The Fourth Congress of Catholic Churches in the Amazon takes place from June 6 to 9 in Santarem, Brazil. In his message to the audience, the Pope talked regarding the dream of giving the Church a new face with the characteristics of Amazon.
(Vatican News Network)The local churches in the Brazilian Amazon have witnessed the experience of fellowship – an expression of communion, participation and mission – to which the entire Church is called. In a letter dated June 7 to those attending the Fourth Congress of Catholic Churches in the Amazon in Santarem, Brazil, Pope Francis noted the efforts of the local churches in the region to implement the directives of the last Synod. He also looked back with “concern” and thanked all those who came to Rome from Brazil in 2019 for the special session of the Synod of Bishops in the Pan-Amazon region.
Quoting the words of the post Synod Apostolic Exhortation “Dear Amazon”, the Pope reiterates his commitment to a dream “dream of the Christian community with generous devotion, active action in the Amazon, and a new face of the Church with Amazonian character” . Furthermore, the Pope explained that the meeting being held commemorates “a meeting that took place in the same place 50 years ago”. At that meeting, “the line of evangelization that marks the missionary work of the groups in the Amazon” was proposed.
Pope Francis encouraged the attendees to say, “You need to be bolder and more committed to the proclamation of the Gospel”. Among the 100 people attending the meeting were cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, lay people and women, as well as representatives of indigenous and traditional groups. They meet in the heart of the Amazon region. Fifty years ago, in 1972, a meeting was also held here, and then there was the Santarem Document.
The meeting, which opened with the Holy Mass on June 6 this year, saw many real needs in the Amazon mentioned by different bishops. The parade pilgrimage of the Virgin of Nazareth, which took place during the conference, was an important moment for the strengthening of communion among the local Churches in the region.
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