Quito, Ecuador, May 16, 2007 / 09:23 am
The Bishops’ Conference of Ecuador affirmed this week that the country’s new Constitution should include certain indispensable guarantees, such as the protection of life beginning at conception, the defense of marriage and the family, and “the creation of the necessary elements” to eradicate poverty and corruption.
In a statement, the bishops’ conference reaffirmed the value and “inviolable dignity” of the human person,which should be protected by the State and by society. “Human dignity, which has its origin in God, is the primary source of man’s rights and obligations,” the bishops said.
They also said the Constitution should promote quality education that is centered on values and on the person.The State should guarantee the right of parents to choose the kind of education they want for their children, the bishops emphasized.
The Conference also addressed political reform, saying that it should lead to an increase in “national unity and real participative democracy,” as well as balance particular interests with the common good.
The statement was signed by the president of the Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Nestor Herrera Heredia of Machala.