Mexican bishop says Church and state have a common ground for cooperation

Mexico City, Mexico, Feb 11, 2004 / 22:00 pm

The first bishop of the new Diocese of Irapuato, Bishop José de Jesús Martínez Zepeda, assured reporters that beyond the separation of Church and State established by law, both institutions have commonalities on which they can work together. 

Speaking to reporters, Bishop Martínez pointed out that “even though our laws establish the separation of Church and State for greater liberty in the exercise of our work, this does not prevent us from having common ground.”

 “We understand the principal commonality to be the common good in diverse areas.  The common good in all of its aspects is a work which I am willing to foster and collaborate with from my own position, for the development and well-being of our people,” he added.

“Both the Church and the State seek the truth, which has two sources: the natural light of reason, as far as man is able to grasp, see and discover the ways of the Lord through his own efforts; and the natural force of reason, where the Church has another point of view which is that of the Creator, that is, the Maker of man,” he explained.

“I’m not saying there isn’t one truth, or that it contradicts itself, but rather it illuminates, clarifies, proposes areas of knowledge and truth, and guides our journey,” he added.

Bishop Martínez promised to dialogue with local government authorities in order to propose new points of view based on the one truth, “which we all approach from different aspects.”

He added he sees Mexico as a country “full of possibilities, with a precious people that need us to generously unite our efforts and give priority to the interests of the entire nation and not just a select group of individuals.”