The Bishop

By Emanuel Marcos Cruz E Prado

This is a work of fiction, which portrays the life of a bishop since he was a student of theology. It is located in the southern region of Brazil, more particularly in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, in a turbulent period of national life, where social movements and the landless were taking a political stance and Liberation Theology was the great banner . At the same time, it presents personal conflicts about living a dilemma between the Catholic Church s vows and the inner will for freedom. At the end we will have a story of passion, social revolt, police investigation and an unexpected outcome.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clube de Autores
• Release date: Nov 13, 2021

Book preview

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

THE BISHOP

4th EDITION – 2021

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

2

THE BISHOP

DEDICATION

"WHEN WE TURN ON THE LIGHT, EVEN THE DENSE

DARKNESS EXTINUES"

3

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form and/or any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying or recording, or filed in any system or database without written permission from the author.

Review of originals - cover - layout:

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

E-mail - [e-mail]

SITE - www.clube de autores.com.br

TEL- 54 (49) 9 99833769

PRADO – EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E

THE BISHOP

This is a work of fiction, which portrays the life of a bishop since he was a student of theology. It is located in the southern region of Brazil, more particularly in Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, in a turbulent period of national life where social movements and the landless were taking a political stance and liberation theology was the big banner. It's a unique novel.

LAGES SC – 2021- 4rd EDTION

4

THE BISHOP

INTRODUCTION

I wrote this book to answer a question that came to mind and stayed in my head for days. - Who killed the priest?

First, I didn't know any priests, nor did I know that one had been killed. Then other questions started to pop into my head and wouldn't let me be. -Why would someone kill a priest?

So I started formulating possible answers for someone to kill a priest. From then on, he could no longer remain silent. I would have to write everything I was thinking and as I liked to write I decided to start a book on the subject.

As I wrote the story, it grew and new questions were appreciated, until it took its own course. I named the characters, placed them in time and space and created a social, political and religious context.

Little by little it had an emotional story full of conflicts to be resolved.

It took eighty days of hard and painstaking work to complete the story.

I finally concluded it with the feeling of having resolved the initial question of who had killed a priest and who he was. In this report, I was able to show people who want to write a story that is possible, just by a lot of dedication and persistence. The rest is part of their culture and knowledge.

Author's hugs.

5

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

6

THE BISHOP

BRIGADA GENERAL ENZO MARTINS PERI

MANAUS, 27 FEB 97

DEAR MEADOW

I have been thanking you for the kindness of sending the book

The BISHOP for a long time.

I read with interest and surprise not knowing this quality of writer! I liked it a lot, even because it is out of the ordinary and presents a believable history.

I hope that the next releases will have the same success.

A hug.

Gen Former Enzo Martins Peri

7

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

8

THE BISHOP

SUMMARY

CHAPTER

TITLE

PG

INTRODUCTION

5

PREFACE

7

INDEX

9

1

BRUSQUE

13

2

CURITIBA

29

3

PORTO ALEGRE

39

4

PORTO ALEGRE

57

5

THE REPORTER

67

6

THE FATHER PEDRINHO

73

7

THE SERMON

91

8

PREPARATIONS

103

9

CURITIBA

111

10

REVELATIONS

115

11

MASS OF THE PRESENT BODY

135

12

SPEECHES

141

13

THE NEXT DAY

149

14

BRUSQUE

153

15

CURITIBA

155

16

BRUSQUE

159

9

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

10

THE BISHOP

17

PORTO ALEGRE

161

18

LANDLESS

171

19

REPORTS

177

20

INVESTIGATIONS

183

21

THREE YEARS LATER

191

22

SISTER RITA

199

23

SISTER NOEMIA

209

24

TALKS

215

25

ANGELA

221

26

THE GUN

229

27

SISTER RITA

233

28

ANGELA

241

29

DR ANGELO

245

30

THE REPORTER

249

31

ANGELA

255

32

CARDINAL PRIMAZ

261

33

THE SERMON

267

34

CRISES

273

35

LETTERS FROM PEDRINHO AND RITA

275

36

CLARIFICATIONS

281

37

CURITIBA

283

THE END

290

11

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

12

THE BISHOP

CHAPTER ONE

BRUSQUE, SC

"I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and

went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch

out your hands and someone else will gird you and take you where

you do not want to."

I woke up early as usual, awakened by old Chico's need to sing. It was exactly five o'clock in the morning, I didn't even have to look at the clock that had no mistake, the friendly rooster didn't fail. Precise and sonorous, I knew I was waiting for his last note, to start another daily routine, which for the past five years had not changed.

I wondered, as I sat on the bed, what a deep friendship existed between us, to the point where I didn't have anyone who dared to interfere with it.

As a matter of fact, several attempts were made, they even wanted to cook it, but I wouldn't let it; I give him security and he gives me peace of mind; show me that I'm there, I'm part of the existing structure, everything is as normal as the day before and, moreover, it still wakes me up at five o'clock.

13

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

He is a loyal friend, he listens to my complaints, my desire to curse and he does not reproach me, nor does he remind me that I am a priest.

But that day, the message came different. Old Chico was sad and singing about him was not the same, as it sounded very melodious and dramatic.

I will tell you a secret, something that cannot be spread, because the people can believe and, many beliefs can arise. My old cock, showed me how the day would be. Through its notes and vibrations, I sensed what was about to happen.

When he sang, it was no different. I felt a pang in my heart, almost like saying goodbye to a dear brother. I knew something was about to happen and my cock warned me.

As a methodical person, I let things happen naturally, without altering my routine. Still sitting on the bed, I prayed a Our Father and completed my prayer with a few words to God. I asked him to give me the strength to endure, whatever the news, and the discernment to make the right decisions.

After that I got up as usual. Still in my pajamas, I did my morning hygiene.

In my late sixties, I felt young enough to set a pace of work that the younger ones envied.

14

THE BISHOP

Several times, I heard comments of this type: - You work as if you were twenty; - It looks like a schoolboy... I could also, my childhood and adolescence were regulated, healthy and oriented towards the priesthood.

I was born in Brusque, Santa Catarina, in the same city where I ran the Diocesan Seminary. Since I was a boy, I lived in the Parish of Our Lady of Azambuja, where I was an altar boy and then a seminarian.

I remember that, before finishing the course in Philosophy and Theology, I thought I should be sure that this was what I wanted in life. I had to prove to myself that I was on the right path.

That day, when my rooster crowed differently, I decided that I would not do, the same thing I had been doing for the last few years, that is, meditate for about thirty minutes, spend the subjects that he would teach to the seminary students and, having breakfast.

My thoughts were turned to the past, looking for something that could be connected, the feeling of change, that the rooster had transmitted to me.

I continued thinking about life, remembering that when I was a seminarian, I had asked for leave from the seminary, to decide if that was what I really wanted to do.

15

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

So, I moved to Curitiba and entered a Law School. During this period, I went to live in a student residence, together with colleagues from the course I started.

During the course, I was able to experience the freedoms that mundane life offers. However, my conscience and moral upbringing pressured me and nothing I did kept me satisfied.

I remember what Father Afonso, my dear teacher from the time of seminary, said:

- My son, it's no use running away, you were chosen by God.

He was right, because he knew my vocation was the priesthood.

Even after graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree, he felt a huge emptiness in my life.

It didn't do any good to me. I thought the world was full of evils, injustices, and people, just thinking about themselves.

There wasn't that brotherly love, so preached by Our Lord Jesus Christ.

This situation led me to despair, to the point of thinking about committing suicide. Which, of course, was bullshit, as he was disoriented at the time.

I even thought about going back to seminary, but I was past the age and it would be very difficult to return to the previous situation, even because I didn't know if that was what I wanted.

16

THE BISHOP

Even so, I sought help in the church and a Benedictine Father led me to a monastery in Curitiba, where study and meditation retreats were held.

I remember well, the first day I was there, dressed in my worldly clothes and feeling naked in the presence of those Fathers, who were all in their brown cassocks.

His Gregorian chants filled the emptiness existing in my soul, with their joy, I felt happy, the meditations guided me, and their love infected me.

Faced with the new discovery, I even begged, to continue in that place, surrendering myself again to God, repentant seeking his mercy, who and it was granted to me.

For ten years I have been living in its facilities, not realizing how much has changed in me.

I had become, a true worker in the Lord's harvest, instructed in the philosophies and laws of God.

The time has come to render my services to the Holy Catholic Church and Our Lady Mother of Jesus.

My desire was to shepherd his flock and bring comfort to the weak and oppressed.

I also wanted to give the world a living witness of the love of God, who welcomed me back into his womb.

17

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

I was assigned to take care of a parish in a small town in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. I fulfilled a dream of many years, which was to be a priest of the Catholic Church and have my own congregation.

For more than fifteen years, I served in front of my parish.

As a law graduate, I was invited to assist the Cardinal Primate of Brazil, who recognized in me the capacity to occupy higher positions in the Church.

It was being prepared and, in a short time, I was invited to direct the Archdiocesan Sanctuary and Theological Seminary of Our Lady of Caravagio and Azambuja, in my homeland.

It was the greatest joy for me after entering the Benedictine Monastery. There I could devote myself to studying Philosophy and Law, which I taught to inmates.

The bell rang loudly at seven o'clock, waking up the seminar and waking up my mind, which was still focused, on remembering the life I was doing. I remembered that the day would normally continue its routine walk, until something new came, to break the order of things.

I had breakfast with my friend and faithful assistant, Father Giovanelli, who had adopted my routine and was getting ready before everyone else. Afterwards, we went to the chapel, where at seven-thirty, we gathered for blessings and a short meditation.

Thirty minutes were devoted to prayers and reflections.

18

THE BISHOP

At that moment, I asked God to open my eyes and show me the way forward, because my heart was sad and aimless.

I opened the Bible randomly and, before reading what was written, I said to those present:

- My brothers, God has led us with His holy hand and, nothing has been lacking... but I feel that it has arrived at time for changes and then I ask that each one here, pray to Our Lord Jesus Christ and intercede for me and for all our brothers.

When I opened my eyes, I had the Bible open to the book of Saint John, in chapter twenty-one, verse seventeen, which said: -

I said to them (Jesus) the third time: Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? Simon was saddened for having said to him the third time, you love me and he said to him: Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you. Jesus said to him: Feed my sheep.

I didn't understand what God wanted to say to me with those words, so I was confused. I began to think to myself: my name is Peter, the same name as that disciple, who I had read in the Bible, Simon Peter, son of Jonah.

I started to feel that the question was good for me too. -

Pedro Miráglia, do you love me?

- I replied: - Lord, you know that I love you.

Everyone looked at me, because instead of Simon, I had spoken my own name and, still replied: - Lord, you know that I love you.

19

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

The most interesting thing is that Giovanelli, very attentive and wanting to help me with the lecture, completed the sentence aloud: Feed my sheep.

I thanked the friend for collaboration and thought about it for a minute.

That day, I felt I was off center.

My ideas were sparse and my thinking scattered. For this reason, on a momentary impulse, I read verse eighteen as well, which said: In truth I say to you that when you were young you girded yourself and walked wherever you wanted, but when you are old you will stretch out your hands and someone else he will gird and take you where you do not want.

The answers to my questions came very clearly, just missing the confirmation of the facts.

I lifted my spirit to God, I thanked his kindness and mercy and said in a loud voice: - Here I am Lord, do with me what you want.

My friend Giovanelli, who was agitated, repeated the same phrase, breaking the atmosphere of austerity that reigned in the chapel.

That morning I had to teach philosophy to the seminary students, but I didn't feel able to do so, so I left them to study a topic in the library and retired to my rooms to seek God.

20

THE BISHOP

That's how I did it, when I had something ailing me, and this time I knew there would be some new mission for me.

Benito Giovanelli, was a very cultured priest and taught sociology to seminarians. Furthermore, he was my assistant and faithful collaborator. Our friendship went back to our teenage years, as he was also born in Brusque.

With him, I could talk about the most delicate subjects, opening my heart, exposing the most intimate part of my being.

The reciprocal was true and often came to be discussed. go your existential doubts.

The difference for the other Fathers in the seminary was their competence and efficiency in counseling. He prepared routine seminary documentation, scheduled social, parish, and seminary activities, and often helped me prepare for classes.

I considered him my right-hand man, as I depended on him for the main activities of my role.

Because of our high culture, we would sometimes spend whole hours discussing theories or philosophies.

What most called attention in his personality, is that because he was impulsive, he was extremely quick of reasoning and actions.

21

EMANUEL MARCOS CRUZ E PRADO

While I was in the room, I knew that Giovanelli was taking care so that the seminarians wouldn't stay, having nothing to do, because he was very demanding with them. I also knew that he was worried about me, considering that, that day, everything started differently from the routine.

Later, he would have to explain it to her. As he was intelligent, he tried not to interfere with my activities and gave express orders that I would not be disturbed.

Around eleven o'clock that morning, I decided that I would have lunch at the Asylum of the Vincentian Conference of São Mauritius, where my old teacher and always friend, Father Afonso, was interned.

I looked for Father Giovanelli and it was not difficult to find him, as he was around the door to my rooms.

I told him of my intentions.

As he always did on