Friar Clodovis Boff, a member of the Order of the Servants of Mary, wrote an open letter to the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops’ Council (CELAM). Boff criticized CELAM for focusing on social issues and not enough on spiritual matters. He questioned when CELAM would deliver messages about God, Christ, salvation, and other religious themes. Boff, formerly a key figure in liberation theology, expressed concern about the Church potentially losing its spiritual essence.
5 days ago
Friar Clodovis Boff, a prominent former philosopher of liberation theology, has issued an open letter to the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops’ Council (CELAM), urging them to shift their focus from predominantly social issues back to the spiritual essence of the Church 1, 2. Boff contends that CELAM's recent 40th Ordinary General Assembly document, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, lacked a "truly religious, spiritual message" and instead reiterated a half-century-old emphasis on social concerns 1, 2. He believes this consistent focus on social issues is "getting old" and that the Church is dangerously alienating itself from its spiritual core 1, 2.
Boff argues that while the secular world is increasingly seeking spirituality, CELAM continues to offer only social issues, providing "almost only crumbs" of spiritual content 1, 2. He states that the Church's primary mission is to proclaim Christ and His grace, not to act as a social institution or NGO 1, 2. The friar points out that the bishops' list of "cries" and "challenges" in their message mirrors those observed by journalists and sociologists, failing to acknowledge a deeper "cry for God" rising from the world 1, 2.
In 2007, Boff himself critiqued liberation theology, stating its error was "to have put the poor in the place of Christ, making them a fetish" 1, 2. He now applies this critique to CELAM, asserting that the Church's central focus must be Christ and salvation, with all other concerns being secondary 1, 2. Boff also highlighted that Pope Leo XIV, in his letter to CELAM, emphasized the urgent need to remember the Risen Christ and to announce the message of salvation 1, 2. However, Boff noted that CELAM's response to the Pope instead requested support for their struggle to "encourage justice and peace" and "denounce every form of injustice," effectively repeating their "social issues" refrain 1, 2.
Boff observes a significant decline in Catholic majorities across several Latin American countries, including Brazil, which is becoming "the largest ex-Catholic country in the world" 1, 2. He attributes this "hemorrhaging" of the Church to empty churches, seminaries, and convents, suggesting that the bishops do not seem sufficiently worried by this trend 1, 2. For Boff, the "seeds of resurrection and hope" lie not in the social sphere, but in renewed parishes, new movements, and communities that prioritize spirituality and evangelization 1, 2. He calls for a "strong and systematic Christocentrism," restoring Christ to absolute primacy both within the Church's internal life and in its external evangelization, ethics, and politics 1, 2.
What is the Church's primary mission in the world?
The Church's primary mission in the world is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to establish the Kingdom of God among all peoples . This mission is a continuation of the work desired by the Lord Jesus, who commanded His Apostles to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt 28:19-20) .
This evangelizing mission is considered the Church's most profound identity and her proper grace and vocation . It is a necessary expression of her very nature and cannot be overlooked .
Key aspects of this primary mission include:
Every other work carried out by Christians, such as education, healthcare, social service, solidarity, and interreligious dialogue, flows from and leads back to the Church's commitment to evangelization . Both dialogue and proclamation are authentic elements of the Church's evangelizing mission, intimately related but not interchangeable .