Eckart Höfling (28 October 1936 – 1 March 2014) was a German Catholic priest who worked combating poverty in

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. Höfling was born in Langenprozelten,

Lower Franconia Lower Franconia (, ) is one of seven districts of Bavaria, Germany. The districts of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia make up the region of Franconia. It consists of nine districts and 308 municipalities (including three cities). History After ...

. In 1949 Eckart Höflich completed his schooling in

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is, after Nuremberg and Fürth, the Franconia#Towns and cities, third-largest city in Franconia located in the north of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. It sp ...

and passed the legal clerk exams in 1952. He assumed a position in Karlstadt until 1957, when he joined the Franciscan Order. He was sent to Brazil for the first time in 1959/1960. He studied philosophy and theology and was ordained a priest on December 10, 1966 by the Bishop of Würzburg, Josef Stangl. He was sent to Brazil to lead two parishes there. He was awarded the German

Federal Cross of Merit The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...

(''Bundesverdienstkreuz'') for his work in 2007, and the Quadriga Award in 2008.

Projects and Positions

*1972: Director of the Franciscan Spirituality College *1977: Created a social services network in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

He set up social centers in the

favela Favela () is an umbrella name for several types of impoverished neighborhoods in Brazil. The term, which means slum or ghetto, was first used in the Slum of Providência in the center of Rio de Janeiro in the late 19th century, which was b ...

s Vila Ideal and Prainha and organized regular medical care for the inhabitants of the favelas. The money for this project – over 2 million Euros in the past 30 years was given by the German Georg Ludwig Rexroth-Stiftung.Georg Ludwig Rexroth-Stiftung
''Die Projekte Vila Ideal und Prainha in Rio de Janeiro/Brasilien''
(in German) *1986: Created a social services network in

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

*1987: Director of the Franciscian Social Services Network

Third Order The term third order signifies, in general, lay members of Christian religious orders, who do not necessarily live in a religious community such as a monastery or a nunnery, and yet can claim to wear the religious habit and participate in the goo ...

in Rio de Janeiro.

References

1936 births 2014 deaths German Franciscans 20th-century German Roman Catholic priests Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany {{RC-clergy-stub