The leaders of the Northwest Region of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference, of which eight dioceses and Prelatures are part of it, among them three Recollect bishops, have been meeting in Lábrea from Monday, February 26 to Thursday, February 29, the first of the two annual meetings they hold.
From Monday, February 26 to Thursday, February 29, the bishops of the seven Dioceses and Catholic Prelatures of the southwest of the State of Amazonas (Humaitá and Lábrea), and the states of Rondônia (Porto Velho, Guajará-Mirim, Ji-Paraná) and Acre (Cruzeiro do
Sul, Rio Branco), which constitute the Northwest Region of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference, have met in Lábrea (Amazonas) to assess, evaluate, and propose the actions of the Church in this part of the Amazonian Church. Furthermore, they have prepared the attendance at the plenary meeting of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference that will take place in April.
Three of the eight bishops present at the meeting are Augustinian Recollects: Santiago Sánchez, bishop of Lábrea who served as host of the meeting; Joaquin Pertíñez, bishop of the Diocese of Rio Branco, capital of the state of Acre; and Jesus Moraza, bishop emeritus of Lábrea and who continues his service in the Prelature attending to riverside communities of Canutama and Tapauá.
This meeting provided a beautiful experience for the coexistence of the bishops among them and with the people of Lábrea. They are Dioceses and Prelatures that coincide in general, despite small differences such as the number of inhabitants or the scope of resources, in similar social, political, and religious situations.
For these bishops, the exchange of experiences and the experience of Synodality, given that generally its Churches are very extensive in territory, with a relatively small number of inhabitants by that extension, great difficulties of movement and communication.
The host bishop, the Augustinian Recollect Santiago Sánchez, highlighted the uniqueness of the moment as a unique opportunity to live fraternity within the local Church. He asked his brothers in the episcopate to visit the base communities of the urban area of Lábrea, close contact with people and security pastoral agents, to encourage them in their task. It is not common to have such several bishops in a place like Lábrea.
For this reason, the bishop of Lábrea stressed that the meeting was not just a moment of fraternal exchange, but also a deep period of spirituality that strengthened the ties between the bishops. This common experience of spirituality in fraternity is very typical of the Augustinian Recollect charism, which Monsignor Santiago has lived throughout his consecrated life.
In addition to praying together, exchanging experiences, and maintaining close contact with the People of God, the bishops reflected on the trajectory of their Churches and they focused on some essential and significant points for the Amazonian churches, such as solidarity and attention to the excluded.
The meeting ended on Thursday after the analysis and discussion of the challenges that faces the Church in its Amazonian mission, reinforcing the commitment to solidarity and the search for justice and social justice.
They were also appropriate dates to talk about the Fraternity Campaign of the Church in Brazil, which takes place every year during Lent, which has this year the theme is “Fraternity and Social Friendship” and as motto is “You are all brothers and sisters” (Mt 23,8).
Those gathered were Roque Paloschi (Porto Velho), Benedito Araújo (Guajará-Mirim), Norberto Foerster (Ji-Paraná), Antônio Fontinele (Humaitá), Flávio Giovenale (Cruzeiro do Sul) and the three Augustinian Recollects, Santiago Sánchez (Lábrea), Jesús Moraza (emeritus of Lábrea) and Joaquín Pertíñez (Río Branco).
The people of Lábrea experienced these meetings with the bishops with special emotion, which took place in almost all the chapels of the base communities in the urban area of Lábrea. They were also able to share moments with the pastoral agents about Bible Circles.
In addition, there was a general reception mass in the Cathedral and they had the opportunity to celebrate in a special way the third anniversary of the episcopal ordination of the bishop of Ji-Paraná.
The bishop of Rio Branco, the Augustinian Recollect Joaquín Pertíñez, also had an especially happy and intense moment at the Esperanza Center in Lábrea, which for years he directed and accompanied as a religious. It is a social work of the Prelature of Lábrea and the Augustinian Recollects to offer minors a space of security, learning, fun, and training in values.
It had special importance in sharing missionary spirituality and reality Amazonian in Lábrea the memory of Sister Cleusa Coelho, an Augustinian missionary Recollect girl murdered in Lábrea for her defense of indigenous peoples and social justice.
The bishops remembered her figure, her testimony, and her example in three Amazonian masses held in the three chapels that represent the three sectors of the base communities of the urban area, Our Lady of Fátima (where sister Cleusa, is considered by the people an example of faith and charity), Saint Sebastian, and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Nazareth:
