(Brazil) We publish the statement of the Redemptorist Media Commission in Brazil in response to an article in the daily newspaper “O Estado de S. Paulo”, which described the video conference of the President of Brazil with representatives of the media associated with the Catholic Church, several businessmen and parliamentarians, as well as the allegation of benefits in exchange for their support. The Brazilian bishops also spoke on the matter.
Explanatory Letter
Recently we were surprised by a story published in a nationwide media outlet claiming the support of Catholic media outlets, radios and TVs, to the government of the President of the Republic, in exchange for the granting of advertising funds and ease in obtaining or renewing grants. The article talks about Catholic inspired TVs and radio stations that are part of the Network.
The article also surprisingly affirms the counterpoint of Catholic media to the action and thought of the Church in Brazil represented by the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops (CNBB).
To the general surprise, according to the article, a meeting was held with public videoconference, with the presence of parliamentarians and representatives of some of the Catholic-inspired stations, without the representation of Signis/Brazil, an organization that brings together all the Church’s communication platforms.
We see in this isolated attitude a lack of commitment to the Gospel and an attack on the prophecy and unity of the Church committed to the defense of life and the integral well being of people in this very difficult time experienced by Brazil. This explicit endorsement compromises the image of the Church and its evangelizing action based on the Gospel, and not on a partisan attitude.
As Redemptorists, we do not agree with the isolated attitude taken by some media and their leaders. We, the Media Commission of the Union of Redemptorists of Brazil (URB), publicly express our discomfort and disagreement with such an attitude that it does not represent us.
Redemptorist Media Commission – Union of Redemptorists of Brazil
Fr. Júlio Ferreira de Souza – Vice-Provincial de Fortaleza/CE
Fr. José Inácio Medeiros – Coordenador (São Paulo)
Br. Diego Joaquim Pereira de Sousa – Secretário (Goiás)
Fr. William dos Santos Betônio (Bahia)
Fr. Sergio Luiz e Silva (Rio de Janeiro)
Fr. Sergio Sviental Campos (Campo Grande)
Fr. Jadeilson Bezerra da Silva (Recife)
Fr. James Batista (Manaus)
Emanuel Ramos Costa (Fortaleza)
Fr. Genildo Souza D. Junior (Porto Alegre)
The original in Portuguese is available here.
