Mexico City, Mexico, Sep 25, 2007 / 09:20 am
The bishops of Mexico have sent a letter to the Archbishop of Mexico City, Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, expressing their solidarity with him in the face of an “undeserved” orchestrated attack against him for which the cardinal is “suffering for the Church,” involving the alleged cover-up of sexual abuse by clergy.
In the letter, the country’s sixty-three other bishops said, “We are aware that in affecting his personal dignity, what is being sought is to affect the Gospel, the Church, the Episcopal ministry and priestly life: you are suffering for the Church.”
They also expressed their appreciation for the suffering of Cardinal Rivera, who “is undoubtedly acceptable and pleasing in God’s eyes; we encourage him to continue bearing witness as a successor of the Apostles.”
They also reminded him that he is not alone and that his brother bishops are united with him. Those who signed the letter include Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez of Guadalajara, Archbishop Emilio Berlié of the Yucatan, Archbishop Francisco Robles of Monterrey, Archbishop José Luis Chávez Botello of Oaxaca, Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Archbishop José Guadalupe Martín Rábago of León, and the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Mexico, Bishop Carlos Aguiar Retes.
Cardinal Rivera thanked his brother bishops for their solidarity.