Brazil's Arns embodies Vatican II church. (Archbishop of Sao Paulo Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns)(Cover Story)

RECIFE, Brazil--The gesture is one that Jesus Christ would certainly understand, but Rome might not. Ever since he became archbishop of the huge metropolis of Sao Paulo, Franciscan Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns, according to his own account to a local television station, has told the impoverished majorities of Brazil that on Ash Wednesday, "if they can find meat to eat, which is rare, they should eat it, and do some good work to mark the day, because not eating meat is not the point."

Arns shrugs off the legalities of giving such advice. "Canon law gives me full power to…