Vatican City, Jun 6, 2007 / 11:36 am (CNA).- Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, has been elected the new president of Caritas International by the 162 members gathered for the organization’s 18th General Assembly at the Vatican.

Cardinal Maradiaga, who is also president of the Bishops’ Conference of Honduras, will take up the post on June 9.  He expressed gratitude for the election via telephone from the Honduran capital.

“I thank the General Assembly from the bottom of my heart,” he said.  “I appreciate the trust you have placed in me.  At Caritas we have to work for the needs of the poor.”

“If we are going to be true disciples and missionaries, we need to encourage our members to be more socially and pastorally committed.  Especially at this time, we must share our goods and fight social injustice.  On the 40th anniversary of Populorum Progressio, we must promote development as the way of alleviating and overcoming poverty,” he added.

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