Brazil Journey Continues

6 March 2009

More news from Brazil as cliftondiocese.com hears again from the Bath parishioner leading the support for a Clifton Diocese priest who ministers in South America.  Dr Derek Indoe is in Brazil to be with Father Leo Dolan who is supporting landless people.

Last month we received news from Dr Derek as he arrived in the huge South American country.  Now we have more pictures as well as a radio interview featuring both Dr Derek and Father Leo. 

Dr Derek and Father Leo were guests on BCfm’s award-winning Face to Faith on Monday (2 March).  They spoke live from Brazil about the reality of life for landless Catholics.  You can hear them in our multi-media panel on the right.

In Dr Derek’s latest email to cliftondiocese.com, he says: “Just to summarise where we are at - I am about half way through the trip. I came up here to Porto Velho from Campinas via Sao Paulo, via Brasilia, and via Cuaiba.  I am now in the place where Father Leo is giving support to a group helping landless people.

“The group were formed as a result of a massacre because they believe in non-violence and ecology.  They consider that the Catholic Church is the only one that has always supported them in their efforts to get a piece of land to build a life.

“Father Leo and I visited a Portaria and I interviewed this lady and her hopes.  I hope my technological skills were ok and that I can bring you this conversation as a podcast when I come back. 

“We also visited the community that survived the massacre and are now settled in substantial wooden houses with land to grow crops. The pictures of the roads show just how bad the journey to get to the government land is.

“I have interviewed people who were at the massacre and they speak of their hopes for the future. I also have many more photos and thoughts recorded.  So it’s off to Brazilia next.  We’re going on a bus - it takes 40 hours or maybe 37 hours if we’re lucky.”

To find out how you can become more aware of Father Leo’s work in Brazil and get to know about the lives of fellow Catholics in South America you can use the special new address padreleo@cliftondiocese.com and make contact with Dr Derek.