Under the Banner of Bartolomé de las Casas

Brazilian Dominicans

& Social Justice

“Con que derecho?

• Question of Antonio de Montesinos, speaking for first OP community in Latin America, Christmas Eve 1511

• “What right?” do the Spanish colonists have to exploit & enslave the native peoples

• from 1512 used tradition of natural law, favouring the citizen to demand social justice through the legal system

• Francisco de Vitoria & followers in Salamanca took up the question of human rights for all

Bartolomé de las Casas• La Brevisima relación de la

destruicón de las Indias – evangelical vision of peace and

justice for Latin America• Voyage of Christopher

Columbus– Missionary chosen by God– His discovery could advance

the meeting of peoples & continents

• On the One Way of Bringing All Peoples to the True Religion– His missiological ‘Summa’– Little studied till C20th

• Denigrated, while Vitoria’s work in Spain was well received

Failures of Evangelisation

• While the Church in Latin America preached the gospel of love & justice,

• It used slave labour, accommodating injustice

• In Brazil, Africans were enslaved, native Indians were decimated

• Only in the C20th did a broad movement for Justice & Peace take up Las Casas’ teaching

Option for the Sertão

• 1881: French Dominican friars & sisters inspired by Lacordaire set up a new foundation in the Sertão (rural hinterland)

• Among peasants, Indians & mestizo people: choosing to live alongside the oppressed

• 1936 Italian Dominicans joined including – Domenico Acerbi, tropical medic– Candido Penso, bishop who built a hospital

• Motto of the province: the truth will set you free

Church Renewal

• 1889 Brazil a secular republic• 1930s Catholic mobilisation for social justice

– inspired by Quadragesimo Anno (1931)– ‘Social decalogue’ to parliamentary candidates 1933

• Renewal of the Church– New groups & associations– Influence of Aquinas’ thought via Maritain– 1940s on: OP priories e.g. Rio de Janiero, São Paolo

centres of spiritual & social renewal

Louis Joseph Lebret

• French OP, visited Brazil from 1947 for study & dialogue

• Collaboration in social science & urban planning

• Modernisation model of ‘economy & humanism’, harmony of ‘charity & technology’

• Confirmed Las Casas’ ideals• “action leads to God” in the fight for justice

Gospel & Social Revolution

• Social Encyclicals of John XXIII impact– Mater et Magistra (1961) on 70th anniversary of

Rerum Novarum: greeted as new in Brazil– With Pacem in Terris (1963), seen as a charter for

Catholic action

• Gospel & Social Revolution (Carlos Josaphat Pinto de Oliveira, 1962) – Interpreting Sermon on the Mount in light of

Communist Manifesto– Including the social encyclicals

The Dominicans’ Chance

• Lay movement for social justice, Ação Popular• OP involvement in student & worker movements

e.g. – Mateus Rocha, rector University of Brasilia– Emmanuel Retumba & worker-priests in São Paolo– Joao Batista & UNILABOR working community project– Priory of St Albert the Great, Perdizes suburb of São

Paolo– Brasil Urgente weekly paper

• Until 31 March 1964 military coup d’etat

Frei Betto

• Preacher, journalist, spiritual writer

• Baptism of Blood (1982) on the dictatorship which ended 1980

• contributed to foundation of Workers’ Party,

• spiritual director, advisor to Lula• Led MIRE: Mística e Revolução

(Mysticism & Revolution)– C20th-21st youth movement – combining spirituality & social

engagement– to restart projects of the 1960s

Amazon Rights & Solidarity

• Working with communities of the rainforest & Amazon basin against transnational companies exploiting the land

• Henri Burin des Roziers & sisters, OP lawyers

• St Dominic Solidarity Group– Communicating between activist movements

across Brazil, then America– Solidarity with South Africa, East Timor

Pastoral Commission on the Land

• 1988 constitution on land reform not enforced

• Brazilian Conference of Bishops commission for land reform & against slave labour– Spiritual & ethical resource for MST

movement of landless workers– OP involvment including its president:

Dom Thomas Balduino

• Bishop of Goiás, heart of Seratão

• ‘flying bishop of the Indians’

• Helped the Brazlian Church to serve the native peoples

• A model of a Church of communion, participation & sharing

Las Casas’ Mission Today

Dominicans in Brazil & Latin America

“are still called to give new life

to the option for justice,

by engaging in the difficult & exciting task of promoting human rights for all”

Carlos Josaphat Pinto de Oliveira