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STATEMENT FROM THE MEXICAN PROVINCE OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS
Mexico City, June 21, 2022 – It is with great dismay that we, the Jesuits of Mexico, denounce the murder of our brothers Javier Campos Morales, S.J. and Joaquín César Mora Salazar, S.J., which occurred yesterday inside the church of the community of Cerocahui, Chihuahua.
We condemn these violent acts; we demand justice and the recovery of the bodies of our brothers who were taken from the church by armed individuals.
We also demand the immediate adoption of all protective measures to safeguard the lives of our Jesuit brothers, nuns, lay people, as well as the entire community of Cerocahui.
These incidents are not to be seen isolated. The Sierra Tarahumara, like many other regions of the country, is facing a situation of violence and neglect that has not been reversed. Every day, men and women are arbitrarily deprived of their lives, just as our brothers were killed today.
The Jesuits of Mexico will not remain silent in the face of a reality that destroys society as a whole. We will continue to raise our voices and we will work for the mission of justice, reconciliation, and peace, through our pastoral, educational, and social works.
In denouncing what happened, we also stress the pain our people are experiencing due to the prevailing violence, and we stand in solidarity with so many people who suffer from this same situation, and whose suffering does not arouse public empathy and attention.
We trust that the testimonies of the Christian life of our dear Javier and Joaquín will continue to inspire men and women to give themselves in the service of the most vulnerable.
May they rest in peace.
