ASUNCION, July 11 (Reuters) - Pope Francis appealed to world leaders on Saturday to seek a new economic model to help the poor, and to shun policies that "sacrifice human lives on the altar of money and profit."
It was the second time during his trip to South America that Francis, the first pope from the region, used a major speech to excoriate unbridled capitalism and champion the rights of the poor.
In Bolivia last Thursday, he urged the downtrodden to change the world economic order, denouncing a "new colonialism" by agencies that impose austerity programs and calling for the poor to have the "sacred rights" of labor, lodging and land.
"Putting bread on the table, putting a roof over the heads of one's children, giving them health and an education, these are essential for human dignity," he said.
He urged politicians and business leaders "not to yield to an economic model which is idolatrous, which needs to sacrifice human lives on the altar of money and profit."
He said those charged with promoting economic development must ensure it had "a human face" and he blasted "the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose."
"Corruption is the plague, it's the gangrene of society," he added during a heavily improvised speech at the rally, attended by Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes.
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Pope Francis is seen upon his arrival at the Buen Pastor female penitentiary in Asuncion on July 10, 2015. Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay are predominantly Catholic and have been marked by a long history of poverty and inequality afflicting indigenous populations. AFP PHOTO NORBERTO Duarte (Photo credit should read NORBERTO DUARTE/AFP/Getty Images)
Norberto Duarte, AFP/Getty Images
Pope Francis arrives at the Buen Pastor female penitentiary in Asuncion on July 10, 2015. (Credit: Norberto Duarte/AFP/Getty Images)
GAY RIGHTS
In a rare occurrence, the leader of a gay rights group took part in the gathering of 4,000 people at the invitation of local Catholic bishops.
"I left with the impression that the pope really wants to change things," Simon Cazal, director of SomosGay (We Are Gay), told Reuters after the meeting.
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual tendencies are not sinful but homosexual acts are. Catholic gays have contested the Church's ban on homosexual activity, saying it deprives them of the intimacy that is part of a loving relationship.
Saturday was believed to be the first time a gay rights activist was known to have been invited to attend an event during a papal trip. One theme of a major meeting of Catholic bishops at the Vatican in October will be how the Church can reach out to homosexual Catholics.
On his way to the gathering, the pope made an unscheduled stop at a hospice for the terminally ill run by Italian priest Aldo Trento. "He was very moved," Trento said afterwards.
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Pope Francis greets dancers after he celebrated Mass at the Shrine of the Virgin of Caacupe, in Caacupe, Paraguay, Saturday, July 11, 2015. The shrine is the countrys most important pilgrimage site and a place that is very close to Francis' heart. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Credit: Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press
Pope Francis greets dancers after he celebrated Mass at the Shrine of the Virgin of Caacupe, in Caacupe, Paraguay, Saturday, July 11, 2015. (Credit: Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press)
On Saturday morning, Francis visited the country's most sacred religious site, the shrine of the Madonna of Caacupe. It houses a statue of the Madonna said to have been carved by a Guarani convert to Christianity in the 16th century, when missionaries set up in the area.
Thousands of Argentines crossed the border to see their native son, nearing the end of a "homecoming" tour. He has also warned of irreversible harm to the planet and walked among prisoners.
The pope is due to lead a huge outdoor Mass on Sunday before returning to Rome. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez is expected to attend. (Additional reporting by Mariel Cristaldo; Editing by Richard Lough, David Holmes and David Gregorio)
Also on HuffPost:
Pope Francis Quotes On The Poor
Stealing from the tables of the the poor(01 of21)
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Throwing food away is like stealing from the tables of the the poor, the hungry! I encourage everyone to reflect on the problem of thrown away and wasted food to identify ways and means that, by seriously addressing this issue, are a vehicle of solidarity and sharing with the needy. Read more (credit:AP)
'Money Has To Serve, Not To Rule!'(02 of21)
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Pope Francis has denounced the global financial system, blasting the "cult of money" that he says is tyrannizing the poor and turning humans into expendable consumer goods.Read more (credit:AP)
'Poor Church For The Poor'(03 of21)
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'Oh, how I would like a poor Church, and for the poor."Read more (credit:Getty Images)
Men And Women Sacrificed To the Idols Of Profit (04 of21)
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Man is not in charge today, money is in charge, money rules. God our Father did not give the task of caring for the earth to money, but to us, to men and women: we have this task! Instead, men and women are sacrificed to the idols of profit and consumption: it is the "culture of waste." On World Environment Day (credit:AP)
'If Banks Fail It is A Tragedy, If People Die Of Hunger It's Nothing'(05 of21)
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"Today, and it breaks my heart to say it, finding a homeless person who has died of cold, is not news. Today, the news is scandals, that is news, but the many children who don't have food - that's not news. This is grave. We can't rest easy while things are this way."Read more (credit:AP)
Choose A Humble Car(06 of21)
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Pope Francis waves to faithful upon his arrival at the Pontiff's residence of Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, Sunday July 14, 2013, in a Ford Focus.The down-to-earth Pope called for greater austerity from religious figures last week, saying, It hurts me when I see a priest or nun with the latest-model car. You cant do this. A car is necessary to do a lot of work, but, please, choose a more humble one. If you like the fancy one, just think about how many children are dying of hunger in the world." The Ford Focus is a compact car with a starting sticker price of just about $16,000.Read more (credit:AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
'Slave Labor Goes Against God' (07 of21)
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"A headline that really struck me on the day of the tragedy in Bangladesh was 'Living on 38 euros a month'. That is what the people who died were being paid. This is called slave labour." "Not paying fairly, not giving a job because you are only looking at balance sheets, only looking at how to make a profit. That goes against God!" Read more (credit:AP)
(08 of21)
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"To live charitably means not looking out for our own interests, but carrying the burdens of the weakest and poorest among us." (credit:@pontifex)
(09 of21)
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"We cannot sleep peacefully while babies are dying of hunger and the elderly are without medical assistance." (credit:@pontifex)
(10 of21)
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"There are many people in need in todays world. Am I self-absorbed in my own concerns or am I aware of those who need help?" (credit:@pontifex)
(11 of21)
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"True charity requires courage: let us overcome the fear of getting our hands dirty so as to help those in need." (credit:@pontifex)
(12 of21)
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"The throw-away culture produces many bitter fruits, from wasting food to isolating many elderly people." (credit:@pontifex)
(13 of21)
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"If money and material things become the center of our lives, they seize us and make us slaves." (credit:@pontifex)
(14 of21)
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"Let us ask the Lord to give us the gentleness to look upon the poor with understanding and love, devoid of human calculation and fear." (credit:@pontifex)
(15 of21)
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"Take care of Gods creation. But above all, take care of people in need." (credit:@pontifex)
(16 of21)
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"To live charitably means not looking out for our own interests, but carrying the burdens of the weakest and poorest among us." (credit:@pontifex)
(17 of21)
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"How marvellous it would be if, at the end of the day, each of us could say: today I have performed an act of charity towards others!" (credit:@pontifex)
No More 'Profit At Any Cost'(18 of21)
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"My thoughts turn to all who are unemployed, often as a result of a self-centred mindset bent on profit at any cost." (credit:@pontifex)
'Prayer, Humility, Charity'(19 of21)
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"Prayer, humility, and charity toward all are essential in the Christian life: they are the way to holiness." (credit:@pontifex)
'Moral And Material Poverty'(20 of21)
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"How many kinds of moral and material poverty we face today as a result of denying God and putting so many idols in his place!" (credit:@pontifex)
On Waste(21 of21)
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"Consumerism has accustomed us to waste. But throwing food away is like stealing it from the poor and hungry." (credit:@pontifex)
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