[Apologetics] Episcopal disease in Brazil

[Stuart D. Gathman]

Diocese of Recife, Brazil Declares State of Emergency as Primate 
Attempts to Take Over Released December 3, 2004

[Source: Anglican Mainstream International] - 

Anglican Mainstream International has just received word that the
Diocese of Receife Council meeting planned for today, but ordered
cancelled by the Primate of the Province of Brazil, has gone
ahead and commenced meeting in an emergency state.

They have declared the diocese is in a state of emergency and
Bishop Cavalcanti and the Diocesan Council have asked for
emergency primatial oversight from Canterbury and the global
primates.

Our prayers are urgently needed to support them in their
courageous action as their primate of Brazil attempts to take
over their entire diocese and dispose of their bishop. Pray for
immediate emergency and effective international intervention on
their behalf.

------------------
Diocese of Recife Council Suspended
Released December 1, 2004

The Diocese of Recife continues to be an extreme case of
harassment of an orthodox bishop by a liberal Province. Just two
days before it was schedule to meet (with the convocation made
one year ago), the Primate of the Episcopal Anglican Church of
Brazil, bishop Orlando Oliveira sent a letter to the diocesan
bishop Robinson Cavalcanti; communicating a "Decree" "suspending"
Recife Diocese next Council (Convention). Everything is prepared
to the event: decoration, papers, food, tickets, liturgy, and the
delegates from the several parishes, missions and mission
stations are already arriving. The weak finance of the Diocese
was almost completed spent in the preparation and procedures of
the Convention. This "Decree" has no precedent, and has no
Constitutional or Canonical support. In the last three months the
House has created, from the top, a "Special Episcopal Oversight"
for a small group of clergy (considered by the retired bishop
Edmund Knox Sherril as "violent, with no justification and
against the spirit and practice that is supposed to characterize
a Province of the Anglican Communion)", suspending all provincial
money for the diocese, and opening a charge in order to put
evangelical bishop Robinson Cavalcanti on trial for
"insubmission". "The Convocation of our Convention was made by
the diocesan plenary, and only the plenary can decide how to
react to this authoritarian decision. There is sadness and revolt
among the people", said the Ven. Revd. Mauricio Coelho, Chairman
of the Standing Committee.

Under severe discrimination and persecution from the liberal
provincial leadership, the Diocese of Recife is asking for
international support and "Special Primacial" (Provincial)
Adequate Oversight with jurisdiction from another orthodox
Province.

Rev Estevao Menezes 
General Secretary 
Diocese of Recife 


-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
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