Church in Brazil

[Augustine]

Not exactly just in, but I’ve come back from vacation in my home country, Brazil. It’s been a long, long time since I left it and this was the first time back. Then, parishes were heavily contaminated by the cancer of Liberation Theology, but I was glad to see that all parishes which I attended Mass at, including the parish where I and my son were baptized (spared all along of that cancer), had excellent pastors.

In one of them I was marvelled at the priest calling the faithful to witness the Catholic Faith, the Faith in Jesus, even in illness. He admonished the faithful to avoid the temptation to seek healers (mostly African cults and Spiritism) and to rely on Jesus, to look after the real meaning of suffering. It was a wonderful homily, one that should be said more often in the US too.

I’ve heard many times that the Church in LA is full of syncretism and yada, yada, yada, but I’m happy to report that I couldn’t find any. Of course it may exist here and there, maybe even more than in the US, but there’s no doubt that Our Lord is sticking to the promise he gave to St. Peter.

 

[Franze]

It´s beautiful to read this, and one question, how many protestant churches have you seen?

 

[Augustine]

Franze:

It´s beautiful to read this, and one question, how many protestant churches have you seen?

First off, Protestantism in Brazil is mostly Pentecostalism and Evangelicalism. Therefore, it’s hard to see a church building that’s not a Catholic church. Brazilian Protestants typically use a warehouse for their services. And there as here, such churches come and go, either moving to larger buildings or going out of existence.

Having said that, I did see a new JW temple and a new “basilica” of the Universal Church. The latter is probably the largest growing one, known for its “gospel of prosperity”, very fitting in an empovireshed country as Brazil. But overall I didn’t the impression that there were more Protestant churches than I used to see, but not fewer either.

Brazil’s cancer is not other forms of Christianism, but Spiritism (AKA Kardecism). Perhaps most Catholics believe in reincarnation, that Jesus was just another “avatar”, etc.

 

[Franze]

Augustine:

First off, Protestantism in Brazil is mostly Pentecostalism and Evangelicalism. Therefore, it’s hard to see a church building that’s not a Catholic church. Brazilian Protestants typically use a warehouse for their services. And there as here, such churches come and go, either moving to larger buildings or going out of existence.

Having said that, I did see a new JW temple and a new “basilica” of the Universal Church. The latter is probably the largest growing one, known for its “gospel of prosperity”, very fitting in an empovireshed country as Brazil. But overall I didn’t the impression that there were more Protestant churches than I used to see, but not fewer either.

Brazil’s cancer is not other forms of Christianism, but Spiritism (AKA Kardecism). Perhaps most Catholics believe in reincarnation, that Jesus was just another “avatar”, etc.

thank for the information, I would like to see a solution against spriritism, but it isn´t easy

 

[Augustine]

Franze:

thank for the information, I would like to see a solution against spriritism, but it isn´t easy

I find very little apologetics material about Spiritism specifically and not much on New Age in general.

Although not the same thing, they’re spitting cousins. Yet equally insidious in their typically materialistic or gnostic beliefs.

 

[Ani_Ibi]

Is Spiritism the same as Animism? I know that Francis Cardinal Arinze of Nigeria used to be an Animist before he converted to Catholicism.

 

[Augustine]

Ani Ibi:

Is Spiritism the same as Animism? I know that Francis Cardinal Arinze of Nigeria used to be an Animist before he converted to Catholicism.

Oh, no! Spiritism was founded by Allan Kardec after some faudulent “aparitions” by a couple of sisters. It’s not a religion by any means, just the usual diabolic influence under the guise of Humanism. For more information, read newadvent.org/cathen/14221a.htm.

 

[Ani_Ibi]

Augustine:

For more information, read newadvent.org/cathen/14221a.htm.

Thank you.

 

[trth_skr]

Augustine:

Not exactly just in, but I’ve come back from vacation in my home country, Brazil. It’s been a long, long time since I left it and this was the first time back. Then, parishes were heavily contaminated by the cancer of Liberation Theology, but I was glad to see that all parishes which I attended Mass at, including the parish where I and my son were baptized (spared all along of that cancer), had excellent pastors.

In one of them I was marvelled at the priest calling the faithful to witness the Catholic Faith, the Faith in Jesus, even in illness. He admonished the faithful to avoid the temptation to seek healers (mostly African cults and Spiritism) and to rely on Jesus, to look after the real meaning of suffering. It was a wonderful homily, one that should be said more often in the US too.

I’ve heard many times that the Church in LA is full of syncretism and yada, yada, yada, but I’m happy to report that I couldn’t find any. Of course it may exist here and there, maybe even more than in the US, but there’s no doubt that Our Lord is sticking to the promise he gave to St. Peter.

The Church in the West has plenty of syncretism in it also. It is a different form- modernism. It is probably as bad or worse than any local syncretism in LA.

In Guatemala (I was just there) the Churches in the city seem pretty orthodox (though it also suffers from modernism). In some of the smaller villages, I understand there is some local syncretism.

Both my daughters were baptized in Guatemala, and I ended up taking my first communion there (My wife is from Guatemala).

Mark
www.veritas-catholic.blogspot.com