Powered by ATC Online LLP Your web browser is not fully supported by Sharjah24 and sharjah24.ae You can get the new Chrome at Download Chrome Author’s Note: As Canada struggles to follow the challenges of living up to the United Nations’ Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we recall with pride how the Church of Canada through the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, as well as many of its own missionaries struggled to support action in situations similar to those in Canada The Sem Terra (“Without Land”) movement in Brazil was one such effort where our own missionaries were active participants and supported by people of faith across our country Development and Peace – Caritas Canada program in Brazil – LINK It was about 3 o’clock at the rectory in Uniao dos Palmares home of the Saskatoon Mission since the 1960s in the Brazilian state of Alagoas The call was from a member of a group of about 80 landless people whom we at the parish had helped to move at the stroke of midnight a few days earlier from the larger encampment near the highway that runs to the capital city of Maceio to a vacant piece of land closer to our town They had put up their black plastic huts and started to settle down when they got word that the owner and his henchmen were coming to evict them “The ‘pistoleiros’ are coming!” was the desperate call from these folks as they begged the padre to come out to their encampment (“encampamento”) which the land owners referred to as an ‘invasao’ (“invasion”) These desperate folks were simply exercising the freedom given them by Brazilian law to grow food on unused land The word among these landless was whispered that the former mayor of Maceio who “owned” it was a shady operator this land was just being held for speculation and producing nothing And the people who called us were sure the owner would not cold-bloodedly kill a priest even if the priest took their side in defending their right to use the land hoping our presence could prevent violence against these poor people In the course of our conversation as we drove out there “Are you afraid?”  “Of course “This would be a perfect way to die!” I had written a brief “last word” in my diary before leaving but I confess that I wasn’t quite ready to give my life and felt like a scared chicken beside these brave women everything appeared calm; no one had yet come to challenge the group a group became visible in several vehicles Our little gathering moved closer together and upwards on the hill as these newcomers assembled at the bottom about 50 meters from us but pretty soon the cameras were busy recording our presence and pretty soon they drove off and we returned home When I see this incident in the context of the Sem Terra movement one of the most powerful experiences was visiting the larger group along the highway a few days earlier in the place from where this new group came After meeting a mom holding a very emaciated child Les Paquin and me during our visit to encourage these people told us: “That child will be dead within a few days.” I had no doubt she was right That experience gave us the push to return and support the midnight move of part of that larger group to this new piece of land I believe the outrage of children dying of starvation in this rich and prosperous land motivated many of us comfortable people in Brazil to get involved and add pressure to the Sem Terra effort During the years when Sem Terra was a prominent force in making land available for the most excluded ones in Brazil, the Prairie Messenger, which unfortunately has discontinued publication (previous papers are on-line) 2007 edition some wonderful reflections of high school students who had traveled to Brazil I have chosen the following from these very thoughtful letters: A truly touching response also came from Louise Bitz one of the two teachers responsible for this student journey to Brazil Following her reflection upon the seasonal slave work of 12-hour days for a pittance by the sugar cane harvesters and the group’s meeting with the sugar mill manager at a feast put on for the Canadian visitors Louise wrote: “Of all the people I have met in Brazil and I like him the least.” The realization was inescapable “Conversion is what happens when you have tea with your shadow,” Father Les replied with a grin It’s a beautiful confession of the need for conversion not only of individuals but of countries like our own who are mentioned in that Prairie Messenger edition are among the many missionaries whose experience desperately needs to touch and change us making us missionaries to our own rich country in this same copy of the Prairie Messenger challenged us to act on the needs of the poor that “the wealthier nations be more involved in solidarity social justice and universal charity.” And in his own words adding: “The need for Development and Peace is greater than ever.” Related: Ready, Set – CREATE HOPE – Link to Reflection Related: Celebrating 55 years of Solidarity – Walkathon 1968 for CCODP – Link to Reflection Related: Celebrating 55 years of Solidarity through Development and Peace – Link to Reflection about Share the Journey 2019 “Development and Peace has a long history in Brazil and its programming has developed over the years through its initial interactions with the pastoral commissions of the Brazilian Church which were set up to address specific socioeconomic issues in the country The Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) of the Church remains an important partner of Development and Peace in strengthening peasant rights the Canadian bishops launched the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace as a creative new way to assist the poor and oppressed peoples of the world in  their struggle for justice…To realize this vision the new organization devoted many of its resources to building an integrated social movement that educated Canadians about global injustice and mobilized them for action…The origins of Development and Peace were at the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) Working closely with their colleagues from Latin America the Canadian bishops became increasingly aware of the massive poverty and systemic injustices that confronted the developing world…”  –  Page 13 of the book Jubilee © 2022-2023 Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon does not necessarily endorse the content of any external sites linked from or listed on this website.