(OSV News) — A young man painting a chapel in Puebla was killed when gunmen shot at a work crew involved in community service in what was the second recent act of violence targeting churches in one of Mexico’s largest and most traditionally Catholic cities.
The Archdiocese of Puebla condemned the violence, which occurred Feb. 17 at the Lord of Mercy chapel, “when an armed group fired at people performing community service on the exterior” of the building. Álvaro Meneses González, 20, died in the attack.
Rejecting ‘all forms of violence’
“These acts reflect the loss of a sense of the sacredness of human life. Therefore, with firmness and clarity, the church in Puebla expresses its rejection of all forms of violence because nothing can justify attacks against the integrity of persons,” the archdiocese said in a Feb. 17 statement.
“When homicidal violence painfully erupts, even in sacred spaces, the urgency of uniting as a Church with civil authorities and society as a whole, becomes even more evident in order to foster dialogue and reconciliation, promote the application of justice, values education, and respect for the life of all so that the spiral of revenge and hatred may be broken. And peace may be restored to the families of Puebla.”
Motives remain uncertain
Motives for the attack on Meneses and the church remain uncertain. No suspects have been arrested. News organization Milenio reported a gunman getting out of a vehicle at around 6:40 p.m. outside the church and firing at Meneses, who was struck five times. The attack happened while catechism classes were occurring inside the church.
Prayers for Meneses and his family, the parish community and the children in the catechism classes will be offered at churches in Puebla, according to the archdiocese, while the episcopal vicar is to perform an act of reparation when the chapel reopens on Feb. 22.
The cathedral in Puebla was attacked in January, when two suspects jumped the gate and ignited the doors. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, limiting damage.
Mexico gripped by violence
Violence has gripped Mexico in recent years as drug cartels have disputed territories and moved into criminal activities such as extortion and kidnapping.
The Jesuits’ Mexico province and the Conference of Religious Superiors of Mexico recently organized the second edition of a peace-building initiative known as the National Dialogue for Peace. Organizers called for prioritizing victims of violence — including the families of Mexico’s tens of thousands of missing persons — engaging to all sectors of society in conversation and “building a system that integrates currently vulnerable and excluded young people.”
David Agren writes for OSV News from Buenos Aires.
