Three decades ago, in 1996, the then Bishop of Funchal, Teodoro de Faria, publicly voiced his disapproval of priests' participation in Madeiran politics. In a written interview with DIÁRIO during the regional election campaign, where priests Edgar Silva and Mário Tavares were running for the CDU, the bishop stated that "A conscious Christian does not vote for them" and that priests should "abstain."
Teodoro de Faria's statements, described as "telegraphic" and "some reduced to biblical maxims," had a considerable impact and generated immediate reactions. Priest Edgar Silva, a CDU candidate, accused the bishop of "campaigning for the PSD," comparing his intervention to an "attraction" for the party, alongside other figures.
The involvement of priests in Madeiran politics has a history dating back to 1976, with Father Martins Júnior elected as a deputy. In 1992, Father Mário Tavares had already been elected for the CDU. The situation in 1996, with two priests running and having a chance of being elected, intensified the debate on the clergy's role in the political sphere.
