Eight youths were randomly killed in armed attack on parish center. Mexico's bishops reacted with shock and outrage to the murder of eight young people from a Catholic youth group in the state of Guanajuato. In a statement issued Thursday, March 20, 2025, by the Mexican Bishops' Conference (CEM), its president, Bishop Ramón Castro, demanded that the perpetrators be identified and brought to justice. The bishops also called for a commitment to peace. "It is time for us to unite and for each of us to assume our responsibility for peace in our country," the statement said. The crime occurred on Sunday evening when armed assailants entered the parish center in the town of San José de Mendoza and randomly shot at those present. The eight victims were members of the parish's youth ministry. The attack left traces on homes and businesses in the area. Eyewitnesses reported that the perpetrators fled in vehicles, with no arrests made so far. For years, Mexico has been rocked by a sustained wave of brutal violence. This is "like a cancer on our society," the bishops' letter states. It criticizes the fact that crime in the country is accompanied by a culture of impunity that demonstrates "contempt for life" and undermines community security. "This reality wounds the heart of all Mexicans; no one can distance themselves from it," the church representatives said. The bishops called for an end to policies that only pursue personal and partisan interests and urged a united commitment to the common good. All members of society must "assume responsibility for Mexico with courage and commitment." Only then will an end be possible to the countless tragedies that have bled the country dry through violence, crime, and the lack of justice, and that have shattered the dreams of young people.
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