Leonidas Eduardo Proaño Villalba (1910–1988) was an Ecuadorian prelate and theologian who was born in San Antonio de Ibarra and died in Quito. He served as the bishop of Riobamba from 1954 to 1985. He was a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize and is considered one of the most important figures in Ecuadorian liberation theology.[1]
Leonidas Proaño | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Diocese of Riobamba | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Riobamba |
| In office | 1955–1985 |
| Predecessor | Alberto Maria Ordóñez Crespo |
| Successor | Victor Alejandro Corral Mantilla |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 29 June 1936 |
| Consecration | 26 May 1954 by Cardinal Opilio Rossi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 January 1910 |
| Died | 30 August 1988 (aged 78) Quito,  Ecuador |
| Nationality | Ecuadorian |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Leonidas Proaño | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Monsignor |
| Posthumous style | none |
Biography
editProaño was ordained as a priest in 1936 and soon became interested in the latest trends Catholic social doctrine. Within the Ibarra diocese, he created the Juventud Obrera Cristiana (Christian Youth Workers). He was named bishop of Riobamba in 1954. From his cathedral in Riobamba, he fought constantly to introduce social justice in relations with indigenous people and to promote indigenous access to public life and political power (he thus became known as "the bishop of the Indians").[2]
He enthusiastically adopted the thesis of liberation theology. In 1960, he created the Escuelas Radiofónicas Populares, with a clear educational goal. In 1962, he created the Center of Studies and Social Action to aid the development of indigenous communities. In 1973, he was accused of guerrilla warfare and had to stand trial in Rome, but he was cleared of all charges. In 1976, he was jailed during the dictatorship of Guillermo Rodríguez Lara.
In 1985, he renounced the bishopric and was named president of the Pastoral Indígena.[3]
Writings
edit- Rupito (1953)
- Creo en el Hombre y en la Comunidad (1977)
- El Evangelio Subversivo (1987)
- Concienciación, Evangelización y Política (1987).
Bibliography
edit- Leonidas Proaño: el obispo de los pobres, 1989, Francisco Enríquez Bermeo,
References
edit- ^ "Leonidas Proaño Villalba". diccionariobiograficoecuador.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "Il marxismo, la teologia della liberazione e l'effetto di sdoppiamento". lacinarossa.net. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "Taita Proaño". santantonio.org. Il Messaggero di Sant'Antonio. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
External links
edit- Profile of Mons. Proaño www.catholic-hierarchy.org
- Leonidas Proaño: una obra emancipadora desde el territorio