+Karl
Church News:
USA:
It is with great joy to announce the Intercommunion between the Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ and the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch under the leadership of H. E. Presiding Bishop Mark Elliot Newman.
Italy:
We welcome our newly ordained priests in Italy, Fr. Fortunato (Calabria) and Fr. Francesco (Turin) to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Italy. Congratulations and blessings for your new ministry. We also congratulate, Rev. Gaetano on June 23rd, 2019 in Licata, Italy.
To all in our worldwide church:
Please work all on the ideas expressed in my apostolic Letter I sent you for Christmas for our Worldwide Synod. Location and Time are not set yet. Thank you.
Hodie, Christus Natus est, Hallelujah, Hallelujah. Pax Hominibus bonae voluntatis. Gloria in Exelsis Deo!
Merry Christmas! Peace and Joy to you beloved brothers and sisters or of our Worldwide ECCC!Wishing you all a very blessed and joyous Christmas Season, Health and Peace in A. D. 2019
As we celebrate this Holy Days of Christmas, we are reminded what His birth means to us and the whole world. We not only celebrate His Birth over 2 thousand years ago, we also being reminded of Christ living among us, and that He will come again in Glory to take us all home. As Christians we are aware that our spiritual journey on this earth is dependent on our relationship with Christ. As we walk with Christ in our midst, we need to keep focused on Him and realize more and more why it makes a difference to follow His commandment of Loving God and our Neighbor. The world with all its glamour is trying to convince us otherwise, i.e., making us believe that there is no God. Yes, for many it has become the answer in modern times: to live only the way one wants, and see all the bad things of today's world be part of a lesser necessity, because it seems to be so much easier. Wars, scandals, natural disasters, famines, or a family tragedy, etc. becomes the new justification for ones own way of a life without God. But what really will come out of such a lifestyle? We see it everywhere, a world of bulling, a world of more greed and the devastating consequences it entails, carelessness in all its evil forms, including the pollution of the worlds oceans, the denial of Global warming, the deforestations of the world's vital rain forests, the drug epidemics and all kinds of addictions, robberies, murders, and the list goes on... Yet, all of this cries out for wanting us to live in a better world that has Love as the moral foundation, and to see families and communities who show more care and respect for each other, yes for all of God's people. We experiencing almost daily how much societies have been divided and how many people are being treated with hate and disrespect. Immigrants are being treated as enemies, living in abhorrent conditions, children separated from their parents. We forget that Jesus and his family were refugees fleeing the brutal hands of the Ruler Herod... Christmas is a stark reminder to see the world through the eyes of Jesus: in his innocence of a baby -his entire life a peacemaker -welcoming all who seek Wholeness again -finding healing in life's afflictions -restoring God's will among us. We need again this awareness that we are only one human race, and that we are only guests on this earth, and knowing that we are only stewards of God's creation. We need each other. Only God's Word of Life and Grace can bring healing restoring our lives and communities. Let us be such a renewed people that live this message of Joy to the world and Peace to all people of good will. Let us give testimony for HIS Good NEWS. We are able to do it, because Jesus went before us and showed us the need for change in our life. May we all find a new way to the Heart of God that, our Father and Mother that is pouring out so much love that we are just taken by it. Thank you all for your love for Jesus and the good work of our worldwide Church! Wishing you, your families and all in your care: this kind and pure Love that comes out of the manger in Bethlehem, that innocent life that came in our midst so we can live With Him and Through Him and in Him.With my Prayers and benedictions,Yours, +KarlECCC Announcement:We announcing for 2020: Our Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ World Synod.An Apostolic Letter will be sent out to our Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Laity that will plan the Details for this historic event.We asking you all for your prayers for this celebration of our faith!We welcome also our new priests in our worldwide missions, the ECCC is growing through the Grace of God!
¡Paz, hermanos y hermanas en Cristo!Les deseamos a todos una muy feliz y feliz temporada navideña,Salud y paz en A. D. 2019
Mientras celebramos estos Días Santos de Navidad, se nos recuerda lo que significa su nacimiento para nosotros y para el mundo entero. No solo celebramos Su nacimiento hace más de 2 mil años, también se nos recuerda que Cristo vive entre nosotros y que Él vendrá nuevamente en Gloria para llevarnos a todos a casa. Como cristianos somos conscientes de que nuestro viaje espiritual en esta tierra depende de nuestra relación con Cristo. Mientras caminamos con Cristo en medio de nosotros, debemos mantenernos enfocados en Él y darnos cuenta cada vez más de por qué es importante seguir Su mandamiento de amar a Dios y a nuestro prójimo. El mundo con todo su glamour está tratando de convencernos de lo contrario, es decir, haciéndonos creer que no hay Dios. Sí, para muchos se ha convertido en la respuesta en los tiempos modernos: vivir solo de la manera que uno quiere y ver todas las cosas malas del mundo de hoy como parte de una necesidad menor, porque parece ser mucho más fácil. Las guerras, los escándalos, los desastres naturales, las hambrunas, una tragedia familiar, etc., se convierten en la nueva justificación de nuestra propia vida sin Dios. ¿Pero qué realmente saldrá de tal estilo de vida? Lo vemos en todas partes, un mundo de bulling, un mundo de más codicia y las consecuencias devastadoras que conlleva, el descuido en todas sus formas malignas, incluida la contaminación de los océanos del mundo, la negación del calentamiento global, las deforestaciones de la lluvia vital del mundo. Los bosques, las epidemias de drogas y todo tipo de adicciones, robos, asesinatos, y la lista continúa ... Sin embargo, todo esto clama por querer que vivamos en un mundo mejor que tenga el Amor como la base moral, y que veamos a las familias y comunidades que muestran más cuidado y respeto por los demás, sí para todo el pueblo de Dios. Experimentamos casi a diario la cantidad de sociedades que se han dividido y la cantidad de personas que son tratadas con odio y falta de respeto. Los inmigrantes son tratados como enemigos, viven en condiciones abominables, los niños separados de sus padres. Olvidamos que Jesús y su familia eran refugiados que huían de las manos brutales del gobernante Herodes ... La Navidad es un claro recordatorio para ver el mundo a través de los ojos de Jesús: en su inocencia de un bebé, toda su vida, un pacificador, que acogerá a todos los que buscan nuevamente la totalidad, encontrar curación en las aflicciones de la vida, restablecer la voluntad de Dios entre nosotros. Necesitamos nuevamente esta conciencia de que somos solo una raza humana, y que solo somos invitados en esta tierra, y sabiendo que solo somos administradores de la creación de Dios. Nos necesitamos el uno al otro. Solo la Palabra de Dios de Vida y Gracia puede traer sanidad restaurando nuestras vidas y comunidades. Seamos un pueblo tan renovado que viva este mensaje de Alegría para el mundo y Paz para todas las personas de buena voluntad. Demos testimonio de sus buenas noticias. Podemos hacerlo, porque Jesús fue antes que nosotros y nos mostró la necesidad de un cambio en nuestra vida. Que todos podamos encontrar un nuevo camino hacia el Corazón de Dios que, nuestro Padre y nuestra Madre, está derramando tanto amor que simplemente nos dejamos llevar por él. ¡Gracias a todos por su amor a Jesús y al buen trabajo de nuestra Iglesia mundial!Les deseamos a ustedes, a sus familias y a todos a su cuidado: este amor amable y puro que sale del pesebre en Belén, esa vida inocente que vino en medio de nosotros para que podamos vivir con Él y por medio de Él y en Él.Con mis oraciones y bendiciones,Suyo, +Karl
Anuncio de la ECCC:Es con gran alegría anunciar para 2020:Nuestra Iglesia Ecuménica Católica de Cristo Sínodo Mundial.Se enviará una carta apostólica a nuestros arzobispos, obispos, sacerdotes, diáconos y laicos que planearán los detalles para este evento histórico.¡Les pedimos a todos por sus oraciones por esta celebración de nuestra fe!También damos la bienvenida a nuestros nuevos sacerdotes en nuestras misiones mundiales, ¡El ECCC está creciendo a través de la Gracia de Dios!
Pace, fratelli e sorelle in Cristo!Augurandovi tutti Bon Natalemolto Benedetta e Gioiosa,Salute e Pace in A. D. 2019
Mentre celebriamo questo santo giorno di Natale, ci viene ricordato ciò che la sua nascita significa per noi e per il mondo intero. Non celebriamo solo la sua nascita oltre 2 mila anni fa, ci viene anche ricordato che Cristo vive in mezzo a noi e che ritornerà in gloria per portarci tutti a casa. Come cristiani siamo consapevoli che il nostro cammino spirituale su questa terra dipende dalla nostra relazione con Cristo. Mentre camminiamo con Cristo in mezzo a noi, dobbiamo concentrarci su di Lui e realizzare sempre di più perché fa la differenza seguire il Suo comandamento di Dio amorevole e il nostro prossimo. Il mondo con tutto il suo fascino sta cercando di convincerci del contrario, cioè, facendoci credere che non c'è Dio. Sì, per molti è diventata la risposta nei tempi moderni: vivere solo come si vuole e vedere tutte le cose cattive del mondo di oggi essere parte di una necessità minore, perché sembra essere molto più facile. Guerre, scandali, disastri naturali, carestie o tragedia familiare, ecc. Diventano la nuova giustificazione per il proprio modo di vivere senza Dio. Ma cosa uscirà davvero da un simile stile di vita? Lo vediamo dappertutto, un mondo di bulling, un mondo di più avidità e le conseguenze devastanti che comporta, l'incuria in tutte le sue forme malvagie, compreso l'inquinamento degli oceani del mondo, la negazione del riscaldamento globale, la deforestazione della pioggia vitale mondiale le foreste, le epidemie di droga e tutti i tipi di dipendenze, rapine, omicidi e la lista continua ... Eppure, tutto questo grida per volere che noi viviamo in un mondo migliore che ha l'Amore come fondamento morale e per vedere famiglie e comunità che mostrano più cura e rispetto l'uno per l'altro, sì per tutto il popolo di Dio. Sperimentiamo quasi ogni giorno quante società sono state divise e quante persone vengono trattate con odio e mancanza di rispetto. Gli immigrati vengono trattati come nemici, vivono in condizioni aberrate, bambini separati dai loro genitori. Dimentichiamo che Gesù e la sua famiglia erano profughi in fuga dalle mani brutali del Sovrano Erode ... Il Natale è un forte promemoria per vedere il mondo attraverso gli occhi di Gesù: nella sua innocenza di un bambino - tutta la sua vita un pacificatore - accogliere tutti coloro che cercano di nuovo l'integrità - che guarisce nelle afflizioni della vita - ristabilendo la volontà di Dio tra noi. Abbiamo bisogno ancora una volta di questa consapevolezza che siamo solo una razza umana, e che siamo solo ospiti su questa terra, e sapendo che siamo solo amministratori della creazione di Dio. Noi abbiamo bisogno l'uno dell'altro. Solo la Parola di Vita e di Grazia di Dio può portare guarigione che ripristina le nostre vite e comunità. Diventiamo un popolo così rinnovato che viva questo messaggio di Gioia al mondo e pace a tutti gli uomini di buona volontà. Diamo testimonianza per le Sue buone NOTIZIE. Siamo in grado di farlo, perché Gesù ci ha preceduto e ci ha mostrato la necessità di un cambiamento nella nostra vita. Possano tutti noi trovare una nuova via per il Cuore di Dio che, nostro Padre e nostra Madre, riversa così tanto amore che siamo semplicemente presi da esso. Grazie a tutti per il vostro amore per Gesù e per il buon lavoro della nostra Chiesa mondiale! Augurando Voi, le tue famiglie e tutto ciò che ti sta a cuore: questo amore gentile e puro che esce dalla mangiatoia di Betlemme, quella vita innocente che è venuta in mezzo a noi per vivere con Lui, per Lui e in Lui.Con le mie preghiere e le mie benedizioni,Il Suo, +Karl
Annuncio ECCC:È con Great Joy annunciare per il 2020:La nostra Chiesa Ecumenica Cattolica di Cristo Sinodo Mondiale.Una Lettera Apostolica sarà inviata ai nostri Arcivescovi, Vescovi, Sacerdoti, Diaconi e Laici che pianificheranno i Dettagli per questo evento storico.Chiediamo a tutti voi le vostre preghiere per questa celebrazione della nostra fede!
Diamo il benvenuto anche ai nostri nuovi sacerdoti nelle nostre missioni in tutto il mondo, La Chiesa Ecumenica Cattolica de Cristo sta crescendo attraverso la Grazia di Dio!
Come and join us
On Sunday, October 7th for a
Solemn Mass at 11:00 AM
In honor of St. Francis
Holy Week 2018:
Palm Sunday Blessing of the Palms and Mass 11:00 Am
Holy Thursday: 6:00 PM Mass of The Lord's last Super
Good Friday: 1:00 PM Stations of the Cross 2:00 PM
Good Friday Liturgy
Easter Sunday: 11:00 AM Solemn Celebration of the Resurrection
Join us for a Special Healing Service with Absolution
Sunday, March 18, 2018 At Mass 11:00 AM
St. Anthony celebrates 160 Years
Come Join us for a solemn Pontifical Mass on August 13th, 2017 At 11:00 AMFollowed by outdoor BBQ, 50/50 Raffle price drawing,Activities for Children, And historic Church tour!
This 4th Sunday of Lent, March 26, 2017, during the 11:00 AM Mass we offer: The 3rd Rite of Reconciliation: General Absolution in a communal rite of reconciliation: This is where the bishop, or the priest gives a general absolution to a community after they reflect on their sins.There area Three Rites of Reconciliation: 1st Rite: Individual Confession: Where the penitent has a one on one confession with the priest which is private. 2nd Rite: Communal Celebration: A public celebration usually at an important time in the catholic year. In this rite they also have an individual confession as well. 3rd Rite: General Absolution in a communal rite of reconciliation: This is where the bishop or priest gives a general absolution to a community after they reflect on their sins.
December 6th, Saint Nicklaus, A. D. 2016
Please share with all your people
Peace, and Greetings to you, brothers and sisters in Christ of our Worldwide Church Communion!
As we prepare ourselves for the Birth of Christ and His Second Coming in Glory, we look more inwardly through reflection and meditation. We seek a deeper relationship with Christ, so He will find us not asleep, but awake.
The Gospel and Scripture readings in this Season showing what the People of old were yearning for, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, the Savior, the King of Kings, and that Christ is that Person, divine and human. In prayerful reflection, we experience in our faith life a newness that brings changes for our daily life and our actions as Christians!
How can the Newborn King lead us to God? What great Joy that comes from our Love for God's Son, a love and peace the world in itself is unable to give. How can our longing for this ultimate Union with God be more rooted within us?
As I was writing, I received a nice letter of reflection from our Vicar General in Sri Lanka, Fr. Nicholas. I would like to share his letter with you! Also I share below with you a letter from our Bishop in India, +Dr. Sunny!
"LANGUAGE OF GOD IS CHRISTMAS
Communication is an indispensable component of human history. Communication could be vary, but in this varied pattern, language occupies the prominent place. It is not an exaggeration to say, all what we are and what we have today are due to the language people have been using in different forms in history. This is the human dimension of the language. But there is also a divine dimension of the language.
People of the Old Testament experienced God’s language in sundry ways. It is the People of New Testament who began to experience the language of God in human form. As John the Evangelist records God’s word becomes flesh at Christmas. From the very beginning of Jesus event, it is the divine communication that continues to speak to mankind in Jesus. Hence the language God addressed to man through Jesus is CHRISTMAS. God’s word that became flesh is an eternal language. Wherever and whenever such language is spoken JESUS IS BORN. Let us understand what this language is:
It is the language of good news to Mary and her Fiat to it.
It is the language of dispelling Joseph’s doubts.
It is the language of sharing of joy with Elizabeth.
It is the language of joy at the birth of Jesus.
It is the language of facing challenging threats to life of baby Jesus in the life of Joseph.
It is the language of Peace spoken by Jesus.
It is the language of reconciliation in Jesus
It is the language of loving acceptance in prodigal son.
It is the language of forgiveness in Mary Magdalene.
It is the language of loving enemies in Jesus.
It is the language of service in the washing of the feet.
It is the language of “OUR FATHER”.
It is the language of “YOUR WILL BE DONE”.
It is the language of CRUCIFIXION”.
It is the language of “RESURRECTION”.
Christmas is to speak this language. Unless and until we speak this language from our heart we will not experience birth of Jesus; what we will experience is our own Ego and selfishness.
Today when the whole world celebrates Christmas I begin to wonder, whether Jesus is being born in the present context. It is only in the communication of the language God spoke to man through Jesus, we could rediscover Jesus and experience His birth.
We wish you a Christmas that you will experience the language of Jesus and keep on speaking it in your own life situation."
May all of you around the World wherever you are experience this Christ in you!
Angelus Silesius said it very well when he wrote: "Though Jesus Christ were born a thousand times in Bethlehem by his Mother, if he is not born again in you, then you are lost for evermore."
May Christ be born in your hearts, and reign there for His Love will be everlasting!
May the Joy of His Birth renew the Love for HIS Kingdom, and may the coming year bring all of us closer to God!
From Bishop Sunny in India:
Most Rev. Fr. Karl and Loving Brothers in Jesus Christ,
As I am meditating on "The message on Christmas", the wonderful answer popped into my mind as I read over this gospel on Christmas, the greatest beginning of the greatest story ever told. So much of the Christmas story is, truly, about listening.
When Gabriel arrives to bring Mary the news that she will bear a child…she listens.
When the angel tells Joseph in his dreams what is about to happen…he listens.
The shepherds listen when the angel announces the “good news of great joy.”
In the passage immediately following this, they go out and tell the world what they have seen. And the world listens.
Christmas invites us to listen.
To listen for God’s messengers. To listen for His good news.
And what good news it is: that God is with us! That we are no longer alone. That He has come into our lives, and into our world. “The grace of God has appeared,” Paul writes. Or as Isaiah puts it so beautifully: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”
Listening about True Love.
Then I start to contemplate the mystery of our God who became man. He is born in silence, poverty, simplicity and purity in Bethlehem, the house of bread. The sacred mystery of His Incarnation continued for us in the mystery of the Eucharist, God made real for us. God becomes man. Bread and wine becomes God-man. Each time we come to the Eucharist, we come to a new Bethlehem. He, who rested once in a manger, now rests in our entire being, as we receive him in the mystery of the Mass. "For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man" (Roman Missal, 3rd edition, Profession of Faith).
Tragedies exist; evil exists; bad things happen precisely because man rejects God. Our modern times are marked by a general rejection of God thus causing the terrible chaos that we see in the news each day. "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils" (Isaiah 9: 1-2).
While Christmas is undoubtedly a time of great joy, it is also an occasion for deep reflection, even an examination of conscience. Whatever language we may speak as we contemplate the Christ child lying in the manger of Bethlehem, God speaks only one language and that language is the language of love.
Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too, with eyes full of amazement and wonder, gaze upon the Child Jesus, the Son of God. And in his presence may our hearts burst forth in prayer: “Show us, Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation” (Ps 85:8).
Think of how Christmas comes to us – if only we listen for it.
With my prayers and Blessings,
+DR SUNNY ALAPPAT
With my prayers for you all
yours
+Karl
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 5th, A. D. 2016
Contact: Rene Reid
Rene.Reid@CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
Reformers Hold Out Hope for Women’s Ordination
People representing reform organizations from North America, India, Africa, Europe and Oceana have responded with care to what Pope Francis is saying. Knowing that a part of the Church is not ready to “receive” the ordination of women in the present form of priesthood, Pope Francis merely confirmed the teaching of Pope John Paul II in his apostolic letter of 1994. When asked if he saw the ordination of women as something that would “never, ever” happen, he indicated that it seemed to “be moving in that direction.” These reformers saw his words as still another in a long series of invitations for the “grassroots” to follow through on their heritage as full members of the People of God.
Francis has a fiduciary responsibility for a worldwide Church which includes both progressives and traditionalists. He is not an oracle nor does he want to be a dictatorial leader. He represents himself first and foremost as a pastor who has repeatedly invited the people to speak up, to share their wants and needs with their pastors, and have their bishops bring those desires to him. Then and only then will there be change to address the needs of our times in the Church.
Virginia Saldanha, an advisor to CCRI and a member of the Indian Women’s Theological Forum said: “Pope Francis has decided not to rock the conservative boat on the issue of women's ordination. Yet he is taking steps covertly in that direction. Inclusion of women in the Maundy Thursday washing of the feet liturgy; calling for a study of women deacons; and in several ways encouraging women to take their place among the people of God and exercise their baptismal call to a common priesthood.” Further, he openly greeted Antje Jackelen, the female Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala, during an ecumenical Service in Lund at the occasion commemorating 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. And earlier this year, Francis elevated the Memorial of St Mary Magdalene to the Feast of Mary Magdalene to be at the same level with her male Colleague-Apostles.
Peter Mbuchi of Kenya sees the response of Pope Francis as contextualized within Ecclesia in Africa. The core agenda of the church is evangelization: “I see the need to call for the thorough formation of the lay faithful. Since evangelizing means ‘bringing the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new,’ Christians must be formed to live the social implications of the Gospel in such a way that their witness will become a prophetic challenge to whatever hinders the true good of the men and women of Africa and of every other continent.”
“The ordination of women and of married clergy may be coming sooner than we expect” said Clyde Christofferson, a CCRI advisor and member of the U.S. based Nova Eucharistic Community. “It’s what resonates with the Spirit within us. Francis recognizes the problem, and has done what he can in Amoris Laetitia and Evangelii Gaudium to help with the needed conceptual tools. The rest is up to the People of God to band together, to speak up, and to bring this initiative forward.”
Having in mind that a large majority of the biblical commission appointed in 1976 by Pope Paul VI were “in favor of the view that scriptural grounds alone are not enough to exclude the possibility of ordaining women and that Christ’s plan would not be transgressed by permitting the ordination of women,” the reformers continue to pray for guidance as they seek grass roots local gatherings of the people of God, to be followed in the next several years by larger gatherings to share and celebrate new ways of being church, ever more responsive to the Spirit of Christ.
The reformers continue to pray for guidance as they seek grassroots local gatherings of the people of God, to be followed in the next several years by larger gatherings to share and celebrate new ways of being church, ever more responsive to the Spirit of Christ. A website has been established for this purpose: www.ThePeopleSpeakOut.org.
The People of God from around the world are invited to gather together, explore the kind of Church needed for our times, and share the outcome of their discussions on this site. These reports will be used to set the agenda for forthcoming Synods of the People of God being established by Council 50, who will be holding a meeting in Rome this weekend to discuss these matters.
***End***
October 28th, St. Jude, A. D. 2016
From your Ecumenical Primate
Peace, brothers and sisters in Christ!
We had a meeting with the worldwide Roman Catholic Reform Movement: Catholic Church Reform International.
They wrote that we as a worldwide Church Communion, the Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ, have a vital role in the Reform for Rome. They see in our ECCC vital ideas which we have demonstrated and lived for since 1998.
They wrote: "The purpose in having Archbishop + Karl at Cathedral of St. Anthony, in the meeting today was to connect the ecumenical work and to join their communities with our efforts in bringing about reform in the Roman Catholic Church through the series of Synods of the People."
In our collaborative work with
Council 50
, the following issues were suggested to be included as agenda topics for the Brasilia Synod of the People:
1. Laity involved in the decision-making of the Church
2. The role of women addressed
3. Equality both men and women in the ministry of the Church
4. Inclusiveness of the LGBT community in the Church
5. Optional Celibacy for priests
6. Ecumenism – the Roman Catholic Church continuing to reach out to other Christian denominations emphasizing what
we share in common
7. Greater autonomy of dioceses to work out their own needs for their community
The People Speak out website for Reforms is now live
:
You are all an inspiration for the struggle we have been through! I urge you to make an effort for the sake of Christ's beloved Church. We have now the opportunity and the blessings to be more involved in an worldwide effort to let the Holy Spirit speak through you, and bring about very needed reforms!
Please have group meetings wherever you are around the world in our ECCC, participate, invite other groups from other Churches as well, and bring your recommendations to improve the Forum and the task for Reforms to this website: www.ThePeopleSpeakOut.org.
This will be vital in order to create the agenda for a series of People's Synods around the World, and the big one in Brasilia in 2018!
We are counting on you all!
Thank you for participating!!
Letter of information n°1 12 September 2016
Global Council Network
Towards a Church- Inspired by the Gospel-for the world
Por uma Igreja inspirada no Evangelho - para o mundo
Rumbo a una Iglesia inspirada en el Evangelio-para el mundo
Vers une Eglise-inspirée par l’Evangile-pour le monde
Verso una Chiesa ispirata dal Vangelo per il mondo
To all signatories of the Declaration and to the participants of the Council 50 Gathering of delegates on 20-22 November 2015 in Rome.
Dear All,
By your endorsing the “Council 50 declaration” you are part of the “Global Council Network”. It is a pleasure to write to you to think and work together on what should be this network. To recall the spirit of our endeavor, the first part of this letter is an update on the last gathering of delegates that took place last November in Rome. Then, a second part will describe the main activities for the forthcoming years planned during this gathering and finally the last part is an invitation for you to contribute to the preparation of the first synod of the people of God that will take place in 2018 in Brasilia. This synod will be a major activity of the forthcoming years.
1) Update on the Gathering of delegates 20-22 November 2015 in Rome
First of all, let me briefly update those of you who did not attend the gathering of Rome.
Although the Council Vatican II renewed the Catholic Church, the stride for expressing the Gospel message in a way that the contemporary men and women can understand was stopped. The election of Pope Francis and the spirit he gave in the early days to his pontificate, his renewed attention to Synods, his attitudes, calls, gestures aroused great hope and encouraged a large part of the Church to support him in his efforts to turn the Church from a dogmatic attitude to a pastoral and evangelic approach, and to respond to his exhortations, in particular that in "Evangelii Gaudium1", recommending to the bishops "in certain circumstances to walk behind the people because the herd possesses itself an intuition to find new paths ".
In order to respond to this call, to be faithful to the message of Vatican II2 and to the Gospel and to give an opportunity of expression to the sensus fidelium/fidei3, a gathering of delegates of reform movements, associations and communities around the world was organized in Rome on November 20-22 2015 on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the close of the Council Vatican II, and of the Pact of Catacombs. About 100 delegates from 28 countries spread within 5 continents met together and bring the views of their groups, movements, and countries on reforms to be undertaken by our Church towards both:
i) the being of the Church (the people including the hierarchy), her functioning and her organization in order to improve her, so that she is in 21th century what she says to be,
ii) the saying it and the doing of the Church in order to allow her members to illuminate, with the Spirit of Jesus, our evolving world and to contribute to its transformation into a world of peace, social and economic justice, solidarity, a world fighting against poverty in which every man and every woman can develop him/herself in all the dimensions of his/her being. Hence the leitmotiv "Council 50, towards a Church inspired by Gospels for the world ".
A book on this event is in progress and will be published as soon as possible. Meanwhile you might read the article that Miriam Duignam wrote in the March 2016 issue of the magazine RENEW on the gathering of Rome and that is posted on the Council 50 website (http://www.council50.org/c55/ )
A first expression resulting from this gathering was the “Council 50 declaration” that most of you did endorse. This declaration was submitted to Pope Francis on the 8th of December 2015, the 50th anniversary of the close of Vatican II.
(http://www.council50.org/c55/declaration-2015 ).
Very much motivated by this gathering, participants demanded that the process thus initiated in Rome be pursued. Therefore, right after the last plenary session of the gathering, a new meeting was organized in the afternoon of November 22 2015 in order to satisfy this demand. During this meeting, a plan was established and agreed upon to proceed along the same lines.
2) Actions agreed to be undertaken?
These actions are particularly aiming at
- give a new impulse to the great spectrum of movements fighting in favor of the renovation of Catholic Church and give them the possibility to express themselves, as members of the people of God;
- consolidate proposals of the people of God in favor of the renovation of Catholic Church, and particularly those of the Council 50 declaration;
- expand the network with reform organizations, movements, communities, groups which didn't participate in Rome and which work for a more democratic Church inspired by the Gospel and the openings of the Council Vatican II, committed with peace, economic and social justice, solidarity, integrity of creation, with equality in rights and responsibilities between women and men in the Church.
You are therefore invited to undertake the following actions and to pray the Holy Spirit for inspiring us the best way to accomplish them:
i) Endorsement of the “Council 50 declaration” by as many people as possible, and development of the “Global Council network”. This network is composed of all those who endorsed the declaration. This is easily done via the website:
(http://www.council50.org/…/declarat…/endorse-the-declaration.
You are invited to contact your friends and present them the declaration. If you want to be informed on the actions to be undertaken along these lines, and eventually to contribute to these actions, do not hesitate to contact me or a member of the Global Council network.
ii) work with local groups, associations, movements, communities, parishes for thinking at the needed reforms to introduce both in the Church and the world in the spirit of the “Council 50 declaration”, and the best ways to implement them. A possible way to proceed is to organize in your own territories forums, thematic discussions, etc. for contributing to the building-up of a common agenda of issues to address, having in mind the principles and directions of the Medellin Document and of the Council 50 declaration in order to contribute to the preparation of the forthcoming “Synod of the people of God” presented below.
iii) Organization of a series of “Synods of the people of God” on topics chosen along the lines of the Council 50 declaration, taking into account its necessary improvement, and the specificities of the culture and particularities of the regions where they will take place. The first one in Latin America in 2018, presented below and the second one in Africa in 2021.
3) The First Synod of the people of God in Brasilia in 2018 and its preparation
Following the very interesting proposal of Lula Ramires, Edson G.P.O. Silva and Daniel Seidel from San Paulo in Brazil, the first Synod of the people of God will take place in Brasilia in 2018, at the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Conference of Latin American Bishops that took place in Medellin where the option for the Poor was reinforced and the base communities recognized. This is the opportunity for every community, group; movement all around the world to participate and contribute to make its voice heard for reforms in the Church and the society in order to transform our 21st century world in the light of the Spirit of Jesus and the Gospel into a world of peace, social and economic justice, solidarity, a world which respects human rights and preserves our planet..
An international organizing committee composed of delegates of reform networks or movements, including a local committee particularly in charge of the practical local organization, is being set-up. It is in charge of launching the process of elaboration of the content of this Synod and to prepare the program in cooperation with all groups, movements, communities interested. The first meeting of the international committee preparing this synod will be held on 6-7 November 2016 in Rome.
It has been suggested that this Synod should
- emphasize the shortcomings of the present organization of our Church and of its behavior;
- present alternatives in the light of the Council Vatican II, the Gospel and results from theological approaches including the theology of liberation;
- express a vision, based on the message of Jesus, that is able to inspire the whole world for social and economic justice, solidarity, human rights, preservation of our planet and peace.
- restore the hope that the good spirit laid down in documents more than 50 years ago, as well as in the papers, talks and practice of our Pope Francis, is going to break through anyway.
What do you think?
It is very important in this venture to benefit from the support and contributions from all reform groups and movements throughout the world in order to build a synod that will express the views of the People of God.
This is why you are invited to sign with your name, email and association, group, movement, network, communities, etc., the letter of invitation to this synod which will be finalized during the meeting of the organizing committee in Rome.
Therefore, if you agree to sign the letter of invitation to the 2018 synod, you will receive the draft for review.
Furthermore, if you are interested to be part of the organizing international committee, if you want to make suggestions for the synod, regarding its aims, key points to address, ideas to convey, proposals of reforms to be undertaken, particular activities to organise, please send me an email (Francois.Becker@council50.org ).
With my best regards
François Becker
Secretary General of the European Network Church on the move
Coordinator of Global Council Network
Francois.Becker@council50.org
September 8th, Nativity of Mary A. D. 2016
From your Ecumenical Primate +Dr. Karl Rodig
Peace, dear brothers and sisters of the Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ, and all Christians near and afar!
The past unholy experiences that some of you, including I had, and will continue to have with some of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, shall not diminish our Spirit for a New Face of Christ's Church that needs renewal and reforms.
We shall pray and be moved in the Holy Spirit to actively follow Christ and seek HIM in all things. He is the one who will set you free, not some Roman bishops who see this as a power game out of their own misery of church politics.
When Christ faced the authorities of his time, HE was full aware of the insult he would face, the total disconnect of those who yield power for their own sake...Christ born into a historical time of unrest, fear, and social injustice, faced the ignorance, the abuse of authority in the religious hierarchy, the betrayal through so many, the hate toward his message of Love. It was the hypocrisy of so many leaders who showed no faith in the God of Love and Mercy, and they hated him to death, and so He faced the agony of being rejected and abandoned till the end with only a few around him.
The experience of our sincere heart that searches for a liberating faith coming closer to Christ is our call. Let us be truthful to HIM and ourselves, and may we bless those who raise their voices against us out of hate and ignorance, may we pray for those who find pleasure and satisfaction in persecuting us, and love them through the eyes of Christ.
"AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, SO HAVE I LOVED YOU. NOW REMAIN IN MY LOVE. IF YOU OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU WILL REMAIN IN MY LOVE, JUST AS I HAVE OBEYED MY FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS AND REMAIN IN HIS LOVE." (JOHN 15:9-10)“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again”. (2 Corinthians 5:14, 15)
The Love of Christ compels all of us to love and care for each other as Christ has shown it in his earthly life, and as HE continuous to show His Love toward us sitting at the right hand of God the Father. Yes, we are called to follow Him with our heart and soul, and see in the Gospel the true treasure for our life's journey that helps us to seek Him and find Him. God's Spirit is the moving force for our pilgrimage on earth.
"But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7).
It is indeed sad that we still see so many hypocritical Christian Church leaders, being political, obsessed with secrets...how far they have moved from the Good News of the Gospel of Joy to the Bad News of Power and Greed. How many modern Pharisees are we dealing with condemning others because of their love for Christ who follow in His footsteps with all their hearts, caring and serving all of God's Children.
"I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With I in them and you in me, may they be so perfected in unity that the world will recognize that it was you who sent me and that you have loved them as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see my glory which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:22-24)Let us seek this Unity in our Love for Christ. If you from the Roman Catholic Rite, please do not live with a false pride, but always seek the best in your fellow Christians from other Catholic Churches and Protestant Churches, and do not judge them, but try to understand each other better through the love of Christ.
Some of these Q&A thoughts shall make us aware when we are driven by fundamentalism, or being religious fanatics, just to go to extreme attitudes in only judging others... How can we let ignorance repeat bad church history over and over again...
-Are Roman Catholics the only ones who go to heaven?Answer: No
-Is the Roman Catholic Church the only Catholic Church?Answer: No
-Is the Roman Catholic Church a Catholic Rite among other Catholic Rites?Answer: Yes
-Are Catholics who are not Roman Catholics therefore less Catholic or bad Catholics?Answer: No
-Are Roman Catholics better Christians than none Roman Catholic Christians who follow Christ with heart and soul?Answer: No
-Are independent Catholic bishops and priests who have true apostolic succession less valid than their Roman Catholic counterparts?Answer: No
-Are the sacraments performed by Apostolic Valid Independent Catholic Bishops and Priests are valid sacraments?
Answer: Yes
-Are the words "illicit performed sacraments" used by the Roman Catholic Church in reference to independent valid Catholic Churches who serve the Gospel Christian? (This is legalistic and canonical political pondering. One of the most unchristian attitudes)
Answer: No
-Is the Love of a none Roman Catholic less before God?
Answer: No
-Does it serve Christ and the people of God that many in the church hierarchies play with power and exclusive attitudes?
Answer: No
-Have Roman Catholic faithful in the Laity found really a voice in the hierarchy's decisions?
Answer: Not yet
-Is the decision to elect bishops by Rome without people having a say in it Christian? (In the early church it was customary that the people elected bishops by acclamation).
Answer: No
-Is the exclusion of women in Roman Catholic Church Ministry Christian? (St. Mary Magdalene was called the Apostle of the Apostles. There were women deacons, and women clergy in the early church)
Answer: No
-Is the exclusion of Gay Catholics who want to participate fully in the Roman Catholic Church or other Church Denominations true Christian?
Answer: No
-Is optional celibacy a more dignified choice for priests (in the Catholic Church for more than thousand years there were married clergy including 39 married popes; the Roman Catholic Church does have married clergy with families converting as clergy of the Anglican, Lutheran, and other Church to the Roman Rite). Celibate and married priests can live side by side.
Answer: Yes
Let us keep our hearts always open to the Holy Spirit who moves us in a dynamic way, who has always changed the church when it became static, and who will continue to renew the Church through the fire of the Holy Spirit with Love and needed reforms: to give the faithful a stronger voice in the Church; to be inclusive; to allow women ordinations; to have optional celibacy; to have a more transparent church administration that is filled with lay people from all walks of life; to find a kinder spirit within all of the church; to see in the poor and needy, the ostracized, the abandoned, the jailed... Christ himself; to experience in the fullness of nature all our brothers and sisters, straight and LGBT as complimentary.
Be rest assured as it has my experience for so many years to let you know that many roman catholic priests, including bishops love our Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ as they see in us what they are unable to do, because being ruled and not free to express more deeply their desire for reforms...
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner human, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19).
At this occasion, we would like to welcome our new bishops, priests, and Arch-deaconess into our Worldwide Church Communion.
We also wanted to congratulate our Church Synod for the South American Continent under the Leadership of Archbishop ++Mons. Sebastián Herrera Plá, Nuntius for Latin America. Please keep them all in your prayers!
May the Good Shepherd, Christ Jesus, to whom we all belong be our true liberator, and may he lead us all toward a better tomorrow of God's Holy Church, seeking this Unity of love and Peace. May He at the end of our lives, reward each one of us with the heavenly Kingdom which we shall seek first.
With my prayers and benedictions,
Your servant of Christ+Karl
ECCC NEWS:
We welcome into the ECCC: +Bishop Suny Alapat for our Church in India
+Bishop Dr. Michael Mar Melchizedek, Nebraska, USA (Interfaith Communion)
+Bishop Michael Hillis, Michigan, USA
Fr. Dr. Rogelio Carrera, Kentucky, USA
Fr. Dr. Thomas Roberts, Nebraska, USA
In Process for incardination:
Fr. Shajiu Thomas, India
Fr. Edio Menghini Zuech, Switzerland, Europe
La paz, queridos hermanos y hermanas de la Iglesia católica de Cristo Ecuménico, y todos los Cristianos cerca y lejos!
Las pasadas experiencias impía que algunos de ustedes, incluido yo, y seguirán teniendo con algunos de la jerarquía de la Iglesia Católica, no deberá disminuir nuestro espíritu para un nuevo rostro de la Iglesia de Cristo que necesita renovación y reformas.
Vamos a orar y ser movido por el Espíritu Santo a participar activamente en el seguimiento de Cristo y lo buscan en todas las cosas. Él es quien os hará libres, no algunos obispos romanos que ven esto como un juego de poder fuera de su propia miseria política de la iglesia romana.
Cuando Cristo ante las autoridades de su tiempo, fue plenamente consciente del insulto correría, el total desconexión de aquellos que producen energía para su propio beneficio...Cristo nace en un momento histórico de disturbios, el miedo y la injusticia social, ante la ignorancia, el abuso de autoridad en la jerarquía religiosa, la traición a través de tantos, el odio hacia su mensaje de amor. Es la hipocresía de muchos dirigentes que no mostraron la fe en el Dios del amor y de la misericordia, y le aborrecieron a la muerte y, de este modo, se enfrentó a la agonía de ser rechazado y abandonado hasta el final con sólo unos pocos alrededor de él.
La experiencia de nuestro corazón sincero que busca una fe liberadora acercarse a Cristo es nuestra llamada. Seamos sinceros, a él y a nosotros, y nos bendiga a aquellos que alcen sus voces en contra de nosotros fuera del odio y la ignorancia, oramos por aquellos que encuentran placer y satisfacción en perseguir a nosotros, y el amor a través de los ojos de Cristo.
"Como el Padre me amó, yo también os he amado a vosotros. Permanezcan en mi amor. Si obedecen mis mandamientos, permaneceréis en mi amor, como yo he obedecido los mandamientos de mi Padre y permanezco en su amor." (Juan 15:9-10)"Por el amor de Cristo nos obliga, porque juzgamos así: que si uno murió por todos, luego todos murieron; y por todos murió, para que los que viven ya no vivan para sí, sino para aquel que murió y resucitó por ellos" (2 Corintios 5:14, 15).
El amor de Cristo nos obliga a todos nosotros el amor y el cuidado de los unos a los otros como Cristo lo ha demostrado en su vida terrena, y como EL todavía mostrar su amor hacia nosotros, sentado a la diestra del Padre. Sí, estamos llamados a seguirlo con todo nuestro corazón y alma, y ver en el Evangelio el verdadero tesoro para nuestro camino de vida que nos ayuda a buscarlo y encontrarlo. El Espíritu de Dios es la fuerza que mueve nos en nuestra peregrinación en la tierra.
"Pero cuando la bondad y el amor generoso de Dios nuestro Salvador apareció, no a causa de cualquier actos justos que habíamos hecho, sino por su misericordia, él nos salvó por el baño de regeneración y de la renovación por el Espíritu Santo, a quien él ricamente derramada sobre nosotros a través de Jesucristo nuestro Salvador, para que fuésemos justificados por su gracia y ser herederas en la esperanza de la vida eterna." (Tito 3:4-7).
Es realmente triste que todavía podemos ver tantos hipócritas líderes de la Iglesia Cristiana, ser político, obsesionado con la secreta...hasta qué punto se han trasladado de la Buena Noticia del Evangelio de alegría a las malas noticias del poder y la codicia. Cómo muchos fariseos modernos se trata de condenar a los demás a causa de su amor por Cristo que seguir sus pasos con todo su corazón, cuidar y servir a todos los hijos de Dios.
"Yo les he dado la gloria que me diste, para que sean uno como nosotros somos uno. Con yo en ellos y tú en mí, para que sean perfeccionados en la unidad que el mundo reconozca que tú me has enviado y que los has amado a ellos como me has amado a mí. Padre, quiero que los que me has dado estén conmigo donde yo estoy, para que puedan ver siempre mi gloria, la que me has dado, porque me has amado antes de la fundación del mundo." (Juan 17:22-24)
Busquemos esta unidad en nuestro amor por Cristo. Si fieles desde el Rito Católico Romano, por favor, no viven con un falso orgullo, pero siempre buscan el mejor de tus hermanos cristianos de otras Iglesias Católicas y Protestantes, y no juzgar, sino intentar comprender mejor unos a otros a través del amor de Cristo.
Algunos de estos Preguntas & Respuestas en pensamientos se nos hacen conscientes cuando nos sentimos atraídos por el fundamentalismo, o ser fanáticos religiosos, sólo para ir a actitudes extremas sólo en juzgar a otros... Cómo nosotros podemos permitir que la ignorancia repita el mal de la historia de la Iglesia una y otra vez...
-Los Católicos romanos son los únicos que van al cielo?Respuesta: No
-la Iglesia Católica Romana es la única iglesia católica?Respuesta: No
-la Iglesia Católica Romana es un rito católico entre otros ritos católicos?Respuesta: Sí
-son católicos que no son católicos romanos, por lo tanto, menos católico o malos católicos?Respuesta: No
-son católicos romanos mejor que los otros Cristianos Católicos que siguen a Cristo con el corazón y el alma?Respuesta: No
-son independientes Obispos y sacerdotes que tienen la verdadera sucesión apostólica menos válida que sus homólogos Católicos Romanos?Respuesta: No
-son los sacramentos -realizada por sucesión apostólica- en independiente válidos Obispos y sacerdotes válidos sacramentos?Respuesta: Sí
-Son las palabras "ilícita realiza los sacramentos" utilizada por la Iglesia Católica Romana en referencia a independiente iglesias católicas válido servir el Evangelio Cristiano? (Esto es legalista y canónica ponderando político. Uno de los más actitudes anticristiano)Respuesta: No
-es el amor de un Católico Non Romano menos ante Dios?Respuesta: No.
-SE SIRVE A CRISTO Y AL PUEBLO DE DIOS EN LA IGLESIA ROMANA Y OTRAS CUANDO MUCHAS JERARQUÍAS JUEGAN CON PODER Y CON ACTITUDES EXCLUSIVOS?RESPUESTA: NINGÚN
-LOS FIELES CATÓLICOS ROMANOS HAN ENCONTRADO REALMENTE UNA VOZ EN LAS DECISIONES DE LA JERARQUÍA?RESPUESTA: AÚN NO
-ES LA DECISIÓN DE ELEGIR A LOS OBISPOS ROMANOS CATÓLICOS SIN LA VOZ DE LAS LAICOS UN ERROR? (EN LA IGLESIA PRIMITIVA ERA COSTUMBRE QUE EL PUEBLO ELIGIÓ POR ACLAMACIÓN A LOS OBISPOS).RESPUESTA: SI
-ES LA EXCLUSIÓN DE LAS MUJERES EN LA IGLESIA CATÓLICA ROMANA DEL MINISTERIO UNA ACTITUD CRISTIANO? (ST. MARÍA MAGDALENA FUE LLAMADO EL APÓSTOL DE LOS APÓSTOLES. HAY MUJERES QUE SON DIÁCONOS, Y MUJERES SACERDOTES EN LA IGLESIA TEMPRANA)RESPUESTA: NO
-ES LA EXCLUSIÓN DE LOS CATÓLICOS HOMOSEXUALES QUE DESEAN PARTICIPAR PLENAMENTE EN LA IGLESIA CATÓLICA ROMANA O DE OTRAS CONFESIONES RELIGIOSAS CRISTIANO VERDADERO?RESPUESTA: NO
-SEA EL CELIBATO OPCIONAL UNA OPCIÓN MÁS DIGNA ENTRE DE LOS SACERDOTES Y OBISPOS (EN LA IGLESIA CATÓLICA DURANTE MÁS DE MIL AÑOS HUBO CLERO CASADO CASADO INCLUYENDO 39 PAPAS; LA IGLESIA CATÓLICA ROMANA TIENE CLERO CASADO CON FAMILIAS CONVERTIDO DE CLÉRIGO DE LA IGLESIA ANGLICANA, LUTERANA Y OTRA IGLESIA DE RITO ROMANO). CÉLIBES Y SACERDOTES CASADOS PUEDAN VIVIR LADO A LADO.RESPUESTA: SÍ
Mantengamos nuestros corazones siempre abiertos al Espíritu Santo que nos mueve de una manera dinámica, quien siempre ha cambiado la iglesia cuando se convirtió de una situación estático, y que continuará a renovar la Iglesia mediante el fuego del Espíritu Santo con amor y reformas necesarias: para dar a los fieles una voz más fuerte en la Iglesia; ser incluyente; permitir a las mujeres ordenaciones; tener el celibato opcional; para que haya una mayor transparencia de la administración de la iglesia que se llena con los laicos de todas las caminatas de la vida; encontrar un mas gentile espíritu dentro de la iglesia; ver en los pobres y necesitados, el ostracismo, abandonados, encarcelados... Cristo mismo; experiencia en la plenitud de la naturaleza a todos nuestros hermanos y hermanas, incluido plenamente los homosexuales con cortesía.
Están seguro de como yo lo ha hecho en mi experiencia durante 30 años del ministerio activo que muchos sacerdotes católicos romanos, incluidos obispos aman nuestra Iglesia Católica Ecuménica de Cristo porque ellos ven en nosotros lo que son incapaces de hacer, porque ser gobernado y no libres para expresar más profundamente su deseo de reformas...
"Por esta causa doblo mis rodillas al Padre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, de quien toda familia en el cielo y la tierra se llama, para que os dé, conforme a las riquezas de su gloria, el ser fortalecidos con poder por su espíritu en el hombre interior, que Cristo habite por la fe en vuestros corazones; que, arraigados y fundados en el amor, pueden ser capaces de comprender con todos los santos cuál es la anchura y la longitud, la profundidad y la altura, de conocer el amor de Cristo, que supera el conocimiento; que pueden estar llenos de toda la plenitud de Dios" (Efesios 3:14-19).
Que el Buen Pastor, Cristo Jesús, a quien todos pertenecemos ser nuestro verdadero libertador, y que él nos conduzca a todos hacia un mañana mejor de la santa Iglesia de Dios, la búsqueda de esa unidad de amor y de paz. Puede que al final de nuestra vida, recompensa cada uno de nosotros con el reino celestial que trataremos en primer lugar.
A este momento, bienvenidos los nuevos obispos, sacerdotes, y diaconisa en nuestra Iglesia. Felicitamos también a nuestra Iglesia en America Latina para su inicio de su Sínodo Continental, entre el lidre, Arzobispo ++Mons. Sebastián Herrera Plá, Nuncio Apostólico por America Latina. Rezan los todos para ellos!
Con mis oraciones y bendiciones,
Su siervo de Cristo+Karl
September 4th, A. D. 2016
May Saint Mother Teresa intercede for our world that needs so much Love.We celebrated to today her elevation to Sainthood. She is one of the greatest inspiration of following Christ Jesus so closely. Saint Mother Teresa pray for us. Amen.
September 3rd, 2016
Please share this with the people wherever you are. Thank you!
September 1, 2016
Today we released the following press release as the newly created department for the Laity, Family and Life is officially launched. We offer this for your reading and, if you agree, we invite you to send this out to your local news media. If reform is going to come in our Church, it will be because the people are speaking out and being heard. If you want to join in the reform movement, we encourage you to start or join a small local gathering.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rene Reid
Work phone: 775-825-9196; Cell phone: 775-772-1210
Rene.Reid@CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
Catholic Reform Group Urges
New Department for the Laity, Family, and Life
to Actively Collaborate with Lay-led InitiativesCatholic Church Reform Int'l urges newly appointed Bishop Kevin Farrell to welcome and support lay-led initiatives as he launches the Dicastery for the Laity today.While acknowledging disappointment that a lay person, a family man or woman, was not assigned to head the department for the laity, family and life, through an Open Letter, Catholic Church Reform Int'l congratulates the recently appointed head,Bishop Kevin Farrell, for having long pushed for a greater involvement of the laity in the life of the church. The Reform Group asks specifically for these actions to be part of the new department:In filling your 35-member staff, set as a goal that the majority of staff members will be made up of qualified `lay Catholics from various parts of the world who share Pope Francis's vision for the pastoral care of the Church. Staff members will have - not only an advisory role but - an influential and deliberative voice in the proceedings of this department.
When the vision of your department aligns with lay-led initiatives, that you offer your full support and willingness to collaborate with such movements.
"Pope Francis continues to call for the laity to 'play a major role in the life and mission of the church,'" says CCRI director, Rene Reid. "He seems to recognize that the reform needed will not come without the people speaking up and assuming some leadership. With this new department being launched today, we fully expect lay-led initiatives to be welcomed and supported." A case in point: In 1968 South American bishops held a conference in Meddellin Columbia where the principles of the Second Vatican Council were emphasized. Now 50 years later in 2018, a group of lay-led Catholics calling themselves Council 50 are calling for a People's Synod to be held in Brazil to carry on the work still left undone by the Vatican Council. "We've had two recent synods attended primarily by bishops. The time is right to call a People's Synod and we hope to see this new dicastery support us in our efforts," says Ed Schreurs, a member of both CCRI and Council 50. The group is currently in process of collecting an opinion poll and calling local dialogue meetings for the purpose of producing statements that will be placed on the agenda of the 2018 Synod. Agreeing with the critical importance of calling local gatherings where the people can share their opinions with one another, Catholic Church Reform Int'l is currently encouraging these small local gatherings in communities in various cities around the world. All are welcomed to participate and let their voice be heard.
August 17th, 2016From the Office of the Holy See of The Ecumenical Catholic Church of ChristClarification about False and defamatory statements of the Roman Catholic Archdioceses of Detroit from August 11th, 2016.
It came to our attention that the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit has circulated false and defamatory statements about the Presiding bishop of the Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ, Dr. Karl Rodig. It is sad to say the least that we still facing such attacks from the RC against other Churches who are not in alignment with the Roman Catholic Church. It is bewildering to see how false and defamatory statements are being used to badmouth our Church that is Catholic, but not Roman Catholic (The reader may know that there are many different Catholic Rites in the World, the Roman Catholic Rite is the largest one among them, but not the only one.)
We see in this just an other sign that the Spirit and the Joy of the Gospel are completely missing. Instead of working together in an ecumenical Spirit, we see church politics as usual.
Let us no longer live in the dark ages of the Church, no longer experience of a Church that has caused so much pain and suffering among the faithful throughout the ages. Church history should teach us the lessons not to repeat the past.
This is a response to the false and defamatory statements of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese (AOD) of Detroit:
1. Bishop Dr. Rodig was not dismissed by the Congregation of the Precious Blood as stated by the AOD. Back in 1989, Fr. Karl Rodig asked his Provincial of the Congregation of the precious blood to grant him a year of leave of absence, it was extended for two more years. The Provincial wanted him back, but Fr. Karl Rodig decided to leave for good. Then the process for granting Fr. Rodig's request was set in motion through the canonical process by John Paul II., because his decision was based on his consciousness (he did not wanted to live a double life as many of his priest colleagues do...He believes that celibacy should be optional!)
In 1995, under Pope John Paul II., the Vatican issued a statement for Fr. Rodig to seek an other Roman bishop in order to continue as a Roman priest. The Vatican has never excommunicated Dr. Rodig. (It is sad to say that the way excommunication is being used by some Roman church leaders in our days reminds us more on the dark ages of the Church...It would be better to see that one is leaving the church for conscious reasons...)
In the meantime, Dr. Rodig became an independent catholic priest. He had many friends among the Roman priests in Miami in the 1990s. In 1999 he received a letter to his episcopal consecration of good wishes from Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus, ++McCarty, and he continued to have good friendships with high-ranking members of the Miami RC Archdiocese...Bishop Rodig works with Roman Catholic Reform Movements, and was invited to attend part of discussion sessions for the Synod in Rome in 2014.
2. Dr. Rodig was not consecrated by Archbishop McCormick (they never met) as stated by the AOD statement (+McCormick was never present). Bishop Karl was consecrated a bishop by Archbishop Dr. Hypolitus Orlando Lima and two co-consecrators of the Old Catholic Church. Our Apostolic lines are impeccable. A professor of the Catholic University of Washington DC, and a Catholic Bishop have confirmed them.
3. Dr. Rodig did not take on the title Archbishop as stated by the AOD, but received the title after the consecration from Archbishop Lima. He hardly uses it. Just Bishop Karl.
4. The statement by the AOD to see the Old Roman Catholic Church as schismatic is just again an other political way of dealing with other Christ-minded Catholic Christians who follow Christ Jesus with their heart and soul...
Worldwide we are The Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ, and we follow Christ, serving the poor, striving for social justice, and reaching out to all of God's people who seek a new spiritual home, healing, and to see a more active ecumenical dialog for unity among all Christian Churches...
We have many Roman Catholic priest friends and bishops who appreciate our presence as we appreciate them as our brothers in Christ!
Bishop Dr. Rodig often says: "Where is Christ in all of this?" How true it is.
July 8th, 2016
Peace Conference at Wayne State University in Detroit
June 13th, Saint Anthony of Padua, 2016
We are deeply saddened by the act of Terror that was committed against our brothers and sisters in the LGBT Community in Orlando!
Our condolences and prayers go out to the victims families and friends. This act of hate is against all of us!
Hate can not be tolerated as it brings forth acts of Evil!
It is important to note that any Politician holding public office, or running for public office, or religious leaders who in their speeches and rhetoric incite hate and violence should resign
Easter A. D. 2016From your Ecumenical PrimatePlease share with those of whom I have no e-mails. Thank you!Por favor comparta con todos aquellos de los cuales no tengo e-mails. Gracias!Dear brothers and sisters in Christ near and afar!From the bottom of my heart, I want to wish you all a very blessed and joyous Easter! Each year, the celebration of the Salvation Mysteries in the suffering, dying, and resurrection of Christ Jesus brings our faith closer to the enduring power of God’s Love toward humanity.
As we reflected in the Lenten Season our own journey of faith with the Lord, we saw our weakness in many ways, we rediscovered the moment of grace that God shows us through Mercy forgiving us because we have turned away from HIM. That forgiving Grace pours out from HIS loving heart.
Yes, it is this very experience with God that we need to get closer to HIM in our daily lives, seeking HIS will and learning from Jesus' way of Life which many of us have known since our childhood. Our image of God might have changed throughout the years, and yet we try to mature in our faith, nurturing this unbroken hope that God is al-present, almighty, all loving, all-merciful, and forgiving, leading us all in the Holy Spirit who emanates continuously from the Love of the Eternal Father with HIS Son.
Oh glorious Mysteries in the wounds of Thy suffering, the redemption brought through thy death that dies no more, oh eternal Love that caused you rising, and now awaits our own new life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
My dear brothers and sisters, may the power of the Love of God - that only the heart will ever know -, fill us all with the Joy of the Risen Lord be with you all now and forever. AMEN.
Yours in the risen Christ,+Karl
Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo, cerca y lejos!Desde el fondo de mi corazón, quiero desear a todos un muy bendecido y feliz Pascua!Cada año, la celebración de los misterios de la salvación en el sufrimiento, la muerte y la resurrección de Cristo Jesús trae nuestra fe, más cerca del poder perdurable del amor de Dios hacia la humanidad.
Como se refleja en el tiempo de Cuaresma, nuestro propio itinerario de fe con el Señor, vimos a nuestra debilidad de muchas maneras, hemos redescubierto el momento de gracia que Dios nos muestra a través de la misericordia de perdonarnos porque nos hemos alejado de él. Que perdonar la gracia derrama desde su corazón amoroso.
Sí, es precisamente esta experiencia con Dios que debemos acercarnos a Él en nuestra vida diaria, buscar su voluntad y aprender de la forma de vida de Jesús, que muchos de nosotros hemos conocido desde nuestra infancia.Nuestra imagen de Dios podría haber cambiado a lo largo de los años, y sin embargo tratamos de madurar en nuestra fe, alimentar esa inquebrantable esperanza de que Dios está al presente, todopoderoso, todo amor, todo misericordioso, y perdonando, llevándonos a todos en el Espíritu Santo, que emana continuamente desde el amor del Padre eterno con su Hijo.
Oh misterios gloriosos en las heridas de tu sufrimiento, la redención realizada por tu muerte que no muere más, oh Amor eterno que provocó que van en aumento, y ahora espera nuestra propia vida nueva en el Reino de los Cielos.
Mis queridos hermanos y hermanas, que el poder del amor de Dios, -que sólo el corazón sabrá siempre-, nos llene a todos con la alegría del Señor Resucitado esté con todos vosotros ahora y siempre. Amén.
Suyos en Cristo Resucitado,+Karl
Queridos irmãos e irmãs em Cristo de perto e longe!Do fundo do coração, quero desejar a todos vós um muito abençoado e alegre Páscoa!Cada ano a celebração dos mistérios da salvação no sofrimento, morte e ressurreição de Jesus Cristo traz a nossa fé para mais perto do poder duradouro do amor de Deus para com a humanidade.
Como temos refletido no tempo da Quaresma o nosso próprio caminho de fé com o Senhor, vimos a nossa fraqueza de muitas maneiras, redescobrimos o momento de graça que Deus nos mostra através da misericórdia de nos perdoar porque temos se desviou dele. Que perdoa a graça efunde a partir de seu coração amoroso.
Sim, é precisamente esta experiência com Deus que temos de nos aproximar mais a Ele em nossa vida diária, buscando a Sua vontade e a aprendizagem a partir de Jesus de uma forma de vida que muitos de nós têm conhecido desde nossa infância.Nossa imagem de Deus podem ter mudado ao longo dos anos, e ainda tentamos a amadurecer na nossa fé, cultivando esta intacta a esperança de que Deus é al-presente, omnipotente, todos amoroso, todo-misericordioso e perdoar, levando-nos a todos no Espírito Santo que emana continuamente do Amor eterno do Pai com seu filho.
Oh mistérios gloriosos nas feridas do teu sofrimento, a redenção através de tua morte que não morre mais, oh Amor eterno que lhe provocou a subir e agora aguarda a nossa própria vida nova no reino dos céus.
Meus queridos irmãos e irmãs, a potência do amor de Deus - que somente o coração jamais vai saber - encha todos nós com a alegria do Senhor ressuscitado esteja com todos vós agora e para sempre. Amém.
Seu em Cristo ressuscitado,+Karl
Уважаеми братя и сестри в Христа, близо до и отдалеч!От дъното на сърцето ми, искам да желаем всичко много благослови и щастливи Великден!Всяка година, на честването на мистериите спасение в страдание, на умиране, и възкресението на Христа Исуса носи ни вяра, по-близки до трайна мощност на Божиите любов към човечеството.
Като ние отразени в постни сезон нашите собствени пътуването на вяра с Господа, видяхме нашите слабост по много начини, ние преоткри любовта към момента на гратисен период, че Бог ни показва чрез милост великодушен сащ, защото имаме завърти далеч от него. Че великодушен гратисен избликват от неговата миролюбиви сърцето.
Да, това е много опит с Бога, че ние трябва да се приближи към него в ни живот, иска неговото ще и обучение от Исус" начин на живот, която мнозина от нас са известни, тъй като нашето детство.Нашите изображение на Бога, може да са променени през годините, и още, ние се опитваме да зрели в нашата вяра, отглеждащи този здрав надежда, че Бог е ал-представи, Всемогъщият, всички миролюбиви, всички-жалостив, и щадящо, водещи всички нас в Светия Дух, който излъчвано непрекъснато от любовта на вечен отец с сина си.
Oh славни мистерии в раните на Твоите страдание, изкупването изправени чрез твоята смърт, почине не повече, oh вечен любов, причинени растящите ви, и сега очаква нашата собствена нов живот в небесата.
Драги братя и сестри, може мощността на Божията любов - че само сърцето някога ще знаете -, напълнете всички ни с радост на нараснало Господ се с всички вас сега и завинаги. Амин.
Ваш в възкръснал Христа,+Karl
Cari fratelli e sorelle in Cristo vicino e lontano!Dal fondo del mio cuore, voglio augurare a tutti voi un felice e gioiosa Pasqua!Ogni anno la celebrazione dei misteri della salvezza nella sofferenza, morte e resurrezione di Cristo Gesù porta la nostra fede più vicino al perenne potere dell amore di Dio verso l umanità.
Come abbiamo riflettuto nel tempo quaresimale il nostro cammino di fede con il Signore, abbiamo visto la nostra debolezza in molti modi, abbiamo riscoperto il momento di grazia che Dio ci mostra attraverso la misericordia perdona a noi perché ci siamo allontanati da Lui. Che perdonando grazia riversa dal suo cuore amorevole.
Sì, è proprio questa esperienza con Dio che abbiamo bisogno di avvicinarsi a lui nella nostra vita quotidiana, cercando la sua volontà e imparare da Gesù " modo di vita che molti di noi hanno conosciuto fin dalla nostra infanzia.La nostra immagine di Dio potrebbe aver cambiato nel corso degli anni e ancora ci prova a maturare nella nostra fede, di nutrire questa speranza ininterrotta che Dio è al-presente, onnipotente, tutti amorevole e pieno di misericordia e di perdono e ci conduce tutti nello Spirito Santo che emana continuamente dall amore del Padre Eterno con suo figlio.
Oh misteri gloriosi nel le ferite della tua sofferenza, la redenzione operata attraverso la tua morte che non muore più, Oh amore eterno che ha causato è in aumento, e ora si attende la nostra nuova vita nel regno dei cieli.
Miei cari fratelli e sorelle, Possa la potenza dell amore di Dio - che solo il cuore potrà mai sapere -, riempire tutti noi con la gioia del Signore Risorto siano con tutti voi ora e per sempre. AMEN.
Vostro nel Cristo Risorto,+Karl
ECCC Worldwide NEWS:
It is with great Joy to welcome into our Worldwide Church our new Members!May your ministry serve all of God's Children wherever they are.
Incardinations into the ECCC in the last few month.
Europe
Italy - Diocese of Sicily
+Bishop Agostino De CaroRev. Deacon Riccardo SaittaSeminarian Leonardo Patti
Spain - Archdiocese of Catalonia
++Archbishop Dr. Francisco Jose Adillon Bausells
Asia
IndiaFr. Augustine Nunna
Central America
El Salvador
Fr. Mario Luna
Diácono Nestor Moreno
Guatemala
Fr. Elder Santos ReyesFr. Eddy Divas Mejias
Nicaragüa
Fr. Juan Francisco Pérez Cano Misioneros Franciscanos de la RedenciónFr. Juan Emilio Vázquez Ruiz Misioneros Franciscanos de la RedenciónFr. Osmar DávilaFr. Luis Alberto SalmerónFr. José Alonso Hernández
SeminaristasAlier de Jesús HernándezMaikol
South America
Argentina
+Bishop Marcelo Alejandro Soria Martin
Brazil
Concordat of Full Union of the Latin Anglican Communion in Brazil with The ECCC
Archdiocese and Dioceses
++Archbishop Lucas Macieira+Dom Izaias+Dom Frei Antonio Santana Neto, OFMDP+Dom Joao de Deus da Silva+Dom Jorge dos Santos CostaFr. Pedro de PauloRev. Jonas Dominus Jesus
Colombia
+ Bishop Leonardo Valencia Obispo de Manizales+ Bishop Wilder Javier Posada Obispo de MedellinFr. Lisandro GonzálezFr. William GuevaraFr. Gabriel Cunillos
Venezuela
+Bishop Dr. Luis Andrade Rosales Obispo de VenezuelaFr. Sergio David Edwards Juárez
ICEC Noticias Mundial:
Es con grande Alegría para decir un Bienvenido Cordial a todos nuestras nuevos miembros en nuestra Iglesia Mundial! Vuestro ministerio pueda servir a todos los hijos de Dios dondequiera que estén.
Incardinaciones en la ICEC desde algunos meses.
Europe
Italia Diocesis de Sicilia
+Mons. Agostino De CaroRev. Deacon Riccardo SaittaSeminarian Leonardo Patti
Espana Arquidiócesis de Cataluña
++Arzobispo Dr. Francisco Jose Adillon Bausells
Asia
IndiaFr. Augustine Nunna
América Central
El Salvador
Presbítero. Mario Luna
Diácono Nestor Moreno
Guatemala
Presbítero Elder Santos ReyesPresbítero Eddy Divas Mejias
Nicaragüa
Presbítero Juan Francisco Pérez Cano Misioneros Franciscanos de la RedenciónPresbítero Juan Emilio Vázquez Ruiz Misioneros Franciscanos de la RedenciónPresbítero Osmar DávilaPresbítero Luis Alberto SalmerónPresbítero José Alonso Hernández
SeminaristasAlier de Jesús HernándezMaikol
Sur America
Brazil:
Concordado de Union Plena con la Igreja Catolica Latina Anglicana en Brazil con La ICECArquidiócesis y Dioceses
++Arzobispo Dom Lucas Macieira+Dom Izaias+Dom Frei Antonio Santana Neto, OFMDP+Dom Joao de Deus da Silva+Dom Jorge dos Santos CostaFr. Pedro de PauloRev. Jonas Dominus Jesus
Colombia
+ Mons Leonardo Valencia Obispo de Manizales+ Mons Wilder Javier Posada Obispo de MedellinPbro. Lisandro GonzálezPbro. William GuevaraMons. Gabriel Cunillos
Venezuela
+Mons. Dr. Luis Andrade Rosales Obispo de VenezuelaPbro. Sergio David Edwards Juárez
Statement in regard to the Meeting of Pope Francis and The Russian Orthodox Patriarch on February 12th, 2016
Presiding Bishop Dr. Karl Rodig:
This was clear a meeting of two politicians, one who is too close to Putin, the Russian Patriarch, and Francis as Head of State of the Vatican... I am saddened that their first thing on the agenda is to bash gay people. It is well known that Putin and the Patriarch of Russia are both well known friends of the former Communist Secret Service, KGB. What a travesty that Putin can use his friend, the Patriarch, to help him to continue his heinous war crimes in Syria with the blessing of the Patriarch. What a coincident that Francis has been lured into this Russian Blackmail.
More people will lose faith in Pope Francis for not being more for equal justice.
Gay people are, like everybody else: human, created equally by God. I have met many Gay couples who have raised wonderful children. These two old men have destroyed that little hope that Gay people had in Pope Francis that he would see them as God's Children who have the right to love and care for each other.
I am dismayed by these Church politics!! If this is what brings union between Rome and the Orthodox Church then may God be the ultimate judge upon those who in their rhetoric and their blindness continue to discriminate against minorities causing unspeakable sadness and in many cases suicide to people who otherwise would just live a life like anyone else seeking love and fulfillment in a relationship.
This is a very sad day!! This has nothing to do with overcoming the Schism of a thousand years. Where there is no love there is just division and more discrimination. May one day a pope rise who will see that all of humanity is God's creation.
Nativity A. D. 2015
Peace to you brothers and sisters in Christ!
I am sending you all near and afar my Greetings and Blessings for this Holy Feast of Christmas as we celebrate the Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Second Coming in Glory.
May the Grace of God that comes from this High Feast come upon all of us and bring us closer to the Kingdom we seek.
This is the occasion that gives us also pause to see that Christ came to us to bring not only a Correction to the Lifestyle of Humanity that is drifting away from God, but also it reminds us to realize that this life here on earth has a sacred meaning, it is precious from the moment of its conception, it is holy because God is the ultimate creator of it.
The birth of Jesus in a poor manger is the great contradiction to the worldly glamour we are drawn to. Jesus coming into this world is the true answer how to be before God, like a helpless baby, surrounded in poverty, exposed to the elements, but loved so dearly and cared for in such manner that a new way of life has come from it, the Christian Way.
What joy is this that is so pure and enduring, what love is this that gives it all, what life is this that sees God in all first, seeks the Will of the Almighty, lives toward the promise of Heaven!
What started in Bethlehem became the true face of the earth: God sanctified our human life once and for all as HE came into our midst taking on human form. What divine Love that He showed us in the Savior therefore, what was long awaited through the voices of the prophets, what has not been recognized by the worldly powers in their blind fashion.
O wonder of divine Love that meets the human, O Love that does not walk away from the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross, the moment of Salvation. O divine Love that does not end on the Cross, but calls for new life eternal.
This Birth of Christ gives hope for a humanity that has come close to the abyss, and needs to be brought back to the path of God's Love that Cares, that shows mercy and forgives, and lifts us up to a purpose for all our lives.
May we all see and find this divine Love in this Child born to us, this baby Jesus that brought hope and a peace to so many hundred of millions of Christians around the world throughout history. This Child that is our true King, the Prince of Peace, and our Redeemer, and He will be on our side till we see Him again with God the Father in the Holy Spirit.
Wishing you all this divine Love.
With my prayers,
yours
+Karl
We want to welcome also to our Worldwide Church our new brothers and sisters:
-From our new Church in Colombia under the leadership of the bishops, +Wilder and +Leonardo
-Our new 5 priests and deacons from the Franciscan Order in Peru.
December 2nd, Blessed Charles de Foucauld, A. D. 2015
From your Ecumenical Primate
(Please share share with as many people all, compartir con todos)
Peace to you brothers and sisters in Christ!
With Advent, preparing and awaiting the Second coming of Christ, but moreover Christ in our lives here an now, and with the beginning of a new Church year, we are compelled to get closer to Christ. How can we do this? We shall take more time, read and reflect in prayerful ways on the Gospel. Christ is not a far away entity that has no meaning to us humans in the here an now. Far be it. Only the world of total consumption, of instant gratification, wanting everything immediately, contradicts the world of Christians living toward compassion, giving, and sharing that divine Love that God has bestowed on us in His beloved Son, Jesus the Christ. Only by focusing on the life of Jesus with our hearts and minds, his message of compassion, and the way he cares for all of God's people, as he crosses the local religious boundaries to reach also none-Jews, will open our eyes to a new dimension that we live in this world but we are not totally left in it.
Christ's first coming in poverty, helplessness, exposed to danger, was the first eye-opener of the known local world. In the light of his life of poverty -not being attached to earthly things, and living in the Spirit of God, his teaching, his sacrifice, that was in a way ordinary, but extraordinary in his expressions, his deeds, his human and divine love, was also the discovery of a new way of life of millions and millions of people throughout their short existence on this earth...
Let us learn from Jesus, let us live and imitate him in our lives, so we may draw others toward the Kingdom of God which we shall seek first and foremost.
And for this Christ needs to be born in our hearts, our little Bethlehem, that includes the foretaste of Golgotha, and will see beyond the mystery of suffering and death the vision of eternal life.
Wishing you all a blessed and joyous Season of this Adventus Domini, which will also one day be our last, yet in the light of the Glory of God that awaits us for we have been faithful to HIS Word and Sacraments.
Your servant of Christ
+Karl
Bishop
Paz a vosotros hermanos y hermanas en Cristo!
Con el advenimiento, preparando y esperando la segunda venida de Cristo, pero por otra parte Cristo en nuestra vidas aquí y ahora, y con el inicio de un nuevo año de iglesia, estamos obligados a acercarnos a Cristo. ¿Cómo podemos hacerlo? Debemos tomar más tiempo, leer y reflexionar en formas de oración sobre el Evangelio. Cristo no es una entidad lejana que no tiene ningún significado para nosotros los seres humanos en el aquí y ahora. Lejos esté! Sólo el mundo del consumo total, de gratificación inmediata, queriendo todo inmediatamente, contradice el mundo de Cristianos que viven hacia la compasión, dar y compartir ese amor divino que Dios ha regalado a nosotros en su hijo amado, Jesús el Cristo. Sólo centrándose en la vida de Jesús con nuestros corazones y mentes, su mensaje de compasión y la forma que él cuida de todo el pueblo de Dios, como él cruza las fronteras religiosas locales para llegar también a no judíos, abrirá nuestros ojos a una nueva dimensión que vivimos en este mundo pero no somos totalmente izquierdas en él. De Cristo primero en la pobreza, desamparo, expuesta al peligro, fue al primero un abridor de de los ojos para el mundo local conocido. A la luz de su vida de su pobreza -no cosas apegadas a lo terrenal, y viviendo en el Espíritu de Dios, sus enseñanzas, su sacrificio, aparece a una manera normal, pero extraordinario en sus expresiones, sus obras, su amor humano y divino, fue también el descubrimiento de una nueva forma de vida de millones y millones de personas a lo largo de su corta existencia en esta tierra... Aprender de Jesús, nos dejó vivir e imitarlo en nuestras vidas, por lo que podemos llamar otros hacia el Reino de Dios que vamos buscamos ante todo.
Y para esto Cristo necesito de ser nacido en nuestros corazones, nuestra pequeña Belén, que incluye el anticipo de Gólgota, y ve más allá el misterio del sufrimiento y la muerte la visión de la vida eterna.
Deseándoles a todos una temporada alegre y bendecida de este Adventus Domini, que también un día será el último para nosotros, sin embargo, a la luz de la Gloria de Dios que nos espera porque hemos sido fieles a su palabra y los sacramentos.
Su siervo de Cristo
+Karl
Below some expressions over the Synod and the more reform-work that needs to be done!
A continuación, algunas expresiones sobre el Sínodo y el trabajo de reforma más que hay que hacer!
"...We shall be having a serious conversation about our priorities for 2016 at our last meeting for this year... One of those priorities will be to advocate for regional meetings between bishops, priests and interested laity. Now that Pope Francis has succeeded in getting 250 bishops to talk to one another and even to use the imagery of ‘walking with...’, we will be asking the local episcopate to talk and walk with their people. So far, most have not done either mainly because they don’t know how to go about it.
In short, well be doing a great deal of thinking over the Summer about what was actually achieved at the Synod. There was one stand out: Francis succeeded in getting the bishops not only to start thinking outside the prepared script but actually to talk with one another and with a handful of non clerics too. But the Pope’s principal accomplishment was, with the help of the German group, to persuade the bishops to accept Thomas Aquinas’ eight hundred year old theology of the primacy of conscience, Aquinas’ Moral Theology which is grounded in the Christian virtues of Faith, Hope and Love and not based on the Ten Commandments or Ecclesiastical Law.
In anyone’s language, this was a break through because most of the Synodal bishops were probably taught not Moral Theology but positive law based ethics taught by Canon Lawyers and fixated on sin and sinful actions. We are very keen to engage with our bishops on these points but this may take years not weeks or months but at least Francis has made a crack in the jar for us.
The Synod is just over, there is no deep perspective which comes with time but the thoughts of two Australian voices probably speak clearly enough for most of us right now
Best wishes
David Timbs, Australia
Paul Collins’ assessment of the Synod:
“I was talking recently about the Synod with a very experienced parish priest. He said that if the bishops thought we were all waiting with bated breath for their decision regarding the divorced remarried receiving Communion, then they really do live in cloud cuckoo-land. Nowadays divorced Catholics don’t just hang around waiting for a bevy of bishops to decide. They follow their consciences and do what they think is right, especially if they have talked to a sensible, pastoral priest. Sure, many have understandably walked away from the church, but many have stayed having made their own decisions about going to Communion – the internal forum solution.
So really it’s irrelevant what the Synod decided. Even on the gay issue sensible Catholics already understand that talk about people being ‘intrinsically disordered’ is not only utterly insensitive; it is also ‘intrinsically’ un-Christ-like and evangelically ‘disordered’! But that doesn’t mean the Synod was a failure. It was a success because it recovered something of the church’s Catholicity. Genuine Catholicism implies a universal, multi-ethnic, non-sectarian church, a community of many parts and differing views. My major criticism of the two popes before Francis is that they were essentially ‘uncatholic’; they promoted a narrow, ‘pure’, sectarian church, the antithesis of Catholicity. That’s why they loved outfits like the Neo-Catechuminate and Opus Dei; they are sectarian in structure and intention. But the bishop of Rome, as Francis likes to be called, encouraged the synod to be genuinely Catholic and, unlike his predecessors, called on participants to express views that differed from his own. For the first time since Paul VI revived the Synod in 1965, this gathering was actually free. Bishops could speak their minds and weren’t constantly second-guessing the pope.”
Eric Hodgens, a retired Melbourne Archdiocesan priest who is highly respected throughout the country recently wrote a short piece on the Synod: “One of Francis’s objectives has been to restore genuine consultation to the synod. He has achieved this. They did talk together. Their consolidated opinions achieved a two thirds majority on every paragraph of the final document. A contentious issue was admitting divorced and remarried to the sacraments. Could this be softened? In Greek epeikeia means gentleness or leniency. In church canon law it means a modified interpretation of the law when the law does not fit the circumstances of a case.
The “internal forum” stands in contrast to the external forum of a court where evidence can be proved. When this is not possible a conscientious judgement can be made in the internal forum. This has been a long held procedure in moral theology, but making use of it was authoritatively discouraged and policed under Wojtyla and Ratzinger. Between epeikeia and internal forum people can work out a solution in their own case. This opens a way to approval of Communion for divorcees. By taking this path the synod bishops saw themselves as opening a door. The trouble is that the horse had bolted long ago. Most remarried divorcees who really want to go to Communion do so – and with their pastor’s encouragement. But restatement of the embargo has been so alienating that many no longer even want to receive. And any decent pastor knows that once they go, they go forever.”
Here are some Ideas you can use to promote and spread the reform ideas :
Use Twitter and Facebook
Write invitational letters to Bishops
Create guidelines for how to conduct a meeting
Invite our supporters to talk to their pastors and local bishops
Invite our organizations who are part of us
Share this idea with key leaders
How to identify and empower people to go talk to their church leaders
Invite everyone into this dialogue
Invite leaders of reform groups to join in a teleconference call to discuss how to facilitate organizing people to set up local meetings.
Reach out to reform group leaders to get their ideas for how to support Francis’s desire to set up local meetings with their pastors and bishops.
An article from Joan Chittister that helps us accomplish this and focus the conversation.
How to flush out the key issues in the final document
How to get details of each meeting back to us? Have one shared website used by all reform groups.
Do we need to narrow the focus down? And, if so, how?
How do we go about getting the ball rolling to start up local meetings?
Tell Joan our intent. How do we get lay people to talk to their pastors and bishops? If not Joan, who can help us?
November 16th, St. Margaret of Scotland, A. D. 2015
Peace, Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
Please take a moment and try to sign the Letter to Pope Francis. You also have a button there where it says "Translate this page".
In the Face of worldwide Terror by fundamentalist Extremism and its connection with Evil, we are aware what it means to be Christians that always needs to seek the Heart of God's Love for all of Humanity. God's Love does not want this Evil against HIS very creation. What we witness is the attempt of Satan to enter anew the hearts and minds of the weak in society in order to destroy, disrupt and deceit our common Christian and human values.
God's Love goes out to all who sincerely seek Him in our midst. May we learn more and more from Jesus Christ the New Way of Life, and may our prayers go out to all who have become victims of evil and terror -all who are God's beloved children from all religions and all walks of life.
May Archangel Michael, and Holy Mary, Mother of God, protect us in this struggle.
With my prayers and benedictions,
+Karl
Presiding Bishop
ECCC
November 13, 2015
What Next after the close of the Synod?
Join with other Reform Groups and individuals in signing letter to Pope Francis
While it is easy for those of us in the reform movement to be impatient with the slowness of the Synod, we must also recognize that Pope Francis did get a 2/3 majority on some pressing issues. The purpose of our letter is to honor the good that come from the Synod, lay out our concerns for what didn't get done, and propose a plan for where to go from here. We invite you to make your voice heard by joining with other Reform Groups and individuals from around the world to
sign this letter to Pope Francis
wherein we acknowledge him for his personal involvement in bringing certain behaviors and lifestyles to the table which were formerly condemned as sinful. We support the resolve of the Synod to build a Church of adult Catholics but share with him what still causes us pain:
that there was not enough compassionate listening to allow the voices of hurting people to enter the final document, faithful who have left in anger or despair because they were not welcomed at the table of the Lord;
that there were insufficient votes to be welcoming of all people into the Church, especially those who live with alternative sexual orientations;
that the number of women represented in the Synod reflected their marginalization in the leadership of the church notwithstanding their often extraordinary service in keeping families and local churches alive and fruitful under often daunting circumstances throughout the world, and for many their nurturing of families often in challenging circumstances;
that the Synod, notwithstanding your example in Philadelphia, did not find a place in the closing document to express repentance to the survivors of clerical sex abuse, and to all families damaged and disrupted by this abuse, for the institutional Church's protection of pedophiles and the cover-up of their criminal acts from civil authorities. that the work of the Synod has only now just begun.
Press Release
Help spread this
we have prepared by sending it to your local media and any other media with whom you may have a personal
contact.
Join with us by sending out or emailing this message to your local pastors, bishops, and church leaders
Hope for some kind of reform in our Church has never been more plausible. Francis is not only pushing for it but insisting upon it. We were far from getting everything we wanted from the Synod but Francis did manage to get a 2/3 majority support on a few key issues. The time is now for us in the reform movement to unite together and be proactive. We appreciate your help in using this email as a model and getting this message spread to every part of the world. If you don't get a response the first time you send the email, send it again. Let's carry out Francis's call to
"Make a mess, but then also help to tidy it up. A mess which gives us a free heart, a mess which gives us solidarity, a mess which gives us hope."
Share your very personal story on our Blog
More than ever, we invite you to participate in our blog called
The People Speak Out, which gives you an opportunity to share your views on the key topics discussed at the Synod and that are clearly still on the table for discussion. This blog will continue through the Jubilee Year and be delivered to Pope Francis and the Bishops. Here you have the opportunity to share your own very personal story of how the Church teachings being discussed at the Synod have shaped your life . . . for better or for worse.
Our blog issues include a variety of topics. If you are divorced and remarried, do you feel cut off from the Sacraments? If you are gay or lesbian, do you feel disenfranchised by the Church? If you are a woman, how have you been treated? Has the Church's teaching restricting artificial contraception had an impact on your life and marriage? If you are living with someone outside of marriage, do you feel welcomed to the Sacraments? If you were a priest and left because you fell in love, how has the obligation for celibacy impacted your life? If you left the Church, share the circumstance that led to your leaving and what, if anything, would it take to bring you back? We ask you to share your very personal story on any of these issues.
Click on the link below now. Pope Francis wants to hear your story and, more importantly, to have the Bishops hear them.
www.SynodBishopsCanYouHearUs.org
On Behalf of all of us at Catholic Church Reform International,
Director
Feast of the Guardian Angels, October 2nd, A. D. 2015
(Please share share with all people. Compartir con todos)
Peace and greetings to all in the Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ around the World! We approaching the Second part of the Synod on the Family. As we have learned and experienced, the Family in today's world is broader than the past has shown. We do realize that it is a multi facet social entity that is also complex in its nature. Young people who grow up are thinking more inclusive and see society more critical. The decision to marry is tough as society is driven by consumerism and ego trips in many ways. Yet, the desire to love someone wholeheartedly is still alive and needs to be nurtured, especially through the true meaning and experiencing of love, faith, and the everlasting hope that God is always there for us. Through the last century, theology has seen many changes in its view of who God is and we still have sometimes distorted and narrow minded views of God. As God is always the Other, we will never comprehend God fully, yet enough to make us loving him with all our hearts, mind and soul. As the bishops, priests, and lay representatives gather in Rome again, and as we see the Pope Francis desire to reach out to all who make up the family, -and all means all- we are part of this renewal in the Church, and also looking for change. I have attached the document in PDF Format, so you can all read it, it is in English, it shows a deeper understanding and also an insight what is happening with the Church, and where we need to be more constructive to work towards needed reforms!
Please read it yourself, sign it and send it our, help to publicize it where and whenever you can.Be all blessed
With my prayers for you all, and pray for me.
+Karl
Here is the message from our Chair for the Catholic Church Reform International:Please send out the attached model email to bishops, clergy, and anyone who might have an influence on the Synod:
Knowing the challenge in getting people to open an attachment when sent from an unknown source, attached is a model email ready to go out to attendees of the Synod or anyone who might have an influence on them. We have included our survey summary in the body of the email with a link given to the full report: The People Speak. In the days remaining between now and the opening of the Synod (October 4, 2015), we encourage you to use this model email and send it out to anyone and everyone to make known the views of the people of God.The Women’s Ordination Conference:
Several of us have just returned from the WOW Conference. It was a beautiful experience with about 500 reform-minded people from around the world. We gathered about 50 new individuals and five new organizations as supporters. We held a workshop called Speaking Out with a Common Global Voice to which over a hundred people attended. To read more about it and see a few of the photos that were taken, go to our homepage: www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org and scroll down to the heading: CCRI Representatives attend WOW Conference.A Pilgrimage for Reform leading up to a Worldwide People’s Synod
While we were in Rome last year, Janet Hauter made a presentation at our workshop introducing the idea of having a Pilgrimage for Reform in 2016 and a People’s Synod in 2017-18. The idea of a People’s Synod originally stemmed from a national VOTF conference in 2009. The concept continued to grow legs at this conference and to garner more support. We will keep you posted about this monumental project as further discussion continues.Thanks to all for your support,
Rene¡Paz y saludos a todos en la Iglesia Católica Ecuménica de Cristo alrededor del mundo! Nosotros acercándose a la Segunda parte del Sínodo en la Familia. Como hemos aprendido y hemos experimentado, la Familia en el mundo de hoy es más amplia que el pasado ha mostrado. Realmente realizamos que es una faceta multó-entidad social que también es compleja en su naturaleza.
Los jóvenes que crecen piensan más globales y ven la sociedad más crítica. La decisión de casarse es resistente ya que la sociedad es conducida por protección al consumidor y viajes del ego desde muchos puntos de vista. Sin embargo, el deseo de amar a alguien sinceramente todavía está vivo y necesita ser nutridos, especialmente a través del verdadero significado y experimentar del amor, la fe y la esperanza eterna de que Dios siempre está ahí para nosotros.
Durante el siglo pasado, la teología ha visto muchos cambios de su opinión de a quién Dios es y todavía hemos deformado a veces y visiones dispuestas estrechas de Dios. Como Dios siempre es el Otro, nunca entenderemos a Dios totalmente, aún bastante para hacernos amándole con todos nuestros corazones, mente y alma. Como los obispos, sacerdotes, y están los representantes se juntan en Roma otra vez, y ya que vemos a Papa Francisco desear tender la mano a todos que arreglan a la familia, - y todos los medios todo-somos la parte de esta renovación en la iglesia, y también buscamos un cambio.¡He atado el documento en el Formato de PDF, por tanto lo puede leer todo, está en inglés, muestra un entendimiento más profundo y también una perspicacia lo que pasa con la iglesia, y donde tenemos que ser más constructivos para trabajar para conseguir reformas necesarias! Por favor léalo usted mismo, fírmele y envíelo a sus locales obispos, y a todos que desean un cambio en la Iglesia; así ayude a hacerlo público donde y siempre que pueda. Sean todos bendecidos
Con mis rezos de todos ustedes, y también rezan por mí.
+Karl Aquí está el mensaje de nuestra Silla para Catholic Church Reform International: Por favor envíe el correo electrónico modelo adjunto a obispos, clero y cualquiera que podría tener una influencia en el Sínodo: Saber el desafío en conseguir de la gente abrir un accesorio cuando enviado de una fuente desconocida, atada es un correo electrónico modelo listo para salir a asistentes del Sínodo o cualquiera que podría tener una influencia en ellos. Hemos incluido nuestro resumen de la revisión en el cuerpo del correo electrónico con una relación dada al informe lleno: La gente Habla. En los días restante entre ahora y la apertura del Sínodo (el 4 de octubre de 2015), le animamos a usar este correo electrónico modelo y enviarlo a cualquiera y cada uno para hacer conocido las visiones de las personas de Dios. La conferencia de la ordenación femenina: Varios de nosotros acaban de volver de la Conferencia WOW. Era una experiencia hermosa con aproximadamente 500 personas dispuestas a la reforma de todo el mundo. Juntamos a aproximadamente 50 nuevos individuos y cinco nuevas organizaciones como partidarios. Creímos que un taller llamó Hablar claro con una Voz Global Común a la cual más de cien personas asistieron. Para leer más sobre ello y ver algunas de las fotos que fueron tomadas, vaya a nuestra página de inicio: www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org y voluta abajo al título: los representantes de CCRI asisten a la Conferencia WOW. Una Peregrinación para Reforma que conduce a un Sínodo de una gente Mundial Mientras estábamos en Roma el año pasado, Janet Hauter hizo una presentación a nuestro taller que introduce la idea de tener una Peregrinación para la Reforma en 2016 y un Sínodo de una gente en 2017-18. La idea de un Sínodo de una gente al principio provino de una conferencia VOTF nacional en 2009. El concepto siguió cultivando piernas en esta conferencia y recoger más apoyo. Le guardaremos fijado sobre este proyecto monumental mientras que la discusión adicional sigue.
Gracias a todos para su apoyo,
ReneSeptember XX, 2015Name of person being addressed Via Electronic mailDear Bishop:Below please find a summary of responses to a global survey conducted by Catholic Church Reform International. The vast majority of survey respondents are active Catholics and people who are searching for the Lord – people who have good will but for whom particular Church teachings regarding the family have proven to be a stumbling block. Pope Francis has called for pastoral responses that do not simply bind the wounds but address root causes.We commend this summary for your consideration. We pray for you and for the guidance of the Spirit so that the members of the Synod will be overcome with the joy of the Gospel to find a way forward for families.THE PEOPLE SPEAKA Jubilee Year Research InitiativeAs a tribute to Pope Francis’s call for a Jubilee Year of Mercy, we began a collaborative project with two reform communities, Catholic Church Reform International (CCRI) and the American Catholic Council (ACC), addressing the same thematic questions targeted by the Lineamenta questionnaire but offered in more comprehensible language. Respondents self-identified as Active Catholics (78%), Former Catholics (9%), Other Christians (1%), Other Faiths (9%) and unidentified (3%). Involving over 5000 participants, our focus was to provide real responses from lived experiences drafted by a global Catholic population, noting the comparisons and contrasts across the regions of the world.Respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of the pastoral care of the Church on 14 issues providing additional comments or recommended solutions, if desired.
In our most recent survey, responses, expressed in English, came from 44 countries globally. The areas of greatest discontent with the Church’s pastoral care are: TopicFavorable Effectiveness Poor or IneffectiveCohabitation 9% 71%
Inter-faith Marriage35%38%
LGBT6%76%Contraception12%76%
Single Parent Families 30%40%Mixed Family 20%29%
Divorced/Remarried 13%81%
Left the Church 15%77%
Women 19%72%
Troubles in Families 23%64%
Children in Difficult Situations 31%37%
Clerical Sex Abuse 11%70%
Women/Children 20%47%
Marriage Preparation 46%26%
Divorced/Remarriage--81% ineffective Left the Church—77% ineffective LGBT—76% ineffective
Contraception—76% ineffective
Women—72% ineffective
Cohabitation—71% ineffective
Sex Abuse---70% ineffectiveIf there were one word exemplifying the grace-filled responses of our research, it would be woundedness. Deeply hurt by the execution of a “pathology of power” (words used by Pope Francis himself) in our Church many were unable to experience faith in its fullest. The “field hospital” described by Pope Francis was imagery offering hope that mercy and healing were actually possible and may have influenced responses.In the comments offered, there were many passionate pleas asking for compassion from a rigid, legalistic Church that lost Jesus’ core message of love. Our research was both not surprising and surprising. Not surprising because it reiterated what we already knew and conversely surprising in the raw honesty that was shared. The quick, honest responses gathered were, no doubt, prompted by Pope Francis’s never-before invitation to hear from the people directly. As the world watches this pope, we are being vicariously influenced and empowered to find our voices and respectfully speak truth through our stories akin to the method used by Jesus in His teaching.The People of God recognize that we are a Church groaning in pain with an institutional Church judging us punitively for life-altering decisions with no understanding of contemporary lived experiences made under undue stress. As the Pope models Christ’s values inviting us to do the same in being more welcoming, inviting and nurturing, our survey responses expressed consistent calls for institutional reform: Welcome the Divorced and Remarried to the Sacraments: The People of God commend Pope Francis for offering a “life-giving” solution to the issue of divorced people receiving Eucharist and we encourage the bishops to embrace this position. Reach out to and make every effort to embrace Catholics who’ve left: The Church at all levels must adopt a more pastoral Christ-like presence to become more just, welcoming, inviting, and nurturing of those who have left, compassionately make contact through a visit, survey, etc. to learn their reasons. We may learn something and those that left will feel as though someone cares. Leave decisions regarding artificial contraception to personal conscience: By far, the majority of Catholics have followed the Doctrine of Reception that states that if the people do not accept a particular church teaching and it is ignored, the teaching is not valid. This is clearly the case with the Church’s stance on artificial contraception. Responsible Parenthood must be recognized as a value among families today. Treat the LGBT community with respect:: There is great concern with the disrespectful language [e.g. “disordered state”] and abhorrent behavior dealt toward the LGBT community. Households with such children find the Church’s treatment of their children reprehensible. Radical, humane changes in church behavior and pronouncements must occur mirroring scientific discoveries, compassion and tolerance. Recognize the equality of women in the Church: The Church must drop the myth and pretense of prohibiting women’s assent to authority and offices. This corrupt distortion of justice does not mirror historical precedent, as women were once deacons. Women can no longer suffer the discriminatory gender bias in an institution that chooses to be unjust
The survey report reveals that the People of God believe change is imperative in order for the Church to reflect Jesus’ values of love, inclusion, and compassion. In keeping with Pope Francis’s directive to have the Bishops gather the concerns of the people, we call upon all bishops to prayerfully consider the outpouring expressed by these caring Catholics. Let us work together to build a Church that ever more fully reveals the eternal love of God our Creator, as revealed by Jesus, and enlivened by the Holy Spirit.The full survey report, called The People Speak, can be found at http://www.catholicchurchreform.com/…/Jubileepapersurveydat… in Christ, [Your signature]On behalf of Catholic Church Reform Internationalwww.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
June 29th, Feast of St. Peter and Paul, A.D., 2015
(Please share share with as many people all)
Peace to you all, brothers and sisters in Christ.
I hope you all enjoying the time of Summer, and share the many gifts God provides in the Holy Spirit. The Lord has shown HIS Grace upon the people created in HIS love, we see this in many inspiring ways in our missions around the world. It is the little things that we do for others in need, be it in your pastoral care for others, be it through our orphanages, the poor, the education that you provide, the healing that you bring to others.
We are aware that Pope Francis is facing many obstacles from church forces within that try to block his loving heart to the world. We are here to support his efforts, and as he is listening to us, we pray in the Holy Spirit, that all will be according to God's Will.
As we approaching the Jubilee Year of Mercy, and as we will discuss more pertinent family issues for the Synod in Rome, I urge you to spread the following documents below to many people as possible, including all our clergy, and the faithful, and if you have connection with Roman Catholic clergy let them know as well.
Thank you!!
Catholic Church Reform International Press Release. Please you can. It is vital for the continuation of the Synod in Rome! Thank you!!
Below is the press release that we encourage you to disseminate to all of your media contacts and local media outlets
Attached are 3 items: (1) the draft cover letter that we offer as a model for sending to your bishops; (2) the survey data report; and (3) reflections and recommendations regarding the Jubilee Paper. In this last section, it is a most appropriate place to add your own comments regarding any unique cultural issues pertinent to your region of the world.
Much work has gone into the survey, gathering of the data, and the drafting of this paper. Let’s join together to spread it far and wide around the world. As for CCRI, we will make every effort to get this paper to every attendee of the coming Synod. But it would not be a waste of effort, if some of the bishops received more than one copy. So let us now “go forth and multiply.” Let us use this time between now and the opening of the Synod to get this paper into the hands of every Catholic, every former Catholic, every pastor, every bishop, and Pope Francis himself. This paper is truly the voice of the People who have spoken out loudly and clearly in our surveys and regional gatherings throughout the world.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CATHOLICS WORLDWIDE OVERWHELMINGLY ECHO POPE FRANCIS'S CALL FOR CHURCH TO CHOOSE PASTORAL PATH OF MERCY IN MINISTERING TO THE FAITHFUL
A few days after his election, Pope Francis, when speaking to his first Sunday audience in St. Peter's Square, recalled Jesus's striking attitude toward the woman taken in adultery, "We do not hear words of scorn, we do not hear words of condemnation, but only words of love, of mercy, that invite us to conversion. Neither do I condemn you: go and sin no more!" It is within the context of this generous spirit of mercy that Catholic Church Reform International and the American Catholic Council have united to mark the Jubilee Year of Mercy by releasing The People Speak, a global report based on the feedback of over 5000 participants, who rated the efficacy of Church teaching on the Baptized and often added personal comments giving context to their ratings. In many areas of family life, significant majorities of respondents rated Church teachings as ineffective or extremely ineffective.
The report contains the painful stories of ordinary people, the vast majority of whom identify as committed, active Catholics, who struggle to maintain dignity and authenticity in situations not honored in Church doctrine or Canon Law. "The Church has betrayed children of her own family and, with no allowance for communication, has cut off all who are unable to live within its rules," said Rene Reid, director of Catholic Church Reform Int'l. "The wounded, the hurting, those in greatest need of the Sacraments are banned from the Eucharistic Table. This is unconscionable!" The survey respondents call for the Church to show some understanding for families who seek God and have good will, but who are nonetheless judged unworthy and marginalized. The CCRI-ACC coalition sees this not as a call for the cheap mercy of less stringent doctrine, but rather as witness to the priority which Christ gave to responding more closely to what is written on the human heart. The survey results identify areas in which this priority needs further attention by church hierarchy, including: divorce and remarriage without annulment, cohabitation, and issues related to Gay-Lesbian respect and equality.
It is the hope of the CCRI-ACC coalition that the integrity of The People Speak, containing the thoughts, feelings, opinions, experiences, hopes and faith of Catholics throughout the world, will help our leaders from the Pope through to local pastors prepare for the October 2015 Ordinary Synod of Bishops taking place in Rome in October, 2015. "We are committed to building a welcoming, inviting, and nurturing Church and to work side by side with Pope Francis to transform our Church into one that lives and practices the joy of the Gospel," said Janet Hauter, director of the U.S. based American Catholic Council.
Please go to the documents, "the People speak"
The People Speak (link to the Jubilee Paper posted on our CCRI website)
If needed, please contact our Director:
Contact: Rene Reid, CCRI Director
Phone: 775-772-1210; Email: rene.reid@CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
If you are interested in joining with reform-minded people to support Pope Francis in transformoing our Church from an institution of prescriptive rules into an inclusive and welcomng community, please take a moment to share a bit of...
catholicchurchreform.com
Easter, A. D. 2015
From your Ecumenical Primate
(Please share with all)
Christus resurexit vere, Hallelujah!
The Peace of the Risen Lord be with you all!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
With the celebration of Holy week, following Jesus in his suffering, seeing the despair of his followers, we come to realization that Easter is the answer to all their loss and our Quest for life. His Resurrection is needed in order to find life restored. It is the faith since the early Church that when we follow Jesus to the Cross, the light that emerges behind the Cross shows God's presence toward the resurrection. With this, God has acted and spoken once and for all in the history of mankind. Death where is your sting? Salvation has entered the world anew in an unheard manner, in a new Covenant that was sealed with the blood of Christ, the Love of God, that binds us toward HIS Kingdom.
In this faith in our loving God we can change our lives in a world around us that lives by hate, discrimination, social injustice, climate change, wars and famine; indeed we realize the deeper meaning of being connected with God who proclaims in Jesus the new way of Life according to the Gospels. Only in the change of our lives can we serve a better humanity that lives not world immanent, but seeks constantly the divine in order to find true humanity.
May we all follow Jesus with eagerness until we see him one day in HIS Glory through the resurrection granted to us through him.
Christ is risen! We are saved through the Love that the Father has shown to us through his Son.
Let our Faith be a sign for others to find Christ in their lives as we all give witness to the Gospel, HIS Testament to us, because HE is with us till the end of times!
I wish you all from the bottom of my heart a very blessed Easter!
With my prayers and benedictions.
Yours,
+Karl
Presiding Archbishop
ECCC
ECCC News
USA, California
We welcome our new Parish in California with its Pastor, Fr. Jacob Nissim Levy, the parish name is:
Archangels and Seraphim Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ
He was ordained to the Catholic Priesthood on March 14th, 2015
USA, Cathedral of St. Anthony in Detroit
Fr. Emmanuel Pillai has been appointed Assistant Pastor at the Cathedral and Spiritual director for the Monastery.
Europe, United Kingdom
Welcome to our new Priest, Archimandrite, Father Georges von Abel Bikhazi! who will start the Ecumenical Mission of St. John Chrysostom in the UK. He was received through our Nuntius for Europe, Archbishop ++Hristo Pissarov from Bulgaria
Europe, Bulgaria
We also like greet the growing clergy for our Orthodox Church in Bulgaria under Archbishop ++Hristo Pissarov:
Fr. Georgi Dimitrov, Fr. Mihail Novak, Fr. Stefan Rusev, Fr. Stefan Vasilev, Fr. Svetlozar Arabadjiev. Deacon Alfred Foskolo, Deacon Grigor Paskov, Deacon Yordan Marchev, Subdeacon Aleksandar Cenov, and Subdeacon Emilian
Georgiev.
Ukraine
We welcome our new Deacon Naxim Stavitzky in Donbas who will assist Fr. Yury Prikotenko
Many blessings to you all in your service of the Lord.
May the Eternal Shepherd reward you all with His Kingdom!
Please reserve the Dates!! Our Church is part of the preparations for the March 26th Event, including the famous song of John Legend "Glory"!
International: www.ecumenicalccc.org
February, 18th, Ash Wednesday, A. D. 2015
(Please share this letter with all and beyond!)
Peace, and Greetings to you all on the Beginning of this Holy Season of Lent!
We take this time before Easter to reflect on the Life of Jesus, and his Suffering and Sacrifice of Redemption for Humanity. Without knowing him we are left alone in this world of indifference and destruction.
We see more and more Christians in the Middle East are being driven from their homes, entire Christian communities being wiped out, and as Christians also in Africa being slaughtered by extremists, we experience a new era of persecution of our brothers and sisters around the world. I urge you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ do not cease in your prayers for the churches in Africa and the Middle East. Only in the light of the Suffering of Jesus, his Cross and and Resurrection on Easter are we able to be there for each other. Please pray for His Holiness, Pope Francis, as there are new threats against his life from the Islamist terrorist groups.
Our journey through the Lenten Season is a personal challenge. We shall take more time for prayer, seek meditation and imitate Jesus in our lives. These weeks and days of reflections will lead us closer to the Mystery of our own Salvation through HIM. Our faith needs nourishment. Our soul is journeying for its Creator, God, to rekindle our relationship with the Divine. We shall discover anew the Love for a God that loved us so much that he sacrificed HIS only begotten Son, so that we can live.
This mystery is so deep and overwhelming that our mind can never full comprehend the fullness of God's salvivic actions for us. When God loved us so much how much more are we compelled to love each other according to his holy Will.
I ask you all take time to read and meditate in Scripture, read good spiritual books of guidance, attend your local Churches every Sunday and show your commitment to your local Church Family. If we shall grow in our Faith, then your Church family is the place where you can grow, it is a testing ground of how strong your faith is, and how much more we have to grow with each other.
I do wish you all near and afar a blessed and joyous preparation for Easter when we celebrate the Resurrection of God's Son, but also see the predawn of our own resurrection, because he walked ahead of us home to the heavenly Father to share in HIS Glory, and to prepare a place for us.
With my prayers and benedictions to you all
+Karl
PS: Please see the attachments of the CRRI (Catholic Church Reform International), we are part of it, I am a consultor for them.
It contains a letter to Pope Francis, Press releases.
Please sign the letter to Pope Francis on the website link below. Thank you all!
The full letter to Pope Francis, to sign it, click: http://www.catholicchurchreform.com/AlternativeLivingPoll.h….
Paz y saludos en el comienzo de este tiempo de Cuaresma Santa!
Tomamos esta vez antes de semana Santa para reflexionar sobre la vida de Jesús y su sufrimiento y sacrificio de redención para la humanidad. Sin conocerlo nos quedamos solos en este mundo de indiferencia y la destrucción.
Vemos cada vez más que cristianos en el Medio Oriente están siendo expulsados de sus hogares, comunidades cristianas se limpió hacia fuera y como cristianos también en África siendo masacrados por los extremistas, experimentamos una nueva era de la persecución de nuestros hermanos y hermanas alrededor del mundo enteros. Insto a que todos en el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo no cesan en sus oraciones por las iglesias de África y Oriente Medio. Sólo teniendo en cuenta el sufrimiento de Jesús, su cruz y su Resurrección en la Pascua la Pascua somos capaces de estar allí para el otro. Por favor oren por su Santidad el Papa Francis, ya que existen nuevas amenazas contra la vida de los grupos terroristas islamistas.
Nuestro viaje a través de la Cuaresma es un reto personal. Debemos tomar más tiempo para la oración, meditación buscamos e imitar a Jesús en nuestras vidas. Estas semanas y días de reflexiones nos conducirá al misterio de nuestra salvación a través de él. Nuestra fe necesita nutrirse. Nuestra alma es viajar por su creador, Dios, reavivar nuestra relación con lo divino. Descubriremos el amor por un Dios que amaba tanto que sacrificó a su hijo unigénito, para que podamos vivir nuevamente.
Este misterio es tan profunda y abrumadora que nuestra mente no puede nunca completo comprender la plenitud de las acciones salvivic de Dios para nosotros. Cuando Dios amó tanto, cuánto más nos estamos obligados a amarse mutuamente según su Santa voluntad.
Te pido que todo tome tiempo para leer y meditar en las escrituras, leer buenos libros espirituales de orientación, asistir a sus iglesias locales cada domingo y mostrar su compromiso con su familia de la iglesia local. Si nos vamos creciendo en nuestra fe, entonces su familia de la iglesia es el lugar donde usted puede crecer, es un campo de pruebas de lo fuerte que es tu fe, y cuánto más tenemos que crecer con el otro.
Deseo para todos cerca y lejos una preparación bendecido para la Pascua, cuando celebran a la resurrección del Hijo de Dios, pero también ven el amanecer de nuestra propia resurrección, porque El caminaba delante a la casa del padre celestial para compartir en su gloria y preparar un lugar para nosotros.
Con mis plegarias y bendiciones para todos
+ Karl
COME AND JOIN US
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH,
AT OUR 11:00 AM MASS,
WE WILL HAVE THE
BLESSINGS OF THE THROATS
ST. BLAISE
Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad 2014
Afrikaans:Geseënde Kersfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaarAlbanian: Gëzuar Krishlindjet Vitin e Ri!Germany: Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein Gesegnetes Neues Jahr Euch allen Nah und Fern.Möge der Friede Christi in Euere Herzen einziehen!Arabic: ميلاد مجيد
Bulgaria: Весела Коледа и благословена Нова годинаArmenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Soorp JanuntEsturian: Bones Navidaes & Gayoleru anu nuevu! Belgium: Zalige Kertfeest Catalán: Bon Nadal i feliç any nou!Croatia: Sretan BozicDanmark: Glædelig Jul og godt nytårEnglish: Merry Christmas o Happy Christmas and a Happy New YearEsperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon & Bonan NovjaronEstonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi ja Head uut aastatFinland: Hauskaa JouluaFrance: Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année! Galic: Nadolig LlawenGallego: Bon Nadal e Bo Ani NovoGeorgian: გილოცავთ შობა-ახალ წელსHoland: Hartelijke Kerstroeten
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hauʻoli Makahiki HouHebrew: חג מולד שמח
Hungary: Kellemes karácsonyi ünnepeket és Boldog újévet!Greek: Καλά Χριστούγεννα!Indonesia: Selamat Hari Natal & Selamat Tahun Baru Irland: (Gaelic)Nollaig shona duit. Bliain úr faoi shéan is faoi mhaise duit Italy: Buon Natale e Felice Anno NuovoJapan: メリークリスマスLatin: Pax Hominibus bonae voluntatis
Lituania: Linksmu Kaledu ir laimingu Nauju metu
Luxemburg: Schéi Krëschtdeeg an e Schéint Néi Joer
Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal dan Tahun Baru
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Norway: Gledelig JulNavajo:Ya'at'eeh Keshmish Basque- Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!Philippines: (Tagalog): Maligayang PaskoPoland: Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia i szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!Portugal: Boas Festas e um Feliz Ano NovoRumania: Craciun fericit si un An Nou fericit!Russin: Pozdravlyenie s Rozjdyestvom i s Novym Godom!Samoan:Manuia le Kerisimasi, ma le Tausaga FouSerbia: Hristos se rodiSlowenia: Vesel božič in srečno novo letoSomalia: ciid wanaagsan iyo sanad cusub oo fiican.Spain: Feliz Navidadl! Feliz Año Nuevo!Que Cristo La Luz del Mundo sea presente in sus corazones por siempre!Sri Lanka: Subha Nattalak Veva
Swahili: Krismasi Njema / Heri ya krismas. Heri ya mwaka mpya Wapendwa, Noeli iko mlangoni! Nawatakieni wote heri sana na baraka kwa sikukuu hii ya Noeli. Aidha nawaombeeni mwaka mpya wa furaha, na mafaniko.Sweden: God Jul och Gott Nytt ÅrTahiti: La ora i te Noere e ia ora na i te matahiti 'aTamil:Nathar Puthu Varuda ValthukkalTurkey: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Valencia: Bon Nadal i feliç any nouThai: Suk san wan-krit-maat lae sa-wat-dee bpee mai
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun; Yeni Yilnizi Kutar, saadetler dilerim
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Vietnamese: Mung Le Giang Sinh. Cung Chuc Tan Nien Welsh - Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Peace and Joy to you beloved brothers and sisters or of our Worldwide ECCC!
Wishing you all from my heart a blessed and joyous Christmas with your loved ones, and your parish families!
In the Advent Season, we all tried to reflect and live closer toward welcoming Jesus into our hearts. We realize much more has to be done to get closer to the heart of Jesus. Our prayers, our charitable deeds, and our longing to see more and more Christ in people who come along our way, are spiritual milestones towards reaching the Kingdom.
We might have also listened close to the new actions that Pope Francis took toward Reforms within the Catholic Church Family, and the Catholic Reform Groups involved.He has also started the cleanup within the Vatican Curia, and his sharp tone toward the ailments that have intruded its bureaucracy, and behavior among its members.
As we are an Ecumenical Catholic Church, we too long for reforms as we seek Unity among the Christian Churches.
Reform and Change starts within ourselves, how we perceive God, how we really listen to HIS Word, how we are willing to follow Christ first before seeking our own ways of life, how we treat each other, how we support our Church families in their struggles, how we always help the least in our society, the poor, the afflicted, the marginalized, the outcasts...
Isn't it ironic that King David was expecting the Messiah to come in the Glory of a royal Palace, and yet God saw it fit to choose a young humble and faithful maiden in Mary to give birth to the King of our Lives, and low and behold he was not born in a Palace, but in a Manger, because people did not wanted to welcome him. This is what God shows us on Christmas: we think like King David, and yet we find ourselves full of the wondrous deeds that God is revealing to us.
We forget to welcome HIM, and as a human race think that we know it all, and we have the wisdom how to accomplish everything, and in our pride we seek a self-fulfilling prophecy...And then we are more shocked when God intervenes in a humble and loving way that turns everything upside down. Our expectations are driven by our Ego, and it blinds us to see with the eyes of faith, to be humble, kind, merciful, and loving as HE is to us.
Let us learn from Jesus life, words and deeds, let us see in Mary a model of life that reminds us always, I am the servant of the Lord...
My heart is filled in this season with Joy and Peace as I see among you all God's wondrous Love present!
Let us pray for the protection of Pope Francis, let us pray for a world so much in need for Peace, let us pray for each others journey toward HIS Coming again in Glory in which we all shall partake.
With my prayers and benedictions to you all, wishing you a year 2015 that will be filled with health, and always Love for you all!
Yours in the Newborn King, Jesus, The Christ.
+Kar
ECCLESIA CATOLICA ECUMENICA CHRIST
Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ
Iglesia Católica Ecuménica de Cristo
Ökumenische Katholische Kirche Christ
Ecumenical Kanisa Katoliki la Kristo
Œcuménique Église catholique du Christ
კონსტანტინეპოლის კათოლიკური ეკლესია ქრისტეს
Вселенската католическа църква на Христос
Вселенский католическая церковь Христа
Africa, Asia, Europe, Georgia, Hong Kong, Latin America
New Zealand,Pakistan, Russia, The Philippines, USA
Holy See - Detroit, USA Worldwide Headquarters
Cathedral Website:
www.cathedralofstanthonydetroit.org
www.ecumenicalccc.org
December 4th, Saint John of Damascus, A. D. 2014
From your Ecumenical Primate
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ around the World of our beloved Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ
!
As a worldwide church family we walk toward Christmas, we seek the conversion of our hearts toward Christ.
The feast of the birth of Jesus, the Son of man, the King of kings, the humble servant, the child so poor and helpless
is the chosen one to save humanity.
We can never fully understand this mystery of God becoming man, His incarnation, yet we can see more closely with the heart of faith that is longing to share in his divinity. All our worldly existence with all the richness the world offers, will never reach the true pearl we find in this Child that is leading us to God, showing us the way to salvation.
On my trip in Rome this past October, I shared with so many Roman Catholics from around the world seeking reforms, that we as Christians are compelled more than ever to live the Gospel of Christ, His Testament of Love, Care, and Justice that sees all of humanity in a different light. We are all created in the image of God who dwells within our hearts waiting to be discovered. Christ was so eager to reach out to those in society who were abandoned, marginalized, condemned, the very poor, the sick, and when he criticized the rich who are unwilling to share the burden in this world, when he cleansed the house of the Father from becoming a merchant hall, so we as Christians also must walk in his footsteps, imitate His Life, and become like Him.
We encounter a suffering world, wars of hatred, religious extremism, and dictators that through relentless savagery causes destruction of whole human populations, consumerism that has left generations without a vision for a more just society, selfishness propaganda that is driving younger generations into despair not seeing a future with values.
We can continue the list, and yet there is light in the darkness coming our way, it is Christ Jesus who reaches out to us every day and moment of our lives, who wants us to live toward God's Kingdom.
Let us all accept this Child of Bethlehem, born to become our Savior, who suffers, dies, and rises from the death and pain, and lives among us in Word and Sacrament, in true Spirit and Love.
Let us go to seek him eagerly in this time of Advent, so that he finds us awake, and we are prepared to welcome him into our hearts, so that His Second Coming in Glory will be the beginning of the Eternal Celebration in His Kingdom.
Wishing you all a reflective time of Advent, may the living Word of God, the Good News, handed over to us by the Apostles, become part of your daily Bread of Life.
With my prayers and benedictions
yours
+Karl
For the year 2015, I encourage you, if you with your local bishops, vicars or priests, have time to organize local meetings and report to the Catholic Church Reform International.
Here is the last meeting Report press release, and the List of Consultors, etc, including myself.
Here is the website:
www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
For Immediate Release
18 November 2014
INTERNATIONAL REFORM NETWORK CALLS FROM MORE SYNOD OPENNESS
Catholic Church Reform International (CCRI), a network of groups and individuals in 65 countries committed to the renewal of the Catholic Church, is calling for more openness from the Synod of Bishops in its discussions on marriage and the family.
CCRI has recently written to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, asking that the Vatican not only permit local Episcopal Conferences to make public the summaries of responses they prepare on Synod questionnaires, but actually encourage them to be more open.
Last year, when Cardinal Baldisseri sent a specially prepared Synod questionnaire to bishops across the world urging them to circulate it widely and get grass-roots feedback on the issues it raised, he also instructed that their summaries of the responses be kept secret.
Across the world almost all Episcopal Conferences and bishops acquiesced to the ban, with the notable exceptions of the German, Swiss, and Japanese Conferences and a few individual bishops, who decided that openness was the proper course and published their summaries. “The ban reinforced the impression that the Vatican still does not understand the importance of transparency,” said Rene Reid, CCRI convenor, “Nor is it in keeping with Pope Francis’s call for openness and involvement of all the People of God.
As preparations get under way for the Ordinary General Assembly in October 2015, the Catholic faithful are again to be asked to reflect, this time on the contents of the 62-paragraph Relatio Synodi (Synod Report), and to provide feedback. In a sign that Pope Francis understands the need for openness, he instructed that the voting results on each of the Relatio’s paragraph be appended to the document. But CCRI is asking for more.
When the grass-roots reflections on the Relatio have been gathered and summarized, CCRI wants every Episcopal Conference to be free, indeed encouraged, to make their summaries public and widely available.
Further, prior to the commencement of the new round of reflections, CCRI has also asked Cardinal Baldisseri to allow every Episcopal Conference to publish and disseminate the summaries of responses to the 2013 questionnaire. Those summaries could greatly assist the faithful in every local church to develop and clarify their reflections on the issues which the Synod is about to ask of them.
CCRI Strategic Team:
Robert Blair Kaiser (USA),
John Buggy (Australia),
Janet Hauter (USA),
Brendan Butler (Ireland),
Sheila Peiffer (USA),
Virginia Saldanha (India),
Peter Wilkinson (Australia)
Rene Reid (USA)
Board of Consultors
These people believe in the profound importance of the reform of our Church and have given their support and lent their name and credibility to our movement.
Members
CHRISTINE ANDERSON:
DIRECTOR FAITH AND PRAXIS FCJ, ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYST.
BOB BETTERTON:
FOUNDER OF ACCELERATING CATHOLIC CHURCH REFORM
EUGENE BIANCHI:
PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF THEOLOGY, EMORY UNIVERSITY.
TONY BIVIANO:
MEDIA PRODUCER FOR THE FOR CHRIST'S SAKE PETITION, AUSTRALIA.
ROY BOURGEOIS:
FOUNDER OF SCHOOL OF AMERICAS WATCH AND ADVOCATE FOR THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN.
BILL BURROWS:
PUBLISHER
BRENDAN BUTLER:
SPOKESPERSON, WE ARE CHURCH IRELAND, AND COORDINATOR NGO PEACE ALLIANCE.
JAMES CORIDEN:
FORMER PRESIDENT CANON LAW SOCIETY OF AMERICA
BRIAN COYNE:
EDITOR, CATHOLICA.AU
DONALD COZZENS:
WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE, JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY
WILLIAM V. D'ANTONIO:
PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY, CATHOLIC UNIV OF AMERICA
MARK DAY:
FORMER FRANCISCAN, NEWS PRODUCER, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
JOHN A. DICK:
HISTORICAL THEOLOGIAN, LOUVAIN UNIV; VP ASSOC. FOR THE RIGHTS OF CATHOLICS IN THE CHURCH
BILL DITEWIG:
THEOLOGIAN AND DEACON
TERRY DOSH:
RETIRED BENEDICTINE, FOUNDING MEMBER OF CORPUS
PATRICK B. EDGARPRESIDENT, ASSOCIATION FOR THE RIGHTS OF CATHOLICS IN THE CHURCH
IVAN FERNANDES CATHOLIC JOURNALIST, FORMER MANAGING EDITOR UCANEWS.COM IN BANGKOK-THAILAND, FORMER MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS, CALCUTTA JESUIT PROVINCE
PAUL GRAY:
RETIRED PARISH ADMINISTRATOR, MEMPHIS CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
PAUL HANSEN:
REDEMPTORIST PRIEST AND ADVOCATE FOR BIBLICAL JUSTICE LIVING.
JANET HAUTER:
CHAIR, AMERICAN CATHOLIC COUNCIL
REA HOWARTH:
FREELANCE WRITER AND CONSULTANT; FORMER DIRECTOR OF CATHOLICS SPEAK OUT
WILLIAM COUGHLIN HUNT:
PERITUS (EXPERT) OF VATICAN II, FORMER PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY
ROBERT KAGGWA:
COOORDINATOR, WE ARE CHURCH, UK
EUGENE KENNEDY:
PSYCHOLOGIST, AUTHOR
JAMES KOTTOOR:
AUTHOR, FORMER PRIEST, AND JOURNALIST WITH CATHOLIC REFORMATION SOCIETY OF KERALA, PALAI IN INDIA
HANS KUNG:
PRIEST, THEOLOGIAN, AND AUTHOR; PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION FOR A GLOBAL ETHIC
RAQUEL MALLAVIBARRENA:
MEMBER OF THE SPANISH MOVEMENTS: CORRIENTE SOMOS IGLESIA AND REDES CRISTIANAS.
MARY JOHN MANANZAN:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF WOMEN'S STUDIES; MEMBER OF THE ADMIN. COUNCIL OF GENERALS AND PRIORESSES OF THE BENEDICTINE ORDER
CHARLES MCMAHON:
EMERITUS PROFESSOR EARTH SCIENCES, UNIV. OF PENNSYLVANIA
DAVID O'BRIEN:
PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY EMERITUS AT COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS AND UNIV. OF DAYTON
JOSEPH O'CALLAGHAN:
AUTHOR OF ELECT OUR BISHOPS; EMERITUS PROFESSOR THEOLOGY, FORDHAM UNIV
ANTHONY PADOVANO:
MARRIED PRIEST, COLLEGE PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR
THERESE PADOVANO:
NUN, CO-FOUNDED THE NORTHERN NEW JERSEY CHAPTER OF VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL
JOANNE PARRILLI:
RETIRED JUDGE, FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT IN SAN FRANCISCO; AN EARLY MEMBER VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL
FRANK PURCELL:
DOCTOR IN THEOLOGY, MEMBER OF THE LIVING FAITHS COMMISSION OF THE VICTORIAN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, PRESIDENT OF THE GOULBURN VALLEY REGIONAL COUNCIL OF THE ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, CO-FOUNDER OF CATHOLICS FOR MINISTRY, AUSTRALIA.
SONYA QUITSLUND:
PROFESSOR EMERITA OF BIBLE AND RELIGIOUS THOUGHT; COMMANDER, US COAST GUARD
GASTON ROBERGE, S.J.:
THEOLOGIAN, FILM SCHOLAR, AND AUTHOR, FOUNDER OF CHITRABANI, THE ONLY INDEPENDENT FILM LIBRARY IN KOLKATA, INDIA.
+DR. KARL RODIG:
PRESIDING ARCHBISHOP, THE worldwide ECUMENICAL CATHOLIC CHURCH OF CHRIST.
MICHAEL SASO:
PRIEST, EDUCATOR IN CHINA
TED SCHMIDT:
CANADIAN EDUCATOR AND WRITER; AUTHOR OF JOURNEYS TO THE HEART OF CATHOLICISM
INGRID H. SHAFER:
PROFESSOR EMERITA OF PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION, UNIV. OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF OKLAHOMA
RICHARD SIPE:
FORMER BENEDICTINE MONK-PRIEST; AUTHOR OF CELIBACY, SEX, & CATHOLIC CHURCH
WILLIAM SLAVICK:
COORDINATOR, PAX CHRISTI IN MAINE
LEONARD SWIDLER:
PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY, TEMPLE UNIV; FOUNDER ASSOC. FOR THE RIGHTS OF CATHOLICS IN THE CHURCH
JOSÉ MARÍA VIGIL:
CMF, A SPANISH LIBERATION THEOLOGIAN FROM PANAMA, MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THIRD WORLD THEOLOGIANS, MEMBER OF THE CONGREGATION OF CLARETIAN MISSIONARIES.
SPECIAL ADVISOR
JOAN CHITTISTER:
BENEDICTINE SISTER, AUTHOR AND LECTURER; CO-CHAIR GLOBAL PEACE INITIATIVE OF WOMEN
DIRECTORS
ROBERT BLAIR KAISER:
LECTURER & AUTHOR OF 6 BOOKS ON CHURCH OF VATICAN II AND BEYOND
FILO HIROTA:
COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, REP FOR JAPAN
RENE REID:
AUTHOR & LECTURER; FORMER NUN AND RELIGIOUS ED DIRECTOR; M.A. IN THEOLOGY; TALK SHOW HOST
Desde su Primado Ecuménico
Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo en todo el mundo de nuestra amada Iglesia Católica Ecuménica de Cristo!
Como familia de la iglesia en todo el mundo caminamos hacia la Navidad, buscamos la conversión de nuestro corazón hacia Cristo.
La fiesta del nacimiento de Jesús, el Hijo del Hombre, el Rey de reyes, el humilde servidor, el niño tan pobre e indefenso es el elegido para salvar a la humanidad.
Nunca podremos entender completamente este misterio de Dios hecho hombre, su encarnación, sin embargo, podemos ver más de cerca con el corazón de la fe que es el anhelo de compartir en su divinidad. Toda nuestra existencia mundana con toda la riqueza que el mundo ofrece, nunca alcanzará la verdadera perla que encontramos en este Niño que nos está llevando a Dios, que nos muestra el camino a la salvación.
En mi viaje a Roma en octubre pasado, compartí con tantos católicos romanos de todo el mundo en busca de reformas, que como cristianos estamos obligados más que nunca a vivir el Evangelio de Cristo, su testamento de amor, cuidado y Justicia que ve toda la humanidad bajo una luz diferente. Todos hemos sido creados a imagen de Dios que habita en nuestros corazones la espera de ser descubierto. Cristo estaba tan ansioso por llegar a las personas en la sociedad que fueron abandonados, marginados, condenados, los más pobres, a los enfermos, y cuando criticó a los ricos que no están dispuestos a compartir la carga en este mundo, cuando él limpió la casa de la Padre se convierta en una sala comercial, por lo que nosotros, como cristianos también tenemos que seguir sus pasos, imitar su vida y ser como Él.
Nos encontramos con un mundo que sufre, las guerras de odio, el extremismo religioso y dictadores que a través de salvajismo implacable causa la destrucción de las poblaciones humanas enteras, el consumismo que ha dejado a las generaciones sin una visión de una sociedad más justa, propaganda egoísmo que está impulsando las generaciones más jóvenes en la desesperación no ver a un futuro con valores.
Podemos seguir la lista, y sin embargo hay luz en la oscuridad en nuestro camino, es Cristo Jesús, que se acerca a nosotros cada día y momento de nuestras vidas, que quiere que vivamos hacia el Reino de Dios.
Vamos todos aceptamos este Niño de Belén, nacido para ser nuestro Salvador, que sufre, muere y se levanta de la muerte y el dolor, y vive entre nosotros en la Palabra y los Sacramentos, en verdadero Espíritu y el Amor.
Vamos a buscarlo ansiosamente en este tiempo de Adviento, para que él nos encuentre despiertos, y estamos preparados para darle la bienvenida en nuestros corazones, para que Su segunda venida en gloria será el inicio de la Fiesta Eterna en Su Reino.
Les deseo a todos un tiempo de reflexión de Adviento, que la Palabra viva de Dios, la Buena Nueva, entregado a nosotros por los Apóstoles, se convierten en parte de su diario Pan de Vida.
Con mis oraciones y bendiciones
suyo
+ Karl
Para el año 2015, le animo, si con sus obispos locales, vicarios y sacerdotes, y laicos tienen tiempo para organizar reuniones locales e informar a la reforma de la Iglesia Católica Internacional. Se trata de la familia más grande en la iglesia. Aquí está la última reunión Informe comunicado de prensa, y la lista de consultores, etc, incluido yo mismo.
Aui es la pagina web:
www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
Para publicación inmediata
Come Join us to welcome the
Rev. Lillian Lewis to preach
Sunday, August 17th, 2014 at at 11: AM.
She is the first Roman Catholic women priest from Michigan belonging to the Roman Catholic Women Priests organization with over 180 Catholic Women Priests worldwide.
Support the Women in the Church
Please join us this coming Saturday, August 9th
St. Anthony's Rummage Sale
on the Church grounds
10:00 AM till 4PM
See you there :o)
August 5th, 2014
Update on Rome Pre-Synod Gathering
This autumn, just days before the Extraordinary Synod on the Family convenes in Rome, two other gatherings are planned.
We're writing to invite you to join in for any part or all of the four days. Or, if you're not able to come, you might consider passing the invitation on to church organizations, reform group members, religious congregations, and others who might be interested. Let's spread the word around the world to ensure that families are recognized, included, and listened to by the Bishops attending the Synod in Rome.
Here is the program for the four days:
"The Forum on the Family: Listening to the Faithful" on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 October. This is sponsored by Catholic Church Reform International (CCRI).
"The Family Synod Project" (Similar to the Conclave Project) organized by the International Movement We Are Church (IMWAC) from Friday evening 3 October to Saturday 4 October.
A gathering in St Peters Square before the Angelus (Sunday 5 October), for which permission has been obtained from the Vatican authorities.
Reform-minded Catholics from around the world have already booked places to show solidarity with and support for a Synod that is truly representative of families, and to raise any issues that may have been omitted from the official agenda of the Bishops' Synod.
It is hoped that those who plan to attend will make suggestions for and contributions to the final programme but the four days look something like this at the moment:
On Thursday and Friday, October 2-3, CCRI will present a number of different speakers and discussion groups on diverse aspects of Church reform as it relates to the real needs of families with lived experience of family life. On Friday morning we hope to hear the voices of a variety of reform organizations and a panel discussion will focus on "Where do we go next?" From this will emerge a manifesto from the reform movement to the Synod. It would be really good to hear your thoughts and ideas during the morning.
Please see:
www.catholicchurchreform.com/romeSchedule.html
On Friday evening and Saturday IMWAC will be presenting speakers covering more areas of concern regarding the pastoral care of families. You will be very welcome to go along to listen, meet the speakers and ask questions.
On Sunday morning we will gather in St Peter's Square before the Angelus. We have permission to unfurl a banner and to sing. Let us raise our voices to spur Pope Francis on to make the changes of which he speaks.
Participants are asked to book their own hotel accommodation. There are a number of suggestions at
http://www.catholicchurchreform.com/romeAccomodations.html
. Space is limited so we encourage to
register as soon as possible.
For more information, please see the website:
www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
. IMWAC's plans are being finalized but will be announced on www.we-are-church.org as soon as possible.
For questions, please contact Rene Reid: reItne.reid@catholicchurchreformintl.org
or Martha Heizer: chair@we-are-church.org
Best wishes
Valerie Rene
Valerie Stroud Rene Reid
IMWAC Internet Secretary CCRI Director
Donate to support the Forum on Rome
Take our Surveys and Circulate them
If you haven't already, take our surveys on the topics that will be discussed at the Synod. This is your opportunity to make your voice heard by the Vatican. Once you have taken them, pass this link on to your contacts to encourage others to join their voices with ours.
July 22, Saint Mary Magdalene, A. D. 2014
Peace to you all near and afar !
It is always my prayer that you are all doing well in you ministry and your care for the souls of God. May our beloved people in the ECCC and beyond always see the Love of God that comes our way as we seek wholeheartedly HIS Kingdom.
In the face of wars, terror, famine, exploitation of children, and climate change, we are compelled to see the deeper
encounter of God in our lives and pray always!
As Christians are being slaughtered in the Ancient city of Mozul and in Syria where they have lived almost for 2000 years, we are saddened to see the life of so many being destroyed. Our prayers go out to them asking God to be near them in this time of persecution. As people struggle for freedom and democracy, we pray for the people around the world who struggle, seeking refuge in other countries. We pray for the people in Sub Sahara and beyond where famine is taking lives. We pray for the new wave of children who escape the terror and violence in their countries in Central America seeking a new place to live in the USA. We pray for the people of Israel and Palestine for Peace that the killing of innocent people stop immediately, and that freedom and peaceful coexistence may be the solution.
We pray for the Synod for the Family in Rome in October as I will depart September, working with others for Reforms.
May the Holy Spirit guide us in all our doing to live and serve for a better world toward God's Kingdom.
ECCC News:
Africa
Kitale Kenya:
Celebration of the 5th Anniversary of first Diocese of Western Kenya and consecration
of Archbishop ++Godfrey Siundu
Ordinations:Archbishop ++Godfrey Siundu ordained
to the sacred Priesthood, Fr. Anthony Odhiambo
to the order of Deacon, Rev. John Paul Wanjala
Blessings and Congratulations!
The formation of the New Order of St. Benedict byBishop Gregory in Nairobi who will serve as their first Prior of the NOSB
Blessings and Congratulations!
Member of the Logistic of the Catholic Church Reform International for the Pre-Synod gathering in Rome++Archbishop Dr. Matthew Theuri, ECCC from Nairobi, Kenya
Blessings upon you for this new task!
Metropolitan Church Province of Eastern Europe
Our Nuntius for Europe, Archbishop ++Hristo Pissarov is preparing the incardination of and Orthodox Archbishop from Russia with priests from Russia, the Ukraine and the Crimea, including a Monastery.
They will be under the New jurisdiction of the ECCC.
USA
Colorado
Upcoming ordinations in September
Rev. Deacon Tom Monaco to the Sacred Priesthood
Mrs. Jeanenne Cox to the order of the Diaconate
Blessings and Congratulations!
California
Bishop Dr. Tony Scuderi joined our Order of the NOSF
Prayers and blessings
Michigan
Fr. Emmanuel Pillai who moved with his family to the USA from Sri Lanka
will serve at the Cathedral in Detroit assisting the Ecumenical Primate
Welcome!
Puerto Rico
We welcome Fr. Angel Munoz to the NOSF
Blessings!
Pakistan
We welcome our brother, Rev Fernadus Gill to the ECCC!
Blessings!
Please share the information below with as many people
as you can.
We need to be informed that millions of Catholics around the world seeking and praying for much needed Reforms!!
Update of the Catholic Church Reform International leading to the Synod in Rome
As you know our ECCC worldwide Church is part of the Catholic Church Reform International, and the Roman Churches reaching out to us as we are a worldwide Church that calls for Reforms.
Why we are gathering in Rome
CCR Int'l is holding our Forum in Rome (1) to show solidarity with Pope Francis by welcoming his Extraordinary Synod; (2) to give those of us who have been working together for well over a year the opportunity to meet one another and celebrate the Eucharist together; and (3) to meet, discuss, and, as our gift, deliver to the Synod the testimonies and fruits of our year-long discernment.
What we hope to accomplish
The supporters who are a part of our movement hope to be taken seriously by those attending the Synod. We are not a group of rebels. We are a network of organizations and people from around the world who love our Church and want to do all in our power to encourage the Synod leaders to include a broad spectrum of families in the Synod and really listen to them. We are planning to hand-deliver our final recommendations - the results of all of the opinions we have received through the Regional Gatherings and
Surveys hat you have completed.
Asking for your prayers
With my benedictions and prayers
Yours
++Karl
ON THE WAY TO ROME SYNOD OCTOBER 2014
March 3rd, Saint Katherine Drexel, 2014 A. D.
Peace, and Greetings
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! As we start this Lenten Season on Wednesday, we are discerning our deeper and true meaning of our lives in God's Creation. We are like the first Christians helping to build the Kingdom of God first within our hearts, expressed in our Christian love and care for each other.
May these days leading to Easter give us all the spiritual nourishment to renew our lives with God, and live in the Joy of the Gospel as Pope Francis wrote.
I would like to update you on our new developments leading to the Synod in Rome in October, there are so many preparatory engagements, and yet it is a new Spring that is dawning for God's Universal Church.
I have also attached a letter that was drafted for Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri,Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops
The international website of the Catholic Church Reform Int'l has also the translation in other languages. Just click for the language you looking for.
Keep your prayers that we may do all in the Holy Spirit, and seek in all God's Will.
Wishing you all a blessed Lenten Season.
You are all in my prayers,
Pray for me
++Karl
Paz y saludos!
Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo! Al comenzar este tiempo de Cuaresma, el Miércoles, estamos discerniendo nuestra significado más profundo y verdadero de nuestra vida en la Creación de Dios. Somos como los primeros Cristianos que ayudan a construir el Reino de Dios en primer lugar en nuestros corazones, que se expresa en el amor Cristiano y como cuidamos el uno al otro.
Que estos días previos a la Pascua darnos a todos el alimento espiritual para renovar nuestra vida con Dios, y vivir en la alegría del Evangelio como Papa Francisco escribió.
Me gustaría ponerle al día sobre los nuevos desarrollos que llevan al Sínodo en Roma en octubre, hay tantos compromisos de preparación, y sin embargo se trata de una nueva primavera que está amaneciendo
para la Iglesia Universal de Dios.
También he adjuntado una carta que fue redactada por el arzobispo Lorenzo Baldisseri,
Secretario General del Sínodo de los Obispos.
El sitio web internacional de la Iglesia Católica Reforma Int'l tiene también la traducción en español. Simplemente haga clic en el idioma que usted busca.
Mantenga sus oraciones para que podamos hacer todo en el Espíritu Santo, y buscar en todo la Voluntad de Dios.
Les deseo una Cuaresma bendita.
Todos ustedes están en mis oraciones,
Recan para mi.
+ + Karl
Catholic Church Reform International
2014
To Catholic Church Reform supporters:
Our New Name
Because our focus is to gather the voices of the faithful globally and we now have supporters from 65 countries, our Advisory Group has agreed to officially change our name to Catholic Church Reform Int'l. Our new URL is
www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
. Feel free to use either the new URL or the former one. They both lead to the same website.
A Gathering of the Faithful to be held in Rome
CCR Int'l has formally confirmed that we will hold a meeting in Rome October 2 and 3, two days prior to the start of the Extraordinary Synod called by Pope Francis. We are calling this event
Forum on the Family: Listening to the Faithful.
The intent is to gather there (1) to show our support for the Extraordinary Synod called by Pope Francis, (2) to offer assistance to the Synod of Bishops by providing them with our
sensus fidelium,
namely, a summary report from all of you who have joined in our regional gatherings worldwide, and (3) to interact with the Media to make our views known. More on this to follow.
Open Letter from Pope Francis
The following letter, sent 25 February 2014 from Pope Francis, should warm our hearts and reinforce our plans to focus our energy and our activities on the Extraordinary Synod next October. Let us strengthen our resolve to prepare for this event through our Regional Gatherings and ultimately our meeting in Rome. It seems apparent that Pope Francis truly wants to hear from those of us who face challenges living as families in the context of Church teachings. Let us pour out our hearts at these gatherings and be ready to offer our assistance to the Synod of Bishops by sharing our stories.
Dear families,
With this letter, I wish, as it were, to come into your homes to speak about an event which will take place at the Vatican this coming October. It is the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which is being convened to discuss the theme of "pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelisation". Indeed, in our day the Church is called to proclaim the Gospel by confronting the new and urgent pastoral needs facing the family.
This important meeting will involve all the People of God - bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful of the particular Churches of the entire world - all of whom are actively participating in preparations for the meeting through practical suggestions and the crucial support of prayer. Such support on your part, dear families, is especially significant and more necessary than ever. This Synodal Assembly is dedicated in a special way to you, to your vocation and mission in the Church and in society; to the challenges of marriage, of family life, of the education of children; and the role of the family in the life of the Church. I ask you, therefore, to pray intensely to the Holy Spirit, so that the Spirit may illumine the Synodal Fathers and guide them in their important task. As you know, this Extraordinary Synodal Assembly will be followed a year later by the Ordinary Assembly, which will also have the family as its theme. In that context, there will also be the World Meeting of Families due to take place in Philadelphia in September 2015. May we all, then, pray together so that through these events the Church will undertake a true journey of discernment and adopt the necessary pastoral means to help families face their present challenges with the light and strength that comes from the Gospel......
Sign up now to attend a Regional Gathering
The regional gatherings will be set up worldwide both locally and online. Here you will have the opportunity to share your views and life experiences regarding marriage and family, cohabitation before marriage, divorce/remarriage and the Sacraments, birth control practice, same-sex relationships, the role/equality of women in the family and the church, the impact of the sex abuse scandal on families, acceptance of married priests in family life, and
how families can better contribute their knowledge and experience to the decision making of the Church.
The unique aspect of our report is that we will not just be pointing out why many church teachings are ineffective and ignored by the faithful but will be offering the Bishops solutions to many of the issues related to living as Christian Families. How could the Church address these issues? If Jesus were here today, what would his message be to families?
Even more than the Vatican Survey, joining in these gatherings is your opportunity to share
your experiences and
make your voice heard. March is our planning month. We would like to know if you want to participate in these gatherings in your part of the world or to join with others online.
So that we can begin to organize these events, please go to the
and sign up now.
Tell your Conference of Bishops to make the Vatican Survey public
Episcopal Conference of Bishops - model letter
Please join with us in contacting your conference of bishops in your country and your diocesan bishop to ask them, in a spirit of transparency and in keeping with Pope Francis' call for openness and dialogue between the bishops and the faithful, to publish the results of their survey sent out by the Vatican. Here is a model letter in English. Please translate into your native language and send a copy to CCR Int'l. As we receive copies of translations in different languages, we will post them for you.
Here is the list of Conferences of Bishops around the world. Simply click it on, click on the flag of your country, and you will find the address. We need your help. This is a huge undertaking and we can only succeed if we all take part. This is truly an opportunity for us to speak with one voice from all over the world.
CCR Int'l Organized in Committees
In order to accomplish the massive goals CCR Int'l has set for this year, we are organizing ourselves into committees and we need your help:
Internal Communications
Media (draft and send out press releases)
Position Papers (write and/or find experts to write on the various subject matters)
Regional Gatherings (organize worldwide meetings and provide position papers for agenda topics)
Rome Logistics (plan the two day event, speakers, facility, lodging, media relations)
Report Tally (gather the reports from all the individual gatherings and summarize results)
Translations (need translators of position papers and media releases in all languages)
If you can offer your services to any of these committees, please email us
. If you are already with an organization, please consider becoming part of our regional gatherings by setting them up through your group. We will provide you with a format for holding the meetings and the agenda topics.
Press Releases
CCR Int'l has issued two press releases this month: the first questioning the appointments of so many clerics to the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the second praising the Vatican for considering appointing a married couple as head of this Council and upgrading it to the status of a Congregation. You may view both of these here and perhaps send the press release to you local media.
Announcing Events and Activities of other Reform Groups
If your group is holding an event, let us know in advance and we will post it in our newsletters and on our website.
Signing of our letters to Pope Francis
Even though our letters have been sent to the pope and his council, we welcome you to continue signing them. We assume that our website is being monitored by the Vatican and they will see the numbers growing. This is also your way of staying on our email list so we can continue to advise you of reform activities around the world.
http://www.catholicchurchreform.com/letterNew3.html
Thank you for being a part of our reform movement. Now, more than ever, we need your help and participation in our next steps to bring about needed reform in our Church.
24 February 2014
ARCHBISHOP LORENZO BALDISSERI,
SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS
VIA DELLA CONCILIAZIONE 34,
ROMA, 00193
ITALIA
DEAR ARCHBISHOP BALDISSERI,
IT WAS WITH MUCH JOY THAT WE RECEIVED THE NEWS LAST OCTOBER THAT POPE FRANCIS, AT A MEETING OF THE ORDINARY COUNCIL OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS, ANNOUNCED THAT HE WISHED TO CONVENE AN EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD ON 5-19 OCTOBER 2014 TO DISCUSS THE PASTORAL CHALLENGES OF THE FAMILY IN THE CONTEXT OF EVANGELIZATION.
IT WAS WITH EVEN GREATER JOY THAT WE LEARNED THAT POPE FRANCIS WISHED TO INVITE THE PEOPLE OF GOD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE PASTORAL CHALLENGES VIA A QUESTIONNAIRE INCLUDED IN THE PREPARATORY DOCUMENT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT MOST DIOCESES, IN RESPONSE TO POPE FRANCIS’S REQUEST, CIRCULATED THE QUESTIONNAIRE WIDELY, WITH SOME EVEN MAKING IT AVAILABLE ONLINE, THUS ENSURING THAT THE VIEWS OF LARGE NUMBERS OF THE FAITHFUL FROM LOCAL SOURCES COULD BE RECEIVED AND INCORPORATED INTO THE INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE VARIOUS EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES HAVE ALREADY PREPARED SYNTHESES OR NATIONAL SUMMARIES OF RESPONSES AND SENT THEM TO THE SYNOD SECRETARIAT.
IN A SPIRIT OF COLLEGIALITY WITH THE LAITY, THE GERMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE PUBLISHED ON 3 FEBRUARY 2014 ITS “SUMMARY OF THE RESPONSES FROM THE GERMAN DIOCESES AND ARCHDIOCESES TO THE QUESTIONS CONTAINED IN THE PREPARATORY DOCUMENT FOR THE III EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS 2014” BASED ON THE RESPONSES FROM THE 27 GERMAN DIOCESES AND ARCHDIOCESES, AND FROM SOME 20 CATHOLIC ASSOCIATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS.
AT THE 4 FEBRUARY 2014 THE SWISS INSTITUTE FOR PASTORAL-SOCIOLOGY, FINANCED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF SWITZERLAND, PUBLISHED THE EARLY RESULTS OF ITS “SURVEY ON THE PASTORAL SITUATION WITH RESPECT TO PARTNERSHIPS, MARRIAGES, AND FAMILIES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN SWITZERLAND,” BASED ON 25,000 RESPONSES.
MORE RECENTLY, THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF JAPAN MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ITS SUMMARY OF RESPONSES SENT TO THE SYNOD SECRETARIAT ON 15 JANUARY 2014.
SINCE THOSE SUMMARIES OF RESPONSES WERE MADE PUBLIC, MANY INDIVIDUAL CATHOLICS AND CATHOLIC GROUPS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, IN WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE IN THE INTERESTS OF TRANSPARENCY AND THE SPIRIT OF COLLEGIALITY, HAVE WRITTEN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE NATIONAL CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCES PETITIONING THEM TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE GERMAN, SWISS AND JAPANESE BISHOPS AND MAKE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE THEIR SUMMARY OF RESPONSES THAT WERE COMPILED AND SENT TO THE SYNOD SECRETARIAT.
HOWEVER, IN REPLY TO THESE PETITIONS, THE RESPONSE OF THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES HAS BEEN TO CITE AN INSTRUCTION FROM THE HOLY SEE SAYING THAT THE SUMMARY OF RESPONSES SENT TO THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS IS TO REMAIN ‘CONFIDENTIAL’.
WITH THE GREATEST OF RESPECT, WE BELIEVE THAT IN THE PRESENT ENVIRONMENT, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, THIS INSTRUCTION TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY ON A SUMMARY OF RESPONSES IS, AND WILL BECOME, COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FOR THE WORK OF THE EXTRAORDINARY SYNOD.
WE WOULD PETITION YOU, THEREFORE, FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, AND TO ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO BECOME MORE CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION, WITHIN THEIR OWN PARTICULAR CHURCH, ON THE PASTORAL CHALLENGES FACING THE FAMILY IN THE CONTEXT OF EVANGELIZATION, TO PERMIT ALL NATIONAL EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES TO MAKE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE THEIR SUMMARY OF RESPONSES
ALL CATHOLICS HAVE A STAKE IN THE PASTORAL CHALLENGES WHICH THE EXTRAORDINARY SYNOD IS TO CONSIDER, FOR ALL BELONG TO A FAMILY.
IT IS ALREADY CLEAR FROM THE SUMMARIES OF RESPONSES WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLIC THAT THERE IS WIDESPREAD IGNORANCE OR POOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHURCH’S TEACHING AND SIGNIFICANT NON-ACCEPTANCE OR DISAGREEMENT WITH MUCH OF THE TEACHING. THESE SUMMARIES OF RESPONSES PROVIDE A BASELINE FOR WHERE ACTUAL CATHOLIC BELIEF AND PRACTICE IN EACH PARTICULAR CHURCH IS SITUATED AT THIS MOMENT IN ITS LIFE. WE BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF THAT BASELINE IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PARTICULAR – AND WIDER – CHURCH AND SHOULD SERVE AS AN EXCELLENT BASIS FOR FUTURE CATECHESIS AND PASTORAL CARE
WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF ALL CATHOLICS, LAY AND CLERICAL, TO KNOW WHAT THEIR FELLOW CATHOLICS THINK ABOUT THE FAMILY IN TODAY’S WORLD, WHAT CONCERNS THEM, AND WHAT ADVICE THEY HAVE FOR THE SYNOD.
WE URGE YOU, THEREFORE, TO PUT THIS REQUEST BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ORDINARY COUNCIL OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS, AND HOPEFULLY TO DECIDE IN ITS FAVOR
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE AND A FAVORABLE DECISION.
YOURS SINCERELY,
PETER WILKINSON AND RENE REID ON BEHALF OF
SUPPORTERS OF CATHOLIC CHURCH REFORM INT’L
February 3rd, A. D., St. Blaise
Peace brothers and sisters in Christ!
Hope you are all doing well in this New Year, as we remember also our bishops who passed away in the last five years.
It is Christ the Light of the Nations we celebrated yesterday, that will bring a new Spring to the Universal Church, and our Church, the ECCC has gained momentum and respect by many Roman Catholic movements as they see in us a valued partner to continue for Church reforms.
As Consultor on the Catholic Reform Movement, including members as Hans Kung, etc. of the board, I will be in Rome prior to the worldwide Synod, and we look forward meeting Pope Francis in order to foster the Dialog for Reforms.
If you have a moment, would you consider to sign the letter for Pope Francis as many around the world doing it right now. Here is the link. The line, "the voices of the faithful..." was my recommendation for the letter :o)
Please share it with others as well.
It needs to be signed before February 7th.
Please copy the link below, and put in to google
and the letter will appear.
http://www.catholicchurchreform.com/letterNew3.html
Thank you all!!!
Blessings
+Karl
DECEMBER EVENTS
Sunday, December 8th
3rd Anniversary Celebration of St. Anthony
11:00 AM High Mass
Opera Singer Ms. Judith Hofweber
2:00 PM Christmas Concert
The Detroit Mens Chorus
Tickets for General Admission $15.00
Christmas Goodies and beverages being served after Concert
Thursday, December 12th
La Virgen De Guadalupe Celebrations
6:30 PM Mass
With: The Mariachi Juvenil Detroit
Santa Claus for the Children on
December 14th at 3:00 PM
We are in dire need for gifts for the Children's Santa event, ages 1-18
Toys, scarves, mittens, gloves....
Please be generous in helping us!
Last Christmas we provided gifts and clothes to a 110 needy children.
....
If you cannot bring us gifts, donations are accepted, made out to
Cathedral of St. Anthony
5247 Sheridan Street
Detroit, MI 48213
Tuesday, December 24th
Christmas Eve Candlelight service 5:00 PM
With:
The Generation Praise Choir of Detroit, Music Director, Brother Brown
Wednesday, December 25th
Christmas Day Celebration
11:00 AM
With: The Goodwill Choir of Detroit
Music Director, Sister Rochelle
JOIN US FOR THE BLESSING
OF OUR BELOVED PETS
IN HONOR OF ST. FRANCIS.
THIS COMING SATURDAY,
OCTOBER 5TH, AT 3:00 PM
ON OUR MONASTERY GROUNDS.
EVERYONE WILL RECEIVE ALSO A BLESSED MEDALLION.
SEE YOU THERE.
Official Response from the ECCC to:
July 24, 2013
By
Looking for a new parish? Make sure it’s Catholic
Nearly a dozen churches in Metro Detroit use the name Catholic, but aren’t
----------------------------
Official Response from the ECCC:
As to the recent article in the Michigan Catholic by Mike Stechschulte regarding the name Catholic. He starts with the wrong premisses, very unacademically and again totally misleading the public, to say the least!
Our response is, that Rome does not have the monopoly to own the name "Catholic" just for herself!!!
It is against Church history, and any good history scholar would tell you, that there are many Catholic Rites who are not in Union with Rome and still have the historical right o carry the name catholic. Mike wrote about churches who are not catholic, i.e. he thinks Catholic is only who is Roman Catholic, and this does the Roman Church a disservice, and are as far from being open to an ecumenical dialog as one can go...They can say that Roman Catholics should not go to independent catholic churches, or catholic Churches who are not in Full Union with Rome, but they cannot deny us the name catholic as simple as this.
Remember just because we call ourselves, Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ, does not mean we are less worthy the name catholic. There are dozen of ancient Catholic Churches who carry the name. It sounds more like a love for inquisition than respect for each other..! Sad to say the least. We have many Roman Catholic priest friends who encourage us, including bishops! As to our Nicene Creed that we all pray, it says clearly: "We believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church", it does not say We believe in One Holy Roman Catholic Church, as simple as this. The desire for Church Unity, and the active ecumenical dialog we seek is cared for in our deeds and actions. Words have been spoken for centuries in regard for ecumenical dialog and church unity, and in the last years we have seen a backward move...
If the article in the "Michigan Catholic" is concerned that so many Roman Catholics leaving their parishes and seek other churches than it should become a concern to all, but not to lash out against other catholic faith communities. It is easy to always seek the culprit for ones own miseries in minorities; haven't history shown us the danger of such attitudes over and over. Let us be brothers and sisters who seek together the kingdom of God, and seek a dialog to work together. Our Church neighborhood was abandoned by the Roman Catholic Church, given up because of...
We at the Cathedral Abbey of St. Anthony opened the Church after 4 years again, and people are happy not to be abandoned and left behind. The neighborhood is coming back, the ministry of the poor has become a major focus, and it is doing so much good to the very least in our society. We are also a place for people who have been ostracized because of being divorced, etc. or being gay. People coming back to church who haven't been in church in 30 or 40 years because of bad experiences or for so many reasons. This Church family of St. Anthony is a loving and caring community where all of God's children are welcome. We serve the poor, help the children who have no future, and we will continue to preach and live the Gospel. Politics are not our desire.
Rome, you ordained me, and you are at this moment my stepmother, I look forward to the day when all of God's children can pray in uni-sense "We believe in ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH" till then we shall love God and our Neighbor, and do HIS work.
Amen.
+Dr. Karl Rodig
Presiding Archbishop of the ECCC Prior of the Cathedral Abbey of St. Anthony in Detroit.
Come join us
SUNDAY, MAY 12TH, MOTHERS-DAY,
11:00 AM FIRST COMMUNION MASS
OF OUR CHILDREN, EMILY FERNANDEZ AND MARGO SMITH.
Sunday, May 5th, 11:00 AM Coronation Mass of Mary, the Mother of God
Spring 2013 Garden work has begun. Thank you to all our volunteers, we need more :o) Blessings, +Karl
The Faith Family and Franciscan Monastery of St. Anthony
In honor of our Patron Saints Francis and Anthony, the patrons and protectors of animals.
invites you to the blessings of your beloved pets at our church
At 5247 Sheridan St. (next to Gratiot)
At 3:00 PM
in the Church Garden. (by rain inside the Church)
All are welcome, and we mean it!
Refreshments being served.
See you there!
Holy Week:
March 25th - 31st
Palm Sunday
11:00 AM
Blessing of the Palms followed by Mass
Holy Thursday
7:00 PM
Institution of the Holy Eucharist
Washing of the feet. Exposure of the Holy Sacrament
Good Friday
12:00 pm Stations of the Cross7:00PM
Good Friday Service
Saturday March 30th Easter Night Celebration
8:00 PM
This celebration of this Holiest of all Nights will be sung by the
YMCA DEEP RIVER CHOIR
Easter Sunday Celebration
11:00 AM
PLEASE JOIN US!
SOLEMN CANDLELIGHT
CHRISTMAS EVE MASS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 24TH
AT 10:00 PM
SOLEMN CHRISTMAS DAY MASS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25TH
AT 11:00 AM
CATHEDRAL ABBEY OF ST. ANTHONY
5247 SHERIDAN STREET, DETROIT, MI 48213IF YOU COME FROM I-94, EXIT VAN DYKE, GO DOWN TO GRATIOT, TURN RIGHT, AND RIGHT AGAIN ON SHERIDAN.
THE CONGREGATION OF THE CATHEDRAL ABBEY INVITES YOUTO THE ORDINATION OF
FR. EDIK BARONI, NOSF
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8TH,
A. D. 2012
AT 3:00 PM
PLEASE JOIN US!
FIRST CHRISTMAS CONCERT
SUNDAY DECEMBER 9TH
AT 4:00 PM
AT THE CATHEDRAL ABBEY OF ST. ANTHONY IN DETROIT.
THE FAMOUS DETROIT MEN CHOIR WILL PERFORM.
TICKETS $15.00 AT THE DOOR, OR PRE-PURCHASED
(5 DOLLAR OF THE TICKET WILL GO TO THE CHURCH FUND.)CHILDREN ACCOMPANIED BY THEIR PARENTS ARE FREE.
SECURED PARKING IS PROVIDED. LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE
CONCLUSION OF THE PERFORMANCE.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!
5247 SHERIDAN STREET, DETROIT, MI 48213
IF YOU COME FROM I-94, EXIT VAN DYKE, GO DOWN TO GRATIOT, TURN RIGHT, AND RIGHT AGAIN ON SHERIDAN.
FEAST OF ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST AT 7:00 PMPLEASE JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL MASS IN MEMORY FOR ALL YOUR LOVED ONES!WE WILL LIGHT CANDLES FOR ALL OUR BELOVED DEPARTED DURING MASS.
Community Walk for Peace in Detroit!!
Friday, October 26th, 2012
Cathedral Abbey of St. Anthony
5247 Sheridan Street, Detroit MI 48213
off Gratiot, between E-Grand Blvd and Van Dyke
6PM - 7:30PM
Bishop Dr. Karl Rodig (Host-Pastor)
Bishop James Williams- Chair
Detroit Clergy Community Alliance
Minister. James M. Booker (Lead Organizer)
Harriet Tubman Center for Organizing.
Please pass the word, and bring a friend with you!!!
PROJECT RENOVATION AND REPAINTING OF THE LOWER 20 HISTORIC STAIN GLASS WINDOW WOODEN AND METAL FRAMES COMPLETED. AFTER TWO WEEKS OF HARD WORK OF OUR VOLUNTEERS!
THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE HELPED WITH SO MUCH PASSION!
Some of our volunteer workers, including the bishop!
The Cathedral of St. Anthony shows again her glory seeing the west side windows almost all repainted
The Detroit Garden tour came to our Cathedral, they loved the Church, the
great garden we have, and on this occasion thanks to Br. Neil who worked tirelessly!
Our youngest painter, Mark, Great job!
Brother David showed no fear of high ladders
Jim had to use a special machine to polish the metal frames of the lower windows, quite a job!
Mark had no fear up in the air :o)
Lew got a nice sweat with scorching temperatures we had
Deanna was scorched by the heat! She said, "She was melting away" :o)
ENJOY THE PICTURES FROM OUR ST. ANTHONY FESTIVAL JUNE 16TH, 2012
THANK YOU, THE SO MANY WHO CAME TO OUR
ST. ANTHONY FESTIVAL!!
Please click on the web below to see pictures.
Enjoy!
Just click on the webpage below!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.321085751310375.76677.100002268592040&type=3&l=a5f7061038