September 17, 2004
By Manuel Quintero

QUITO - Honduran Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodrmguez Madariaga, one of the Latin American Catholics who has most consistently spoken out against the neoliberal system, affirmed that the implacable logic of the market cannot serve Christians.

The Cardinal made the comments during the inaugural conference at the symposium of Bishops, priests, lay people from Latin America, Germany and Spain, who met from September 13 17 in Casa Bethania in Quito.

The symposium, the third of its type, was organized by the German Bishops Action Adveniat, the Latin American Bishops Conference (CELAM), the Ecuadorian Bishops Conference (CEE) and was geared toward reflecting on the political and economic reality of the continent in the light of Catholic social doctrine.

In reference to a CELAM document, Rodrmguez Madariaga affirmed that in a context of globalization, marked by a culture that looks for efficiency and economic success at any cost, Christians have the challenge of recalling the dimension of gratuity, as what is the most human cannot be bought nor sold, it has value but it has no price.

In essence Christianity is the religion of gratuity, for this Christianity is the Gospel, from there the excluded heard from Jesus Christ that God truly loves them unconditionally, that they do not have to prove that they are good. He loves them first with a love that they receive as a gift, he said.

The critical analysis of the Honduran prelate marked the tone of the debates and presentations at the symposium that included the participation of renowned economists from different countries in the continent and politicians from the host country.

This critical mood was also reflected in the final document of the event that emphasizes the concern of participants about the increase of poverty levels in Latin America and the Caribbean, the increase of unemployment, social exclusion and migrations.

This concern also extended to political instability, the lack of political will to apply social policies, the fact that free trade agreements are being negotiated behind peoples backs and in unfavorable conditions for our countries.

The declaration warns that the foreign debt continues to be paid at the cost of bread, health and education and that it continues to wrack all the countries on the continent, in particular among the most marginalized sectors.

It criticized the emergence of a consumer mentality which sustains the market economy, an economy that does not seek to produce goods and services to satisfy human needs, but to produce artificial needs and merchandise to satisfy them.

Regarding the impact of globalization it affirms that global transformations of the world economy are modifying the parameters of social development in all countries and some threats to human wellbeing are being globalized, in particular environmental risks.

On the political front, the document recognizes the predomination of democratic government systems and the strengthening fundamental freedoms, but at the same time it indicates a loss of leadership and a weakening of political parties.

The text recalls that ethics, economics and politics are three disciplines with their own rationale and therefore their own purposes but underscores that ethics has the mission to illuminate the economy and politics so that their actions have the human person at the center.

Recalling that every man and women are the image of God with the right to a dignified life it establishes that growth and development, seen integrally, should be complementary processes aimed at favoring all people without discrimination.

Here solidarity plays and important role, it stated. Solidarity open to change, to the promotion of self-esteem, to self development and equity.

It concluded with a quote from John Paul II who defines this solidarity as a firm and perseverant determination to insist on common good.

ALC News Service