Six years ago, on February 12, 2020, Pope Francis offered the Church and the world the Apostolic Exhortation Querida Amazonía, the fruit of the Synod for the Amazon: a spiritual and pastoral horizon condensed into four great dreams: social, cultural, ecological, and ecclesial.
Today, as we commemorate this anniversary, the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) reaffirms its commitment to continue embodying these dreams in the territories, accompanying the Amazonian peoples and promoting synodal processes that make visible a Church with an Amazonian face.
The social dream: an Amazon that defends life and dignity
The Pope dreamed of “an Amazon that fights for the rights of the poorest, of the indigenous peoples, of the least among us”. This dream challenges the Church to stand with those who suffer exclusion, forced displacement, structural violence, and exploitation of their territories.
Six years later, the social dream remains urgent. The Amazon continues to face threats from extractivism, illegal economies, and deep inequalities. In this context, CEAMA, together with REPAM and multiple ecclesial bodies, accompanies processes of territorial defense, human rights training, and the promotion of socio-environmental justice.
The social dream is an evangelical option for threatened life.
The cultural dream: safeguarding the wealth of the Amazonian peoples
Francis dreamed of “an Amazon that preserves its cultural wealth.” In a world that tends to standardize and homogenize, the Amazon is a mosaic of languages, worldviews, spiritualities, and ancestral wisdom.
This dream invites us to recognize that indigenous peoples are not passive recipients of the mission, but ecclesial subjects and protagonists of their own history. The inculturation of the Gospel and intercultural dialogue remain central tasks.
In these six years, spaces for intercultural theological formation, bilingual education processes (REIBA), and experiences that promote the active participation of indigenous peoples in ecclesial life have been strengthened. Safeguarding Amazonian culture also means safeguarding a different way of relating to creation and to the community.
The ecological dream: protecting our common home
The ecological dream expresses the desire for an Amazon that “jealously guards its overwhelming natural beauty.” The climate crisis and environmental devastation make this dream increasingly urgent.
The defense of the Amazon is not only a regional cause, but a global responsibility. In recent years, the Amazonian Church has promoted processes of formation in integral ecology, international advocacy, and coordination with social movements and indigenous organizations.
CEAMA, born of the synodal impulse, continues to promote a pastoral approach that integrates spirituality, environmental justice, and concrete commitment. Care for our common home is an essential part of the evangelizing mission.
The ecclesial dream: a Church with an Amazonian face
The fourth dream is deeply synodal: “a Church with an Amazonian face”. It is a Church that is inculturated, ministerial, participatory, and synodal; a Church that listens, learns, and walks with the peoples.
In these six years, significant steps have been taken: the strengthening of lay ministries, reflection on new ministerial paths, recognition of the leading role of women in communities, and the consolidation of ecclesial structures such as CEAMA, which express a new form of co-responsibility.
The ecclesial dream is not limited to structural reforms; it implies a profound pastoral conversion. It is an invitation to be a Church that goes forth, that is not afraid of geographical or existential frontiers, and that allows itself to be challenged by the cries of the territory.
Dreaming is still necessary
Six years later, Querida Amazonía continues to be an inspiration for the Church’s journey in the Amazon. Its four dreams have not lost their relevance; on the contrary, they have become more urgent. The reality of the Amazon continues to challenge the Church not to give up or back down.
In a spirit of synodality, CEAMA renews its commitment to continue building processes that make these dreams visible in every community and in all ecclesiastical jurisdictions
of the Amazon. To dream, in evangelical terms, is to commit oneself. It is to believe that the Kingdom of God is already sprouting in the midst of the jungle, the rivers, and the peoples who inhabit it.
Today, the Amazonian Church repeats: the Amazon is not a forgotten periphery, but a theological place where God continues to speak to us. And Francis’ dreams continue to be a task, a mission, and a hope.