Lula receives CNBB president and Vatican representative in Brazil

The social action of the Catholic Church in Brazil and the country’s relations with the Vatican were the subject of conversation, this Monday (19), between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) , Dom Jaime Spengler, and the Vatican’s Apostolic Nuncio in Brazil, Dom Giambattista Diquattro. The Apostolic Nunciature is the main diplomatic representation of the Holy See in the country, being equivalent to an embassy. The meeting took place at the Alvorada Palace. Vice President Geraldo Alckmin also participated in the meeting. This Monday night, President Lula embarks on a trip to Europe and, on Wednesday (21), he has a scheduled audience with Pope Francis, at the Vatican. During the weekly program Conversation with the President, this Monday morning, Lula said that he wants to talk to the pope about solutions to the war between Russia and Ukraine, among other topics. “I want to talk to the pope about war and inequality in the world. I had already paid him a visit before the pandemic and we talked about fighting hunger. It takes a worldwide conscience to be outraged against hunger in the world,” he said. According to the president, the prospect is to build a global campaign to address inequality around the world. “The problem is not lack of production, but distribution. It is due to lack of money to buy food”, he added. Lula said that he will invite the pontiff to participate in the Círio de Nazaré, one of the main religious festivals in the country, held annually in October, in Belém.

Agência Brasil