Leo XIV’s new Brazil bishop promotes Amazonian Rite valuing indigenous peoples’ “visions of God.”
On September 18, Leo XIV appointed Bishop Antônio Fontinele de Melo, 58, as Bishop of Rio Branco, Brazil, until now the bishop of Humaitá.
Long CEB involvement
Bishop Fontinele is mainly known for his involvement with the Basic Communities (CEBs) of Brazil. They are emphasizing Scripture, lay participation, community organization and social action.
He was Porto Velho’s Pastoral Coordinator (2005–10), helped organize the 2008 “Dozinho” Basic Ecclesial Communities gathering, served as the Brazilian bishops’ Northwest Region adviser to the Basic Ecclesial Communities (2009–12).
He spent four years in their national structure before becoming Bishop of Humaitá in 2020.
In Brazil they have strong historical links with liberation theology, ecological activism, inculturation and indigenious rituals.
CEB has own rituals
CEB adopted a ritualized form of communal spirituality known as mística.
Participants …More
In October 2025, Bishop Fontinele – who has written poems all his live - composed a hymn to the “Amazonian Rite”. He said the lyrics should highlight Amazonian faith, rites, and culture:
“There is a need
For liturgical inculturation
For Indigenous peoples,
The original peoples,
And to develop
An Amazonian rite.
He went on to call for preserving and “valuing the rituals” of indigenous peoples and also – most striking - their “visions of God.”
19.09.2006
THE VATICAN NOTE ON NOSTRA AETATE INTERPRETS VATICAN COUNCIL II IRRATIONALLY AND NOT RATIONALLY AS DO THE SSPX AND SEDEVACANTISTS
The Vatican’s Note on Nostra Aetate interprets Vatican Council II irrationally and not rationally. The Society of St. Pius X and the sedevacantists do the same. With Vatican Council II rational, we begin with Ad Gentes 7 which says all need faith and baptism for salvation. We then observe that hypothetical and invisible cases mentioned in Nostra Aetate are not objective exceptions for AG 7 or the Catechism of the Catholic Church (845, 846, and 1257).
So Vatican Council II is saying that outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation. This is the pre and post Vatican Council II teaching. The Council and Catechism are Magisterial and Apostolic even, if the popos cited in this document are irrational, dishonest and political on this issue. –Lionel Andrades
Note. A Journey of Hope. Sixty Years of …
Fontinele is basically an enthusiast for an inculturated Amazonian liturgical expression.