CELAM
Mendes de Almeida served after his ordination as a professor in the philosophical department in a school back in Brazil from 1965 until 1972. He served in various capacities in the Brazilian Episcopal Conference and the Latin American Episcopal Conference. He was a vocal advocate for human rights and democratic freedom while serving in the two conferences. He offered his support to the embattled Bishop Pedro Casaldaliga after the bishop had been summoned to Rome to be interviewed about his association with Leonardo Boff and his leftist views as the Vatican perceived them. Mendes de Almeida was present in 1980 at the funeral of the slain archbishop Óscar Romero.