But the faith was never stamped out. The number of Candomble adherents has been growing rapidly across Brazil in recent years, as what was once a lower-class religion has come to be seen as something to be valued as authentically Brazilian, and its increasingly assertive clergy have begun to demand greater recognition. Many within the Roman Catholic Church, however, see that trend as harmful. So when an annual conference of black priests and bishops was held in Salvador in July with an agenda that included a visit to the city's two principal Candomble temples, the criticism from conservatives was not long in coming. These priests are the church itself, and they are setting a bad example.
Brazil is the world's largest Roman Catholic country, at least nominally.
But the dispute here has repercussions for Roman Catholicism that go far beyond Brazil. Within the last year, Cardinal Neves was promoted to a new post in Rome, prefect of the Bishops Congregation, which put him in charge of the process of selecting new bishops and gives him powers to see that his orthodox views are enforced around the world. The rift also has appeared at a time when the Catholic Church has made proselytism in Africa and Asia its top priority for the new century. In those places, according to clerical leaders in Brazil who are sympathetic to Candomble, Catholicism is inevitably going to have to seek accommodation with other local religions that have animist elements. After 500 years, we believe that we, the colonized, have a right to speak, because we have a theology and philosophy, too.