The Gift of Mater Amazonia

I've written a couple of times in recent weeks about the Amazon Synod or conference convened in Rome by the Vatican. The goal for the Roman Catholic church was to look at a broad range of issues across the Amazon basin. These included Indigenous rights, the way the church serves Roman Catholics in such a vast region, and environmental issues.

There seemed to be honest discussion of the role of women in leadership and the possibility of ordaining married male priests so that the eucharist (communion) was more available. In fact, the bishops voted about 3/4 in favour of pursuing this latter option. 



There was also resistance by traditionalists to the Indigenous images which were employed in liturgies during the synod. It seems that a lot of that push-back came from silly old men, many of whom wear vestments which have roots in imperial Rome. Pope Francis was wise enough to point this out. 




There is an exhibit of Indigenous art at the Vatican which will remain, now that the synod is over. It is called Mater Amazonia: The Deep Breath of the World, which sounds like Mother Amazon to me. God knows how those racist, Euro-centric traditionalists will respond (how do I really feel), but I think it's fascinating and I've included a few images here. I think they are exquisite and representative of a church which claims to be "catholic", or all-embracing.