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Zilda Arns

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Zilda Arns
Zilda Arns in 2004
Zilda Arns in 2004
Born Zilda Arns Neumann
August 25, 1934
Forquilhinha, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Died January 12, 2010 (aged 75)
Porto Príncipe, Haiti
Alma mater Federal University of Paraná
Occupations doctor
pediatric doctor
sanitation expert
Known for Founding the Pastoral Care for the Elderly and the Pastoral Care for Children
Spouse Aloísio Bruno Neumann
Children 6
Relatives Paulo Evaristo Arns (brother)
Flávio Arns (nephew)
Leonardo Ulrich Steiner (cousin)
Signature

Zilda Arns Neumann (25 August 1934 – 12 January 2010) was a Brazilian pediatrician, sanitation experts, and aid worker.

A sister of Cardinal Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, the former Archbishop of São Paulo known for his efforts against the Brazilian military dictatorship, Zilda Arns became internationally known by founding a Catholic pastoral care for poor children. Her humanitarian work, which also included the poor and the elderly, spanned over three decades.[1]

She received numerous special mentions and honorary citizenship titles in the country. Similarly, the Children's Pastoral has been awarded several prizes for its work since its founding. In 2012, in a selection process using an international format, Arns was elected the 17th greatest Brazilian of all time.[2]

In January 2015, the beatification process for Zilda Arns was initiated in recognition of her charitable works.[3]

On April 20, 2023, she was inscribed by the Brazilian government in the Book of Heroes and Heroines of the Fatherland.[4]

Arns died on January 12, 2010, as a result of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.[5] In 2015, the Archdiocese of São Paulo intended to start a diocesan investigation in order to open a beatification process.[6][7]

Early life and education

Born on August 25 1934, in the rural town of Forquilhinha, Arns was the 13th out of 16 children[8] of Gabriel Arns and Helene Arns (née Steiner).[9] She was the aunt of Senator Flávio Arns.

Two of Arns' memories were of seeing her father go door-to-door on his horse to help contain a smallpox epidemic and watching her mother arrange for a sick neighbour to be taken to the nearest hospital on the back of a cart, a journey of three hours.[10] Those acts inspired her contemplate life as a doctor, even most of her priests or teachers.[10]

Having studied medicine, she graduated in 1959 from the Federal University of Paraná. Arns further studied public health, with the aim of assisting poor children in environments plagued with high child mortality rates, malnutrition and violence.

Career

After she worked in local hospitals tending to infants, she was then given charge of a string of clinics on the impoverished outskirts of the southern city of Curitiba.[10]

Arns was the founder coordinator of Pastoral da Criança (Pastoral Care for Children),[11] an organization for social action of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil. The Care for Children has one of the largest programs in the world devoted to child health and nutrition. The program has about 260,000 volunteers and has reduced infant mortality by more than half in over 31,000 urban and rural communities of intense poverty.

Arns also coordinated Pastoral da Pessoa Idosa (Pastoral Care for Elderly Persons), and social action organisms of the Episcopal Conference of Brazil.

As a Catholic, Arns condemned contraception. Her approach was based on familial education in order to help decrease the rates of petty crime and preventable diseases.

Personal life

Widowed since 1978, she was a mother of four and grandmother of ten.[12] Arns was killed by the Haiti earthquake of 12 January 2010 in Port-au-Prince,[13] where she was carrying out humanitarian activities on behalf of Pastoral da Criança. She was struck in the head by falling debris from the roof of a church in which she had just given a speech. She was 75 years old at the time. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva attended her funeral.

Awards and honours

She was awarded with several honorary citizen titles throughout Brazil. She was also recognized as a Public Health Heroe by Pan American Health Organization[14]

See also

  • Casualties of the 2010 Haiti earthquake

References

  1. Back to citation Downie, Andrew (13 January 2010). "Legendary Brazilian aid worker among the victims of Haiti earthquake". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  2. Back to citation Piero Lino Ribeiro, Livio Batista Mathias Oliveira, Marcelo Henrique dos Santos, Marcelo Oguihara de Souza, Mauro Ricardo Riego Cots, Flavio Luiz da Silva. "O Maior Brasileiro de Todos os Tempos". sbt.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  3. Back to citation Veiga, Edison (12 January 2020). "Após dez anos da morte, família quer tornar Zilda Arns santa". Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  4. Back to citation "Zilda Arns entra no Livro dos Heróis e Heroínas da Pátria". www.metropoles.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  5. Back to citation Folha Online – Mundo – Fundadora da Pastoral da Criança, Zilda Arns morre em tremor no Haiti (in Portuguese)
  6. Back to citation "Life comes first – the story of Zilda Arns". 11 August 2013.
  7. Back to citation "AMERICA/BRAZIL - Missionary found dead in Haiti, an example to propose also for sanctification - Agenzia Fides".
  8. Back to citation "«HELENA STEINER - GABRIEL ARNS»". Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  9. Back to citation Câmara reúne alemães em sessão solene
  10. Back to citation occurrence 10.0 Back to citation occurrence 10.1 Back to citation occurrence 10.2 Zilda Arns – The Daily Telegraph obituary
  11. Back to citation Statement by Doctor Zilda Arns Neumann, national founder and coordinator of the Pastoral Care for Children Archived 2007-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Back to citation Tom, Phillips. "Zilda Arns obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  13. Back to citation Haiti Earthquake, the Day After from UN Dispatch Archived 2010-01-17 at the Wayback Machine
  14. Back to citation Pan American Health Organization. Public Health Heroes. Dr. Zilda Arns Newmann.

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