Mexican churches urged to open doors for families of missing

The National Dialogue for Peace, a coalition of Catholic leaders and security experts, has called on religious leaders across Mexico to open their temples and offer comfort to families searching for missing loved ones. The appeal, announced on Monday, urges churches to host "peace mailboxes" where people can anonymously provide information about disappeared persons, and to include the missing in prayers and ceremonies. The initiative coincides with the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances on August 30, when nationwide actions are planned. Mexico has over 133,000 officially registered disappeared persons, according to Infobae, though the exact figure varies slightly by source. The Dialogue emphasizes that "connecting with the pain of victims will give us the strength to build the country we need," as reported by Infobae. The four proposed actions include opening temples, installing peace mailboxes, using the category of "disappeared" in prayers, and accompanying families' chosen activities. The Catholic Church's Episcopal Conference supports the call, urging communities not to remain "indifferent" to the suffering of searching families. The Dialogue stresses that healing the wound of disappearances and rethinking collective agreements are essential for peace in Mexico. While both sources agree on the core message, Excelsior highlights the anonymous nature of the mailboxes and their success in locating dozens of missing persons, whereas Infobae emphasizes the broader context of over 135,000 disappearances. The initiative aims to make victims the center of collective action and provide hope and solidarity to families.