Pope faces Third World challenges in Brazil trip

By Angus MacSwan

APARECIDA, Brazil (Reuters) - Pope Benedict, until now a distant figure to Latin America's huge Roman Catholic population, will come face-to-face with many of the challenges confronting the church when he visits Brazil this week.

People have left in droves to join Protestant congregations, poverty and violence afflict many households and birth control is widely practised -- indeed Brazil's government hands out free condoms.

And many faithful wonder what are the priorities of Pope Benedict, a conservative theologian best known in Latin America for clamping down on the leftist Liberation Theology movement.

"The main challenge of the church is to draw a new map -- a map of hope. But where is that coming from?," said Father Jaime Crowe, an Irish priest who has worked for 20 years in the Sao Paulo shantytown of Jardim Angela.

This is the Pontiff's first visit to Latin America since he was elected in April 2005 after the death of the revered Pope John Paul. Many Latin Americans were disappointed that one of their own cardinals was not chosen.

Pope Benedict, who arrives in Brazil on Wednesday, has focused on reaffirming traditional church doctrine and customs, and speaking out against birth control, gay rights and what he sees as the collapse of family values.

But the view from the Vatican can contrast with realities of life in Brazil, the world's most populous Catholic nation, and elsewhere in Latin America.

"It's a very different angle when you are walking in Jardim Angela," said Father Jaime.