In a moment when Mexico faces profound economic challenges, such as inequality and persistent poverty, Bishop Ramón Castro Castro, president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM), has offered a compelling reflection in chapter 24 of the catechesis series «Venga a Nosotros Tu Reino». Titled «A Truly Inclusive Economy», this episode, recently disseminated through platforms like YouTube, addresses the second of the four coordinates that guide Christian action in society: the universal destination of goods. This series, initiated in 2025 on the occasion of the centenary of the Feast of Christ the King, represents a crucial stage in Mexican Catholic teaching, focused on transforming social reality in the light of the Gospel.
The series «Venga a Nosotros Tu Reino» arises as a pastoral call to commemorate the institution of the solemnity of Christ the King, proclaimed in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. With more than 20 chapters to date, it has explored themes from the lay vocation to solidarity in the face of violence. According to CEM sources, this initiative seeks not only to educate but to drive concrete change in Mexican society, marked by polarizations and economic crises. Chapter 24, available on the official CEM channel, marks a phase of deepening in the Church’s social doctrines, moving from the common good—treated in previous episodes—to the principle that the goods of creation are for everyone, not just a few.
In his preaching, Bishop Castro emphasizes that the earth, as God’s first gift, must be a source of life for all humanity. «It would seem obvious to affirm that the earth is for everyone and belongs to everyone, but this principle is far from being embodied in our communities,» he states. Mexico, blessed with abundant natural resources, paradoxically suffers a «brutal material poverty» that goes beyond the lack of income: millions lack access to potable water, nutritious food, and fertile land. This contradiction, the prelate says, «cries out to heaven,» questioning economic systems that prioritize accumulation over shared well-being.
A central aspect is the critique of the ambivalence of wealth. Castro denounces a «twisted desire for possession and accumulation» that suffocates the true purpose of goods: to serve the needs of each one. «We generate capital, but we do not weave community or shared well-being,» he warns, alluding to indifference toward hunger in the streets. The universal destination of goods implies that personal good only flourishes in the good of all; a successful entrepreneur who does not benefit society «impoverishes his own soul.» Here, the bishop highlights the social function of private property: it is legitimate to generate security and autonomy, but it must serve the development of others. «We are not absolute owners of anything,» he underscores, reminding that we will give an account to the Lord of creation.
Particular attention is given to the drama of indigenous peoples, who, in intimate contact with the land, are deprived of its fruits. «They labor for those of us who inhabit the big cities, while living in conditions far below human dignity,» Castro explains. Products like tomatoes, coffee, and corn reach the cities thanks to indigenous hands that cannot properly feed their families. This injustice, the bishop cries out, demands justice, not charity. Quoting St. Gregory, he insists: «Do not give as charitable aid what is already due by reason of justice.» Dignified wages, access to health and education are not favors, but rights. The Church’s preferential love for the poor must translate into concrete actions, such as companies that generate fair jobs or cooperatives that access equitable markets.
The vision of an inclusive economy that Castro proposes is transformative: peasants living decently from their work, workers with sufficient wages to educate their children, small entrepreneurs sharing profits. It includes cooperatives that distribute utilities, companies that reinvest in communities, accessible financial systems, and fair trade. «In Mexico, we have everything necessary so that no family goes hungry: fertile land, abundant water, working hands, creative minds,» he affirms. What is lacking, according to him, is «the will to share, systems that distribute justly, and hearts that understand the universal destination of goods.»
This stage of the catecheses implies a call to Christian social action, integrating faith with everyday economics. After reflecting on the common good, the focus on the universal destination of goods prepares the ground for the remaining coordinates —subsidiarity and solidarity—, guiding the faithful to build a «kingdom of justice and hope.» The bishop closes by invoking Our Lady of Guadalupe to free us from greed and serve the smallest ones.