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Pope Francis arrives in South America with message of hope for neediest Pope Francis arrives in South America with message of hope for neediest
(about 20 hours later)
History’s first Latin American pope travelled to Spanish-speaking South America for the first time as pontiff on Sunday, bringing a message of solidarity with the region’s poor, who were expected to turn out in droves to welcome him.History’s first Latin American pope travelled to Spanish-speaking South America for the first time as pontiff on Sunday, bringing a message of solidarity with the region’s poor, who were expected to turn out in droves to welcome him.
Francis, known to some as “the pope of the poor”, chose to visit Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay specifically because they are among the poorest and most marginal nations of a region that is home to 40% of the world’s Catholics. He is not scheduled to visit his homeland of Argentina, at least partly to avoid any entanglement in this year’s presidential election.Francis, known to some as “the pope of the poor”, chose to visit Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay specifically because they are among the poorest and most marginal nations of a region that is home to 40% of the world’s Catholics. He is not scheduled to visit his homeland of Argentina, at least partly to avoid any entanglement in this year’s presidential election.
The pope’s plane landed in Quito, Ecuador, where thousands of people lined a motorcade route that would take the pope to the Vatican ambassador’s residence, where he was scheduled to stay for the first leg of a trip that ends on 13 July.The pope’s plane landed in Quito, Ecuador, where thousands of people lined a motorcade route that would take the pope to the Vatican ambassador’s residence, where he was scheduled to stay for the first leg of a trip that ends on 13 July.
Pilgrims came from far and wide. A small group of Colombians set up tents at the former site of Quito’s airport, where the pope is due to say mass on Tuesday.Pilgrims came from far and wide. A small group of Colombians set up tents at the former site of Quito’s airport, where the pope is due to say mass on Tuesday.
Francis is likely to raise environmental concerns with Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa and Evo Morales, the leader of Bolivia – both of whom have promoted mining and oil drilling in wilderness areas – given the pope’s recent encyclical on the need to protect nature and the poor who suffer most when it is exploited. Francis is likely to raise environmental concerns with the Ecuadorian president, Rafael Correa, and Evo Morales, the leader of Bolivia – both of whom have promoted mining and oil drilling in wilderness areas – given the pope’s recent encyclical on the need to protect nature and the poor who suffer most when it is exploited.
In that document, Francis called for a new development model that rejects the profit-at-all cost mentality in favour of a Christian view of economic progress that respects human rights, safeguards the planet and involves all sectors of society, the poor and marginalised included.In that document, Francis called for a new development model that rejects the profit-at-all cost mentality in favour of a Christian view of economic progress that respects human rights, safeguards the planet and involves all sectors of society, the poor and marginalised included.
In a video message on the eve of his departure from Rome, Francis said he wanted to bring a message of hope and joy to all, “especially the neediest, the elderly, the sick, those in prison and the poor and all those who are victims of this ‘throwaway culture’”.In a video message on the eve of his departure from Rome, Francis said he wanted to bring a message of hope and joy to all, “especially the neediest, the elderly, the sick, those in prison and the poor and all those who are victims of this ‘throwaway culture’”.
Francis’ scheduled stops include a violent Bolivian prison, a flood-prone Paraguayan shantytown and a meeting with grass-roots groups in Bolivia, the sort of people he ministered to in the slums of Buenos Aires as archbishop. Francis’s scheduled stops include a violent Bolivian prison, a flood-prone Paraguayan shantytown and a meeting with grassroots groups in Bolivia, the sort of people he ministered to in the slums of Buenos Aires as archbishop.
Crowds are expected to be huge. While the countries themselves are tiny compared to regional powerhouses like Brazil and Argentina, they are fervently Catholic: 79% of the population is Catholic in Ecuador, 77% in Bolivia and 89% in Paraguay, according to the Pew Research Center.Crowds are expected to be huge. While the countries themselves are tiny compared to regional powerhouses like Brazil and Argentina, they are fervently Catholic: 79% of the population is Catholic in Ecuador, 77% in Bolivia and 89% in Paraguay, according to the Pew Research Center.
Waiting for the pope along his motorcade route in Quito, retired schoolteacher Cecilia Alvarez lamented that the visit was being exploited by politicians in Ecuador, where the government has been facing street protests. Waiting for the pope along his motorcade route in Quito, retired schoolteacher Cecilia Álvarez lamented that the visit was being exploited by politicians in Ecuador, where the government has been facing street protests.
“Francis comes on another mission, in another sense. He comes to make peace,” she said.“Francis comes on another mission, in another sense. He comes to make peace,” she said.
The Vatican said it expected more than a million people to turn out for Francis’ major public masses in each country, and organisers scheduled plenty of time for the pope to meander through the throngs. The Vatican said it expected more than a million people to turn out for Francis’s major public masses in each country, and organisers scheduled plenty of time for the pope to meander through the throngs.
When John Paul II visited Ecuador in 1985, he called for a more just society and reminded indigenous groups of the role played by missionaries who had arrived on the continent centuries before. Francis will likely repeat those messages and pay particular attention to the role his Jesuit order played. When John Paul II visited Ecuador in 1985, he called for a more just society and reminded indigenous groups of the role played by missionaries who had arrived on the continent centuries before. Francis will probably repeat those messages and pay particular attention to the role his Jesuit order played.
John Paul’s visits were shadowed by the Polish pope’s concern about the rise of liberation theology; he feared that Marxists were using its “preferential option for the poor” to turn the Gospel into a call for armed revolution.John Paul’s visits were shadowed by the Polish pope’s concern about the rise of liberation theology; he feared that Marxists were using its “preferential option for the poor” to turn the Gospel into a call for armed revolution.
Guzman Carriquiri, the No 2 of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and a top papal adviser, said a less turbulent situation awaited Francis, who has sought to revive a purer, less political version of liberation theology and recently approved beatification for one of its heroes, Salvadoran archbishop Oscar Romero. Guzmán Carriquiry, the No 2 of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and a top papal adviser, said a less turbulent situation awaited Francis, who has sought to revive a purer, less political version of liberation theology and recently approved beatification for one of its heroes, the Salvadoran archbishop Óscar Romero.
Francis also brokered a historic thaw between the US and Cuba, countries he will visit in September.Francis also brokered a historic thaw between the US and Cuba, countries he will visit in September.
“Francis’ visit will be a huge boost to the priests of the third world and theology of liberation,” said 80-year-old Xavier Albo, a fellow Jesuit. “He lives that theology through mercy, modesty and his obligation to the poor, the immigrants and the imprisoned.” “Francis’s visit will be a huge boost to the priests of the third world and the theology of liberation,” said 80-year-old Xavier Albo, a fellow Jesuit. “He lives that theology through mercy, modesty and his obligation to the poor, the immigrants and the imprisoned.”
Jesuits paid with their lives defending the downtrodden against dictatorships, as the pope knows well from his days as head of the Jesuits during the rightwing military dictatorship in Argentina.Jesuits paid with their lives defending the downtrodden against dictatorships, as the pope knows well from his days as head of the Jesuits during the rightwing military dictatorship in Argentina.
Opponents of dictatorships in Paraguay and Bolivia were also disappeared. One, who was tortured and killed in 1980, was Father Luís Espinal, a Bolivian close to Albo whose body was dumped by the side of the airport road that Francis will travel on his way into La Paz on Wednesday.Opponents of dictatorships in Paraguay and Bolivia were also disappeared. One, who was tortured and killed in 1980, was Father Luís Espinal, a Bolivian close to Albo whose body was dumped by the side of the airport road that Francis will travel on his way into La Paz on Wednesday.
Francis will stop the Popemobile there, get out and pray.Francis will stop the Popemobile there, get out and pray.