Léo Tarcísio Gonçalves Pereira, (9 October 1961 – 4 January 2007), better known as "Padre Léo", was a Brazilian priest of the Congregation of Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (
Dehonian). Currently he is a
Servant of God.
Biography
Son of Joaquim Mendes and Maria Nazaré.
He joined the
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church that is part of the wider charismatic movement across historic Christian churches.
The Renewal has been described as a "current of grace". It began in 1967 when Cath ...
(CCR) in 1983 and, on October 12, 1995, founded the
Bethânia Community, which today has more than thirty members and five houses throughout Brazil, which aim to welcome and offer treatment to drug addicts, alcoholics and HIV carriers, as well as abandoned minors.
In 2002 he was given the title of honorific citizen of
Curitiba
Curitiba () is the capital and largest city in the state of Paraná in Brazil. The city's population was 1,948,626 , making it the eighth most populous city in Brazil and the largest in Brazil's South Region. The Curitiba Metropolitan area ...
, state of Paraná.
Father Léo not only was a priest and preacher, but also a singer, composer, presenter and writer. He had a
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
mind - a preeminent Catholic voice among
Conservatism in Brazil
Conservatism in Brazil designates the movement originated from certain cultural traditions of Brazil, as well as the relationship with Portuguese- Iberian cultural roots and diverse influences. The movement received influences from Roman heritage a ...
- but an informal communication
style
Style is a manner of doing or presenting things and may refer to:
* Architectural style, the features that make a building or structure historically identifiable
* Design, the process of creating something
* Fashion, a prevailing mode of clothing ...
.
Cancer
In April 2006, Father Léo began a cancer treatment he had and, even weakened, was present at the event "Hosana Brasil 2006", of the
Canção Nova Community, in December, much downplayed by the treatment.
Death
On January 4, 2007, he died at the
Hospital das Clínicas in
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
, victim of a generalized infection as a result of an incurable cancer in the lymphatic system (
lymphoma
Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). In current usage the name usually refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enla ...
).
Beatification process
In 2020, his
beatification
Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...
process was opened.
[{{Cite web , date=2020-02-21 , title=Beatificação do Padre Léo fortalece turismo religioso da região , url=https://portal.brusque.sc.gov.br/noticias/beatificacao-do-padre-leo-fortalece-turismo-religioso-da-regiao/ , access-date=2022-06-29 , website=Município de Brusque , language=pt-br]
References
21st-century Brazilian Roman Catholic priests
1961 births
2007 deaths
Brazilian Servants of God