The Heralds of the Gospel were sought by the SBT and, for more than an hour, answered the questions raised by trainee reporter John Silva. The interview was held in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, in Caieiras, São Paulo, and was attended by Revmo. Pe. Alex Barbosa de Brito, member of the Virgo Flos Carmeli Clerical Society of Apostolic Life, and several members of the Women's Sector of the Heralds of the Gospel, as well as families and co-workers of the Association.
Although the heralds' spokesman of the Gospel, Fr. Alex Brito, having responded in previous reports about "the orientation of shooting practice in the Association", — answers these, moreover, never published… — SBT interviewer John Silva asks him again about the issue.
Watch the answer in full:
Summary
Pe. Alex Brito, punctualizing there is a difference between carrying and possession of a weapon, states:
"None of the members of the institution, who live in community, have the carrying of a weapon."
It considers, however, that there are people connected to the institution — who do not live in community — who practice the profession of police officers and enjoy the size. It adds that there is a small percentage of lay people who like to shoot sports, according to army law. Pe. Alex Brito also stressed that "there is no norm of the institution that encourages shooting practice." Nevertheless, he explained:
"By the guidance of people specialized in security, since many houses of the institution are in ermos places, a defensive course is necessary, in accordance with the rules of the Federal Police and national laws."
And about an graduate who published his own shooting course diploma as alleged proof of the prosecution, Fr. Alex Brito countered:
"It was done by the young man's free deliberation, certainly at the appropriate age and according to the legislation."
He recalled that within legal limits, the practice of sports shooting is not illegal.