User:Kalahan Luiz Seleri/Leonel Franca

Leonel Edgard da Silveira Franca (São Gabriel, January 6, 1893 — Rio de Janeiro, September 3, 1948) was a Brazilian Catholic priest and college professor. He received the Machado de Assis award from the Brazilian Academy of Letters, in 1947, as a tribute to his complete work.

Biography
He joined the Society of Jesus in 1908 and in 1910 began his major in Portuguese language, typical of the Jesuit formation. In 1912 he moved Rome to study the triennium of Philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

He returned to Brazil in 1915, and started teaching at the Colégio Santo Inácio (Rio de Janeiro). He taught history of philosophy, Experimental psychology and Chemistry at the Colégio Anchieta, in the city of Nova Friburgo.

In 1920 he returned to Rome to study Theology for four years. He was ordained a Priest in 1923. The following year he received his doctorate in Philosophy and Theology and in November of 1925 he completed the Jesuit formation in Oia, Spain, the last year of the jesuit formation is known as the "Third Ordeal".

He was a member of the National Council of Education in 1931 and vice dean of the Colégio Santo Inácio (Rio de Janeiro). He played a leading role in founding thePontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro and he was its first dean.

In 1947 he received the Machado de Assis Award for his notable literary work.

In addition to his solid intellectual, philosophical and theological training, he became famous for refuting Brazilian Protestant pastors and leaders. Fr. Leonel was the protagonist of several controversies with Protestant leaders, having written several books to explain and support his Catholic positions. Some of his books on the matter were "The Church, the Reformation and a Civilização", "Catholicism and Protestantism," and "Protestantism in Brazil"; they can be found in bookstores and second-hand bookstores.

He struggled with health problems throughout his life. He died on September 3, 1948, leaving behind a solid Catholic bibliography, primarily focused on Christian apologetics. He also wrote several newspaper articles.

There is a street name after him in the city of Campinas.

Works
References
 * Noções de História da Filosofia (1918; 2ª ed. 1921; 3ª ed. 1928; 7ª ed. 1940)
 * Apontamentos de Química Geral (1919)
 * A Igreja, a Reforma e a Civilização (1922)
 * O Divórcio (1931; 6ª ed. 1946; 8ª ed. 1951)
 * A Psicologia da Fé (1934)
 * O Protestantismo no Brasil (1938)
 * A Crise do Mundo Moderno (1941)
 * Pensamentos Espirituais (1949)
 * O Método Pedagógico dos Jesuítas (O Ratio Studiorum) (1952)
 * Liberdade e Determinismo (1954)
 * A Formação da Personalidade (1954)
 * O Problema de Deus
 * Relações entre a Igreja e o Estado
 * Catolicismo e Protestantismo
 * O Livro dos Salmos


 * 1) The Jesuit Leonel Franca - Fr. Leonel Franca Foundation. http://www.fplf.org.br/fplf_franca.asp
 * 2) Father Leonel Franca by Francisco Ivern - Faculdade Jesuíta de Filosofia e Teologia - FAJE, Brazil. https://www.faje.edu.br/periodicos/index.php/Sintese/article/view/1505
 * 3) Fr. Leonel Franca vs Protestants - Itinerary of controversy. http://www.obrascatolicas.com/livros/Apologetica/Leonel_Franca_versus_protestantes.pdf