São Paulo Archdiocese Commission Issues Supportive Statement for Pride

Jim Burroway

May 9th, 2014

A BTB reader in Brazil passes along this fascinating tidbit: the Justice and Peace Commission of the São Paulo Archdiocese has issued a surprisingly supportive statement in advance of the city’s Pride celebration that’s taking place this week. The statement, which was released on April 30 and citing the Second Vatican Council, states, in part:

…[W]e can not remain silent in the face of the reality that is lived by this population: they are the target of prejudice and victims of the systematic violation of their Fundamental Rights, such as those to health, education, work, housing and culture, among others. Besides all this, they face every day an unbearable level of physical and verbal violence, building up to murders which are true crimes of hatred.

Given this, we invite all people of good will, and in particular, all Christians, to reflect on this profoundly unjust reality as lived by LGBT people, and, guided by the supreme principle of Human Dignity, to dedicate themselves actively to overcoming it.

The Justice and Peace Commission’s director told Estadão (via Google Translate, with some cleanups):

The director of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese, Geraldo Magela Tardelli, said this is the first time that the commission wrote “formally” in favor of homosexuals. “The committee has a mission, according to Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Ars: ‘we have to give voice to those who have no voice.’ Right now, what we are finding is that there is an increase of violence against homosexuals, so we can not overlook. regarding this violation of human rights,” said the director.

According to him, the realization of the Gay Parade ordered the disclosure of the note.”We think this was the right time to put this note in circulation. We, the Church, are engaged in defending human rights and are not siding with its violation, regardless of color and sexual orientation of people,” said Tardelli.

The full statement is here:

Note from the Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of São Paulo

Faithful to its mission of announcing and defending the Gospel and civilizing values of Human Rights, the Justice and Peace Commission of São Paulo (CJPSP) wishes to make a public statement on the occasion of the 18th LGBT Pride Parade which is to take place on the Avenida Paulista next Sunday, 4th May 2014.

We base ourselves on the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, approved at the 2nd Vatican Council which says “The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts.”

Therefore the defense of the dignity, the citizenship and the safety of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite and Transgender) people is indispensable in the building of a fraternal and just society. For this reason we can not remain silent in the face of the reality that is lived by this population: they are the target of prejudice and victims of the systematic violation of their Fundamental Rights, such as those to health, education, work, housing and culture, among others. Besides all this, they face every day an unbearable level of physical and verbal violence, building up to murders which are true crimes of hatred.

Given this, we invite all people of good will, and in particular, all Christians, to reflect on this profoundly unjust reality as lived by LGBT people, and, guided by the supreme principle of Human Dignity, to dedicate themselves actively to overcoming it.

São Paulo, 30th April 2014
Human Rights Commission of São Paulo

[Special thanks to BTB reader James]

Soren456

May 9th, 2014

Mixed feelings about it. Why isn’t Tardelli speaking to his cardinal and the priesthood?

Does the archdiocese acknowledge that Catholic/Christian teaching itself—and the truly ugly words it continues to speak—literally grant permission to those who would be violent against us?

When popes and evangelists and local pastors dismiss us and demonize us, when they argue against and attempt to confound even the basic legal protections we seek to have, they grant tacit (but real) permission for the behaviors of those who will move beyond speech.

When leaders—religious, political, social, and otherwise—create “enemies” in society, their followers hear the words, and some take them as cues for action.

I’d rather see this fact acknowledged than see another “we must love them all” disposable note.

Ben in Oakland

May 9th, 2014

Who are these people, and what did they do with the Catholic Church?

Actually, the Catholic Church in Brazil is very different than the Catholic Church elsewhere. It is not at all unusual to see a church of the Virgin Mary, right next to a small chapel celebrating the candomble goddess Iemanja, who is a sea goddess,always dressed in blue, not Unlike a certain virgin we know well.

Roger

May 9th, 2014

Soren456, actually Dom Geraldo Majella IS speaking to the bishops, cardinals and priests as well as to the lay people since he is a cardinal himself, and achbishop-emeritus from the oldest capitals in Brazil, Salvador da Bahia.

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