The pope has summoned 185 bishops, experts and chiefs of indigenous communities to Rome for the Amazon Synod. It will be held at the Vatican between October 6 and 27.
TOPICS OF THE AMAZON SYNOD
Pope Francis summoned this synod two years ago to highlight these themes:
POPE FRANCIS
Oct. 16, 2017
'The purpose of this convocation is to identify new paths for the evangelization of God’s people in that region, especially the indigenous people who are often forgotten and without the prospect of a serene future. It is also because of the crisis of the Amazonian rainforest, a ‘lung’ of primary importance for our planet.'
WHY THE AMAZON?
The Amazon extends over 3 million square miles and nine countries.
It supplies 20 percent of the planet's fresh water to the Atlantic, and houses 10 to 15 percent of terrestrial biodiversity.
It is the second most vulnerable area on the planet, after the Arctic. Today deforestation is between 15 and 20 percent. If there is deforestation of more than 40 percent, or if the 39.2ºF heating threshold is exceeded, the Amazon will not recover.
The pope believes this problems will have repercussions throughout the world.
CARD. LORENZO BALDISSERI
General Secretary of the Synod
'Every behavior, positive or negative, that is adopted with respect to the environment, has inevitable consequences also in the socio-cultural and spiritual aspect of the peoples and of the individual persons.'
HUMAN EMERGENCY
Around 35 million people live in the Amazon basin. Of these, 2.8 million are indigenous. They belong to 390 villages and speak 240 different languages. There are 137 indigenous communities living in voluntary isolation.
The natives have been there for centuries and consider their land sacred, since their ancestors are buried there.
However, they have no legal protection, and are considered second-class citizens.
Their territories are handed over to multinational companies, which exploit them with impunity, and force them to work often in very unfavorable conditions.
The pope wants to combat the globalization of indifference and give a voice to those without one. His aim is to make the Amazon known, so nobody is indifferent to the suffering of its inhabitants.
SPIRITUAL EMERGENCY
The Amazon is one of the most culturally and geographically remote areas.
For Christianity to grow in these areas, missionaries must live in an unique natural environment, and amongst very diverse cultural categories.
The synod hopes to instill a way to appreciate these traditions and cultures and transmit the faith, without imposing other cultural schemes.
“NEW MINISTRIES”
The working document makes some original proposals:
1) Leadership
It asks for leadership and rule-makers for Christian communities be rotary, not only in the hands of bishops and priests.
In this way, religious, lay people, men or women, could guide the communities.
CARD. CLÁUDIO HUMMES
Synod Relator General
“Many communities are run by one or several women. They are there, and they want this recognized.They want the work they do to be institutionalized a little, so that it has has more authority.'
2) Sacraments
The synod will look for ways to facilitate access to the sacraments.
CARD. CLÁUDIO HUMMES
Synod Relator General
“There is a lack of human resources, especially of ordained ministers. So, between 70 and 80 percent of the communities inside the Brazilian Amazon don't really have a sacramental life, apart from baptism and sometimes marriage.”
The working document, which is not magisterial, asks bishops to recover the spirit of the first Christian communities. They 'responded to their needs by creating the appropriate ministries.'
It proposes:
- Studying the possibility of “priestly ordination for elders - preferably indigenous, respected and accepted by the community - even if they have an established and stable family in order to ensure the sacraments that they accompany and support the Christian life.”
- Identify what “official ministry can be conferred on women, taking into account the central role which women play today in the Amazonian Church.” They could help in the education of new Christians and priest; and be consulted and participate in decision-making processes.
At the same time, the synod will analyze other areas with characteristics similar to the Amazon, such as the Congo River Basin and remote areas of India, in which evangelization succeeds despite similar difficulties.
At the end of the meetings, the organizers will prepare a document with proposals. On October 26, they will vote one by one, and hand them over to the Pope who will decide whether to apply them or not.
FULL VIDEO: here
