Bishop of Ponta Grossa speaks against church heritage status

The overthrow of churches in Ponta Grossa received a counter-manifestation from the diocesan bishop Dom Bruno Elizeu Versari. In an official note released on Saturday, the Diocese of Ponta Grossa said it was against the procedures involving six Catholic temples in the proposed conditions, although it stressed that it advocates the preservation of historical and cultural heritage.

The positioning involves the Cathedral of Sant’Ana, the Church of San Sebastian, the Church of the Rosary Nossa Senhora, the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Church of the Lord São José and the Church of the Lord Bom Jesus, located in the Santa Cruz Farm.

Diocese recognizes historical value of the temples

The Diocese recognizes the historical, religious, artistic, architectural and cultural value of the churches. However, he argues that these properties have been preserved for decades by the Catholic Church itself and by parish communities, with their own resources and continuous conservation work.

According to the institution, the temples are under permanent care and maintenance. Accordingly, the Diocese states that, according to the information available, the need to adopt the overturning in the forms presented would not be sufficiently demonstrated.

The note also argues that such a measure can produce legal effects and impose restrictions on real estate. In the evaluation of the Diocese, any decision must be accompanied by technical justification, proven need and individualized analysis of each good.

The Church cites religious freedom and autonomy

Another point presented by Dom Bruno is that churches do not have only architectural or historical importance. For the Diocese, they are also spaces for the worship and religious activities of the communities.

The demonstration cites provisions of the Code of Canon Law and the agreement signed between Brazil and the Holy See, promulgated by Decree No. 7.107/2010, to support the need for the preservation of the religious purpose of the goods belonging to the Church.

The Diocese also mentions the religious freedom provided for by the Constituição Federal and argues that the preservation of the patrimony must occur in a way compatible with the institutional autonomy of the Catholic Church and with the use of the temples by the communities.

Diocese says to support preservation

Despite rejecting the overthrow of churches in Ponta Grossa in the conditions currently proposed, the institution states that it is not contrary to the conservation of historical and cultural heritage.

In the note, the position is summarized with the defense of the preservation of real estate, the recognition of the work carried out by the Catholic communities and the maintenance of religious freedom and the autonomy of the Church.

“Not to the overthrow of the temples under the proposed conditions. YES TO THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE”, states one of the excerpts of the demonstration.

Public meeting will be held at the Opera House

The Diocese has also invited faithful and members of the Catholic community to participate in the public meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, at 6.30 pm, at Cine-Teatro Ópera, in Ponta Grossa.

According to the institution, the mobilization must take place in a peaceful and responsible way, with the presentation of the position of the religious communities on the process.

The official note is signed by Dom Bruno Elizeu Versari, diocesan bishop of Ponta Grossa, and was published on October 10, 2026.

 

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