The bishop of the Diocese of Caacupé, Ricardo Valenzuela, made a strong appeal for integrity and transparency this Sunday (17) during the 7 a.m. Mass at the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Miracles. The clergyman criticized the tendency to opine and condemn without knowing the facts, often driven by prejudices, partial versions, or private interests.
“The truth will set us free, but first we must seek it with courage,” Valenzuela said, citing Psalm 15: “He who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” For him, telling the truth and acting with rectitude requires courage, even when it means facing consequences.
The bishop also warned against disinformation and “half-truths” that erode trust in institutions. “Let us build a legacy of integrity that transforms our surroundings, starting with ourselves, with the family, with neighbors, and with all of society,” he declared.
Valenzuela used the parable of the blind men and the elephant to illustrate how people see only part of reality and risk making absolute judgments. “This often happens in life: we see things, events, and the conduct of men partially, and we dare to make absolute judgments. And how we deceive ourselves,” he said.
In the homily, the bishop also addressed the theme of World Communications Day, whose message from Pope Francis warns about the challenges of artificial intelligence and the need to preserve “human voices and faces.” Valenzuela warned about the risk of emotional manipulation through artificial conversations and AI-generated content, and called for responsibility from creators and users, as well as an education based on critical thinking.
“Seeking the truth is an act of freedom. It frees us from the shadows of deceit and prejudice,” the bishop concluded.