Interview with Dom Tomás Balduíno: from the causes of Dom Tomás Balduíno and Dom Pedro Casaldáliga

Abstract

Dom Tomás Balduíno and Dom Pedro Casaldáliga were two Catholic bishops who came together for their choices and lines of action, among which the defense of human rights and the opening of the Roman Catholic Church to those who were on the social margins, such as women, natives, blacks, homeless people, squatters and peasants. Not very distant geographically, the first, in the Diocese of Goiás, and the second, in the Prelature of São Félix do Araguaia, they tried to implement liturgical models that included symbologies coming from the mentioned groups. In addition, they dialogued using statements in the media, pastoral letters and poems. Other common points link them: adherence to Liberation Theology; the understanding that communism has its good points and that it is useful for an awareness of reality, and support for squatter groups in particular. They were part of what was considered “the progressive wing” of the Roman Catholic Church and dialogued with other components of this group, such as the Italian Giovanni Franzoni, the Salvadoran Oscar Romero and the Brazilian Evaristo Arns. All of them priests, activists of humanitarian causes and leaders of the system of thought known as Liberation Theology.