Letter to Secretary of State Clinton on Political Crisis in Honduras, July 16, 2009

July 16, 2009

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
United States Department of State
Washington, D.C.

Dear Secretary Clinton,

Francis Cardinal George, OMI, the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, recently wrote a letter of solidarity to Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez and the Bishops’ Conference of Honduras. In the spirit of that letter we urge continuing efforts to help the people of Honduras resolve peacefully the current political crisis.

Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has expressed his concern about recent events in Honduras and has called for patient dialogue and mutual understanding and reconciliation to create conditions to “ensure peaceful coexistence and authentic democratic life” in that country.

The bishops of Honduras have issued statements concerning the crisis on June 19 and July 4 of this year. I am enclosing copies in the event that you have not seen them. Our Conference has joined with the bishops in their call for dialogue and reconciliation among the Honduran people and for external support “without unilateral pressures” in order to achieve a just and peaceful resolution.

We are encouraged by the United States’ endorsement of the mediation process initiated by President Arias of Costa Rica. We urge you to continue to support this effort and to take all other appropriate steps, as necessary, to help the people of Honduras resolve the present crisis in peace and justice and, in the words of the Holy Father, to create the conditions for “peaceful coexistence and authentic democratic life.”

Sincerely yours,

Most Reverend Howard J. Hubbard
Bishop of Albany
Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace

letter-to-secretary-clinton-on-political-crisis-in-honduras-2009-07-16.pdf