Ivo Lorscheiter

José Ivo Lorscheiter ( born December 7, 1927 in São José do Hortêncio, Brazil, † March 5, 2007 in Santa Maria, Brazil) was a Brazilian Roman Catholic bishop, who was best known for his criticism of the Brazilian military regime.

Life

Ivo Lorscheiter came from a simple and religious family of German descent. After studying theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University he received on 20 December 1952 was ordained a priest. After returning to Brazil, he was first at the minor seminary and later as a professor.

In 1965 he was called by Pope Paul VI. appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Porto Alegre and appointed Titular Bishop of Tamada. He received his episcopal consecration Cardinal Alfredo Vicente Scherer on March 6, 1966 His slogan was as a bishop. " Nova et Vetera " ( new and old ). In 1974 he was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Santa Maria in the southern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, was appointed. His resignation was accepted by John Paul II in 2004.

Lorscheiter was 1971-1979 Secretary of the Brazilian Bishops' Conference ( Conferência Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil cnbb ) and from 1979 to 1986 its president. With 300 members of the Brazilian Bishops' Conference is the largest of the Catholic world. He was considered one of the most important representatives of the Church in Brazil.

During the military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985, he denounced again and again to the human rights violations. Because of its commitment to the liberation theology he came for a time also with the Vatican in conflict.