MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Archbishop of Buenos Aires urges politicians to show their vocation

It was the last May 25 Te Deum for both Alberto Fernández and for Poli, succeeded Jorge Bergoglio when the latter became Pope Francis

Thursday's Te Deum was a last for Argentine President Alberto Fernández, but also for Buenos Aires Archbishop Mario Aurelio Poli, who will retire later this year after succeeding Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio when the latter became Pope Francis in 2013. Fernández shall not be seeking reelection and thus will complete his term on Dec. 9.

 In his homily, Poli stressed that “before a new electoral process”, there is “an unbeatable opportunity for the candidates to show their vocation of service and take advantage of their words to teach democracy, with clear and realistic proposals and without disqualifying those who are competing.”

The Archbishop of Buenos Aires recalled Francis' words: “'politics is nobler than appearance, than marketing, than different forms of media make-up,” which “only manages to sow division, enmity and a desolate skepticism incapable of appealing to a common project. We need to accept that every democracy suffers moments of conflict,” Poli insisted.

“In these complex situations, fueling confrontation by looking for culprits in the past or in the present may seem the easiest way, sowing distrust and fueling more confrontation. But the wisest and most opportune way to prevent and deal with them is to seek consensus through dialogue,” he added.

“We must humbly admit that if we are talking about a weakening and discrediting of our democracy, its causes must be sought in the sum of shared responsibilities of all”. Finally, he called for the “urgent unity of the Argentines.”

Poli, who reached the age limit of 75 in 2022, turned in his resignation on Nov. 29, 2022, as required by canonical law, pending the appointment of his replacement, a decision which has already been made by the Pope and notified to the Argentine authorities for approval as per a treaty between Argentina and the Holy See. The name of the chosen one is yet to be made public.