Brother Henrique Justo

Humanist and Pioneer of Psychology in Brazil

Abstract

Brother Henrique Justo, in civilian life José Arvedo Flach (Poço das Antas/RS, July 25th, 1922 - Porto Alegre/RS, December 2nd, 2022), was a Lasallian religious-educator, psychologist, writer, and poet. He was a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul for 40 years. He was also a polyglot, being able to express himself in German (his native language), Portuguese, Latin, Italian, French, and English. As an educator, he disseminated and applied the innovative pedagogy of Jean-Baptiste de La Salle. As a psychologist, he dedicated himself to the dissemination of scientific psychology, to the translation and adaptation of psychological evaluation instruments, to the introduction of the Person-Centered Approach in Brazil, and to the movement for the recognition of psychology as a profession. To his students, Brother Justo was a simple, docile, decent, discreet, and sensitive person. He used to speak softly, with confidence and firmness. He knew how to listen and respect other people's beliefs and opinions, even when contrary to his own positions, always finding a good way out of impasses. As a teacher, he was calm and discreet; he acted without superiority and assumed himself as the one who did not hold the knowledge.