Promising to be a low-key pastor, dedicated to his flock, open to other faiths and without political bias, Cardinal Jose Francisco Robles Ortega was installed as the new archbishop of Guadalajara Tuesday in front of 22,000 fervent Catholics at the Tres de Marzo Stadium.
Robles insisted that he would not be a “protagonist” – a sharp contrast to his predecessor of 17 years, Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez, who liked to comment on the nation’s diverse social, economic and, sometimes, political issues.
However, in his first press conference Robles did allude to the security problems facing Mexico, suggesting that it was time to “unite as a society and shut out organized crime.”
In his inaugural homily, Robles said he was keen to open a dialogue with other faiths and establish “fraternal relationships.”
His comments come amid growing criticism of a planned amendment to Article 24 of the Mexican Constitution that would enhance religious freedoms in Mexico by recognizing the right of parents to educate their children in their religious beliefs, abolishing the ban on acts of worship outside temples and allowing freedom of expression to religious ministers.
Many Mexicans would prefer to maintain the church-state separation laws as they are, and fear the reforms would strengthen the power of the Catholic Church at the expense of smaller faiths by permitting the teaching of religion in public schools.
While supported by federal legislators from the conservative National Action Party (PAN), the reform bill may stall in Congress since it is opposed by most members of other parties.
The bill has plenty of support in the state of Jalisco, where leaders of the pro-Catholic state government – including Governor Emilio Gonzalez – were seated in the front row of the crowd attending Robles’ accession ceremony on Tuesday.