Outrage as Anglican Catholic Priest Removed by Texas Bishop

Church Militant ^ | 1/23/17 | Rodney Pelletier

[marshmallow]

The orthodox priest's removal is being called "illegal and abusive"

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (ChurchMilitant.com) - A Catholic priest in charge of one of the most important Anglican Catholic parishes in the United States is being removed by the archbishop of San Antonio.

Parishioners of Our Lady of the Atonement (OLA) Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas are claiming Abp. Gustavo García-Siller is removing Fr. Christopher Phillips in order to repurpose the parish, which has a solid reputation for orthodoxy and reverent liturgy.

Siller distributed a letter to parishioners on January 19 stating, "I have asked your pastor ... to dedicate some time to reflect on some specific concerns that I have shared with him."

It continues, "These specific concerns relate to expressions in the life of the parish that indicate an identity separate from, rather than simply unique, among the parishes of the archdiocese."

He adds, "During this time of reflection and prayer, Fr. Phillips will not have the responsibility of pastoral care or authority in the parish."

Parishioners are responding in shock and sadness. Charles Wilson, OLA parishioner and chairman of the St. Joseph Foundation, calls Siller's decision "illegal and abusive."

"He gives the impression that we are simply in a period of 'reflection and prayer,'" Wilson commented. "I can tell you with certainty that this is not true. Instead, the archbishop has initiated the canonical process to remove Fr. Phillips as our pastor."

He concludes, "If he succeeds, you can expect that Our Lady of the Atonement will become a territorial parish with perhaps one Anglican Use liturgy per week. All that we have sacrificed for will be lost."

An inside source close to the situation told Church Militant, "Many within the OLA are saying this is a land grab. The archbishop has the legal right to.....

[sockmonkey]

http://www.saveatonement.org

[kalee]

Anglican Use friends sent me that site over the weekend.

[Hieronymus]

A large chunk of the main-stream Latin Rite is ignorant and chauvinistic of anything that is not themselves. Even in the Hierarchy those who are cultured and knowledgable enough to appreciate breathing with more than one lung are a minority. And some seem incapable of breathing with both lungs, or are happy enough to follow those with that incapacity.

[Hieronymus]

I speak as a Latin.

[GCC Catholic]

A large chunk of the main-stream Latin Rite is ignorant and chauvinistic of anything that is not themselves. Even in the Hierarchy those who are cultured and knowledgable enough to appreciate breathing with more than one lung are a minority. And some seem incapable of breathing with both lungs, or are happy enough to follow those with that incapacity.

Sadly, I must agree. I think so much of it comes from generations of collective ignorance if not outright loathing our own Latin Rite patrimony. Until we appreciate what is ours, we can't appreciate what belongs to anyone else.

[sockmonkey]

Persecution of a Godly Priest, while transferring a sex abusing Priest that Cupich removed into the San Antonio Archdiocese. Thanks Archbishop Garcia Siller. Way to be a Shepherd..NOT!

http://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/National-group-take-aim-at-archdiocese-9178383.php

[nanetteclaret]

As i”ve said before, the parishioners need to strike. Don’t show up for Mass, put NOTHING in the collection plate, staff members call in sick, send in pledge envelopes with a note, “pledge checks will resume when Fr. Phillips is reinstated.” Make the parish a ghost town. The Archbishop may think twice when he realizes the parishioners are not going to accept this and he will be saddled with the debt on the parish building program. He cannot make them pay, especially when they aren’t there.

[nanetteclaret]

That short article tells us all we need to know about the Archbishop. He’s working for the Enemy.

[fatima]

Well that is what is wish for to close down the church.Go back to why Father was pulled.Get your answers there.If you were happy at your Parish stay there and support it.

[sockmonkey]

The Archbishop wants the school and buildings. He could never sell them as our Sacred Heart Chapel is also designated as a Catholic Cemetery.

The idea that my final resting place could be filled with Marty Haugen, guitar kumbayah music, having been renamed the Social Justice Chapel is quite horrific.

[traditionalanglicansinsatx]

FYI - You’ve missed a NEW traditional Anglican (1928 BCP) church, St. Mary Queen of Heaven Anglican Church. St. Mary’s is located in downtown San Antonio at 112 Soledad (between E Commerce and E Houston Streets). Morning Prayer is offered at 10 am and Eucharist Mass at 11 am every Sunday. This mission church was established a little over a year ago. The Rt. Rev. Robert Todd Giffin is our Vicar. Bishop Giffin is also the Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of Mid-America of the Anglican Province of America. Please note that we offer FREE parking at the LAZ parking garage across the street from the church as Soledad Street is under construction. Our website is: http://www.smqhanglican.org. Lastly, if you haven’t heard, a joint synod will be held in Atlanta, Georgia in early October 2017 by the Anglican Catholic Church, the Anglican Church in American, The Anglican Province of America, and the Diocese of the Holy Cross. The intention of the Churches is to sign an agreement establishing full communion (communion in scaris) among the four bodies as well as a pledge to pursue in a determined and deliberate fashion increasingly full unity. There is hope for the traditional Anglican here in San Antonio!