On site he is affectionately called "Padre José". At his workplace in Brazil, Father Sepp Wasensteiner from Lenggries now faces major challenges.
Lenggries / Timbiras - Brazil has become an epicenter of the corona pandemic. With over 740,000 confirmed infections worldwide, the South American country ranks second behind the United States in the number of cases, and nowhere else than so many people died of Covid-19 in one day as we most recently in Brazil. Father Josef Wasensteiner experiences firsthand how this affects everyday life in the city of Timbiras. The Pott of the Pallottine Order, who comes from Lenggries, has lived and worked in the state of Maranhão for almost 30 years. He is currently in great demand to support families in economic need and to provide consolation to the bereaved.
"Padre Sepp" or "Padre José", as he is called, regularly sends letters to the old home in the Isarwinkel. He also reported to the Tölz courier via WhatsApp voice messages about the situation in his environment.
A month after Padre José, the pandemic arrived in Timbiras
The outbreak of the corona pandemic in northeastern Brazil coincided for Wasensteiner with the acclimatization to a new workplace. It was only on February 16 that diocesan bishop Dom Sebastião introduced him at a solemn service in his new parish in the city of Timbiras. After 28 years, he had been transferred from nearby Codó.
The Corona crisis hit the region about a month later. For a long time, Maranhão was the only Brazilian state with no confirmed infections. The number of people infected is now around 50,000, around 1,500 in Codó (around 122,000 inhabitants), around 340 infected and 13 dead in Timbiras (30,000 inhabitants) (as of Tuesday). For comparison: 424 infections have so far been registered in Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen (127,000 inhabitants).
Wasensteiner believes the official statistics are only of limited relevance. "What you hear from many acquaintances who are now infected, the number of unreported cases is certainly much higher," he explains. In large cities, it is assumed that around seven times as many people have contracted the infection than are listed in the statistics.
Corona in Brazil: "The weaker people are automatically exposed to death"
Padre Sepp describes the consequences of the pandemic as serious. "With our catastrophic health system that is not prepared for such a crisis at all - no beds, no ventilators - the weaker people are automatically exposed to death," he says. In the hospital in São Luis, the capital of Maranhão, "doctors are powerlessly watching people die because of a lack of technical possibilities".
The crisis also had severe economic consequences for the population. “The blatant social inequality” comes to light. The standstill in public life means: "The rich suffer from boredom and the poor suffer from hunger." The parish tries to "organize food for many, many poor families".
He also endeavors to "give hope to people and give consolation to the families of the victims" via WhatsApp messages, YouTube videos or Facebook posts. Occasionally, people - "with a certain distance and face mask" - came to the small rectory for counseling or confession talks, in which the Pallottine priest lived alone. However, he does not hold public services. "We strictly adhere to the protection of life," says Wasensteiner - although the local mayor, under pressure from the Free Churches, permitted religious celebrations.
Father Josef Wasensteiner criticizes President Bolsonaro
The crisis management of right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro is also highly controversial in Timbiras. Padre Sepp finds clear words: Whose politics is "under all sow", Bolsonaro "a complete rivet". He is making cuts in the health sector, downplaying the coronavirus and setting a bad example by continuing to go undisturbed without a face mask and hugging children. "It is crazy what such a president can do to a nation in such a bad way," says Wasensteiner.
And the people in Timbiras? Many were against Bolsonaro, felt betrayed by him and accused him of lacking "love for people". “Basically, they are in favor of more restrictions - but they often don't take it too seriously themselves,” the minister says.
The Maranhenses are just "very communicative people. You won't be able to stand it behind closed doors at home for so long. They go out, visit relatives and sit down at the bar and have a beer. ”
For many people in Brazil, the corona crisis is "getting down to business"
But even in purely economic terms, most people simply could not afford to stay within their own four walls. "So that the families can survive, people try to keep themselves afloat with odd jobs, for example with small moped or bicycle repair shops." .
The state grants emergency corona aid, but has recently halved it to 50 euros. “You can't make ends meet.” In addition, long lines would form in front of the banks because people would collect the money. "And it is precisely in such large collections that there is the greatest risk of transmitting the virus," says Padre José.
And how does the 62-year-old feel himself? "Personally, I'm fine so far, if you can say so, in this difficult situation," he writes. "You are concerned about the people for whom you have a responsibility."
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