'Pastoral organ of the Catholic Church, linked to the National Conference of the Bishops of Brazil (CNBB). The CPT was organized in 1975, in Goiânia, Goiás, during a meeting of bishops and pastoral agents, based on reflections on the growing wave of land conflicts occurring in the northern and central-western regions of the country. The CPT has as its doctrinal basis the Liberation Theology (q.v.) and has tried to apply in practice the guidance of Vatican Council II. Although begun in the north and central-west, it spread to almost every state in Brazil and is active in dioceses where there are land problems' (Fernandes, Bernardo Mançano e Stedile, João Pedro. Brava gente: a trajetória do MST e a luta pela terra no Brasil. São Paulo: Editora Fundação Perseu Abramo, 1999, p. 19, n. 11). |