“that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” (Romans 1,12)
The Amazonian Synod began two years ago in our territories, in many countries, and not just in the American continent. Many Catholic women and men in the world have started to accompany this synodal process.
Thousands of people have made their voices heard, have formulated their proposals, have expressed their opinions to build a Church with an Amazonian face, a Church that could bring its essence, its specificity to the universal Church.
On this path we are in these days accompanying the Assembly in Rome, which brings together 300 people, Synod Fathers, representatives of indigenous peoples, experts who are participating in the Synod for the Amazon.
The initiative “The Amazon: Our Common Home” (presented in a press conference on 20 September, at Sala Marconi – Vatican News) is the faithful reflection of this being a united, committed and varied Church, where more than 30 Catholic institutions from different countries of South America, North America and Europe meet to spiritually accompany the Synod, share the different practices and make visible the experience of integral ecology, which is vital in the villages and inhabitants of the Amazon. This is an initiative in which many voices, thoughts, dreams and missionary, pastoral, socio-environmental and spiritual testimonies have come together, bringing the Amazon into the heart of the Vatican.
We deeply regret and at the same time denounce that in the last days we have been victims of acts of violence, reflecting religious intolerance, racism, oppressive attitudes, affecting especially the indigenous peoples: a refusal to build new paths for the renewal of our Church.
We warn that these acts can happen again or become more serious and have worse effects. Our presence and our initiatives have always been peaceful, we have always been in an attitude of prayer and invoking the action of the Holy Spirit in this synodal process. We will not respond to these attitudes of violence and in this evangelical fidelity we recognize and respect the diversity in other expressions of the encounter with Christ.
We are convinced that the call of the Gospel of Christ is for all without exception and as Common Home we commit ourselves to be a Church united in our diversity.
We ask all people of good will to remain united, to remain firm in their commitment and hope for the defense of life and the Amazon.
“He constantly uses the word all. All, because no one is excluded from his heart, from his salvation; all, so that our heart can go beyond human boundaries and particularism based on a self-centredness that displeases God.”
Pope Francis homily – 20 October 2019
PRESS CONTACTS:
- Father Antonio Soffientini / Father Massimo Ramundo
tiendacasacomun2019@gmail.com / - Daniela Andrade – Media and Comms Officer REPAM / +593998116789