Easter Message of the Catholic Bishops of Mozambique – Full Text

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Easter Message of the Catholic Bishops of Mozambique – Full Text

1:43 CAT | 23 Mar 2016

VOA (File Photo) / Dom Francico Chimoio, Archbishop of Maputo, is the president of the Mozambican Episcopal Conference

Mozambique’s Catholic bishops have issued an Easter message, reproduced in full below.

Easter Message of The Bishops of Mozambique

We, the Catholic Bishops of Mozambique, meeting in extraordinary assembly in the Nazare Centre, Beira, on March 17, 2016, prior to the celebration of Easter, the passage of Jesus Christ from death to life through the suffering of his passion and cross, wish to be enlightened by this source of hope.

Sadly, we have to recognize that, in our country, the signs of upheaval and death are multiplying:

– Deterioration of the political-military tension;

– Continued clashes and skirmishes that sow death and mourning;

– Climbing crime, violence and abductions;

– Destruction of homes and other social and economic infrastructure;

– Destabilization of the normal course of life, compromising productive and educational activity;

– Growing numbers of internally displaced people and refugees;

– Intensification of generalized distrust, hatred and hostility;

– Drought in southern and central areas;

– Heavy rains, especially in the north of the country, compromising agricultural production and resulting in ever-worse poverty and hunger.

But Easter is the victory of life over death and forgiveness over offence. God opens to all of Mozambique the way of Easter, the way of life and peace.

Therefore, we renew our call launched on 10 November 2015 for:

– “The absolute abandonment of weapons”; and

– “The immediate resumption of effective dialogue between the conflicting parties, and including other stakeholders in society”.

Let these be the signs of our irrevocable choice of life over death. Let us be allies of life, not death. Let us all obey the words of Scripture, which are inscribed in our hearts: “Thou shalt not kill”.

Encouraged by this mystery of life and love, we address to the Christian communities and the entire Mozambican people our wishes for a happy Easter, full of hope, resurrection and life.

Above all we invoke the light of the Risen Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Beira, 17 March 2016

Dom Francisco Chimoio

Archbishop of Maputo and President of the Mozambican Episcopal Conference

Source: Conferência Episcopal de Moçambique