Environmentalist priest in Peru says little has changed since pope’s visit
February 08, 2019
RNS photo by Paula Dupraz-Dobias
PUERTO MALDONADO, Peru (RNS) — Pope Francis’ trip to Peru a year ago included a visit to a biodiverse region, where a Swiss priest has for decades sought to bring global attention to environmental and social devastation caused by illegal gold mining.
Despite years of effort — and the pope’s visit — little has changed, said Xavier Arbex.
“It’s so frustrating, to the point that I almost do not want to receive journalists anymore,” the 75-year-old priest told Religion News Service recently.
Pope Leo XIV urged new archbishops to help him foster unity in a church rich in diversity. Eight of those new archbishops are from the United States, and they spoke to Catholic News Service about how they can help promote fraternity in today’s polarized world.
This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley chat with Christopher White about his new book, ‘Pope Leo XVI: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy.’
"The whole church needs fraternity, which must be present in all of our relationships, whether between lay people and priests, priests and bishops, bishops and the pope," he said during his homily at Mass on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul June 29.
