Catholics urge Mexico to allow prelates to preach about politics

Published: 2007-07-11

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (CNS) -- Mexican Catholics are urging the federal government to amend the country's constitution to allow bishops and priests the right to preach about political and social affairs without running afoul of the law. They also are asking that the Catholic Church be permitted to run mass media outlets and that religious education be allowed in Mexico's public schools, which by law are secular. Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico City said the proposed changes would allow prelates to stop being "pseudo citizens." Armando Martinez Gomez, president of the College of Catholic Lawyers of Mexico, outlined the church's proposals July 8 in Mexico City. He told Catholic News Service by telephone, "We need to achieve reforms so that we have true religious liberty in Mexico, which is something we currently don't have." Although the vast majority of Mexicans are Catholic, Article 29 of the country's Law of Religious Associations forbids priests from preaching in favor of any political association, party or candidate.

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