In the heart of Northern Chiquitania, the Diocese of San Ignacio de Velasco lives a deeply evangelical experience: caring for creation as an essential part of its pastoral mission. Inspired by the spirituality of integral ecology and attentive to the cry of the earth, the local Church has initiated a concrete process for the conservation of the jaguar (Panthera onca), a sign of the balance and life of ecosystems.
This path stems from the pastoral discernment of its bishop, Robert Flock, who, upon observing the loss of wildlife and the deterioration of the Chiquitano forest, felt the urgency to act. His conviction was clear and simple, like the Gospel: “I don’t want jaguars to continue to be killed.” From there, the diocese decided to take responsibility for caring for the life that God has entrusted to its hands.
A pastoral approach that embraces the land
As a Church incarnate in the territory, the diocese administers cattle ranches that support its evangelizing mission. Far from seeing this as a contradiction, Bishop Flock understands it as an opportunity to witness to a different way of relating to creation:
“As pastor of God’s people, I am also responsible for the ranches we have to sustain our mission. They are not only home to cattle, but also to a living ecosystem, a true reserve of native animals that we must care for.”
With this awareness, the Diocese contacted WWF-Bolivia and, together with the Government of Santa Cruz, began a cooperative effort to promote coexistence between livestock farming and wildlife, especially the jaguar.
“We are in the livestock business to sustain our mission, but as a Church we are deeply interested in nature. Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ reminds us that caring for creation is a responsibility of faith.”
Discovering the life that inhabits the territory
The pastoral work took concrete form on the “Fraternidad” property, where camera traps were installed to learn more about the biodiversity present. Thanks to the Diocese’s intimate knowledge of the territory, especially those who accompany the daily management of the ranches, the cameras were placed at strategic points.
The results were a source of deep gratitude: in a few days, images of jaguars, pumas, jaguarundis, monkeys, peccaries, birds, and many other species were recorded.
“Here, all the animals coexist with our livestock. We have discovered a true natural paradise. This fills us with joy, but it also commits us,” said the bishop.
This discovery opens up a new pastoral horizon: moving toward integrated management that simultaneously cares for production, community life, and the balance of the ecosystem.
“The great challenge is that our management is not only livestock, but also the ecosystem. As a Church, we want to be a sign and an inspiration for the entire Chiquitania region.”
Caring for creation is proclaiming the Gospel
Today, the Diocese of San Ignacio de Velasco integrates the protection of the jaguar and the territory into its pastoral life. The jaguar appears in homilies, daily reflections, and communications from the local Church as a living reminder of the covenant between God, humanity, and creation.
This concrete experience expresses a Church that listens to the cry of the earth and the peoples, and that takes on integral ecology not as a discourse, but as a pastoral and spiritual practice.
A path of hope that continues
The process promoted by the Diocese continues to grow in coordination with public institutions, environmental organizations, ranchers, and local communities. New actions are already underway, and more testimonies and images of the life that flourishes in Northern Chiquitania will soon be shared.
CEAMA recognizes this experience as a sign of the path that the Church is called to follow in the Amazonian and neighboring territories: a Church with a local face, which cares for our Common Home and proclaims life in its fullness.