Waterspirit’s Blair Nelsen will moderate this webinar entitled 'Voices from the Amazon' – A Catholic Call to Defend the Rainforest, Empower Indigenous and Women’s Leadership, and Take Action.
The Amazon is the "lungs of our planet." Right now, our lungs are struggling to breathe—massive fires are burning, the river is at its lowest point, and violence against the Indigenous peoples, the forest’s most steadfast caretakers, is escalating. This moment calls for a deep spiritual conversion and commitment to action.
Sr. Laura Vicuna embodies this call. An Indigenous Franciscan nun and Vice President of CEAMA (Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon), Sr. Laura is at the forefront of one of the Catholic Church's most innovative and synodal efforts.
Come join us for a special opportunity to hear directly from Sr. Laura and Mauricio Lopez, Director of the Pan-Amazonian University Network (PUAM), as they share urgent insights from the Amazon and inspire us to take meaningful action.
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM ET
Format: Webinar followed by Small Group Discussions
What You Will Experience:
Empowering Indigenous Voices for the Amazon's Future
The Amazon is facing existential threats from deforestation, climate change, and violence. Indigenous peoples, who have protected these lands for generations, are now under attack. Sr. Laura will help us appreciate why indigenous voices must be at the center of any conversation on environmental and human rights.
Together for Our Future: A Catholic Call to Solidarity
The Amazon has become a place of martyrdom, where more than 100 land defenders have sacrificed their lives for the rainforest. This is a call to the global Church and all people of goodwill to answer the "cries of the earth and the cries of the poor." We will discuss how to stand together against violence, support legal protections, and advocate for indigenous rights and environmental justice.
Women’s Leadership: New Pathways in Ministry
Five years after the Amazon Synod, it is time to recognize and expand women’s leadership within the Church. Sr. Laura will share the vital role women are playing in advocating for social justice, indigenous rights, and integral ecology, and together with Discerning Deacons, update us on the global Catholic Church’s Synod on Synodality’s October 2024 gathering in Rome.
Amazonian Catholic University for Intercultural Education
Mauricio Lopez will present the vision for a new Pan-Amazonian Catholic University Network (PUAM) that will focus on intercultural education, interdisciplinary research, and dialogue. This initiative aims to address the urgent inequalities and challenges of the region while amplifying indigenous knowledge.
Join Us in Solidarity
This is more than a webinar; it is a call to deepen faith through action. We are called to stand in solidarity with the Amazon, its defenders, and its peoples. Join us to explore how we can respond to this call for justice, co-responsibility, and ecological stewardship.
Sponsored by:
Francesco Collaborative, Discerning Deacons, Metro New York Catholic Climate Movement, MGR Foundation, Christian Life Community, Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, and a growing list of collaborators.