The Archbishop of Santa María (Brazil), Bishop Leomar Antônio Brustolin, made some decisions about Jubilee 2025 in his jurisdiction. “The most compelling thing,” according to the November 16 note, is that “‘dance gatherings’ will not be promoted on the festivities of the communities’ patron saints” and “alcoholic beverages” will not be sold at all Church events. Catholic.”
The prelate, whose archdiocese is located in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, indicates in the note that the bull of the Jubilee of Hope, Hope does not disappointsays that “in each jubilee celebration many initiatives that show signs of hope will be promoted and stimulated, including those already carried out,” and that is why the archdiocese made this decision to show “that a new way of celebrating and valuing life is possible and , in no way, includes practices that destroy the family and human dignity.”
Receive the main news from ACI Prensa by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channels today:
In this way, Bishop Brustolin encouraged: “each parish should prepare its pilgrims, organizing abundant penitential celebrations and greatly promoting the formation of discipleship, that is, groups of Christians who meet to listen and share the Word of God in their environments. and with his companions.”
The reason for the ban on alcoholic beverages and dancing
On October 20, in a Mass that he presided in the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish, in the town of Restinga Sêca, the Archbishop of Santa María highlighted that during “the jubilee year, in no chapel, in no church there will be dancing,” something that “it was the decision of the council and of course the bishop signed it.” Furthermore, he highlighted that “people are doing it wrong, am I going to let them do what they want? No!”.
The prelate referred to the specific case he was referring to: “There is a party, 50 people come to Mass, 150 to lunch and 300 to the dance. And my question is, does the church exist for dances? (…) With some unpleasant songs, I’m dying of shame, right?”
“They have a party there on Sunday afternoon, a fight ends at the police station and the police chief came to me and said: ‘but bishop, does the Catholic Church hold dances, does it sell beer?’ There, everyone was drunk, fighting, hitting each other,’” the archbishop lamented.
“’Aren’t you ashamed, bishop?’ I’m ashamed, but I can bear it. They are the children I have. Do you think that will make you more money than bringing families and children? We must value the family, not disorder, not shame, not violence,” the archbishop said then.
After the video of what happened went viral on social networks, the clergy of the Archdiocese of Santa María approved a note of support for Bishop Brustolin on November 6, in which he highlighted that “this decision belongs to the entire Archdiocese of Santa María” and that “Archbishop Don Leomar did not make an authoritarian decision.”
The priests of Santa María highlighted that “this measure aims to preserve the sacredness and true spirit of communion of religious celebrations, preventing social practices from compromising the spiritual focus and testimony of faith that these occasions represent.”
Jubilee 2025 will begin in the Archdiocese of Santa María on December 29 with a Mass in the local Cathedral and a pilgrimage. The archbishop highlighted that throughout this time there will be several visible signs for the faith of the Catholic faithful: “the Eucharistic celebration, the profession of faith and indulgences.”
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in ACI Digital.
Monasa Narjara
Monasa Narjara has been a journalist at ACI Digital since 2022 and was a journalist in the Archdiocese of Brasilia between 2014 and 2015.