Where and Who
- On January 13th and 14th, the Organizing Committee of the Meeting of Bishops of the Amazon gathered in Lima, Peru. The committee consists of eight bishops delegated from the seven episcopal conferences, inclusive of Bishop Francis Alleyne, (Antilles, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela) that make up the Amazon Biome, six theologians, representatives from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and members of the Executive Secretariat of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA).
Upcoming Meeting
- The Meeting of the Bishops of Amazonia will be held in Bogotá from August 17th to 20th, 2025. Around 120 bishops are expected to attend.
- Six years after the Synod of the Amazon (2019) and one year after the Synod on Synodality (2023- 2024) the time is now right for assessing the processes initiated by these synods.
- The objective and focus of the meeting will be to evaluate the fruits of these synodal processes and address the remaining challenges. The meeting expresses the Church’s commitment to a pastoral presence in the territory and the protection of the environment.
- Spiritual conversations will be the primary method of listening during the meeting, and the questions for reflection will follow the pastoral cycle (see, reflect, act) based on bishops’ experiences.
Methodology and Questions
- The methodology developed during the meeting aims to gather all the bishops’ perspectives/voices before and during the meeting to ensure that all voices are heard and considered.
- A guiding document will be created to encapsulate the progress made along the synodal journey so far and to identify the ongoing challenges faced by bishops and local churches in the Amazon region. The document will serve as a foundation for meaningful dialogue.
- The listening process is a valuable opportunity for CEAMA to effectively listen to the Bishops of the Amazon, thereby clarifying its future direction.
- In the coming weeks, personal invitations to the meeting will be extended during scheduled gatherings by each Episcopal Conference. The three bishops from the AEC will be invited.
- The meeting will revisit key themes from the Synod of the Amazon and the Synod on Synodality: What achievements have been reached, and what challenges remain? How is synodality lived in the Amazon, and how can it be cultivated? How can CEAMA support the episcopal ministry towards greater synodality?
