Letter from the Sacred Congregation for Seminaries and Universities: “…the salutary intellectual apostolate that Prof. PLINIO CORREA DE OLIVEIRA has been carrying out for several decades…”

Rome, April 23, 1965

Sacred Congregation

for Seminaries

and Universities

Prot. N. 579/65

Most Reverend Excellencies,

With the keenest interest, we have read your courteous letter of March 19 last to this Sacred Congregation aiming to confer greater radiance to the salutary intellectual apostolate that Prof. PLINIO CORREA DE OLIVEIRA, the learned and exemplary professor of the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, has been carrying out for several decades.

For many years, we have been following the multifaceted high-level work done by this lay professor, whom one may consider the leading exponent of Catholic thought and the most faithful defender of Catholic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium among the lay intellectuals of the noble Brazilian nation. We, therefore, warmly welcome Your Excellencies’ proposal.

It is our understanding, however, that since the next Session of the Second Vatican Council will be its last, one may encounter some difficulty in appointing a new Auditor even if the presence of a representative of Brazil’s laity appears truly opportune. We would therefore like to suggest having the proposal officially presented by Brazil’s two Eminent Cardinals to give it greater weight and likelihood of success.  Moreover, this would appear all the more natural since the benevolence of the two Brazilian Cardinals toward Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira is well-known, and His Eminence, the Archbishop of São Paulo, is the Grand Chancellor of the Catholic University in which the professor carries out his highly appreciated work.

With our special esteem and deference, we wholeheartedly remain

Devotedly yours in Jesus Christ,

(signed) G. Card. Pizzardo

(signed) + Dino Staffa, Secr.

To the Most Reverends

Archbishop Geraldo de Proença Sigaud, Archbishop of Diamantina

Bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer, Bishop of Campos (Brazil)