Eight years of ideological persecution have brought to light the bad intentions and the abuse of power of certain ecclesiastics, and have revealed the inadequate canonical and moral conduct of many of these characters.
Newsroom (24/11/2025 09:59, Gaudium Press) — The book about “The Commissariat of the Heralds of the Gospel”, published a few weeks ago, has caused a stir in international Catholic circles. Available in Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian, the book is on its way to becoming a “best-seller.” (On this topic, see the article: Cardinal Damasceno asks to resign from the commissariat of the Heralds of the Gospel — What’s next?)
And it could not be otherwise, since public opinion is eager to know the truth behind the defamatory wave forged against the Institution in recent years.
These painful eight years in which the Heralds of the Gospel maintained silence and cordiality — in addition to all good human conduct — ended up accumulating so much in the dam that contained them that it could no longer withstand such a quantity of irregularities; the facts themselves burst it open!
Indeed, the “mercy” with which the Institution has been treated causes perplexity:
Diaconal and priestly ordinations were prohibited suo iure by Cardinal Braz de Aviz. It is worth noting that, according to Canon Law, no Pontifical Commissioner (nor any Dicastery) has the authority to prevent suitable transitional deacons from ascending to the priesthood if no canonical impediment exists.[1]
Impossibility of dialogue with the superiors of the Dicastery who censure them, which reveals a blatant restriction of the right of defense[2];
Abuse of authority[3] not only on the part of His Eminence Cardinal João Braz de Aviz — according to the abundant documentation gathered in the book — but also of the current Prefect of the Dicastery, Reverend Sister Simona Brambilla, highly willing to listen to those who oppose the Association, but little willing to listen to the other side, not even to the one who was sent to represent the Dicastery, that is, the Commissioner himself, Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno.
Sister Brambilla, the first woman to head a Dicastery, ended up frustrating the — as she herself called it — “synodal conversion,” whose purpose is, in her own words, “to listen, (…) with the awareness that the other person has much to reveal to me and that the Spirit can speak through anyone”;[4] even more so when that person has proof of what he says.
In fact, the Heralds of the Gospel received favorable rulings in more than 30 civil cases — opened in part at the instigation of the dicastery’s own emissaries — thus demonstrating contempt both for Brazilian (and Latin American) justice and for the renowned jurists who issued such clear opinions about the Institution, as well as for the illustrious jurist Ives Gandra.
In summary, this entire “affair” has been handled with great synodal “mercy,” in which its authors exercise an unconfessed sovereignty of verdict, granting themselves the roles of complainants, justice aides, experts, and, of course, also judges. In such cases, even cardinals — such as Cardinal Damasceno — end up condemned to resignation, since the sentences seem to be issued before any judicial procedure…
However, eight years of ideological persecution have not only shed light on the bad faith and abuse of power of certain ecclesiastics, but have also revealed the inappropriate (canonical and moral) conduct of many of these intervening actors; in addition to evidencing the eagerness to seize the goods of these same Associations and Institutes, even to the point of wanting to dissolve them in order to obtain their patrimony.[5]
This situation, which reveals a scenario more serious than one might suppose within the Church itself, demands transparency and justice.
Each passing day reveals new abuses by those who, in this case, distort the truth, to the point of inducing Pope Leo XIV himself into error with unfounded and mendacious information.[6]
Faced with this confusing situation, what will Leo XIV do?
For now, it seems appropriate that day by day the life of each one (and each one) of those who set themselves to defame, slander, and harm the Heralds of the Gospel be revealed, so that, at the right moment, the “mercy” that propelled this entire process becomes evident to all.
When a book becomes a “best-seller,” the first ones to desire new volumes are the readers themselves.
By Bonifácio Silvestre
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
[1] Cf. Code of Canon Law, Loyola edition, 2024, c. 1030 (current Vatican text: CIC 1983, c. 1030: “A diocesan bishop or competent major superior may not admit to ordination anyone whom he judges unfit…” — but cannot impose arbitrary bans without canonical cause).
[2] Cf. Code of Canon Law 2024, cc. 221 and 1627. (CIC 1983, c. 221: right to defense).
[3] Cf. Code of Canon Law 2024, c. 1378 §1 (CIC 1983, penal norms on abuse of ecclesiastical power).
[4] “Synodal conversion begins with listening.” Interview with Simona Brambilla.
[5] See pp. 245–249 of the book The Commissariat of the Heralds of the Gospel.
[6] See Press release
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