Posted on 08/26/2005 5:20:10 PM PDT by sionnsar
The council for the Diocese of Springfield voted unanimously on Aug. 20 to approve a new companion relationship agreement with the Diocese of Recife, following a report by the Rev. Phil Lewis from a fact-finding visit to Brazil. The approved agreement recognizes the Rt. Rev. Robinson Calvacanti as the legitimate ecclesiastical authority of the diocese. Bishop Calvacanti and 32 clergy loyal to him were recently deposed by the Most Rev. Rev. Orlando Santos de Oliveira, Primate of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil.
“It was so blatantly obvious to Fr. Lewis and myself that Bishop Calvacanti, his clergy and people were in fact those who were building up the kingdom of God in that vast portion of the Anglican Communion,” said the Rev. Donald Perschall. “This is in contrast to the majority of the leadership throughout the rest of the Province who are desperately attempting to destroy what they are building.
“Lives are being transformed for Christ and the poor are being cared for at all levels. There are medical, dental and psychiatric clinics for those who can’t pay, feeding stations for those who are hungry, and training centers where the uneducated can receive job skills to become gainfully employed.”
Fr. Perschall is rector of Trinity Church, Mount Vernon, and Fr. Lewis is rector of St. Barnabus, Havana, both in Illinois. The two were asked by the Rt. Rev. Peter H. Beckwith to undertake the Aug. 4-9 fact-finding mission on behalf of the diocese. The Diocese of Recife was formerly in a companion relationship with the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. That arrangement ended last year amidst mutual recriminations after Bishop Calvacanti participated in a confirmation service in the Diocese of Ohio without the permission of the bishop in March, 2004.
“Here in fact are people living out the full, uncompromised gospel in an Anglican context and for doing so those who are charged by canon to assist in building up their ministry are in fact doing all that they can to destroy it.”
The Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil was founded in 1890 by missionaries from the Episcopal Church. It became an autonomous Province of the Anglican Communion in 1965 and the Episcopal Church concluded ongoing financial obligations in 1975. In 1990 a Bilateral Committee between the two provinces was established to help identify and coordinate joint ministry projects.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Sorry for the double ping.
Any additional background on this? The significance of the incident with PA is unclear.
Any additional background on this? The significance of the incident with PA is unclear.
Recife and Cavalcante are under heavy repression from a revisionist bishop supported by ECUSA $$$. They have asked for DEPO -- but got nothing. If you go to the page in my tagline (and the "Older Articles Archive") and look for "Recife" and "Cavalcante" you'll find the background.
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