From February 19 to 21, the 56th Selva Assembly was held at the Tunaants Spirituality Center in Santa María de Nieva (Condorcanqui, Amazonas), a space for communion and pastoral discernment that brought together etsejin, etserin, catechists, sisters, and pastoral agents from the communities accompanied by the Virgen de Fátima Parish in Alto Marañón.
The Assembly was attended by representatives of the parish commissions that make up the Synodal Board, as well as delegates from various communities. Also present were religious communities serving in the jungle area of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Francisco Javier, accompanied by members of their congregations: the Slaves of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Superior General of the Parish Missionaries of the Child Jesus of Prague, and Fr. Víctor Hugo Miranda, SJ, Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus.
Healthy spaces and shared mission
During the first day, the Institute for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Populations (IPMEP) of Antonio Ruiz de Montoya University held a workshop focused on promoting healthy and safe spaces within the mission, reaffirming the Church’s commitment to the comprehensive care of children, adolescents, and vulnerable persons.
Subsequently, the progress report on the Pastoral Plan was presented, and participatory dynamics were used to plan new actions that will enable the missionary priorities in the territory to be realized.
Identity of the catechist and pastoral progress 2025
On the second day, the Formation Commission reflected on the identity of the catechist, emphasizing not only their spiritual qualities, but also their civic and socio-productive dimension, in line with the challenges of Amazonian communities.
The progress made in 2025 was shared. The Indigenous Pastoral Ministry presented the liturgical and sacramental manuals, the inculturated catechesis, and the songbooks developed to strengthen the experience of faith from the perspective of indigenous cultures. A brief training session and review of the materials was also offered.
For their part, the Hispanic Pastoral Ministry and the Liturgy and Sacraments Commission presented the catechesis modules developed during the year, with the aim of unifying and strengthening sacramental preparation throughout the mission.
The day included scheduling activities and planning pastoral visits to different communities. The day concluded with a workshop on synodality and its centrality in the apostolic plan, led by Fr. Víctor Hugo Miranda, SJ, who invited participants to deepen their understanding of a Church that walks, discerns, and decides together.
Formation with an Amazonian face
The third day was marked by the presentation of parish efforts in the formation, updating, and accompaniment of catechists through the Sentuch Formation Center. The testimonies of some students evidenced the impact of systematic and sustained formation, which strengthens their confidence and commitment to proclaim the following of Jesus in their own communities.
Finally, agreements were worked out that will guide parish work this year, reaffirming the synodal spirit and missionary co-responsibility.
The 56th Assembly of Selva culminated with a Eucharist celebrated in the Awajún and Wampis languages, an eloquent sign of an inculturated Church that offers God the fruits of shared work and renews its commitment to the Amazonian peoples.
From the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA), we welcome this process of pastoral coordination that strengthens the mission in a synodal, intercultural, and territorial key, at the service of full life in the Amazon.