In observance of International Mother Earth Day, the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) shares a reflection by Fr. Jesús Huamán, the institution’s priestly vice president, who called for a renewed commitment to caring for the Amazon, listening to the wisdom of Indigenous peoples, and defending life threatened by multiple forms of devastation.
“Today, for our Church, celebrating Mother Earth Day means standing with our people to help them become aware of the great value we possess and of how sacred our Pachamama is,” said the priest from Peru, recalling the deep spiritual and cultural bond that unites the Amazonian peoples with the earth.
Ancestral Wisdom: Living in Balance with Creation
Fr. Huamán emphasized that indigenous peoples have taught humanity an essential truth: the earth is not to be exploited, but cared for. For centuries, indigenous communities have known how to live in harmony with the forests, rivers, and all of the Amazon’s biodiversity.
“They have not abused our common home; they have not abused the felling of trees; they have not abused what we have in our Amazon,” he noted. This respectful relationship with nature represents an urgent lesson for today’s world, marked by consumerism and the indiscriminate exploitation of resources.
Threats that harm the Amazon
The reflection also denounced the serious threats currently facing the Amazon region, especially illegal mining—one of the activities that most destroys ecosystems, pollutes rivers, and affects the lives of communities.
“They are destroying everything that exists, including the customs of our indigenous peoples. They respect nothing,” he warned.
Added to this are other visible impacts of climate change and environmental degradation: floods, extreme rainfall, prolonged droughts, and the decline of fish, animals, and resources that once abounded in the jungle.
Many Amazonian residents recall with concern that there used to be more fish, greater biodiversity, and more stable natural cycles, whereas today the scarcity is beginning to be felt acutely.
Signs of hope for our common home
Despite this bleak picture, the CEAMA vice president acknowledged that hopeful signs are also emerging. More and more people, organizations, and communities are joining the defense of Mother Earth.
“Many people are joining the cause of preserving our Mother Earth,” he stated, mentioning even workers involved in extractive activities who recognize the need to act in harmony with the Amazon.
These gestures show that it is possible to build a new ecological consciousness based on shared responsibility, environmental justice, and respect for Amazonian peoples.
A Call to All Humanity
On this Mother Earth Day, CEAMA renews its commitment to defending life in the Amazon and echoes Pope Francis’ call to listen to “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”
“The message is that we all become aware of the need to respect our Mother Earth, that we must always hold her in the highest regard,” concluded Fr. Jesús Huamán.
Caring for the Amazon is not just the task of those who live there. It is a global responsibility, because in its forests, rivers, and cultures beats a hope that is crucial for the future of the planet.