A Vision for Liberation

How does the contemplative path help us work for justice? In March’s “We Conspire” series, we explore the teachings and legacy of Brazilian Archbishop Dom Hélder Câmara. In a world often marred by conflict and inequality, the life and teachings of Brazilian Archbishop Dom Hélder Câmara shine as a beacon of hope and justice. Known as the “bishop of the slums,” Câmara’s unwavering commitment to nonviolence and his advocacy for the poor have left an indelible mark on our world. 

Câmara’s belief in the power of truth, justice, and love over war and hatred is a testament to his enduring faith. As he once said, “Opting for nonviolence means to believe more strongly in the power of truth, justice, and love than in the power of wars, weapons, and hatred.” [1] 

Despite standing no taller than 5’1″, Dom Câmara was a giant in his convictions. He did not begin his career, though, as a champion of justice and nonviolence. In his early years as a priest, Câmara offered a faith-based voice for an authoritarian political movement in Brazil called “Brazilian Integralist Action.” A momentous exchange took place when the French Catholic Cardinal Gerlier urged Câmara to prioritize poverty as part of his work. The encounter became a transforming event in Câmara’s faith that he described as “being thrown to the ground like Saul on the road to Damascus” (Acts:9–19). [2] Câmara dedicated the rest of his life to organizing the wider church to consider the systemic causes of poverty and violence. He served as a significant voice in the Catholic Church’s “Second Vatican Council,” a gathering of church leaders from across the globe dedicated to renewing and modernizing the church. Câmara brought together other bishops at the Council to dedicate themselves to being a “church of the poor” by living lives of simplicity, solidarity with those in poverty, and to the gospel of Jesus. 

Considered a leading voice for peace and justice in the twentieth-century Catholic Church, Dom Hélder Câmara was informally called the “bishop of the slums” for his steadfast commitment to the urban poor and economic justice. During his leadership in the church, he became a strong critic of Brazil’s military dictatorship (1964–1985). Internationally known as a human rights advocate, he wrote in his book Spiral of Violence, “Keep your language. Love its sounds, its modulation, its rhythm. But try to march together with [people] of different languages, remote from your own, who wish like you for a more just and human world.” [3] 

In 1991, just as the United States began bombing Iraq, Dom Hélder Câmara—then in his 80s—visited the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The questions and concerns expressed by individuals present during that visit were reminiscent of today’s times, carrying a plea for solutions to alleviate our worry, anger, and despair over seemingly insolvable global problems. In response, Câmara emphasized the need to use the intelligence God has given each of us to see one another as brothers and sisters. He urged the attendees to take the time to understand other people and not let the barriers of race and language prevent them from seeing each other as members of the same family. “God embraces all human beings. The heart of faith is the call to love one another,” he stated. “Toward the end of the evening, the Archbishop added with a gleeful laugh, ‘If you live your religion, you will become different.’” [4]  

Those who knew Câmara well experienced a man whose commitment to justice was inspired by his deep life of prayer. He rose at 2am every day to spend quiet time with the divine and to write poems and meditations. Theologian Francis McDonagh writes of Câmara that “His stern call to justice was inflected with a joy-filled, mystical love of God and creation that brought to mind the image of St. Francis.” [5] “Without justice and love,” Câmara said, “peace will always be a great illusion.” [6]  

Banned by the media in in his own country, Dom Câmara traveled the world spreading the message of the gospel and liberation. He urged contemplative, inner transformation as necessary for structural changes in our systems and world. Câmara connected the work of liberation with the liberation that God provides: “Just as the Father, the Creator, wants us to be co-creators, so the Son, the Redeemer, wants us to be co-redeemers. So, it is up to us to continue the work of liberation begun by the Son: the liberation from sin and the consequences of sin, the liberation from egoism and the consequences of egoism. That is what the theology of liberation means to us, and I see no reason why anyone should be afraid of a true, authentic theology of liberation.” [7]  

Dom Câmara’s wisdom remains a guiding light, inviting us to live our own strong convictions for justice and liberation. As he once said, “Let us liberate, in the highest and most profound sense of the word, all the human beings who live round about us.” [8] 

References:  
[1] As quoted in Jim Wallis and Joyce Hollyday, Eds., “Dom Helder Camara,” Cloud of Witnesses (Orbis Books, 2005), 213. 

[2] As quoted in Dom Helder Camara, Dom Helder Camara: Essential Writings, Selected by Francis McDonagh (Orbis Books, 2009), 24. 

[3] Dom Helder Camara, Spiral of Violence (Sheed & Ward Ltd., 1971), 61.  

[4] As quoted in Avis Crowe, Radical Grace, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Center for Action and Contemplation: 1991), 6. 

[5] Dom Helder Camara, Dom Helder Camara: Essential Writings, Selected by Francis McDonagh (Orbis Books, 2009), back cover.  

[6] As quoted in Jaime M. Pensado, Love and Despair: How Catholic Activism Shaped Politics and the Counterculture in Modern Mexico (University of California Press, 2023), 1. 

[7] Hélder Câmara, The Conversions of a Bishop: An Interview with José de Broucker, trans. Hilary Davies (Collins: 1979), 170–171. 

[8] First address as Archbishop of Olinda and Recife, April 12, 1964. See Dom Hélder Câmara: Essential Writings, ed. Francis McDonagh (Orbis Books: 2009), 41.  

Reflect with Us  
We invite you to reflect on how Dom Hélder Câmara’s call to justice and nonviolence resonates in your own life. In what ways has contemplation helped you work toward justice and liberation?  Share your reflection with us.  

We Conspire is a series from the Center for Action and Contemplation featuring wisdom and stories from the growing Christian contemplative movement. Sign up for the monthly email series and receive a free invitation to practice each month.