"Families and Women, Building Peace" is the title of the message issued by H.E. Msgr. Emilio Carlos Berlie Belaunzarán, Archbishop of Yucatán (Mexico), on the occasion of two significant anniversaries: the National Day of the family, on March 1st, and the International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8th. "Celebrating families and women—writes the Archbishop—offers us the opportunity to note the importance of the close relationship between them, especially in the transmission of life and the education of the person. A good family, in fact, brings to mind great women."
The Archbishop focused on "the many Christian families and women in the world who are suffering persecution and violence, particularly those caused by drug trafficking," and he urged the faithful to pray and be in solidarity with those who "are personally experiencing persecution and the lack security."
Moreover, Msgr. Belaunzarán prayed that families may be "communities of life, love and faith, where people learn to accept and understand one another, by working for the common good;" that the children "may not fall into the trap of superficiality and material pleasures," but "give importance to life and to their bodies, as gifts of God." Parents were told "not to be discouraged, thinking that they have failed in the noble task of building a family and educate their children."
Finally, the Archbishop emphasized the positive aspects of life in Mexico, such as the countless families who are animated "by faith in the Lord", the large number of social works, the many missionaries, the evidence of altruism and attention towards the sick, the elderly and orphaned children.
