Bishop Castro Pinto in Comic Strips – Folha de S. Paulo, November 27, 1968

by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

Most readers are unfamiliar with one of Most Rev. Jaime de Barros Camara’s current auxiliary bishops, José de Castro Pinto. Since I will discuss him in this article for self-defense, I must share what I know about His Excellency as an introduction. It is not much, but readers will see that it says a lot.

Alongside Fr. Adamo, the prelate was involved in several incidents during the university crisis. Another, quite different fact that is directly relevant to this article is that, just over a year ago, His Excellency published an article on Protestantism and ecumenism, which caused some surprise (cf. Jornal do Brasil, 10/30/1967). I highlight three excerpts from the work. In the first, Bishop Castro Pinto admits that “many spiritual values” of Christianity “may have developed better” in the sect founded by the apostate friar Martin Luther than in the blessed community of the Holy Catholic Church founded by Jesus Christ. We must acknowledge that this statement from a bishop is alarming. The prelate moves on to another equally astonishing affirmation: “It is precisely because we recognize this that we no longer speak of converting others to our Church.” Thus, the Church founded by the Apostles no longer carries out its mission. A little further on, His Excellency reiterates: “If in many things the Gospel message is well preserved in the Catholic Church, including the message as a whole, many things have been better defended and preserved outside it.” In other words, if someone wants to understand the doctrine of the Gospels in all its depth, fullness, and clarity, it is not enough to drink from the Church’s crystal-clear waters but to turn to Luther, Calvin, Melanchthon, Zwingli, and all heretics who have torn Christ’s tunic and persecuted his Mystical Body.

Let us agree that the phrases I quote depict the mentality of a prelate, essentially painting his portrait, so to speak, and a full-length one at that.

The third piece of information I have about Bishop Castro Pinto is that, when the “Comblin scandal” broke out, he went to the press to express his sympathy and appreciation for the anticlerical and subversive professor of the Theological Institute of Recife. This information aligns perfectly with the statements I just quoted.

Some newspapers have attributed to this prelate, who takes the spirit of reconciliation to such extreme and unexpected levels, an interview in which he harshly criticizes the TFP. He allegedly said that the TFP speaks on behalf of the Church without having the authority to do so, and that when it does, it “always presents an orientation different and contrary [sic] to the position taken by the Church.” I then wrote a letter to Bishop Castro Pinto asking him to deny the likely apocryphal interview. And if he couldn’t deny it, I asked him to cite a single piece of evidence that the TFP presented itself as the Church’s spokesperson. I added that if the TFP always displays an orientation “different and contrary” to that of the Church, then our successful campaign with one million signatures against divorce would have been contrary to Church doctrine. I asked: Is the Church pro-divorce? And I concluded that the interview was probably inauthentic.

Several newspapers printed my perfectly correct and polite letter.

However, unlike Luther or Father Comblin, I did not earn the favor of the auxiliary bishop. His Excellency published a harsh and insulting interview against the TFP and me in a São Paulo evening paper. Therefore, I am forced to defend myself legitimately. Our era does not value lengthy, vague controversies but prefers the opposite: quick discussions, small but meaningful news items like pills, and comic strips. So, I decided to respond to Bishop Castro Pinto in the format of a comic strip.

Bishop Castro Pinto:

1. I quickly glanced through the letter from the TFP president and saw that it was nothing urgent or important. I haven’t had time to read it again and send a reply.

2. Dom Castro Pinto states that he does not remember ever making that statement (his attacks against the TFP).

3. The TFP “has no importance whatsoever.”

4. The TFP “has a lot of money; it is financed by people interested in creating a false image of the Church, an image of division.”

5. At CNBB’s recent meeting, Bishop Castro Pinto was among three bishops who formed the commission to review TFP’s “case.”

6. Bishop Castro Pinto stated that the decision to ignore the TFP was made during that meeting.

Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira:

1. So, is the TFP’s or anyone else’s good reputation unimportant to a pastor of souls?

2. It is disturbing that someone with a bishop’s responsibilities cannot remember what he said or did not say. Furthermore, either Bishop Castro Pinto agrees with what has been attributed to him, or he does not. If he agrees, why doesn’t he confirm it? If he disagrees, why doesn’t he deny it?

3. I’m unsure what kind of person it takes to earn Bishop Castro Pinto’s respect. For a bishop, every individual should be highly valued because the Precious Blood of Christ has redeemed them. O Jesus, who said You were “meek and humble of heart,” where are You?

4. Let him prove it. Who are these wealthy bandits? What are their names? By what right does Bishop Castro Pinto call me a mercenary when my thoughts and actions have always been consistent with who I am today, dating back to my earliest youth?

5. It’s unfortunate that a commission member holds such a biased view. Also, if the TFP is insignificant, why did the CNBB create a commission to examine it?

6. As is well known, the CNBB spread news through the press that strongly opposed the TFP, and then decided it was unimportant. Now, it is believed that the case is closed without hearing from the TFP. So, can those considered “unimportant” be insulted at will without being given a chance to respond?

Besides, is the TFP really so unimportant? Let Father Comblin say so… Let the supporters of divorce say so… Likewise, the promoters of socialist and confiscatory land reform.