Under the Banner of Bartolom é de las Casas
-
Upload
marciano-boyton -
Category
Documents
-
view
11 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Under the Banner of Bartolom é de las Casas
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