Pope address civil leaders, educators in Ecuador

July 08, 2015

Pope Francis called upon Ecuador’s civil leaders to work towards a society marked by “gratitude, solidarity, and subsidiarity.”

The Pontiff made his remarks on the third day of his nine-day apostolic journey to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

“The goods of the earth are meant for everyone, and however much someone may parade his property, it has a social mortgage,” he said in a July 7 address in St. Francis Church in Quito. “In this way we move beyond purely economic justice, based on commerce, towards social justice, which upholds the fundamental human right to a dignified life.”

“The tapping of natural resources, which are so abundant in Ecuador, must not be concerned with short-term benefits,” he continued. “As stewards of these riches which we have received, we have an obligation toward society as a whole and towards future generations.”

Earlier in the day, Pope Francis met with the nation’s bishops, offered a Mass attended by one million people, and met with educators at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador.

Calling upon educators to move beyond a globalized “technocratic paradigm,” he asked, “How can we help make their education a mark of greater responsibility in the face of today’s problems, the needs of the poor, concern for the environment?”

 

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Further information:

• Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay
• Pope Francis: Address to educators, students (Vatican Radio)
• Pope Francis address to Civil Leaders in Quito, Ecuador (Vatican Radio)
• Over 1 million attend papal Mass in Quito (CWN, 7/7)