Eduardo Campos Lima

The IEC in Quito concluded with such a procession Sept. 14 and with a closing Eucharistic celebration Sept. 15 with presider Cardinal Baltazar Porras Cardozo, retired archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela, and pontifical legate for the congress. On both occasions, as well as in several moments of the congress, the need to take care of the Earth — our "common home" — was emphasized. The message was especially timely as South America faces some of the most serious wildfires in its history.

The first two days of presentations of the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, contrasted the hardships currently faced by many people in different parts of the world with the prophetic responses that the church can provide in times of crisis.

More than two months after 5-year-old Loan Peña went missing in the northeastern Argentina town of Nueve de Julio, the church continues to promote marches to demand his captors release him.

The Aug. 9 passenger plane crash in the city of Vinhedo, Brazil killed all 62 on board, greatly touching different Catholic communities in the country.

The unprecedented storms devastating vast areas in Brazil since the end of April have displaced more than half a million people. Members of the Catholic Church are calling on government authorities to develop policies to rebuild destroyed communities and family farms.

The number of conflicts over land, water or forest territories grew in Brazil in 2023, reaching 2,203 cases and impacting more than 950,000 people, according to the bishops' conference's Land Pastoral Commission.

Amid the worst security crisis in Haiti in several years — one that has been particularly hard for church members — Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned after weeks of mounting chaos in the Caribbean nation.

Brazil's 2023 drought affected more than 600,000 people and killed threatened species. Some say the emergency highlights the need for awareness on environmental themes through biblical-ecological education. 

The Indigenous population sees lithium extraction as a disruption of their ancient relationship with the mountains that surround their homes, which they hold as sacred.

As Argentina prepares to vote for its presidential runoff Nov. 19, many Catholics, including clergy, are not hiding the fact that they are organizing against far-right candidate Javier Milei, who has criticized and insulted Pope Francis.

In Brazil, 12 million families -- up to 60 million people -- live in slums, known as "favelas" in Portuguese, and 55 million people do not have access to a sewage system.

Cyclone Yaku's path through Peru's northern region in March was so destructive that its direct effects — such as the destruction of homes by floods and landslides — and indirect effects — especially an unprecedented outbreak of dengue fever — are still being felt today.

Recently, the Ecuador army raided mining zones and removed dozens of machines, says Bishop Adelberto Jiménez. "But after a week or so, they were all back to the forest. We demand that more forceful measures are taken."

After the election of the new leaders of Brazil's bishops' conference April 24, two Afro Brazilian priests released a public letter criticizing the fact that most of them are white and affirmed that the Brazilian church's "power structure" is tainted by "racism" and by a "pact of whiteness."

Church movements connected to the environment and the protection of traditional peoples are hopeful that the beginning of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government may open a new landscape in Brazil.

The severe health care and hunger crisis affecting the Yanomami indigenous people in Brazil prompted church leaders to coordinate help and work with government agencies and indigenous organizations to provide food and medical attention to the sick.

Leaders of the protest movement in Bolivia agreed on Nov. 26 to suspend their actions, but Catholic Church leaders are still struggling with how to avoid playing an active role in the political conflict.

Ahead of the final round of Brazil's presidential election, Catholic social pastoral ministries released a letter repudiating incumbent Jair Bolsonaro's reelection. They cited his "policy of environmental destruction."

In March, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele suspended a number of due process rights in a crackdown on gang activity. Human rights activists say thousands of Salvadorans unconnected with gangs have been arrested.