杏MAP导航 praises Church in Amazonia for missionary evangelization

An aerial photo of the Javari River in Brazil's Amazonas State

杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis sends a message to participants in the 4th Meeting of the Catholic Church in Amazonia, urging them to renew their missionary outreach to proclaim the Gospel.

By Devin Watkins

As the Church in Brazil鈥檚 Amazonia region meets for its 4th regional meeting, 杏MAP导航 Francis sent his encouragement to the local Church鈥檚 ministers.

In a message released on Tuesday, the 杏MAP导航 said his heart was 鈥渇ull of joy and hope鈥� to see the Christian communities in the Amazon Basin work together to help give the Church a 鈥渘ew face with Amazonian characteristics鈥�.

Evangelization and identity

He recalled the first Meeting of the Catholic Church in the Amazonia, which was held 50 years ago in the same city of Santarém, in northern Brazil.

That encounter, he noted, set the local Church on a path of 鈥渕issionary evangelization鈥� and filled it with the desire for the 鈥渇ormation of a firm ecclesial awareness.鈥�

The Meeting also helped pave the way for the 2019 Synod of Bishops on the Amazonia.

Synodality and vitality

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to praise the Brazilian Church for its efforts to be with those in the Amazon Basin.

鈥淚 rejoice in the commitment of the particular Churches of the Brazilian Amazonia, through their communities, to strive ahead under the indications of the last Synodal Assembly, while testifying, through the already deep-rooted and beautiful tradition of local Church meetings, to the experience of synodality鈥攁s an expression of communion, participation and mission鈥攖o which the whole Church is called.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 said the Bishops of Brazil filled the 2019 Synod with 鈥渧itality, strength, and hope.鈥�

Courageous and audacious

杏MAP导航 Francis also encouraged the Church in Brazil to be 鈥渃ourageous and audacious鈥� and to be open to God鈥檚 action and inspiration.

鈥淕od has given us Himself,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd inspires us through His Spirit to proclaim the Gospel with new commitment and contemplate the beauty of Creation, which is even more exuberant in these Amazonian lands, wherein we experience the luminous presence of the Risen Lord.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 concluded by entrusting the Church in the Brazilian Amazonia to Our Lady of Nazareth, Queen of the Amazonia, 鈥渨ho never abandons us in our darkest moments.鈥�

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