In an atmosphere of fraternity, grateful remembrance, and pastoral discernment, the Presidencies and Executive Secretariats of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) and the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network (REPAM) held their annual expanded meeting in Lima, Peru, with the aim of deepening the coordination between both entities and planning common pastoral priorities for 2026.
Thursday, February 12, was an intense day of active listening, evaluation of processes, exchange of experiences, and joint strategic planning, reaffirming the desire to walk as one ecclesial body in service to the Amazonian peoples.
Grateful remembrance and confirmation of the process
The day began with a prayer led by Sister Laura Vicuña, who invited everyone to give thanks for the journey shared by CEAMA and REPAM, born in the heat of the Amazonian synodal process and consolidated as a concrete expression of a Church that is outgoing, territorial, and synodal.
Fr. Peter Hughes offered a “living memory” of the founding process of REPAM, highlighting the lessons learned, the prophetic intuitions, and the constant closeness to the Amazonian peoples. Subsequently, Fr. Rafael Garrido (CPAL) presented the main points of consensus and challenges that emerged from the meeting held in Puyo (Ecuador), aimed at strengthening a more organic and effective articulation between the two bodies.
One of the central moments was the evaluation of the accompaniment of the ICRA (Church with an Amazonian Face) program, carried out by the Manacá consulting firm with the support of the Porticus Foundation. This exercise made it possible to identify progress, areas for improvement, and strategic projections to strengthen the institutional and pastoral sustainability of the Amazonian process.
Accompaniment of the universal Church
A significant aspect of the meeting was the presence of Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who offered guidance on strengthening the relationship between CEAMA and REPAM, taking care to preserve the identity of each organization and promoting their complementarity in the service of ecclesial communion.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Peru, Archbishop Paolo Rocco Gualtieri, also participated, expressing the Holy See’s closeness to the Amazonian synodal process.
Cardinal Pedro Barreto, president of CEAMA, emphasized that the meeting represents a confirmation of the path traveled:
“It has been a confirmation of a process that we have been experiencing in recent years, both in REPAM and in CEAMA. This indicates a journey together where some things are being clarified in order to walk better together.”
He also stressed that the mission cannot stop:
“As it is a journey, we cannot just look back or stop, because our fundamental mission is to serve as a Church in the Amazon and, from the Amazon, to contribute to the synodal journey of the universal Church.”
Reports, projections, and perspectives for 2026
During the afternoon, the report of the meeting held in Brasilia (January 18-23) was presented, which addressed key administrative, legal, and financial aspects for the institutional consolidation of CEAMA and its coordination with REPAM.
In the case of REPAM, the meeting had special significance as it was the first face-to-face meeting of the new Presidency and Executive Secretariat following the transition from the Secretariat in Brazil to Colombia, which officially began on January 1, 2026. Executive Secretary Ximena Lombana praised the team spirit generated and the growing clarity about the complementarity between the two bodies:
“REPAM and CEAMA are increasingly clear about the need to be a single ecclesial body, with complementary missions that strengthen the Church’s response to the complex reality experienced by the Amazonian peoples.”
The meeting also reaffirmed the commitment articulated with the Amazonian Bilingual Intercultural Education Network (REIBA) and the Amazonian University Program (PUAM), strengthening the educational and formative dimension of the Amazonian ecclesial process.
Likewise, CEAMA shared the progress made in the preparation of its VI General Assembly, which will be held from March 16 to 20 in Bogotá (Colombia), as a key moment to consolidate its structure and project the synodal journey in the region.
Celebration and fraternal communion
The day concluded with a joint CEAMA-REPAM Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Cardinal Czerny, in the context of Cardinal Barreto’s birthday. It was a moment of thanksgiving for life, service, and pastoral commitment to the Amazon.
The meeting confirmed that the CEAMA-REPAM partnership is a concrete expression of the synodal spirit that animates the Church in the Amazon: walking together, listening together, and serving together, so that full life may flourish in the territory.