“CEAMA is an organization where everyone—lay people, bishops, religious, indigenous peoples—walks with the same dignity as sons and daughters of God.”, he says with hope and conviction Istélia Folha, Brazil’s delegate to the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon. Her voice represents many others who, from the Church in the territory, celebrate these five years of existence as an unprecedented milestone in the ecclesial history of Latin America and the Caribbean.
An organization born from the Spirit and the Amazon
CEAMA is not just another structure. It was the first organization created by Pope Francis After the Synod for the Amazon, it was born with a clearly synodal heart: a Church where everyone—priests, lay people, bishops, Indigenous leaders, religious—participates, dialogues, and decides. “It’s an organization where the people of God are represented in the different services, united by Baptism,” explains Istélia.
Its structure reflects the deep desire for a Church that does not impose, but rather listen, welcome and learn and that is, perhaps, its greatest contribution: a real synodality, not just a proclaimed one.
Achievements that are a sign of hope
Throughout these five years, CEAMA has held in-person Assemblies, has articulated the Amazonian churches of the 9 countries, has promoted active listening processes and has consolidated its vocation as organism of encounter, presence and mutual care.
According to Istélia, CEAMA has embodied the four dreams of Dear Amazon: he social, cultural, ecological and ecclesial dream, walking with the poor, defending integral ecology, valuing cultural diversity and renewing pastoral life.
A Church with an Amazonian face and a synodal heart
For the universal Church, CEAMA represents a concrete model of how to live synodality in complex and diverse contexts. “Our structure, our way of walking in the Amazon, is a great learning experience,” says Istélia. A lesson that goes beyond the organizational aspect: it is about a Church that is incarnated in life, that becomes people and territory.
Learning to walk side by side
In this first five-year period, valuable institutional and pastoral lessons have also emerged. CEAMA has demonstrated thatIt is possible to walk side by side with the suffering, struggles and joys of the people of God, weaving Christian communities that not only inhabit the Amazon, but alsoThey have their face, their language and their spirituality.
Diversity and communion: fruits of synodality
“Respect for the diversity of peoples, cultures, languages, and journeying together”: this is how Istélia sums up one of CEAMA greatest achievements. In these years, a Church has been strengthened intercultural, rooted in the territories, which recognizes itself as part of the same mission:announcing the Gospel through listening, service and communion.
An anniversary to give thanks and continue dreaming
Celebrating five years, CEAMA reaffirms its vocation:to be an Amazonian, missionary, prophetic and synodal ChurchA living sign of hope amid the challenges of our Common Home.
From the Brazilian Amazon, Istélia reminds us that this experience is not only a pastoral project, butan inspiration for the entire universal Church: “We want a Church that is not afraid to take new steps, that walks at the pace of the people, with the Spirit as its guide.”.