Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
by Laura Gómez RuizPanama City (Agenzia Fides) – From August 3 to 10, 2025, the Archdiocese of Panama celebrated Indigenous Pastoral Week under the motto “Rights must be defended.” This edition commemorated the centenary of the 1925 Dule Revolution, a historic event that marked the Guna people’s resistance to cultural and political imposition, and which today has become a symbol of the struggles of all the country’s Indigenous peoples.Father Jorge Sarsaneda, head of Indigenous Pastoral Care, points out in the statement issued by the Archdiocese that one of the main obstacles to supporting these peoples is the lack of accurate data on how many Indigenous people live in the territory of the Archdiocese and where they are located. “It is estimated that between 80,000 and 100,000 Indigenous people reside between the provinces of Panama and Panama Oeste, many of them living in extreme poverty,” he explains. Furthermore, he points out that although the process of inculturation of the Gospel is advancing, it still faces difficulties: “Sunday Masses are already celebrated in the Guna language in four communities, and religious texts are being translated to strengthen an inculturated education that integrates faith and cultural identity.”During the week, visits to parishes, educational centers, and communities were organized, where participants explored fundamental questions: Who are the indigenous people, where do they live, what are their demands, what suffering do they endure, and what are their hopes? The goal was to break with the historical invisibility of Panama’s indigenous peoples, who, although increasingly present in the cities, remain little known regarding their roots and needs.The Catholic Church in Panama has made the option for indigenous peoples a priority, following the teachings of Pope Francis, who repeatedly described these communities as “peoples excluded from society.” For this reason, their protection and accompaniment are considered a constant priority for all the faithful.Indigenous Pastoral Week thus also sees itself as a space of visibility and support for the Ngäbe, Buglé, Guna, Emberá, Wounaan, Bri Bri, and Naso Tjërdi peoples, who continue to suffer poverty, discrimination, and marginalization. And in this year 2025, marked by the memory of the Dule Revolution, this moment becomes an invitation to listen, learn, and work together toward building a more just and inclusive society. (Agenzia Fides, 12/8/2025)
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