Pope Leo XIV urges Amazonian Bishops to announce Christ with clarity
Meeting of the Bishops of the Amazon Region
By Deborah Castellano Lubov"It is necessary that Jesus Christ, in whom all things are recapitulated, be proclaimed with clarity and immense charity among the inhabitants of the Amazon, so that we may strive to give them fresh and pure the bread of the Good News and the heavenly food of the Eucharist, the only means to truly be the People of God and the Body of Christ."
Pope Leo XIV emphasized this to the Bishops of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon in a telegram sent on his behalf by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, which was addressed to the Conference's President, Cardinal Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno, S.J.
The Pope sent the message for the meeting of the Bishops of the Amazon, which is taking place from August 17 to 20 in Bogotá, Colombia.
In it, he offered three recommendations, namely to "keep in mind three dimensions that are interconnected in the pastoral work of that region: the mission of the Church to proclaim the Gospel to all (cf. Decree ad gentes , 1), the just treatment of the peoples who dwell there, and the care of the common home."
Power of preaching name of Christ
"In this mission, we are moved by the certainty, confirmed by the history of the Church, that wherever the name of Christ is preached," Pope Leo observed, "injustice recedes proportionally, for, as the Apostle Paul asserts," he quoted, "'all exploitation of man by man disappears if we are able to receive one another as brothers and sisters.'"
Within this perennial doctrine, Pope Leo said, no less evident is the right and duty to care for the 'home' that God the Father has entrusted to us as diligent stewards.
The Pope reiterated the importance of this "so that no one irresponsibly destroys the natural goods that speak of the goodness and beauty of the Creator nor, much less, subjects oneself to them as a slave or worshiper of nature, since things have been given to us in order to attain our end of praising God and thus obtaining the salvation of our souls."
For these things, the Holy Father reminded, have been given to us to help us achieve our goal of praising God and thereby obtaining the salvation of our souls.
Greater good of the Church
Pope Leo went on to thank the Bishops for their efforts in promoting the greater good of the Church for the faithful of the beloved Amazonian territory.
Taking into account the lessons learned from the Synod regarding listening and the participation of all vocations in the Church, the Pope encouraged them "to seek—on the basis of unity and collegiality proper to an 'episcopal body'—ways to concretely and effectively assist the Diocesan Bishops and Apostolic Vicars in fulfilling their mission."
Injustice retreats wherever Christ's name is proclaimed
Pope Leo XIV went on to examine how proclaiming Christ heals societies.
"In this mission," Pope Leo reflected, "we are moved by the certainty, confirmed by the history of the Church, that wherever the name of Christ is preached, injustice recedes proportionally, for, as the Apostle Paul asserts, all exploitation of man by man disappears if we are able to receive one another as brothers and sisters."
Finally, the Holy Father concluded by imparting his Apostolic Blessing upon the Bishops and all those entrusted to their pastoral care.--Vatican News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Pope Leo to visit Lebanon, cardinal says, in likely first trip abroad
FILE PHOTO: Pope Leo XIV holds a general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca/File VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo plans to visit Lebanon, the country's senior Catholic official announced on Wednesday, in what could be the first visit outside Italy by the new leader of the global Church. The pope will travel to Lebanon "by December", Cardinal Bechara Rai told the al-Arabiya television channel. Rai, leader of the 3.5-million-member Maronite Catholic Church, did not give a specific date for the visit but said "preparations are already underway". A Lebanese official familiar with the matter confirmed that discussions were being held about a visit towards the end of the year, though a date had not yet been finalised. Leo, the first U.S. pope, was elected by the world's Catholic cardinals on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis, who had planned to visit Lebanon but was unable to go because of health issues. Lebanon is home to more than two million Catholics, according to Vatican statistics. A Vatican spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Rai's remarks. A Vatican official, who asked not to be named, confirmed that a trip was being planned and said it could be part of a tour that would also include Turkey. Travelling abroad has become a major part of the modern papacy, with popes seeking to meet local Catholics, spread the faith, and conduct international diplomacy. They often draw crowds in the millions. Francis made 47 visits abroad during his 12-year papacy, travelling to 68 countries. He made a policy of visiting countries that often did not draw international attention as a way of highlighting problems in what he called the "peripheries" of the world. Leo has been expected to visit Turkey in late November as part of celebrations for the 1,700th anniversary of a major early Church council, which took place in Nicaea, now called Iznik. In a message to Lebanon earlier this month, Leo commemorated the fifth anniversary of a huge chemical explosion at the Beirut port that killed 200 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage. "Beloved and suffering Lebanon remains at the centre of our prayers," said the pope. (Reporting by Joshua McElwee;Additional reporting by Maya Gebeily in BeirutEditing by Helen Popper)
Herald Malaysia
8 hours ago
- Herald Malaysia
Pope Leo says there is hope for Ukraine, but work and prayer are needed
We must 'truly seek the way forward, to find peace,' the Pope told journalists Tuesday night before returning to the Vatican from Castel Gandolfo, where he had gone for a second period of rest on 13 August. Aug 20, 2025 Pope Leo greets the faithful as he leaves Castel Gandolfo to return to the Vatican By Tiziana Campisi and Daniele Piccini'There is hope, but we still need to work hard, pray hard, and truly seek the way forward, to find peace,' Pope Leo said Tuesday evening, in response to questions from journalists concerning negotiations for an end to the war in Ukraine. Regarding possible talks with certain leaders, he said 'someone' hears him °continuously,' adding, 'We pray and try to move forward. The Pope's remarks came around 9 p.m. as he left the summer residence at Castel Gandolfo to return to the Vatican. About an hour earlier, the Holy Father spent time greeting the many people who had gathered to see him off. It was already dark when he walked through the gate of Villa Barberini and stopped to talk to some jubilant faithful. Pope Leo also spoke about his stay in in Castel Gandolfo, saying he hopes to return soon. 'Being here is a blessing,' he said. 'I am very happy with the welcome I have received from the people.' He recalled his visit earlier in the day 'to the shrine of Our Lady, where Pope Saint John Paul II also visited.' Finally, when asked about his first hundred days as pope, he emphasised that they had been 'a blessing from God.' In his final remarks before getting in the car that would take him back to the Vatican, he said, 'I receive so much. I believe deeply in the Lord's grace, and I am very grateful for the welcome I have received. I thank you all.' The second stay in Castel Gandolfo Pope Leo returned to Castel Gandolfo on 13 August for a second period of rest, after spending just over two weeks there in July. There were four appointments with the faithful during these seven days. On 15 August, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Pontiff celebrated Mass in the pontifical parish of St Thomas of Villanova, not far from Villa Barberini. In his homily, he emphasised that Mary's 'yes' 'still lives and resists death in the martyrs of our time, in witnesses of faith and justice, of gentleness and peace.' Later, at the Angelus, turning to current world events, he urged people not to resign themselves to 'the prevalence of the logic of conflict and of arms'. The day with the poor and homeless of Albano Last Sunday, 17 August, was also a day of encounters. In the morning, the Pontiff presided over Mass at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Rotonda in Albano for the poor of the area—including the homeless, and residents of shelters and group homes in the diocese—as well as Caritas workers and beneficiaries of counselling centres. During his homily, he urged them bring into the world 'not the fire of weapons or of words that incinerate others,' but rather 'the fire of love, which humbles itself and serves, which opposes indifference with care and arrogance with meekness; the fire of goodness, which does not cost as much as weapons, but freely renews the world.' Welcomed by many people in the streets of the Albano ahead of the Sunday liturgy, Pope Leo also visited an exhibition organised by the diocesan Caritas, entitled 'Signs of Hope.' After Mass, the Holy Father returned to Castel Gandolfo for the weekly Angelus. At the end of the Marian devotion, he invited the faithful to join him in praying 'that efforts to bring wars to an end and to promote peace may bear fruit; and that in negotiations, the common good of peoples may always be placed first.' An eagerly awaited event was the lunch in Borgo Laudato Si' with a hundred poor, homeless, and needy people assisted by Caritas of Albano. At the beginning of the meal, Pope Leo recalled how important it is to share 'that gesture so meaningful for us all, of breaking bread, breaking bread together, the gesture with which Jesus Christ is recognised among his people.' The visit to the sanctuary of Mentorella Finally, Tuesday morning, Pope Leo made a private visit to the sanctuary of Our Lady, Mother of Grace of Mentorella, in Guadagnolo, a small village of Capranica Prenestina, in the diocese of Palestrina. The Pope paused for some time in prayer and lit a candle at the foot of the statue of the Virgin Mary, expressing a special plea for peace in the world. He also spent time with the Resurrectionist religious, who are entrusted with the pastoral care of the shrine, and joined them for lunch before returning to Villa Barberini.--Vatican News
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Key milestones of Malaysia as Asean Chair
Malaysia's chairmanship of Asean this year has delivered key milestones that reinforce the bloc's role as a credible and principled platform in navigating regional challenges, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. The Foreign Minister said the upcoming Asean Summit in October, alongside the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit, would further elevate Malaysia's profile as a respected hub for diplomacy and dialogue. 'With only four months left before the end of our chairmanship, Malaysia remains committed to sustaining this positive momentum, particularly in ensuring the success of the 47th Asean Summit and related meetings,' he told Dewan Rakyat yesterday. Mohamad said Malaysia's achievements as chair included the launch of the Asean Community Vision 2045, the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration and the historic admission of Timor-Leste as the bloc's 11th member. Under Malaysia's leadership, he said Asean also maintained the Five-Point Consensus as the main framework for addressing the Myanmar crisis, while pushing for an extended ceasefire and engaging with all stakeholders to support peace efforts. He added that Malaysia spearheaded humanitarian missions to Myanmar following the recent earthquake, secured wider international participation in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), and advanced Asean's economic integration through agreements such as the upgraded Asean Trade in Goods Agreement and the Asean Digital Economy Framework. Apart from that, Mohamad said Cyprus is expected to sign the TAC during the upcoming summit, following Algeria and Uruguay's accession which brought the total signatories to 57. Mohamad also highlighted Malaysia's efforts in coordinating the establishment of an Interim Observer Team, comprising defence advisers from Asean member states, to monitor compliance with the ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. He stressed that this role underscored Malaysia's credibility as a neutral and trusted mediator in regional conflicts.
