In nod to conservatives, Brazilian bishops welcome priest ‘influencers’

SÃO PAULO – In a move that caught many observers by surprise, the Brazilian bishops’ conference, traditionally perceived to lean to the left, recently staged a high-profile summit for “influencer” priests, most of whom are associatied with the traditionalist and conservative circles around former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The group of clerical “influencers,” who have high social media profiles, was mostly formed by traditionalist priests and members of Brazil’s Charismatic Catholic Renewal...