By Lise Alves
SAO PAULO (CNS) — Cardinal
Paulo Evaristo Arns, known as the “cardinal of the people” and one of
the most active voices against Brazil’s military dictatorship, died in Sao
Paulo Dec. 14. The 95-year-old retired archbishop of Sao Paulo had
been hospitalized since Nov. 28 with pneumonia.
At a celebration for his 95th
birthday, leaders of Brazil’s landless movement as well as former government
leaders, sportscasters, intellectuals, journalists and artists held a party at
Sao Paulo’s Catholic University and spoke about Cardinal Arns’ dedication
toward the poor and his fight against human rights violations and political
persecution during the 1964-85 military regime.
“All of us who have done
something that could be registered in the board of democratic resistance owe
this to Dom Paulo, to his courage and prophet-like fearlessness, and his
teachings rooted in the Franciscan values of the apostles,” former Justice
Minister Jose Gregori said during the event. “You were the leader of the
redemocratization of human rights in the country.”
Announcing Cardinal Arns’ death,
Sao Paulo Cardinal Odilo Scherer said his predecessor “gave his life to
God after having generously dedicated it to his brothers in this world.”
“Let us praise God for the
testimony of Cardinal Arns’ Franciscan life and for his courageous commitment
to the defense of human dignity and the inalienable rights of each person,”
Cardinal Scherer said. “Let us thank God for his example as a zealous
pastor of the people of God and for his special attention to the children, the
poor and the afflicted. Cardinal Arns, now, rejoice in heaven and obtain the
fruit of your hope with God.”
The cardinal said the funeral
would be in the city’s cathedral, but he did not announce the dates.
Brazil’s military dictatorship ruled
the country from 1964 to 1985. In one of his most famous actions against police
violence in the 1970s, Cardinal Arns faced a military squadron to retrieve the
body of Santo Dias da Silva, labor leader and member of the church’s workers’ pastoral.
“When we arrived, the
Medical Institute (IML) was surrounded by police officers,” recalled
lawyer Luiz Eduardo Greenhalgh earlier this year. “Cardinal Arns came out
of the automobile and waved his hand with the (bishop’s) ring, to the side. The
cops backed away (from the entrance) and we passed. We went in and Cardinal
Arns looked at the bullet holes on Santo’s body. He pointed his finger at the
policemen and said ‘Look what you did’. And all of the officers lowered their
heads in shame.”
Among his more than 40 awards,
diplomas, titles and honors, Cardinal Arns was named as one of Brazil’s most
influential leaders several times. New York’s The Christophers named him “One
of 50 personalities who helped make this world better,” and he was
recognized by the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, for his work in defense of human
rights and refugees. The cardinal also was the recipient of Japan’s Niwano
Peace Prize and the Letelier-Moffitt International Human Rights Award.
Between 1979 and 1985, he
coordinated, clandestinely, the project Brasil: Nunca Mais (Brazil: Never Again),
where episodes of torture under the military dictatorship are documented. In
1983, he was part of a group that started the Voting Rights Now movement, which
eventually led to Brazil’s return to democratic rule.
Cardinal Arns was born Sept. 14,
1921, in Criciuma, Brazil. In 1945, he was ordained a priest and served in
Petropolis. He was ordained a bishop in 1966 was named archbishop of Sao Paulo
in 1970, during the most violent years of Brazil’s military crackdown. Three
years later, in 1973, he was elevated to cardinal by Pope Paul VI. He served in
Sao Paulo until 1998, when he retired.
His death leaves the College of
Cardinals with 227 members; it did not affect the number of electors, who can only vote until age 80.
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