SAO PAULO (AP) — A renowned Brazilian Catholic priest confirmed Tuesday that he was ordered by Sao Paulo’s archbishop to stop broadcasting his services and avoid social media postings all-together, following attacks from right-wing figures who denounce his actions as leftist.
With 2.3 million followers on Instagram, Júlio Lancellotti, 76, is famous all over Brazil for his extensive advocacy and outreach work with homeless people in Sao Paulo. On Tuesday, he told journalists he received the news from Cardinal Odilo Scherer, Sao Paulo’s archbishop, “in a spirit of obedience and resilience.”
Sao Paulo's archdiocese said in a statement that “issues discussed by the archbishop and a priest are of internal concern of the church and are carried forward directly between them.”
Lancellotti's services were regularly broadcast Sunday mornings, and in one of his latest he warned churchgoers that his online following would not be able to watch if they did not attend in person.
Later on Tuesday, more than 40 Brazilian organizations that work for homeless people sent a letter to Cardinal Scherer asking him to reconsider his decision to suspend Lancelotti's broadcasts and social media activity.
The letter seen by The Associated Press does not question the Church’s autonomy and focuses on the social impact of the cardinal's decision. The signatory organizations will send representatives to next Sunday's service to offer Father Lancellotti their public support.
Lancellotti has accumulated political adversaries in Brazil since the COVID-19 pandemic, though he has performed similar work in Sao Paulo's Mooca district for almost 40 years.
Sao Paulo's Deputy Mayor Col. Ricardo Mello Araujo has accused Lancellotti of empowering drug users scattered downtown, a claim the priest denies. City councilors allied with former President Jair Bolsonaro have tried to open investigations against the clergyman's work.
Lancellotti denies any wrongdoing. The Catholic priest, an outspoken supporter of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has for many years defended his work as a “pastoral action” of the archdiocese, arguing that he does not belong to any nonprofit organization.
____
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Pocket-Accommodating Jeep Wrangler Buying Guide for Seniors - 2Individual Preparation Administrations to Raise Your Wellness Process
- 3An Excursion Through Renowned Western Network programs
- 4Trump announces 'Patriot Games' with 2 competitors from every state and territory: What we know
- 5Manual for Tracking down Spending plan Agreeable Travel Objections
- Figure out how to Amplify Your Open Record Reward
- What is the 'Survivor 50' Challenge? Hidden immunity idols will be up for grabs in every U.S. state.
- Exposure to neighborhood violence leads some Denver teens to use tobacco and alcohol earlier, new study shows
- Modern surgery began with saws and iron hands – how amputation transformed the body in the Renaissance
- 6 Tire Brands Reasonable for Seniors
- James Webb Space Telescope's mysterious 'little red dots' may be black holes in disguise
- Nordic people know how to beat the winter blues. Here's how to find light in the darkest months
- Insight: Pills, TikTok, weight-loss apps and the consumer-driven future of GLP-1s
- Unraveling the Specialty of Picking Your Ideal Travel Objective
