Politics · Brazil · 10 hrs ago
Brazilian bishop criticizes bishops' letter seen as backing Lula
Bishop Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller criticized a letter signed by 61 Brazilian bishops that he said pointed voters toward rejecting Lula's opponent.
The letter does not name candidates, but Keller said its arguments about work, weapons, the environment and national sovereignty could lead readers to identify one.
The dispute comes during Brazil's presidential election runoff, in which President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is seeking re-election.
The bishops' national conference had issued a message calling Catholics to civic engagement and careful consideration of the candidates.
Keller said the later letter could seem to contradict that message by moving from general principles to a political conclusion.
He argued the Church should not decide for voters on political choices, while recognizing that bishops can speak about public issues.
The disagreement raises questions about how religious leaders should influence voters and use the Church's social teaching during an election.
Bishop Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller criticized a letter signed by 61 bishops that he said appeared to support President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s re-election.
In a pastoral note published on October 23, Keller said the letter risked steering voters toward rejecting a candidate rather than setting out principles.
He contrasted the bishops’ letter with a message from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil’s Permanent Council, published two days earlier.
The letter did not name candidates but discussed issues including labor laws, access to guns, the environment and national sovereignty.
Keller said bishops may address public issues but argued that the Church should not decide for voters on contingent political choices.
- Who
- Bishop Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller criticized a letter signed by 61 bishops.
- What
- He said the letter appeared to point voters toward rejecting a candidate and used Catholic social teaching selectively.
- When
- Keller published his pastoral note on October 23, 2026.
- Where
- Frederico Westphalen, in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
- Why
- He said the letter risked confusing Catholics and that the Church does not have authority to decide contingent political choices for voters.
Bishop Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller
Bishops who signed the letter
Use of Catholic social teaching
Bishop Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller
Keller said the doctrine must be treated as an organic whole and should not be cited selectively.
Bishops who signed the letter
The letter invoked Catholic social teaching on labor, guns, the environment and national sovereignty.
Effect on voters
Bishop Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller
Keller said the letter pointed readers toward rejecting a candidate and went beyond principles into political choices.
Bishops who signed the letter
The letter did not name candidates, though the article says it presented Senator Flávio Bolsonaro’s positions as contrary to Church teaching and supported Lula’s re-election.
The CNBB Permanent Council published a message calling Catholics to civic commitment and conscious participation in the election.
A letter by a group of bishops was published.
Keller published a pastoral note criticizing the bishops’ letter.
- Bishop
- Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller
- Letter signatories
- 61 bishops
- Pastoral note date
- October 23, 2026
- Council message date
- October 21, 2026
- Election context
- Second round of elections
1 source
What people are saying
The pulpit is not a campaign platform. The altar is not a committee.
Cited halfway, it ceases to be doctrine and becomes an instrument.
A document signed by bishops that, without naming anyone, allows the reader to identify a candidate with certainty and conclude that they should reject him no longer operates in the realm of principles.