Prophet's office: an analysis of political activity in the Archdiocese of Vitória-ES through the bulletin Ferramenta
Name: ANA CAROLINA RONCHI
Publication date: 10/06/2025
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| CAMILA BUENO GREJO | Examinador Interno |
| KARULLINY SILVEROL SIQUEIRA | Examinador Interno |
| MARIA DO CARMO GREGÓRIO | Examinador Externo |
| PAULO CÉSAR GOMES BEZERRA | Examinador Externo |
| PEDRO ERNESTO FAGUNDES | Presidente |
Summary: This work aims to study the political engagement of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Vitória concerning the labor movement during the military dictatorship. To this end, the study proposes an analysis of the editions of the Ferramenta bulletin - an informational publication of the Workers' Pastoral of the Archdiocese of Vitória -between the years 1977 (the year of its creation) and 1985 (when the dictatorship ended) as an empirical object. Reflecting on the 1970s in Espírito Santo requires understanding the numerous political, social, and economic transformations that took place during this period. This is because, in addition to experiencing the political liberalization process promised as "slow, gradual, and secure" by the Brazilian civil-military dictatorship, the state underwent a drastic structural shift in the 1970s - transitioning from an economy based on coffee monoculture to an industrialization project with the establishment of major companies such as Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, Companhia Siderúrgica de Tubarão, Samarco Mineração, and Aracruz Celulose, among others. Thus, using content analysis methodology and oral history, this study aims to identify the representations present in Ferramenta and relate them to the context in which they were published. Established as an alternative means of popular communication and linked to the Catholic Church during a dictatorial period, Ferramenta sought to provide workers with discussions about their living and working conditions. These narratives, whether due to political censorship (prior censorship and/or self-censorship), economic censorship (companies/industries that advertised in newspapers), or even editorial choices of traditional newspapers in Espírito Santo, faced significant obstacles to being disseminated through other media.
