O silêncio da ação: Jesuítas no Brasil pós-Reforma Pombalina

Abstract

In this study I analyzed the resistance and cont inuance of the Societ y of Jesus priests in Brazil and the understanding of the debate their actions caused after the Pombaline Reforms took place in 1759, also approaching the other moments when this Co mpany was suppressed, in 1834 and 1910. I tried to understand which strategies and tactics were used by this Order. In the countries where the Company acted, this presence was seen in several sectors of the societ y wit h the objective of convert ing and civilizing people within the principles of the Order. Among its field of action we emphasize the educational one and more specific ally the schools the Company was responsible for. Due to the amplitude of the theme, once the presence of this Company was significant and had consequences in several countries and in different parts of the societ y, the focus of this study were the priests in Rio de Janeiro inside two schools: Santo Inácio e Anchieta. We get into the tactics and strategies used by the Jesuits to move between the sacred and the profane in a dynamic and mutual manner and as a way o f acting. Action which will be noticed in their teaching inst itutions, spaces of knowledge-power dispute, implied in the way the students were formed by this group. This work contributed to narrow and to deepen a history that is little known: the permanence of the Jesuits. Through this was possible to notice the sociabilit y nets which they used in their act ions, the representation they built of the Order and their educational proposal. For the making of this research the main source utilized were the King's Decrees and the letters the King and the General Governors of the Provinces exchanged, documents that were found in the Brazilia n National Archives. Also served as source the correspondence sent by the superiors and principals of the Jesuits‟ schools, periodicals, exercise notebooks, pamphlets, photographs, registration books and annual scores, among others, found in the memories archives o f Santo Inácio and Anchieta schools. In one side, the documents show the tensio n existent in the silence regard the Jesuits history after they were expelled, and on the other, their sojourn and action in different fields, specially the educat ional one.