Spiritualism and ultramontane critique:

an analysis of the catholic perspective in 1926 through Carlos de Laet's articles in the newspaper O Jornal

Abstract

This article employed a methodology grounded in the textual analysis of articles published in the 1926 edition of the O Jornal newspaper. The primary objective of this article lies in the meticulous investigation of the discourse propagated by the ultramontane intellectual, Carlos de Laet, whose influence was widely disseminated through the pages of the Rio de Janeiro-based newspaper. The research is centered on understanding the perspective of Spiritualism through the lens of the Catholic faction that vehemently opposed the inherent changes of modernity. Furthermore, this study aims to deepen the comprehension of the various ways in which practices related to Spiritualism, or what was categorized as such at the time, were labeled as superstitious manifestations. Through the analysis of five specific publications, it is possible to identify that Carlos de Laet employed a diverse range of distinct adjectives to characterize Spiritualism, thereby creating fertile ground for the development of debates and the vehement contestation of these practices through his eloquent rhetoric. The core of this study focuses on the in-depth investigation of the perceptions and arguments utilized by the author to criticize and refute Spiritualism. The emphasis is on how the phenomenon was perceived from the perspective of ultramontane Catholicism, a faction that displayed remarkable resilience in the face of the profound social and cultural changes that marked the era.