To summarize, as I understand it, a pagan fertility ritual which invokes generative forces (demons) to cause pregnancy was performed in the Vatican, with a Franciscan participating, as the Pope watched.
Actually NO. The Vatican press office was asked about it and declined comment. So, there isn’t an official interpretation about what the ritual actually was. The Franciscan partaking in the ritual is NOT bound to be fooled, whatever that ritual was he knew what he was partaking in - so it has to be correct.
It was probably catholic -and correctly so- a form of dancing while praying. The prayers, in themselves, would contain NOTHING against the faith. The organizers were 2 small catholic lay movements, so they can be expected to be supervised and accompanied in their elaboration.
However, every single element of the ritual was of indigenous inspiration - there is nothing against dancing and singing.
invokes generative forces (demons)
So this is the essential part that the priests accompanying would certainly have rectified to be correct in doctrinal terms. And the Indians would have accepted that since they are catholic.
I read a tweet that said sources confirmed
Tweets have no value whatsoever. The Vatican declined comment because it was too complicated to elaborate on - not worth the effort, when the synod was about to start. But it resembled the “giving back to earth ritual” which is animist and pantheist, not spiritist.
If my source was wrong, someone let me know.
Your sources were wrong!! And several bishops who work in the Amazon are starting to explain their approach and experience - which lends a completely different perspective to things. I liked the testimony by Dom Medardo de Jesús Henao del Río, Apostolic Vicar of Mitú (Colombia).
Dom Medardo de Jesús Henao del Río, Vigário Apostólico de Mitú (Colômbia), participou nesta quinta-feira da coletiva de imprensa da Sala Stampa do Vaticano e disse que "não podemos sacralizar tudo o que é indígena, nem demonizá-lo".
www.acidigital.com
Finally, there were other elements that were “embarrassing” and have not been mentioned in this thread. During the meeting pope Francis was offered and put on his finger a “ring of tucum” that was popularized by Brazilian bishop Pedro Casaldáliga, now 91 yo, and a known exponent of liberation theology.
Pope Francis (and the Vatican) know very well the impact and lack of comprehension these elements were bound to cause on the average western viewer, and that unscrupulous polemic mongering media would be quick to exploit that confusion. The fact is I haven’t read a comprehensive explanation coming from English-speaking media, and in today’s world that can only be attributed to ill will and and malice on part of the media.
Pope Francis, being south American, and a friend of the indigenous populations, is not bound to be fooled, and understood everything -in situ- on the spot. As a father is expect to be understanding of his children.
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