杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff reporter

鈥淭he Spirit continues to overflow from the Amazon two years after Querida Amazonia鈥�. Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops made the remark in a statement on Saturday, marking the 2nd anniversary of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation.

Querida Amazonia (鈥楤eloved Amazonia鈥� in Spanish), was released on 2 February, 2020.  It followed the 6 to 27 October 2019 Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region in the Vatican on the theme, "Amazonia: New Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology鈥�.

Generating new life

鈥淥n this 2nd Anniversary of Querida Amazonia,鈥� Cardinal Grech said, 鈥渢his breath of God鈥檚 Spirit continues to generate new life for the good of the Church.鈥�  He pointed out that the many responses received from both church and civil circles point to two most essential elements of this document: 鈥渢he lives of the peoples that are embodied therein and the promise made as a Church to respect and honour their voices in search of a genuine conversion.鈥�

Querida Amazonia 鈥� always relevant

He noted that taking steps in this direction takes time. 鈥淪ome seeds are still in the process of germination, others have not borne fruit, but many have grown, are flourishing, and will continue to give life for generations to come.鈥�  However, Querida Amazonia remains as relevant now as it was then. 鈥淚t continues to be a love letter written for and with the People of God who are on pilgrimage in this beautiful and threatened territory.鈥� 

Cardinal Grech underscored the urgency of the social, cultural, ecological and ecclesial dreams evoked by 杏MAP导航 Francis in the Apostolic Exhortation saying they cannot be put off. These dreams embody a revival of Vatican Council II鈥檚 most profound invitations, making Querida Amazonia a means by which the Church might be led to an integral synodal conversion to which the upcoming Synod 2021-2023 is inviting everyone.

Since the publication of the document, the cardinal says, God continues to manifest Himself in the lives of peoples of the Amazonia and in the testimony of an incarnate Church, which is both holy and sinful.

The periphery

The secretary general of the Synod of Bishops noted that during the preparation for Synod on the Amazon, 杏MAP导航 Francis said: 鈥渢he periphery is the centre". This can be understood as a fundamental Gospel element that might shed light on the two years that have passed since the publication of Querida Amazonia. Hence, what 鈥渦sed to be discarded or secondary in this territory has become a cornerstone, healing a broken world and creating new possibilities for the Church鈥�.

鈥淭his 鈥榳ay鈥�, where the marginalized become a source of life, is proper to the very way of Jesus.鈥� The voices of the people from the Amazonia are changing the pastoral model for their Church, and are becoming a source of renewed life for the Church and the world.

Participation of God's People

By listening to the Amazonia people and effectively incorporating their voices in deciding ecclesial projects, Cardinal Grech said, the Church has been strengthened, making the disciples of Christ the true subjects of their own history.

Recalling the theme of the 2023 synod - communion, participation and mission 鈥� he said, 鈥渨e cannot speak of synodality without the effective participation of the holy faithful People of God鈥�.

Cardinal Grech also pointed out that the Holy Father is planning to establish the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) on an experimental basis, a fruit of the Synod on the Amazon and Querida Amazonia. 

CEAMA would articulate the regional bodies of the Church such as the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM), the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious men and women (CLAR), CARITAS of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Pan-Amazon Ecclesial Network (REPAM).

Currently, several commissions and working groups, which include the direct participation of local people, are taking on some of the most urgent tasks proposed by Querida Amazonia for the Church鈥檚 mission.