Archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, called for reconciliation in the country, especially in the Amazon region, where confrontations between police and natives have left more than 34 people dead.

“Inside each person there is a daily struggle between the good of the life of Christ and the evil of the life of sin,” the cardinal said. “Out of struggle comes either joy, peace, justice, unity, affection, family and children, or violence, lies, hatred, abuse, and that first fracture goes against the Eucharist.”

“The Eucharistic person is a sower of peace, joy, unity, love for the family and love for life. He is a sower of Christ,” the cardinal preached.

“When we think about our brothers and sisters high up in the Andes who endure the terrible cold season, or when we think about the many different Peruvians in the Amazon, in the mountains, on the coast, what does the Eucharist mean for all of them? It means the sacrament of union in Christ. And that Christ calls on all of us to be sowers of peace, truth and reconciliation,” the cardinal continued.

Later, on his Dialogue of Faith radio program, Cardinal Cipriani criticized some politicians for manipulating the violent incidents in the Peruvian Amazon saying, “Political strength loses its moral basis if it does not have a more ethical content.  I think there needs to be more honesty in politics. More honesty, more truth, more respect.

“It is of great concern that political advantage is more important than resolving problems,” the cardinal stated.  “This is not a good sign for the country.”