The Mexican bishops’ conference said on March 9 that they are troubled by recent acts of vandalism against churches during International Women’s Day marches, including damage to a 17th-century parish church. The bishops stated, “Mexico needs justice and peace, not more violence.”
The issue is significant as it highlights ongoing tensions between public demonstrations for women’s rights and the protection of religious sites. The bishops acknowledged the legitimate demands of women for safety and justice but urged that violence is not the solution.
In their statement signed by Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca and Auxiliary Bishop Héctor Pérez Villarreal of Mexico City, the bishops said, “We hope that these demonstrations will help to highlight the urgent need to address the legitimate demands of so many women more effectively, both by the authorities responsible for guaranteeing their safety and by those responsible for administering justice.” They added, “Churches are places of prayer, encounter, and solace for thousands of people, especially for those seeking spiritual comfort after suffering injustice. Hence, we find the violence directed toward these places of hope and peace deeply troubling as violence will never lead to peace. May the pain suffered by women not divide us, but rather inspire us to seek paths of justice, dialogue, encounter, and fraternity.”
The Sagrario Metropolitano parish church in San Luis Potosà was among those affected; videos showed its doors set on fire and graffiti on its walls while it was undergoing restoration. Archbishop Jorge Alberto Cavazos Arizpe told local media, “It pains us to see buildings and iconic areas mistreated and they shouldn’t be. But, as Jesus said, an offense against a person, however small, will always be much more serious. And women have been very mistreated… That’s why they continue to speak out about something that keeps happening.” He noted that young people from the archdiocesan family ministry tried independently to protect the church.
Father Jorge Aurelio RamÃrez Torres held Mass outside the damaged church on March 9 for parishioners. The archdiocese announced a Mass of reparation would take place on March 11.
Across Mexico, Catholics formed human chains outside churches during women’s marches in an effort to prevent further vandalism. Social media posts reflected anger at attacks on churches as well as support for women’s causes. Vandalism at protests has sometimes been attributed to individuals unaffiliated with organizers who infiltrate demonstrations.
International Women’s Day marches took place nationwide on March 8 with participants protesting issues such as workplace discrimination and femicide—murders of women or girls—which human rights groups say occur ten times daily in Mexico.
Despite progress like electing Claudia Sheinbaum as Mexico’s first female president in 2024 and gender parity rules in government institutions, Catholic leaders said challenges remain: “The demonstrations and protests we witnessed yesterday remind us of a reality we cannot ignore: thousands of women in our country continue to cry out for justice, safety, and respect for their dignity,” according to their statement.
Previous protests have also called for abortion decriminalization—a move enacted by a supreme court decision in 2021—which Mexico’s bishops denounced as “murderous.” Violence continues across Mexico due to conflicts involving drug cartels; even clergy have been affected. Father Juan Manuel Zavala Madrigal was found dead on March 9 after going missing following Mass in Chiapas state.
