Bishops in Panama take a stand against fake news, social ills

Catholic bishops in Panama are calling for the year 2022 to be one where forgiveness, reconciliation and hope are faith priorities.

"As we begin this year 2022, we are aware of the situations of division, polarization, intrigue, misinformation that exist in the various environments. We know that we have deep wounds due to all the injustices, corruption, drug trafficking, family disunity and many other realities.

"In these situations, faith makes forgiveness, reconciliation and hope possible," the Episcopal Conference of Panama said in a statement issued at the end of their plenary assembly January 10 – 14.

The bishops during their assembly prayed, analyzed and discussed the reality of the Panamanian Church and society. 

They stress that the Church in the world is living the synodal path, with its characteristics, and the recent experience, also synodal, of the First Continental Ecclesial Assembly of past November. 

"Synodality is not only religious, but also social because God's plan is universal brotherhood in communion with Him.

"For this reason, this synodal process does not end with a document or an event in 2023, but it is a permanent style of being Church in which every baptized person, aware of his Christian commitment, assumes and fulfills his role in the construction of a more humane, supportive, fraternal and peaceful world," the bishops said. 

Most of the bishops' statement is devoted to social reality, Fides reported.

"We know the problems and weaknesses we have to make Panama the country we deserve, where equity, justice and development reach everyone, without distinction", said the bishops, urging "to make evident the great strengths with which we count to make a country project possible" and to "talk less and act more".  

Institutions must regain the trust of the population by putting the person and the common good at the center. This involves everyone: the government, political parties, NGOs, churches, companies, the media, citizens in general, the bishops said.

To manage the "country project" through a process of renewal in Panama, "it is necessary to break with the dominant logic, sectoral analysis, to find adequate and inclusive solutions, they said.

 “Allowing and stimulating the opening of different visions, supporting the contributions of 'others', will be fundamental for a new cultural, economic, political and social mentality, in order to build a New Panama," they said. 

In recent years the insecurity of citizens has increased "to very worrying levels", in addition to drug trafficking that has penetrated various sectors of society, bringing death and destruction to Panamanian families, the bishops said.

 "Countering drug trafficking and violence requires everyone's efforts" said the bishops, inviting citizens to eliminate the causes, such as "the impoverishment of large sectors of the Panamanian people, especially the youth, who have been robbed of hope, the opportunity to educate themselves, to entertain themselves healthily, to work with dignity" by situations that make them vulnerable and sometimes make them give in to these social evils. 

The bishops urge people also not to lose hope in the face of the increased spread of COVID-19 with the new omicron strain.

"We cannot despair. Our greatest and most effective protection is to get vaccinated, not to avoid contagion, but so that its effects are not fatal... Let's continue strictly with biosafety regulations, to control the pandemic. If we add our individual, family and community efforts, we can stop the contagion", they said.