Slum priest threatened by inquiry into ‘misery mafia’

A priest whom the Pope has praised for his work with the homeless in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, has been threatened with a public inquiry into the misuse of public funds.

Fr Júlio Lancellotti, the episcopal vicar for the homeless in the Archdiocese of São Paulo, has worked for decades with drug addicts in the district known as Cracolândia – “Crackland”.  São Paulo councillors voted to investigate homelessness in the city, including the work of NGOs operating in the area.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva publicly defended the priest after he was accused of belonging to a “misery mafia” encouraging lawlessness among the homeless.  

The right-wing councillor Rubinho Nunes proposed the inquiry, claiming that an interest group “profits from the good faith of the people” and calling Fr Lancelotti of being a “pimp of misery”, but Lula refuted Nunes’ allegation.

“Thank God we have people like Fr Júlio Lancelotti in São Paulo’s capital,” Lula said.

“For many, many years he has devoted his life to try and give a bit of dignity, respect and citizenship to people living on the streets. He has devoted his life to following the example of Jesus. His work and that of the diocese of São Paulo are essential to giving basic support to those most in need.”

Pope Francis has praised Fr Lancelotti, telling him in 2020 that he had “burned his life for the poor”.

The archdiocese declared its support for Fr Lancelotti, questioning why councillors wanted to “promote an inquiry committee against a priest who works with the poor, precisely at the beginning of an electoral year”.

The priest himself commented that the councillors have every right to investigate NGOs that use public money, but that he is not connected to any NGO.

Since it emerged that the inquiry could affect Fr Lancelotti, eight councillors who had backed it withdrew their names.

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