Abstract
This article will discuss the repercussions of the manifesto written by the Belgian Priest Joseph Comblin, aimed to prepare the clergy of Pernambuco for the II General Conference of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), held in Medellín, Colombia, in 1968. The content of this document was considered subversive for defending a more active role for the Catholic Church in political restructuring for the implementation of an equitable socioeconomic development process for Latin American countries. We compare the thought of this priest in relation to development with that of his immediate superior, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Olinda and Recife, Dom Helder Câmara. The support from certain sectors of the clergy, including Dom Câmara, created some tensions between the clergy, lay Catholics, politicians, and the military. We are dealing with a time when Brazil was under a Militry Civil Dictatorship. For this purpose, historical sources will be used: periodicals, personal correspondence, interviews, and documents produced by surveillance agencies of the Brazilian government.
Keywords:
Joseph Comblin; Dom Helder Câmara; Catholic church; development; Military Civil Dictatorship