In a catechesis that resonates with urgency in the current Mexican context, Bishop Ramón Castro Castro, president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM), has emphasized the principle of subsidiarity as a fundamental pillar for an authentic Christian society. Titled «¡Nada de suprimir libertades!», this reflection is part of the series «Venga a Nosotros Tu Reino», specifically chapter 25, where the prelate addresses how higher institutions must support intermediate groups without curtailing their autonomy.
The catechesis continues a series of meditations on four Christian social coordinates: the common good, the universal destination of goods, subsidiarity, and solidarity in future installments. Castro Castro summarizes subsidiarity as «the support that higher institutions provide to intermediate bodies without annulling their freedom or absorbing their functions.» This principle, rooted in the social doctrine of the Catholic Church, recognizes the innate creativity of citizens to form associations that foster integral development.
In Mexico, where civil society faces challenges such as institutional distrust and political polarization, the bishop highlights everyday examples of subsidiarity in action: cooperatives, neighborhood organizations, parish groups, and professional associations. «Each of these spaces is an expression of the human capacity to achieve, through collective action oriented toward the common good, personal, family, and social development,» affirms Castro Castro. The family, he describes, is the primordial nucleus of these groups, deserving of absolute protection.
The message takes on a critical tone when addressing the role of the State. The bishop warns against the temptation of authorities to control or instrumentalize citizen initiatives for political purposes, a practice that, according to him, directly contradicts subsidiarity. «In our Mexico, we have seen how sometimes authorities, instead of supporting citizen initiatives, seek to control or instrumentalize them for political ends,» he denounces. Instead, the State must act as a «father» that guards and shelters, preserving the spirit of freedom and initiative in these groups.
Castro Castro insists that the State must not supplant these intermediate bodies but rather enhance their capacity to generate social goods. In exceptional situations, such as crises or harm to the common good, state intervention is justified, but always with the commitment to protect fundamental freedom. «Its mission is to serve the freedom of these groups and enhance their social capacity to generate goods that build the common good as a unique force,» he emphasizes.
The catechesis is not limited to passive criticism; it calls for citizen action. In a country marked by distrust toward institutions, where many have lost faith in the State, subsidiarity emerges as a divine «alternative.» «Our homeland desperately needs your creative energy, your social ingenuity, not from isolation, but by joining forces with your family, coworkers, with every compatriot,» exhorts the bishop. Inspiring examples include neighbors organized for community security, parents creating alternative schools, and local entrepreneurs generating jobs.
The discourse culminates with a spiritual reminder: authorities will render accounts to God for their handling of power. «Political authority is temporary service, but responsibility before God is eternal,» he warns, applying it from the president to the municipal syndic. He invokes Saint Mary of Guadalupe to infuse zeal for the common good, humility for unity, and a «father’s heart» in rulers: wide to embrace, wise to care, and strong not to crush freedoms.
This catechesis arrives at an opportune moment for Mexico, where debates on the centralization of power and local autonomy dominate the political landscape. Civil organizations and religious leaders have applauded the message, seeing it as a call to balance state interventionism with community empowerment. In the words of Castro Castro, «come out of yourself, be a contagion of hope, shine like a beacon in the fog.» Thus, subsidiarity is not just a theoretical principle, but a practical invitation to weave networks that heal social ills.
With this reflection, the bishop not only reaffirms Catholic doctrine but also offers an ethical framework for social reconstruction in Mexico. In a «dying» world, as he describes it, responsible freedom is the path toward a kingdom of peace, security, and dignity. «Venga a nosotros tu reino,» he concludes, echoing the prayer that inspires the series.
The catechesis can be viewed here.