Bishop Ruiz dies

[Stan Duncan]

Bishop Ruiz dies
2/2/2011

Long-time champion of indigenous rights leaves void in some of country’s most marginalized communities.

Bishop Samuel Ruiz, who spent four decades fighting for the rights of the Maya communities of Mexico´s impoverished Chiapas state, died Jan. 25 at the age of 86 after a lengthy illness.

Ruiz, who embraced the Liberation Theology movement, which advocates justice, was a mediator between Zapatista rebels and the government after the 1994 uprising that left 145 people dead.

But Ruiz was no friend of the government or the large landowners in the area, who accused him of collaborating with the Zapatistas, an accusation he denied, though he did sympathize with their cause. He had received death threats and repeated defamation attempts.

Bishop of the San Cristobal de las Casas Diocese, Ruiz was dubbed “the Bishop of the Poor,” for his work championing the rights of the local population in one of Mexico´s poorest states. As a member of the Liberation Theology movement, as in other Latin American communities, he helped incorporate the work of lay workers into the Church, who worked in the most rural areas of the state.

“This is a great loss for Chiapas,” said Chiapas state Gov. Juan Sabines Guerrero. “´The bishop of the poor, Tatic, as we affectionately knew him, is a great loss, but without a doubt, he planted a seed of hope, of peace, of justice and will carry on for many years, since in some way, he educated the people and the government about the defense of human rights.”
In a statement, the General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation said:

“Don Samuel Ruiz Garcia not only practiced Catholicism for and with the dispossessed, his team also trained a generation of Christians committed to the practice of Catholicism. He was not only concerned about the condition of poverty and marginalization of the indigenous peoples of Chiapas, he also worked, along with a heroic pastoral team, to improve their inhumane conditions of living and dying.” —Latinamerica Press.

--
Stan G. Duncan
123 Sumner St.
Quincy, MA 02169
Hm: 781-504-6875
Wk: 508-679-6835
Fax: 734-549-6524
New Book: The Greatest Story Oversold: Understanding Economic Globalization
http://www.HomeByNow.blogspot.com
http://JubileeJusticeTaskforce.blogspot.com/
What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God? —Micah 6:8

[jen...@mindspring.com]

Thank you Stan, this is a great loss, but what a life well lived! Jenny

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[Stan Duncan]

Right on both, Jenny. It is a great loss, but he had a great life.
Stan

On 2/10/2011 3:37 PM, jen...@mindspring.com wrote:

Thank you Stan, this is a great loss, but what a life well lived! Jenny

-----Original Message-----
From: Stan Duncan
Sent: Feb 9, 2011 8:48 PM
To: Chiapas09
Subject: [Chiapas09] Bishop Ruiz dies

Bishop Ruiz dies
2/2/2011

Long-time champion of indigenous rights leaves void in some of country�s most marginalized communities.

Bishop Samuel Ruiz, who spent four decades fighting for the rights of the Maya communities of Mexico�s impoverished Chiapas state, died Jan. 25 at the age of 86 after a lengthy illness.

Ruiz, who embraced the Liberation Theology movement, which advocates justice, was a mediator between Zapatista rebels and the government after the 1994 uprising that left 145 people dead.

But Ruiz was no friend of the government or the large landowners in the area, who accused him of collaborating with the Zapatistas, an accusation he denied, though he did sympathize with their cause. He had received death threats and repeated defamation attempts.

Bishop of the San Cristobal de las Casas Diocese, Ruiz was dubbed �the Bishop of the Poor,� for his work championing the rights of the local population in one of Mexico�s poorest states. As a member of the Liberation Theology movement, as in other Latin American communities, he helped incorporate the work of lay workers into the Church, who worked in the most rural areas of the state.

�This is a great loss for Chiapas,� said Chiapas state Gov. Juan Sabines Guerrero. ��The bishop of the poor, Tatic, as we affectionately knew him, is a great loss, but without a doubt, he planted a seed of hope, of peace, of justice and will carry on for many years, since in some way, he educated the people and the government about the defense of human rights.�

In a statement, the General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation said:

�Don Samuel Ruiz Garcia not only practiced Catholicism for and with the dispossessed, his team also trained a generation of Christians committed to the practice of Catholicism. He was not only concerned about the condition of poverty and marginalization of the indigenous peoples of Chiapas, he also worked, along with a heroic pastoral team, to improve their inhumane conditions of living and dying.� �Latinamerica Press.

--
Stan G. Duncan

123 Sumner St.
Quincy, MA 02169
Hm: 781-504-6875
Wk: 508-679-6835
Fax: 734-549-6524
New Book: The Greatest Story Oversold: Understanding Economic Globalization
http://www.HomeByNow.blogspot.com
http://JubileeJusticeTaskforce.blogspot.com/

What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God? �Micah 6:8

--
To post a note to this group, press "return" or send email to
chia...@googlegroups.com
For the blog form of this email, which includes more resources, backgrounders, and travel information, go to
http://chiapas09.blogspot.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/chiapas09?hl=en

--
To post a note to this group, press "return" or send email to
chia...@googlegroups.com
For the blog form of this email, which includes more resources, backgrounders, and travel information, go to
http://chiapas09.blogspot.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/chiapas09?hl=en

--
Stan G. Duncan

123 Sumner St.
Quincy, MA 02169
Hm: 781-504-6875
Wk: 508-679-6835
Fax: 734-549-6524
New Book: The Greatest Story Oversold: Understanding Economic Globalization
http://www.HomeByNow.blogspot.com
http://JubileeJusticeTaskforce.blogspot.com/

What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God? �Micah 6:8