Pope urges Amazon bishops to spread the Gospel, combat inequalities, and protect the environment
In a significant development, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, sent a message to a gathering of about 90 bishops from the Amazon region in Bogotá, Colombia. The message, published by the Vatican on August 18, 2021, serves as a preparatory step for a planned general assembly of the ecclesial conference in March 2026.
Cardinal Parolin expressed hope that the Bogotá meeting would help bishops and apostolic vicars carry out their mission effectively. The message stressed the centrality of proclaiming faith in Christ, a theme that has been a constant in the church's history and is confirmed by the doctrine of the Apostle Paul.
The message emphasized the importance of providing the indigenous peoples with the "fresh and pure bread of the Good News and the heavenly food of the Eucharist." It also underscored the need to proclaim Jesus "with clarity and immense charity" among the Amazon inhabitants.
The message warned against irresponsibly destroying natural goods or becoming a slave or worshiper of nature. Instead, it stressed the right and duty to care for the earth as diligent stewards. The church's defense of the environment is meant to prevent the destruction of natural goods, not to make people slaves or worshipers of nature.
The message did not repeat the three interconnected dimensions of the pastoral work in the Amazon region mentioned earlier - the mission to proclaim the Gospel, the just treatment of the indigenous peoples, and the care of the environment. However, it reinforced these principles, stating that wherever the name of Christ is preached, injustice recedes proportionally.
The Synod of Bishops for the Amazon in 2019 highlighted the importance of involving clergy, religious, and laity in the Church's work. Pope Leo XIV, in his message, emphasized that the Catholic community's efforts in the Amazon region should focus on the proclamation of the Gospel.
The message to the Bogotá meeting was addressed to Cardinal Pedro Barreto Jimeno, president of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon. Cardinal Parolin stated that the Church's promotion of environmental care does not make people slaves or worshipers of nature.
The meeting in Bogotá is a crucial step in preparing for the general assembly of the ecclesial conference in 2026. The message serves as a reminder of the church's mission in the Amazon region - to proclaim the Gospel, treat the indigenous peoples justly, and care for the environment. The message also underscores the importance of receiving one another as brothers and sisters to eliminate exploitation of man by man, a principle confirmed by the church's history and the teachings of the Apostle Paul.
