SA国际传媒

By SA国际传媒

The 9^th General Congregation, held on Monday morning, was attended by 179 Synod Fathers, together with Pope Francis, who opened the session with a prayer for Ecuador.

This was confirmed by the Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Communications, Dr Paolo Ruffini, before he invited Jesuit Fr Giacomo Costa, Secretary of the Information Commission, to provide a summary of what was discussed in the Synod Hall.

Summary by Fr Giacomo Costa SJ

Fr Costa began by affirming how Pope Francis鈥� Encyclical, Laudato sì, is proving to be more than just a text, but truly rooted in the realities discussed at the Synod. This is being demonstrated by the way 鈥渆verything is connected鈥�, he said.

Summarizing what was discussed in the Synod Hall on Monday morning, Fr Costa listed several themes: dialogue with indigenous people, and the importance of participating in their lives, protecting local peoples鈥� rights and safeguarding nature. He said the need to remain rooted in the ground of experience coming from local territory was also mentioned.

The Synod Fathers discussed the challenges to local ministries, he said, how to inculturate the liturgy, and how to respond better to the needs and cultures of the people. The Eucharist, continued Fr Costa, was presented as 鈥渁 source of unity and light鈥�. Participants at the General Congregation, he said, confirmed we are 鈥渃ustodians of nature鈥�, and stressed the integral and ecological focus of the Synod.

Participants at the morning session, said Fr Costa, affirmed the Church鈥檚 role of protecting and promoting the local people, of accompanying those without a voice. A suggestion was put forward to set up an international ecclesiastical observatory on the rights of indigenous people. Some Synod participants confirmed the importance of the Church integrating her perspectives into practices concerning human rights.

Fr Costa continued his summary of the proceedings that included the topic of 鈥渃ircular economic models鈥�: access to food that respects the environment, and has a positive impact on local populations. These models can be achieved through an 鈥渋ntegral education鈥� that helps promote an equitable consumption of goods, he reported.

Not just education, but information too, was a topic that came under discussion, said Fr Costa. According to Synod participants, the 鈥渃ommunication culture鈥� is growing rapidly in the Amazon Region, and we need to 鈥渂ridge the communications gap鈥�. This means training local indigenous communicators, and establishing communications networks based on community and solidarity.

Ms Josianne Gauthier, Secretary General CIDSE (Canada)

Ms Josianne Gauthier is Secretary General CIDSE, the 鈥淐oopération Internationale pour le Développement et la Solidarité", an umbrella organization for Catholic development agencies from Europe and North America. She began her presentation by saying how CIDSE has spent over 50 years supporting communities, including in the Amazon, promoting integral ecology and defending human rights.

We are here at the Synod, she said, in a 鈥渓istening position鈥�, to hear stories and to begin work on how to support these messages outside the Synod 鈥渋n political spaces鈥�. The task of CIDSE, she explained, is to 鈥渢ake struggles and turn them into political pressure鈥�.

Ms Gauthier said those of us who live 鈥渇rom the benefits of the tragic exploitation鈥� that takes places in that part of the world, have a 鈥渉eightened responsibility鈥�. We need to recognize that 鈥渙ur wellbeing and comfort comes at a cost鈥�, she said: human life, security, peace, and ecological justice.

Ms Gauthier concluded saying we need to promote consciousness and concentrate on 鈥渄oing what we can after the Synod to transmit these messages鈥�.

Bishop José Ángel Divassòn Cilveti, S.D.B. of Bamaccora (Venezuela)

Bishop José Ángel Divassòn Cilveti is a Salesian. The Salesians, he said, have been working in the south of Venezuela since 1957. Reflections after the Second Vatican Council led to a new approach that began in 1976, he said: developing new forms of evangelization that support people and help them 鈥渢ake control of their own destinies鈥�. Priests, laypeople, men and women religious, are all involved in this mission and have developed criteria based on participating in people鈥檚 live, and respecting communities, educating them, and assisting them with projects, he said.

In order to evangelize effectively, said Bishop Cilveti, we need to be familiar with people鈥檚 feelings, to understand what they think. Speaking in terms of his own experience, he said people 鈥渨ant to follow Jesus Christ, they want to change鈥�. The Gospel has brought new concepts like mercy and forgiveness, he said, and these become the keys to solving many problems and conflicts.

The Bishop concluded by describing the Church in his region as a 鈥測oung Church with different features鈥�, one that helps people to help themselves.

Bishop Carlo Verzeletti of Castanhal (Brazil)

Bishop Carlo Verzeletti comes from Castanhal, in Brazil. His diocese comprises over 1,000 villages beside the mouth of the Amazon River. His priests, he added, 鈥渁re few and aging鈥�. They are able to meet people only a few times a year when they visit to celebrate Mass. This 鈥渞unning from one place to another鈥�, does not offer the 鈥減resence and proximity, the support and comfort鈥�, the people desire, he said.

The priest becomes the 鈥渄istributor of the sacraments鈥�, he added. Which is why Bishop Verzeletti supports the ordination of 鈥渧iri probati鈥�, approved married men, 鈥渟o that the Eucharist can become a reality that is closer to people and communities鈥�. These would not be 鈥渟econd-rate priests鈥�, he added, but men who are formed accordingly, 鈥渄evoting their lives to others鈥�.  

Bishop Verzetti said his region has been severely affected by colonization and globalization: the result is secularization, religious indifference, and the influence of the Pentecostal churches. 鈥淧opular piety cannot resist the impact鈥�, he said.

As an example, Bishop Verzetti said there are 750 Pentecostal churches in his city alone, and only 50 Catholic churches.

He has ordained 110 Permanent Deacons, he said, and works at empowering laypeople, 鈥渂ut with difficulty鈥�. Were the Pope to consider the reality of 鈥渧iri probati鈥�, concluded the Bishop, 鈥渨e have worthy people who could be ordained priests鈥�.

José Gregorio Dìaz Mirabal (Venezuela)

Mr José Gregorio Dìaz Mirabal is Coordinator of COICA, the Congress of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin. His organization represents 4 million indigenous people spread over 4,500 communities in all six countries of the Amazon Region.

The Catholic Church, he said in his presentation, is the only organization calling for the world 鈥渢o wake up鈥�. Speaking as an indigenous person, he said 鈥渨e will disappear if we don鈥檛 do something鈥�.

The presence of COICA at the Synod, said Mr Mirabal, is to support those who are struggling to protect the land, to stop the 鈥渧iolent invasion of development projects鈥�, including hydroelectric schemes, uncontrolled mining, and the agri-food industry. He spoke of those who are imprisoned and murdered for speaking out against land grabbing, or while trying to stop the pollution of the air and water.

Mr Mirabal concluded by inviting the media to help disseminate these messages.

A question about statistics

The first question was addressed to Dr Paolo Ruffini and concerned statistics from the Amazon Region. The Prefect of the Vatican Communications Dicastery responded that, while pre-Synod preparations had produced statistical materials, this is not a study conference that requires statistical data. The Church is reflecting on 鈥渉ow to serve the Amazon though pastoral activities鈥�, he said.

The Synod is not about 鈥減ercentages鈥�, he added, but about 鈥渉ow the Universal Church relates to a territory鈥�. And a territory is best described by those who live there, said Dr Ruffini.

Bishop José Ángel Divassòn Cilveti confirmed that studies on the Church in the Amazon Region have been made by REPAM, and that this data was collected and published in preparation for the Synod.

A question about sovereignty

Responding to a question on possible interference in the Synod by local governments in the Amazon Region, Bishop Carlo Verzeletti re-affirmed the Church鈥檚 respect for the sovereignty of Brazil, in particular. The Church does not give 鈥渢echnical solutions鈥�, he added, but guidelines so that life and rights in the Amazon Region are respected. Resolving economic problems in Brazil doesn鈥檛 mean opening up areas in the Amazon that will improve the lives of the rich, but not 鈥渢he lives of our people鈥�, he said.

With regard to a meeting in the Vatican between the Vice President of Brazil and the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, Dr Ruffini said it had 鈥渘o influence on the Synod鈥�. The meeting was about 鈥渄iplomatic relations between states鈥�, he said, and there was 鈥渘o connection鈥� with the Synod for the Amazon.

A question about future Pan-Amazonian organization

A question was asked about the possibility of setting up a future Pan-Amazonian organization after the Synod. It was confirmed that the topic had been raised in one of the small working groups, but there was a concern about multiplying too many organizations when the REPAM network already exists.

Ms Josianne Gauthier added that any form of collaboration is helpful when it comes to defending human rights. As long as there is 鈥渃larity of intention鈥�, she said her organization would work with whatever structure is decided upon.

A question about viri probati

In connection with the ordination of approved married men, or 鈥渧iri probati鈥�, Jesuit Fr Giacomo Costa stressed the desire of the Pope that 鈥渁ll issues鈥� be discussed in order to discern appropriate solutions. Fr Costa confirmed there are 鈥渄ifferent positions鈥� on this issue, but that 鈥渆veryone is listening in a respectful way鈥�.

Dr Ruffini added that while some may be in favour and others against, in the end it is not the Synod that decides. The Synod will eventually entrust its reflections to the Holy Father as 鈥渟omething that is still in progress鈥�.

A question about Ecuador

Responding to a question about the ongoing violence in Ecuador, José Gregorio Dìaz Mirabal said that what is happening throughout the region, 鈥減ains all of us鈥�. There are so many challenges in search of solutions, he said.

Bishop José Ángel Divassòn Cilveti added that it is important to be aware of what is happening in these situations. We can only understand if we 鈥渓ook at the overall picture鈥�, he said.

A question about Church investments

A question was asked regarding Church investments in projects in the Amazon Region. Fr Costa responded saying the Church has already disinvested and is disinvesting from certain products and companies.

Ms Josianne Gauthier added that disinvestment is a way by which the Church can show her 鈥渃oherence with Laudato sì and integral ecology鈥�, the connection between 鈥渨ords and actions鈥�. 

A question about the Church鈥檚 Amazonian face

The last question was about the kinds of changes that need to be made if the Church in the Amazon Region is truly to have an 鈥淎mazonian face鈥�.

José Gregorio Dìaz Mirabal responded by repeating that it is not up to the Synod to make decisions. He confirmed, however, that the Church 鈥渕ust reach out鈥�, and must be reflected in the realities of the local people.

He admitted that the Church needs support, and needs to build greater unity with the indigenous people in some parts of the Amazon Region.

In order to make one another stronger, he concluded, we need to 鈥渨alk together鈥� 鈥� even if it means 鈥済oing barefoot鈥�.