Iquitos, Peru. Msgr. Javier Travieso, CMF, Vicar Apostolic of San José del Amazonas, Peru, has been requesting the Claretians to offer a helping hand in the Vicariate which covers a vast area bordering Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador. There are no roads but only rivers connecting the villages as people live on the riverbanks of the great Amazon river.
The parish in Francesco de Orellana which has more than 42 communities has been praying for nine years to have a priest to celebrate Mass for them. The Bishop has been requesting the Claretians to attend this parish. Fr. Mathew Vattamattam, CMF, Superior General who is currently visiting the Province of Perú-Bolivia went with the bishop to see the place. They received a warm welcome from the people. They were joined by Mariana, a gifted lady who takes care of the parish and conduct prayer services all through the year.
They may get a priest for Christmas and Easter. For the last two years, the Claretians had been helping them during Easter. Francisco de Orellana is a town in the Loreto Region where there is a statue in memory of Francisco de Orellana, the first European who discovered the Amazon river in 1542. The small town is about 3 hours by boat from Indiana which is one of the seats of the Vicariate.
Pope Francis is right in inviting attention of the Universal Church to the plight of the Amazon people. Amazon needs missionaries who are willing to take the challenges and forgo privileges of the urban world. Amazon area which is the lung of our planet is also terribly exploited by many causing contamination of water and destruction of forests.
Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region took place in Rome on the 6th to the 27th of October, 2019 with the theme: “Amazonia: New Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology“. To read its final document: ENGLISH (unofficial translation) ESPAÑOL (Official Original Document).
Here are some of the photos and videos taken during the visit:
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