This archive report was first published on 28 October 2019.
Published on October 27, 2019, Pope Francis addressed a gathering of Catholic bishops and representatives of indigenous peoples at the Vatican, urging them to take action against the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and the exploitation of its inhabitants.
Francis emphasized that the poor are 'threatened by predatory models of development' and that those who wield power often look down on others, considering them 'backward and of little worth.'
He also acknowledged that even within the Church, there are those who scoff at the poor or silence them as inconvenient.
Francis warned that those who prey on or discard the vulnerable and weak will eventually pay a price, saying that the poor are 'the gatekeepers of heaven.'
He called for an end to the exploitation of the Amazon region, labeling those responsible as 'predators' who must be held accountable for their actions.
The bishops issued a list of recommendations, including an appeal for Francis to make damaging the environment a sin and suggesting that married 'men of proven virtue' could be allowed to join the priesthood in remote corners of the Amazon.
