Abstract
This work analyzed the creation of the lay association Apostolado da Oração Sagrado Coração de Jesus, used strategically by the Catholic Church, between the years 1930 and 1950, in the city of Porteirinha (Minas Gerais), to expand its influence in school and extra-school spaces. Using bibliographical and documentary research as a method, the text discusses how the Catholic legacy penetrated the cultural pores of the city through religious associations and how the investment in the machinic composition of State power took place. Finally, when analyzing the sources, it was possible to conclude that, in this panorama, the Church was in dialogue with political groups that aimed for the same social order. The Apostolado da Oração, in particular, was responsible for crowning the ritualization of obedience, of disciplined Christian family life, of the social and political order, of the moralization of the customs and sacraments of the Catholic Church.
Keywords:
Catholic Church; Apostolate of Prayer; education; Porteirinha/MG