Collateral Damage: Mexican Church Takes a Closer Look at Donors

An interesting, in-depth look at the relationships and dynamics between the Mexican Catholic Church, narcotrafficker money and the common people of Mexico, "el pueblo."

Mexican Church Takes a Closer Look at Donors - NYTimes.com: "PACHUCA, Mexico — The large orange chapel here, with its towering cross, would be just another Roman Catholic church if not for a bronze plaque announcing that it was “donated by Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano” — better known as “the executioner,” commander of the ruthless crime syndicate called the Zetas. ...

Ever since the chapel’s financing spawned a government investigation four months ago, theRoman Catholic Church in Mexico has been trying to confront its historic ties to drug traffickers. Long dependent on gifts, but often less than discriminating about where they come from, the church is grappling with its role as thousands die in turf wars among rich, and sometimes generous, criminals. ...

Catholic officials have said there are other chapels that they believe were built with drug money, in what some describe as money laundering for the soul. And yet, according to Father Valdemar — spokesman for the archidiocese of Mexico City who works closely with Mexico’s conference of bishops — the church has no formal strategy for how to deal with the cartels in their midst and no plan to develop guidelines for priests struggling with munificent killers."