Tuesday 20 March 2012

The 1862 Concordat with Ecuador

This was the Concordat concluded by the pontifical administration of Pope Pius IX with the conservative Catholic government of President Garcia Moreno of Ecuador.  It is generally similar in content to the 1953 Concordat with Franco.

These were its principal provisions:
  • Catholicism was to be the "sole religion" of Ecuador (Art. 1).
  • "Dissident forms of worship" and "societies condemned by the Church" were forbidden (Art. 1).
  • Education was to conform to Catholic doctrine (Art. 3; cf. Art. 4).
  • The government was to restrict books condemned by the Church (Art. 3).
  • The government was to give the bishops its "utmost assistance and support" (Art. 6).
  • Ecclesiastical courts were given full jurisdiction over all ecclesiastical litigation, including matrimonial cases, and also civil cases against clerics (Art. 8).
  • Appeals from ecclesiastical courts to the civil authorities were abolished (Art. 7).
  • The Church would have certain tax privileges, and the Church's consent would be required for the enforcement of the state's tax laws against its clerics and assets (Art. 9).
  • Tithes would continue to be paid, and a share of the proceeds would go to the state (Art. 11); the legislation abolishing Church taxes was repealed (Art. 17).
  • The state would have certain rights in the appointment of bishops and other clerics (Arts. 12-14).
  • The government would assist the Church's missionary efforts (Art. 22).