Catholics who work in the Amazon say members of small, isolated villages believe the church could be more present in their lives if it allowed the ordination of married men.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been recorded several times stating that he does not agree with the number and size of indigenous territories.

Less than two weeks before the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon was scheduled to begin at the Vatican, the Brazilian bishops' Indigenous Missionary Council reported that the number of indigenous land invasions and indigenous murdered in Brazil in 2018 soared.

Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, a Catholic who campaigned to rid the nation of corruption, will take office Jan. 1 with a conservative moral agenda.

Sao Paulo Cardinal Odilo Scherer said his predecessor "gave his life to God after having generously dedicated it to his brothers in this world."

Since 2003, nearly 900 indigenous have been killed in a violent manner in Brazil.

"This team is the victory scream of all refugees. People believe that we don't belong anywhere, but we do ... we belong to the world and the world belongs to all."

"We hope that the center will encourage harmony and unity among different countries and among different religions," Father Tavares told Catholic News Service.

"I made the mistake of being too trusting," the archbishop wrote in a letter.