From the Pages of the Press to Those of History – I, Folha de S. Paulo, August 17, 1968

by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

After a long series of brilliant victories, progressivism has suffered two setbacks from which it will hardly recover. They came in July.

The TFP petition against communist infiltration in the Church, launched on July 17, immediately reached impressive numbers that led us to believe it would reach one million signatures in 30 days, and the even more impressive sum toward which we are drawing close. It has abundantly proved that countless Brazilians do not accept the direction toward which progressivists seek to draw them.

The manifestation of this collective attitude produces an inevitable emptying of ideological substance in a movement that, due to the imperatives of its internal logic, sees its synchrony with modern man as a most precious title of its authenticity.

This ideological emptying corresponds to a loss of momentum in its proselytism. The progressive movement feeds on a vast periphery of optimistic and enthusiastic people who cannot resist the attraction of what large crowds acclaim as obvious, modern, and indisputable. For their part, progressivist recruiters clearly prefer to use slogans and arguments that only thrive in this atmosphere of triumphant modernity. Once the mirage of compact unanimity is dispelled, and controversy begins with demands for cold analysis and prolonged reflection, the attention of progressivism’s peripheral grassroots wanes, their enthusiasm fades, and they move on to other things. The somewhat “naive” and “spring-like” progressive slogans lose their contagious power when thrown into the grand storm of controversy. And the advocates of progressivism are deprived of a favorable environment. The movement’s momentum becomes slow, arduous, and stuck.

This does not mean the progressivist hardcore dies, as its unconditional supporters habitually acquire pleasant illusions painful to renounce, even when facing the most rational arguments. However, deprived of their peripheral supporters, ideological hardcore easily misunderstands the public, producing bitterness, discouragement, and sterile action.

These serial effects, which the TFP petition has triggered in progressive circles, were accentuated by another event, also in July. It was the ostensible realization that the progressive movement was not the small, dynamic, and prestigious tugboat pulling behind it the large and seemingly inadvertent mass of the episcopate and clergy.

This second setback for progressivism occurred at the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) meeting held in Rio between July 15 and 20, which led to press publications and television debates.

The panorama to which the vast majority of Brazilians were accustomed was that of a Church with its roots deeply embedded in the people’s soul, which progressivists were increasingly taking over. Thus, the latter seemed to be rapidly conquering Brazil. This optimistic impression about the progressive advance made the environment conducive to their typically bold and “candidly” youthful slogans.

Looking at things closely, it is clear that this vision was only partially justified. There was never a shortage of voices in the ranks of the episcopate, such as those of Bishop Geraldo de Proença Sigaud, Bishop Antônio de Castro Mayer, and Bishop José Maurício da Rocha, who fearlessly and prestigiously stood up against the progressive onslaught. However, due to a lack of publicity, their voices fell far short of achieving their deserved resonance. For most of the general public, it was as if they did not exist.

Progressives seemed able to do and undertake anything, and sometimes even speak on behalf of the entire Church without encountering any denial or contradiction that would reach the general public’s attention.

The first spark to ignite this glittering but deceptive image was the letter in which the archbishop of Diamantina and the bishop of Campos denounced to Cardinal Rossi Father Joseph Comblin’s subversive writings and multiple pronouncements made in Catholic circles here and there. This proved that the ideas of the Theological Institute of Recife professor were the systematic and archetypal expression of errors already widespread in our midst.

This document, published in the press on July 7, was followed by a beautiful letter in which 19 members of the Episcopate assured Marshal Costa e Silva of their intention to collaborate loyally with the public authorities and expressed their repudiation of the “multiple leftist pronouncements emanating from Catholic circles” that seemed to convey the impression of being “a generalized opinion among bishops, priests, and laypeople.”