Vatican to examine Mexican bishop's gay ministry

Lima, Peru, Aug 11, 2011 / 15:54 pm

Bishop Raul Vera Lopez of Saltillo, Mexico has confirmed that he will meet with the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, at the end of August or early September.

The two will discuss Bishop Vera's support for the San Elredo Community, an organization that embraces homosexuality.
 
In statements to the Mexican daily Zocalo at the end of July, Bishop Vera said, “There has been a call from the Vatican and I am ready to clear things up … I have to respond to a series of questions that Vatican City has sent me about my work with homosexuals.”
 
Bishop Vera told the newspaper El Diario de Coahuila that his meeting with Cardinal Ouellet has to do with reports published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister website of CNA. “This agency has published a bunch of nonsense, and I have been asked to talk about this and I have the right to, I am a bishop of the Church, I work for the Church and I am in communion with the Church.”
 
He also said it was not the first, nor would it be the last time he has been called by the Vatican.

Bishop Vera said the Vatican inquiry is not “a reprimand but rather a clarification, especially with regards to what this agency has published.”
 
On two occasions the bishop has refused to grant statements to ACI Prensa, but nonetheless he has accused the agency of distorting his words. CNA and ACI Prensa believe they have merely stated the facts.
 
The Diario de Coahuila also reported that the San Elredo Community is no longer a part of the Diocese of Saltillo and will now be a separate organization. However, it will continue to promote its usual activities.
 
The interim coordinator of the group is Fernando Hernandez, who said San Elredo would continue following the diocesan pastoral plan but that it would now begin “a new phase outside the diocese.”