Dom Hélder Câmara

Brazilian archbishop who pioneered Liberation Theology and nonviolent resistance to military dictatorship.

Dom Hélder Câmara (1909–1999), known as the "Bishop of the Slums," revolutionized Latin American Catholicism. As Archbishop of Olinda and Recife, he advocated Liberation Theology, arguing the Church must prioritize "preferential option for the poor." During Brazil's military regime (1964–1985), his nonviolent protests protected dissidents and exposed torture.

Câmara's famous saying—"When I feed the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist"—summarized his challenge to economic injustice. He co-founded CNBB (National Conference of Brazilian Bishops) and CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Council), influencing Vatican II reforms.

Despite surveillance and death threats, Câmara organized grassroots "base communities" empowering favela residents. His book Spiral of Violence (1971) inspired global human rights movements. The documentary Dom Hélder Câmara: The Rebel Saint explores his enduring legacy in social justice theology.