On Tuesday, March 17, the Sixth General Assembly of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) began with the celebration of a Mass for the care of creation, presided over by Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
The celebration took place at the headquarters of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM) and brought together cardinals, bishops, priests, men and women religious, laypeople, as well as representatives of the Amazonian peoples participating in this Assembly.
From the outset of his homily, Cardinal Czerny emphasized that this ecclesial moment is not merely the start of a working meeting, but an act of faith and discernment, in which the Church gathers to listen to the Holy Spirit and walk together in the spirit of synodality.
Christ, the Center of All Creation
Reflecting on the liturgical readings—especially the Christological hymn from the Letter to the Colossians—the cardinal recalled that Christ is the center of all creation.
“Everything was created through Christ, everything subsists in Him, and everything is called to be reconciled in Him,” he affirmed.
From this perspective, he explained that creation cannot be viewed simply as a resource available for human consumption, but as the work of God’s love, sustained by Christ and destined for fulfillment in the Holy Spirit.
Referring to the Amazon, he emphasized that the Church feels a particular responsibility toward this region, not only because of its ecological importance, but because the beauty and fragility of God’s work are so intensely manifested there.
A Contemplative View of Creation
The cardinal also invited everyone to rediscover a contemplative view of the world, inspired by the Psalm proclaimed during the liturgy.
In this regard, he acknowledged that the Amazonian peoples offer a valuable witness by living a relationship marked by respect and reciprocity with the earth, water, and forest.
Walking alongside these peoples—he noted—helps the Church understand that caring for our Common Home is not merely a technical or political task, but an expression of spiritual conversion.
Jesus is in the boat in the midst of the storm
Reflecting on the Gospel of the calming of the storm, Cardinal Czerny compared the Gospel scene to the crises the planet is facing today.
The storms affecting our Common Home—such as the climate crisis, the loss of biodiversity, or threats to territories and communities—can generate fear and uncertainty. However, he reminded the audience that Jesus is present in the boat.
“Even though he appears to be sleeping, he is not absent. His presence is a guarantee that history is not abandoned to chaos,” he affirmed.
This certainty, he added, invites us to renew our hope and Christian commitment in the face of the ecological and social challenges of our time.
Pastoral, Ecological, and Synodal Conversion
During his reflection, the cardinal emphasized that CEAMA is a concrete fruit of the path opened by the 2019 Synod for the Amazon and an expression of a Church that seeks to walk together: bishops, consecrated persons, laypeople, and indigenous peoples.
In this context, he recalled that the Church’s mission in the Amazon requires progress in three fundamental dimensions:
- Pastoral conversion, so that communities may become increasingly missionary.
- Ecological conversion, to integrate care for creation into spirituality and concrete decisions.
- Synodal conversion, to continue learning to listen to the Holy Spirit who speaks through the entire People of God.
“Everything is connected” in Christ
In his homily, the cardinal also recalled Pope Francis’ teaching in the encyclical Laudato Si’, which states that “everything is connected.”
This ecological insight—he explained—finds its theological fulfillment in the Christian conviction that all creation finds its unity in Christ.
At the opening of the Assembly, he invited the participants to ask the Lord for three gifts: contemplation to recognize God’s presence in creation, discernment to make decisions guided by the Holy Spirit, and missionary courage to defend life, the peoples, and our Common Home.
Finally, he entrusted the journey of the Assembly to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, invoked as Our Lady of Aparecida and Our Lady of Guadalupe, that she may accompany the Amazonian Church in its mission.
Thus, with the Eucharistic celebration, CEAMA begins a new time of reflection, communion, and discernment in service to the Amazon, its peoples, and the care of our Common Home.