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Cardinal Parolin: Peace begins with empathy for the suffering of others
During his visit to Mexico, Cardinal Pietro Parolin meets with representatives of the National Dialogue for Peace to hear firsthand about their experiences in building peace within local communities.
Vatican News
On Wednesday, August 5, Cardinal Pietro Parolin met with representatives of the National Dialogue for Peace to hear directly from those involved about their experiences in fostering peace across different regions of the country, according to a statement from the Mexican Bishops’ Conference.
The meeting brought together academics, public officials, religious leaders, mothers searching for their missing loved ones, police officers, business leaders, and representatives from the states of San Luis Potosí, Oaxaca, Querétaro, Puebla, the State of Mexico, and Mexico City.
Cardinal Parolin emphasized that peace begins with empathy for the suffering of others, referring to the testimony of a mother searching for her missing son, who disappeared in the state of Puebla. He recalled that peace is a work of craftsmanship—something built patiently, day by day—and encouraged those present not to lose heart in their efforts. He said that this experience could become a source of inspiration for other parts of the world that are also afflicted by violence.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin with representatives of the National Dialogue for Peace in Mexico (Photo: © María Langarica)
The Mexican Bishops’ Conference also noted that participants shared several examples of collaboration in building peace. One testimony described joint efforts between organizations of families searching for missing loved ones and public officials in the state of Puebla, highlighting how the National Dialogue for Peace has become a training ground for civic and political leadership.
A police officer from Ecatepec spoke about cooperation among different Christian churches to promote peace and implement a community policing model. Representatives from Querétaro used the image of a balero (a traditional cup-and-ball toy) to illustrate how the National Dialogue serves as the thread that unites people of diverse backgrounds. Representatives from Oaxaca explained how the National Dialogue has offered comfort and support to priests serving in high-risk areas, while the representative from San Luis Potosí noted the challenge of encouraging more parishes to take part in the work of peacebuilding.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin listened attentively to the members of the National Dialogue for Peace and expressed solidarity with their daily efforts to persevere in this patient work of building peace. He said the movement represents a source of hope for many parts of the country suffering from violence and affirmed that it has the support of the Holy See. Participants expressed their gratitude for the recognition of their work and for the Cardinal’s desire to remain close to them in their shared commitment to building peace.
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