Concordat introduces sectarian teaching in schools.

 In a familiar refrain, the Catholic Church argues that the concordat posed no danger to the secularism of Brazil because it represented nothing new. According to chairman of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops (CNBB), Geraldo Lyrio Rocha, "The treaty only groups, in a single text, what is already in the Constitution, in jurisprudence and the ordinary law". [1] The Bishop even claims that the reason there has been "no debate with society" about the concordat was precisely because it's nothing new — not because of the secrecy surrounding it. [2] And Brazil's First Vice-President, agrees, saying that, for instance, there is no cause for concern about the introduction of Catholic catechism into state schools, because religious education is already permitted by the education law. [3]

However, the concordat clause on education and Brazil's education law are actually quite different. The Brazilian Government intended religious education to foster understanding of the country's diverse religious landscape. Although Brazil has the largest number of Catholics in the world, it has many other religions. And not only world religions: there are also Afro-Brazilian ones like Candomblé and the indigenous religions of the Amazon rainforest.

Brazil's present religious education is designed to accommodate this diversity and encourage tolerance. However, the signed concordat implicitly opposes this. Its genuflections in Article 11 to "cultural diversity and religious plurality in the country" and invitations to "other religious denominations" to make their own church-state agreements cannot conceal this fact. Instead of non-sectarian religious education regulated by the educational authorities, Article 11 will permit the introduction into state schools of Catholic catechism under the control of the Church. 
 

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Concordat clause on Religious Education (Article 11)

... The religious education, both Catholic and of other religious denominations, to be optional, is a regular discipline in normal hours of state schools in primary education, so long as the respect for religious diversity of Brazil is ensured, in accordance with the Constitution and other laws, without any form of discrimination.
 

Excerpts from Brazil's Education Act  

The Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education, (LDB) [4] emphasises in Article 3 that Religious Education is to be taught according to principles which include:
   III - pluralism of ideas and pedagogic conceptions;
   IV - respecting freedom and valuing tolerance.

And Article 33 states:

Religious education, which is optional, is part of the essential background for a citizen and is a teaching subject included in regular schedules of public elementary schools, with respect being ensured for the cultural diversity in Brazil, and all forms of proselytizing being forbidden.

§ 1.  Education systems will regulate procedures to define the contents of religious education and will establish rules to qualify and hire teachers.

§ 2.  Education systems will hear social institutions [boards], made up of different religious denominations, to determine [together] the content of religious education.

 

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Notes

1. "Parlamentares divergem sobre estatuto da Igreja Católica", ("Congressmen disagree on status of Catholic Church"), Agência Câmara, 7 May 2009. http://www2.camara.gov.br/homeagencia/materias.html?pk=134326

2. "Tratado com Vaticano gera críticas e faz Câmara convocar audiência" ("Treaty with Vatican generates criticism and calls for a House hearing"). Estadao, 28 June 2009. http://www.estadao.com.br/estadaodehoje/20090628/not_imp394233,0.php

3. "Comissão de Relações Exteriores debate Acordo Brasil e Santa-Sé" ("Committee on Foreign Relations debates Agreement between Brazil and Holy See"), Agência Câmara, 6 May 2009. http://www2.camara.gov.br/comissoes/credn/comissao-de-relacoes-exteriores-debate-acordo

4. At present it consists of the Law 9394 of 20 December 1996, as amended by Law 9475 of 22 July 1997.
http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/LEIS/l9394.htm [contains Article 3 with the Aims]
http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/LEIS/L9475.htm [contains the revised Article 33]

The translation of Article 33 is of the legislation presently in force. The original wording from the previous year (crossed out in the text), translates as follows: 

Article 33. Religious education, which is optional, is a subject included in regular schedules of elementary public education schools and is offered without cost for the Government according to the preferences expressed by the students or their guardians, in two types: I - confessional, according to the religious creed of the student or his guardian, ministered by teachers or religious counselors prepared and accredited by their respective churches or religious organizations; or II - interconfessional, according to an agreement among different religious organisations, which will be in charge of the religious education curricula.