About an Argentine Dom Helder – Folha de S. Paulo, January 17, 1971

by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

Today, I present to the public a letter from Cosme Beccar Varela Filho, a young lawyer and writer, and president of the National Council of the Argentine Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property. A few words about the Argentine TFP’s brilliant leader will help the reader better understand the scope of the letter.

Cosme Beccar Varela Junior—known as Cosmin among his wide circle of friends and admirers—practices law at Estudio Beccar Varela, one of the largest law firms in Buenos Aires founded by his grandfather.

From a young age, Cosmin began his public life in Buenos Aires’ nationalist circles, founding the strongly Catholic and traditionalist magazine Cruzada with a group of brave friends. Argentine nationalism did not satisfy this group of young people, who in 1967 broke away and formed the Argentine TFP. They renamed Cruzada to Tradición, Familia, Propiedad (Tradition, Family, Property). Consequently, the TFP in our sister country grew not only in Buenos Aires but also in several other cities.

Throughout this struggle, which included memorable national campaigns, Cosmin proved to be a steadfast journalist and an impressive lecturer. In his recent book El Nacionalismo, una incógnita en constante evolución [Nationalism, a Riddle in Constant Evolution] (Ediciones Tradición, Familia, Propiedad, Buenos Aires, 1970, written in collaboration with a courageous team of researchers and scholars), Cosme Beccar Varela Junior proved to be a clear and engaging writer, a strong thinker, a person with solid logic, and a fighter worthy of the best traditions of resilience found in the Castilian blood that runs through his veins.

*    *    *

I have now received this valuable letter with important information from Cosme Beccar Varela Junior.

“While spending my vacation in this hardworking city of São Paulo, which I love dearly, I was surprised to read a note published in the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo on the 8th of this month, under the headline “The Argentine Church Is Divided.” This article mentions some opinions of the bishop of La Rioja, Argentina, Most Rev. Enrique Angelelli, on the Argentine Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, whose National Council I have the honor of presiding over. It pains me to see how the intelligent São Paulo public is being misinformed on this matter, and so I have decided to write to you, asking that you publish this letter if you find it appropriate and advisable.

“As a Catholic, I am obliged—though with great sadness—to acknowledge that the Argentine Church is truly divided. It is well known that within my country’s Catholic circles, there is a movement called “progressive.” This “prophetic,” egalitarian, and pro-communist movement aims to establish a “New Church” on the ruins of the institutions, laws, doctrines, and customs of the authentic Church—the Church of all time—which they derisively call “Constantinian,” through deception, violence, and even totalitarian measures, especially when its members manage to reach hierarchical positions.

“The Church is universal, and all the problems that affect it, no matter where they are in the world, are connected to the concerns of Catholics. In this context, I dare say that the Brazilian public has a notable example of this so-called “progressive” movement in the well-known figure of Dom Helder Câmara.

“Unfortunately, in Argentina, Most Rev. Enrique Angelelli, bishop of La Rioja, is one of our own Helder Câmara garden variety.

“La Rioja is one of the most traditional provinces in northern Argentina, which is also the country’s most traditional region. There, St. Francis Solano, a missionary saint from the colonial era, preached to the Indians and softened the barbarism of his catechumens by playing his violin melodiously.

“Every year, a traditional procession is held in La Rioja to honor the city’s patron saint, St. Nicholas, bishop of Bari. During the celebration, the saint’s statue, carried reverently by the people, meets in the streets with another procession that carries a statue of the Child Jesus, dressed as a mayor —a title traditionally recognized by the pious people of La Rioja. When this encounter takes place, the bearers of St. Nicholas’ statue bow it in a sign of submission to the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth. These facts—and others worth mentioning—give you an idea of La Rioja’s traditionally religious atmosphere.

“Yet, this is the province where Most Rev. Angelelli’s diocese is located! One can imagine the dissatisfaction that this prelate’s actions are causing among the people.

“A caravan from the Argentine Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, consisting of members and volunteers from three provinces and Buenos Aires, was in La Rioja distributing a newly published book by the TFP Study Commission titled El nacionalismo, una incognita en constante evolución (Nationalism, a Riddle in Constant Evolution). This book criticizes the Argentine cultural and political movement called “nationalism,” which is simply a distorted form of fascism. It is ready to serve as a tool for the socialist wave that threatens to engulf my country, as well as the entire Latin American region. Along with this book, copies of the June-July 1969 issue of our Tradición, Familia, Propiedad newspaper were sold, featuring articles from the London magazine Approaches and the Madrid-based Ecclesia on IDOC and the “prophetic groups,” respectively.

“The enthusiasm of the people of La Rioja for this campaign has been remarkable. Suffice it to say that TFP volunteers received lunch, dinner, and even lodging in the homes of families in the province’s 23 cities and towns, including La Rioja’s capital, which they visited during their 45-day stay. TFP members and volunteers celebrated Christmas with a lavish dinner, all of which was spontaneously provided by La Rioja families who brought gifts to the house where our volunteers were staying.

“The writer of this letter was thrilled to take part in the campaign by giving a lecture in La Rioja. The event was attended by an audience that spilled over the grand hall of the Provincial Museum, which has a capacity of 300 people, with many others listening from outside because they couldn’t find a seat. According to those in charge of the hall, where nearly all lectures in that city are held, such a large crowd had never been seen there before.

“Among those present were three leftist agitators and about 15 of their associates. They tried to incite a scandal, but the audience silenced them. They left, cheering Bishop Angelelli and Perón, and shouting ‘death to the oligarchy.’

“It should be noted that the lecture was simply a doctrinal explanation of the article in Ecclesia about Third World priests—a group that has officially supported ‘Latin American socialism’ and barely attempts to hide its tendency toward violent action—and about Argentine nationalism. The explanation made it clear how all these activities pose a serious threat to Argentina, especially at a time when its 4,000 km border with Chile has become susceptible to communist infiltration, and when Bolivia offers no assurances of having an anticommunist policy, quite the opposite.

“Most Rev. Angelelli was not mentioned at any point. Nor were Third World priests accused of being communists. We have no reason to believe that they are not. However, we did not say about them what was reported in the news by O Estado de S. Paulo.

“Bishop Angelelli was the one who took the initiative to confront the TFP caravan on the very day it entered La Rioja. He issued a statement claiming that the TFP did not officially speak for the Church—an absurd and malicious insinuation, since the TFP had never claimed to do so. However, the insinuation was useful in discrediting the TFP by falsely suggesting that it is not faithful to Catholic doctrine.

“Despite this statement, the support for the TFP among people in La Rioja was nearly unanimous. The TFP issued a public, courteous, yet firm response to the bishop, and about 700 people from La Rioja signed our statement within ten days. Bishop Angelelli, with all his influence, had no support other than that of the local leftist newspaper, two nationalist figures, and an organization with no members, since only two people signed, and they reportedly were its only members, using the organization’s name.

“I felt it was necessary to bring all of this to your attention out of respect for the public in the state capital, who have been misinformed on the subject by the news report in O Estado de S. Paulo. And there is more. The news report inaccurately transcribes paragraphs allegedly from Bishop Angelelli’s speech within quotation marks.

“First, ‘O Estado’ says that the bishop publicly denounced the government ‘for tolerating the activities of the ultra-right-wing organization called Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property — TFP.’

“Attached is the full text of Bishop Angelelli’s speech, published in the Catamarca daily La Unión on the 3rd of this month. You will see that this sentence does not exist. What does exist is a confession by Bishop Angelelli that he requested the state to intervene against the TFP and threatened to ‘resort to the exercise of a painful pastoral duty in the application of canonical penalties’ (sic). Canonical penalties, wisely established by the Church, cannot be applied without cause, unless the authority exceeds its functions, which is the case we are dealing with. The bishop’s two attitudes reveal a despotic and violent disposition against the TFP. Naturally, the government ignored him.

 “Furthermore, O Estado states that the bishop lamented that those who opposed ‘the aggression and provocation of this Society, which uses the Christian name to conceal its shady objectives’ were persecuted as criminals.

“This phrase does not appear in the speech text either. What does appear is a defense of those who ‘reacted’ against the TFP. It should be explained that this ‘reaction’ involved placing—one night—a bomb under the TFP’s van, which did not explode, and shortly afterward, a second incendiary bomb that did explode, seriously damaging the vehicle used by the caravan. Bishop Angelelli adds that if we continue to persecute the ‘reactionaries,’ … we will regret the fact that, tired of not being heard, people resort to violence!’ (sic).

“Curiously, the bishop ends his speech with this ‘motto’: ‘Every man is my brother.’ Perhaps he should also add: ‘except those with the TFP and their sympathizers.’

“In any case, progressives and nationalist fascists have realized that Bishop Angelelli is a useful tool, as his direct and indirect attacks on the TFP (through his clergy and close associates) have somewhat shifted the focus of its campaign and forced it to defend itself. Furthermore, his smear campaigns against the TFP only serve to benefit the communist camp. Despite everything, I say this for the comfort and joy of upright people: the TFP continues to grow in Argentina.

“I bid you farewell with affection and esteem, asking you to convey my regards to the heroic and beloved Brazilian TFP, whose National Council you so worthily preside over.”