Dom Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez, Patriarch of ICAB, blessing a meeting convened by Moonies
The conversation lately has kind of blown up all over the place at ON OUR WAY HOME. Lots of finger pointing about Orthodox, Catholic, Brazil, Anglican, or perhaps even CEC still being the best possible way. It appears that everyone is piling on our favorite commenter, Klampert. My guess is because ++Adler hasn’t posted at ON OUR WAY HOME, there’s no one else to beat up on.
But, one point seems to have been missed here. One post went like this:
Guest Posted: Jan 2 2008, 02:47 PM
The moonies and the Brazilian churchCan we talk more about this
OK, if no one wants to take this, I will. On December 9, 2006, a “Convocation of Married Priests” was held in in Parsippany, New Jersey. It was convened by an official looking “Archbishop Milingo”. He was a former Roman Catholic Archbishop who was married at a public ceremony to a Korean woman led by the Unification Church (aka “The Moonies”).
Look through the pics of the event here (pic of Mendez at the top right hand corner of Page 2 of the photo album). By the time you get to Page 3 of the photo album, it looks like a full on Moonie event! (Find out more about this legitimate sounding group Married Priests Now here.)
If you look at the Married Priests Now site close enough, you’ll see the connection to Milingo and Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Or, you can just click here for this article.
This connection isn’t a “smoking gun” or anything like that. It appears that the kindly looking Patriarch of ICAB was duped into attending a convocation that looked decently legit. It also appears that Mendez wasn’t the only one who may have been misled. 
This connection between Brazil and the Moonies exists probably from a lack of due diligence on ICAB’s part for not properly investigating what might not be a wise event to attend.
So, some free advice for bishops, archbishops and patriarchs everywhere:
Even if you get to wear your vestments at a Moonie-funded event, you might want to think twice about showing up.
18 comments
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January 3, 2008 at 3:44 pm
stlouismb
I found Joel Klampert and the Guest+ to be very engaging on the On Our Way Home Forum. Of course, emotions are still running high and the discussion gets heated. In the end, though, we are all family and On Our Way Home. I hope Joel did not feel beat on. For those who read here, don’t be afraid to “dip your toe in the water” of the forums and let us know what you think. Since the discussion is a fast moving stream: Sometimes it is too hot and sometimes too cold, and sometimes just right.
It took me over two hours to read the very interesting posts over there and to get caught up.
This thing about Millingo, the Moonies and ICAB makes me think that ICAB has always had a big heart, but not much due diligence. You can find many groups claiming Apostolic Succession from ICAB. Not many of them hold to what is as important: Apostolic Traditon. As a friend of mine who has departed the CEC said: you can’t copy the latter. I even think that applies to the ICAB “birthright” (which I call the Brazilian brush) given to the CEC.
Peace,
Mike Baldwin from an evil forum
http://www.cecblog.com
January 3, 2008 at 4:47 pm
lookwhossorry
My understand of this event is that the Abp. Gubala and Bp. Queen of the Catholic Aposotlic Church (formerly the Old Catholic Church in America-www.oldcatholic.com) got Patriarch Mendez to go to this event. At the time they had a concord with Brazil. Shortly after this event all ties were cut with this group in the USA. They still use the name Catholic Apostolic Church. On there website is a picture of Mendez and their Bishops at this event. Later on their website, they say that ICAB has involvement with Married Priest Now. So sad. The group in the USA is the one who invited them and then they turn on them and say something different.
January 3, 2008 at 8:13 pm
papaz
I agree with the previous poster. This is my understanding of the situation as well. ICAB no longer has any relationship with Gubala and Queen.
January 4, 2008 at 5:15 am
mommablogger
Pardon my ignorance, ICAB?
January 5, 2008 at 3:15 pm
papaz
ICAB are the initials (in Portugese) for the Brazilian body from which the CEC received its Apostolic Succession, and with which the CEC had a relationship for awhile. The full name is Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasileira.
Hope you guys had a Merry Christmas! We did!
January 6, 2008 at 1:33 am
mommablogger
We did, thanks
March 7, 2008 at 5:20 am
rmgubala
My dear friends:
I wish to correct “lookwhossorry” and anyone else who has the misunderstanding about the “Married Priests Now” Convocation.
Patriarch Mendez and his entourage told us they were attending this event, even at our advisement not to do so. Our presence at this event was only to protect the Patriarch of the Brazilian Church, unfortunately we were not able to protect them from everything.
Anyone who would wish to speak with me at length about this or if I can clear up any other items of inquiry please feel free to contact me.
God Bless,
++Robert Matthew Gubala, SCR
March 20, 2008 at 3:45 pm
jzholloway
Confusion… ICAN and ICAB? Is there a difference, because it doesnt appear to be, yet two communions claim to be the official representative in the United States… maybe I am just confused by Brazialian names… I mean, +Lipka, etc claim to be the offical American branch, while ++Gubala also claims this, both seemingly loyal to +++(correct? – you know how multiple crosses also confuse me!)Mendez. I don’t know, I try to research this, and its impossible, because there is not a seemingly “independent” source, and it appears to be a plurality of claims… maybe I’m just dumb, but who knows.
Jared
March 23, 2008 at 4:57 am
bpandre
Blessings!
I do not wish to interfere in CEC proceedings, but I must make mention of a disservice to the Catholic Apostolic National Church (CANC). With respect to ICAB’s attendance at the “Married Priests Now!” event in New Jersey, the truth of the matter is that the Married Priests Now! event organizers directly contacted and invited the Patriarch to attend this event, and paid for the Patriarch and two bishops round trip airfare to the event and hotel lodging. Prior to the Patriarch informing us of his scheduled visit and participation in this event, no one in the CANC knew what the “Married Priests Now!” movement was. No one from the Married Priests Now organization sought us out, they sought out the Patriarch and the Brazilian Bishops – we here, are no one of significance, while certainly the Patriarch and the accompanying Brazilian Bishops are. How all of this unfolded, in spite of what “who told someone what” story, is well documented, and bears out what I am saying.
This visit was set into motion prior to the CANC finding out about this, and when we did, we attempted to persuade the Patriarch and ICAB Bishops not to attend, and provided copious information regarding Rev. Moon and such. We feared that the event organizers would use the Patriarch’s presence to further legitimize the event. The response from ICAB was that our bishops (CANC) would also attend, and go with the Patriarch to insulate him from this type of abuse. We certainly tried to do so, however the ICAB bishops in attendance decided to participate in the Mass there.
The fact that the CANC was against the Patriarch’s attendance and participation at that event is well documented between both ICAB and the CANC, and I have the communications to substantiate this. We warned ICAB as best we could, but were not listened to. With the sheer number of Rev. Moon’s media and photography people there, there was no way short of leaving to prevent the Patriarch’s likeness from being linked to the events there. In addition, consider too, that they were not aware of the issues with Rev. Moon and minimized, in their minds, the threat. They went to support the concept of Married Priests – and what they found was a shock.
This event had been so well staged, that a television link had been established to broadcast parts back to Brazilian television, including the Mass. Certainly, with the ensuing fallout in Brazil and the US, the relationship between the two churches has been strained. But not for the reasons stated elsewhere in this blog. Several months after the Married Priests Now! debacle, ICAB bishops who had attended that event, later accepted and invitation to South Korea to reside at one of Rev. Moon’s palaces and participate in a religious conference held by one of his umbrella organizations. This news sent shock waves throughout the international communion. We spoke out against this and the relationship became frayed due to the fallout.
There was fallout in ICAB as well, and one of the bishops who was seen as the main supporter of the joint activities with MPN and Rev. Moon later left ICAB.
There was a period in which there was absolutely no communion or communication afterwards, however that has come to an end. ICAB and the CANC are currently speaking, and the Patriarch has always recognized the CANC as under his protection and permanent recognition and continues to do so. Other national churches that are part of the ICAN Communion have maintained communion with the CANC during this period, and we will see normalized relations with ICAB relatively soon.
The second photo at the top of the blog (bishop with the censor) is not “Sean Yost” but Bishop Marcelo Pires de Oliveiras, a dear friend of mine, who joined the CANC shortly after the MPN! event pictured above.
As for the story about how all of this came to pass, I do not know where it came from. I do know that several former CEC bishops know exactly what happened, as I spoke to them on the phone and/or corresponded with them directly, and they got the information “straight from the horses mouth” so to speak. No recriminations, I only want the truth of the matter to be told. If anyone has any additional questions about this, I can be reached at: 773-942-4660 on my personal line. I love my church dearly, as I know that you love yours, and do not want our church to be accused of things that it did not do, nor her bishops things that we did not do. We make plenty of mistakes on our own, without any help! Please forgive my long letter, but I hope that I have shed some additional light on that unfortunate period.
A blessed Easter!
Yours, In Christ the King,
Most Rev. Andre Queen, SCR
Vicar General
Catholic Apostolic National Church
http://www.catholic-ican.org/
March 23, 2008 at 8:00 pm
cechealing
Bishop Queen-
Your comments as well as that from Bishop Gubala’s are well received. Thank you for clearing this up.
My contention was that ICAB was duped into attending this event by the Married Priests Now. Most of the reporting of this event was incredibly sloppy and most did not mention the connection between Milingo and Moon. Or, that the former Catholic Milingo was married in a mass ceremony by “Rev.” Moon.
The reason this was even brought up at all was that people were making indirect comments about the Brazilian connection to the Moonies. My point from the start was that this isn’t a smoking gun, but it just did not look like ICAB did their due diligence before agreeing to attend.
Thank you also for identifying the other bishop censing the altar.
December 19, 2008 at 10:45 pm
veritas111
Well, Well, well.
Its time for the truth, we all know the truth that Bishop Andre Queen and Archbishop Gubala are paid by the moonies to take over churches, they was found guilty by the ICAB bishop of trying to take over the Patriarchal throne in the name of moonies with Archbishop Milingo.
Bishop Andre Queen and Archbishop Gubala who has not real parishes only a rented one shared with anglicans was thrown out “Excommunicated” by the Patriarch of icab.
However, soon after the take over by the new president and his loyal bishops, Bishop Andre Queen was reinstated. seems that money can buy you anything ask Andre Queen, I witnessed the removal by the counsel, I could not believe that after all the voting was for nothing.
I can not believe that an old patriarch would enter communion with the Moonies unless they misled him,.
Bishop Andre Queen and Archbishop Gubala are Bishops who wear the black mitre.
They are doing the devils work, not the lords work. I ask all to stay close to the Lord and turn them away. I have informed all my parishes in Texas.
Lets not forget that Milingo was married in a ceremony by Rev Moon, he was not even married by a catholic priest or in a catholic church, he is no catholic or a catholic bishop. even Roman decrees this and no bishop from his hands is to be ever recognised as being a bishop ask ROME.
December 19, 2008 at 10:47 pm
veritas111
QUESTION IS HAS DAMAGE NOW BEEN CAUSED TO THE ICAB CHURCHS BY THE ACTIONS OF BISHOP ANDREW QUEEN, ARCHBISHOP GUBALA AND ARCHBISHOP MILINGO!
December 30, 2008 at 12:44 pm
bishoprobert
Further to comments by veritas111 and others above about the claim CANC US under Abp. Gubala and Bp. Queen and their alleged Moonie connections I would like to add some conerns and observations of my own.
I was the founder of the Old Catholic Church in Europe (www.occe.co.uk) which was originally a Mission Province of Abp. Gubala’s then Old Catholic Church in the US, now CANC. When I was Consecrated in July 2000 by Abp. Gubala and Bp. Queen the OCCE became autocephalous but has enjoyed full communion with CANC US ever since.
I resigned and retired last November from OCCE and now am Bishop of TESSAC (www.augustineofcanterbury.com).
When I resigned I raised serious concerns both with Bp. Beevers of OCCE and Bp. Queen about the Moonie connections. Particularly because Bp. Queen and Bp. Beevers were about to Consecrate Bp. Mbewe from Zambia who is an acolyte of Milingo and part of the ex-RC Married Priest Movement. My concerns were ignored and I was made to look like a trouble maker and as late as last night received a hostile message from Bp. Queen where he attempts to justify his involvement with Mbewe from Zambia, with whom OCCE AND CANC US are in full communion and in August 2008 were declared as “ONE”!
I have attempted to get to the bottom of the Moonie connections since the blog sites and news reports from Africa are full of claims that Milingo, Mbewe and the Moonies are connected. Bp. Queen tried to convince me that he has managed to wrestle Mbewe away from Milingo and the Moonies. I remained very unconvinced I have to say but since I did not lay hands on Mbewe on December 7th, though originally invited, but it seems both Bp. Queen and Bp. Beevers of OCCE (www.occe.co.uk) were more than happy to oblige despite my warnings of suspected Moonie connections! I can safely say my hands are clean and untainted by known heresy.
Like a dog with a bone I have done further research and far from not being connected with the Moonies and Milingo, it appears that as late as June 2008 Mbewe was celebrating at Mass with Milingo and members from the Unification Church (Moonies)! For evidence I suggest you look at the following blog – http://thepicturemonger.blogspot.com/2008/06/married-milingo-celebrates-first-mass.html – complete with photos and a claim that CANC Zambia is part of the Moonies.
Please be aware that in June 2008 CANC Zambia was in communion with CANC US along with Bps. Queen and Gubala? Then since August the three including OCCE declared themselves as “one”!
I can only now conclude that Bp. Andre has been terribly naive in believing that Mbewe had severed links to Milingo and the Moonies, though as we can see here he was prepared to celebrate a Mass with Milingo and his Moonie followers, or alternatively there is more than a whiff of something more sinister going on here? I am not sure which myself.
To make matters worse though, and again I tried to caution Bp. Queen about this, it appears the Chancellor and Vicar General of OCCE one Revd. Jerome Lloyd turns out to be a well known Drag Queen who dresses in cassock by day and frock by night! It seems that despite the bar on Gay clergy within CANC US they are quite prepared to have as one of its senior members a man who openly performs as a drag queen, under the name of Dame Margot Hamilton, in Gay Clubs? Quite bizarre I have to say. See the following link: http://uk.youtube.com:80/watch?v=JzwFgAXxwaA
I’m sorry to say that with rather dubious connections that cannot be easily be explained away judging by recent evidence and now a willingness to tolerate and support a Drag Queen as a Chancellor within its ranks CANC US is looking rather sorry for itself these days.
This saddens me greatly as I always had great affection for both ++Gubala and +Queen but events of late have left me and many others somewhat bewildered.
December 30, 2008 at 1:37 pm
bishoprobert
The link I posted above re the Milingo Mass doesn’t appear to show all the photos which include those of +Queen’s friend +Mbewe, please use this link and scan down the page to find the article:
http://thepicturemonger.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html
+Robert
http://www.augustineofcanterbury.com
January 4, 2009 at 4:18 am
bpandre1
Blessings again!
I just want to clear up a few misconceptions I read as I perused the blog. First, I hope that everyone had a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.
As to the point of my post, I will quote the parts I will address;
“Its time for the truth, we all know the truth that Bishop Andre Queen and Archbishop Gubala are paid by the moonies to take over churches, they was found guilty by the ICAB bishop of trying to take over the Patriarchal throne in the name of moonies with Archbishop Milingo.”
First, I am in no way associated nor affiliated with the Moonies. I do not subscribe to their beliefs or what they are promoting. I certainly have not been paid by any moonies, nor moonie associates to do anything for anyone anywhere – nor would I engage in such a thing.
Secondly, I was not found guilty of any such thing. ICAB’s President Dom Josivaldo can verify that for any who ask.
“However, soon after the take over by the new president and his loyal bishops, Bishop Andre Queen was reinstated. seems that money can buy you anything ask Andre Queen, I witnessed the removal by the counsel, I could not believe that after all the voting was for nothing.”
Also not true, as: a) I need my meager paycheck to support my wife and children, and, b) I would not and did not do such a thing. I have never bought my way into anything.
“I can not believe that an old patriarch would enter communion with the Moonies unless they misled him,.”
The Patriarch has never been in communion with moonies, nor any moonie-backed organization. I refer you to my post of March 23, 2008.
As for Milingo being a bishop or not, I really don’t care, as I have nothing to do with him.
On to the other posting:
Bishop Luciano Mbewe was a Roman Catholic priest formerly in Zambia when Milingo was will a member of the Roman Catholic Church. When Milingo left the Church, he attracted the interest of many Zambian former Roman clergy there, including Bishop Mbewe. Bishop Mbewe was not aware of the depth of the moonie involvement with Milingo until later on, and sought out ICAB and CANC in New Jersey on 2005, and spoke with the Patriarch, Dom Josivaldo, Dom Marcelo and myself about what would become the CANCZ. This was not to be an easy task, and he had seen some very unsettling things, and was – frankly quite fearful of how to extricate himself. Over the years he was able to remove himself from “Married Priests Now” and Milingo. During this same time, other things were happening within ICAN (at that time) and CANCZ was, sad to say, forgotten. In this time, I am sure that Bishop Mbewe felt that he and the CANCZ had been abandoned, and he did, for a brief moment, consider accepting consecration with Milingo, and did concelebrate once with him, however, he thought better of it and refused.
Dom Josivaldo asked the CANC to look out for the CANCZ and support their work in Zambia. We have done this, through the lawsuits from the Roman Catholic Bishop’s Conference there, to the consecration. Bishop Mbewe has risked much to break from the moonie-backed MPN! and establish CANCZ. His life has been threatened, and he has had the need for extra police patrols past his home. He and his wonderful wife live under the constant threat of fear from the zealous Roman Catholics who have been whipped into a frenzy by the bishop’s conference, as well as the moonie organizations who underwrite MPN!.
I am fully aware of the various blogs and news articles that want to make the CANCZ appear to be a moonie-backed church, but it is not. The organization of CANCZ, the incorporation, the name of the church was part and parcel of the CANC in the U.S. For better or worse, we have high hopes in Bishop Mbewe and the CANCZ.
As for the other business, the CANC, the CANCZ and the OCCE each have their own prime bishops and church leadership. I have every confidence in the Metropolitan Bishop of the OCCE to lead his church. I have no intention to engage in scandalous tales that are not within my purview as a bishop of the CANC to sift through.
(And yes, we do rent church space from other churches, and also rent storefront office space to convert to parish space, when the local faith community can afford it. )
Yours, In Christ the King
+Andre
January 7, 2009 at 12:49 am
bishoprobert
Thank you Bishop Andre’ for your explanation but maybe you might like to explain why it was Bp. Mbebwe was photographed celebrating at a Mass in Lusaka with Abp. Milingo in June 2008, when in fact he was supposed to have been distnacing himself from Milingo and the Unification Church?
As you say above, as early as 2005 he had realised the dangers and was seeking the help of ICAB during that year. In 2008 he was back with Milingo at an event widely publicised to include members of the Unification Church.
Please see the following link:http://thepicturemonger.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html
This was either a very naive act on Bp. Mbewe’s part or something else perhaps? Whatever it has sent out all the wrong signals Bishop Andre and raise more than a few suspicions.
Pax. +RC
January 7, 2009 at 2:38 am
jzholloway
You know… I never did get my question (above – comment from March, 2008) answered… it woul.d be nice just to have an answer
January 11, 2009 at 5:52 pm
papaz
Jared,
ICAB is the acronym for the Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasileira — the independent Catholic body which separated from Rome in 1945 and with which the CEC at one time was in communion. It was ICAB who provided the CEC with valid Apostolic Succession in November 1997.
ICAN was at one point the branch of ICAB in the United States. ICAB has made a number of attempts to develop a hierarchy and sustainable church presence in the United States but without a whole lot of success. I believe that the current presence of ICAB in the United States is the CANC.
Hope that this helps.