Mexican bishop reiterates Church’s rejection of dirty money

Mexico City, Mexico, Oct 3, 2005 / 22:00 pm

Bishop Rafael Romo Muñoz of Tijuana, Mexico, said this week the Church does not accept for any reason money that has been obtained unlawfully, referring specifically to the case of money from drug traffickers and their donations as “alms” that “purify.”

Bishop Romo said he was unaware of any such donations being made to the Diocese of Tijuana and that if there were such a case, the money would be rejected.  He noted that when the diocese has received a generous donation, it has verified that it has been made by “honest people representative of the city,” and that the donation was made in “a transparent way.”

“The Church roundly rejects drug money because with it others are harmed, and the Church cannot receive anything that has definitely not been obtained in an honest fashion,” he added.

Bishop Romo also explained that the donation of money by drug traffickers does not bring forgiveness with it, as repentance and confession are required first for that, and in the case of the drug trafficker who repents and wants to make a donation, the Church would not accept it and would ask that “the money illicitly obtained by returned to its owners.”

The bishop said that such individuals should instead anonymously give their money to social works and to the poor.