PE. JÚLIO MARIA, THE CHURCH AND THE PEOPLE

a Prophet of the Church “on the way out”

Abstract

In teaching about the church, Vatican II emphasized the people of God dimension. Before being an institution, the church is a people on the way where everyone is faithful in Christ and, therefore, fundamentally equal. From this basic equality come ministries, including ordained presidential ministries. In this perspective, we place the proposal of the Brazilian Redemptorist Júlio Maria in view of a church allied to the people. Freed from the illusory imperial protection, it should walk with the people, take on the people's concerns and struggles. Júlio Maria's proposal is prophetic in relation to that of Pope Francis in view of a church that goes out to the people and to the world, without fearing the consequences of this movement. The context in which we find ourselves is very different, but the challenges facing the followers of the Gospel remain and even worsen. Yesterday as today it is about being and acting as disciples of Jesus Christ, eternal Son of God made our brother, brother of all, brother of the poor.