| This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. |
Bishop Dr. Karl J. Barwin
When he reached retirement age God called him to eternal retirement. On March 30th, 2009 Metropolitan Karl J. Barwin of the ECC who was born in 1943 passed away to his eternal home. (We know nothing about the circumstances or by whom he is survived - perhaps some of our readers know more?)
Bishop Karl was a stout Lutheran of LCMS. Born in Detroit he studied at Lutheran schools, colleges and seminaries. After having graded as M.Div. he was pastoring congregations in Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and Illinois.
But he wanted more: In his theology we went back to the time when the Lutheran church was truly catholic. Modern deviations were not his thing, and therefore he sought as long for an ordination into the apostolic succession until he could receive it. This did not result in a growing mega church - too particular was his standpoint. But it resulted in a true faithful witness. In 1976 he was elected as Bishop of the Evangelical Catholic Church. In 1989 he became Metropolitan of that church body.
His thoughts are still in the internet: http://www.evcathch.org/
May he rest in peace and dwell eternally with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bishop Paul H. Combs Jr. - RIP
Paul H. Combs, Jr, (LTC, U.S. Army Ret.) 76, of Tampa passed away December 4, 2008. He was preceded in death by his first wife Adelaide Combs. He is survived by his sons, Michael and RJ Combs; daughters, Cynthia Clarke and Lorena Combs; brother, Joe Combs; two grandsons; one great granddaughter; and his former wife Lorna Combs. A military graveside service with full honors will be presented at 11 AM Tuesday, Dec. 9th at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL. A Mass will be celebrated 6 P.M. Monday Dec 8th at The Cathedral of Jesus of Nazareth, 14322 N. Boulevard. In lieu of flowers, send memorial contributions in his memory to the Old Catholic Church of North America, 14322 N. Boulevard, Tampa Fl 33613.
The 2008 Directory of Autocephalous Bishops Catholic Available Now
For ease of ordering we have placed The 2008 Directory of Autocephalous Bishops Catholic in Shepherd's Heart Books and Gifts, our online Ebay store. You can access the listing and order the Directory by clicking through to Shepherd's Heart Books and Gifts. Enjoy and may God continue to bless the autocephalous sacramental movement.
Pax Christi, +Brian E. Brown, OSH
Shepherd's Heart Ministries "Rege Quod est Devium ~ Bring Back the Wandering"
The Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion "Lead with Love ~ Celebrate the Spirit ~ Engage the Mind ~ Cherish the Soul"
Whithorn School of Theology "Theologia Cordis est Theologia Mentis ~ Theology of the Heart is Theology of the Mind"
2008 Ecumenical Synod of the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion
Greetings and Apostolic Blessings!
We would like you to join us in celebration, song, worship, prayer and fellowship at our 2008 Ecumenical Synod of the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion (EFCC).
The EFCC will hold its 3rd annual Ecumenical Synod on April the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th in the year of our Lord 2008. Everyone is welcomed! Synod will convene at 6 o'clock in the evening of April 3rd, at a retreat location here in the Ozarks and will dismiss by 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday April 6th. All are invited and encouraged to attend. Simply RSVP prior to March 1, 2008 by email brian@free-catholic.org or write to us at P.O. Box 1891 Hollister MO 65673. You may also call 417-598-0852.
We hope to have several visiting "Episcopi Vagantes" with us representing various autocephalous jurisdictions and to open a truly ecumenical dialog about the elusive nature of unity within the autocephalous movement. During this gathering we will also release the 2008 Directory of Autocephalous Bishops Catholic and share news about the new creation of other IC/OC publications, documentaries, and other multi-media projects scheduled to be released.
A lot of energy and time is given to talking about the journey toward unity within the Autocephalous Sacramental Movement in America. Dialogue is wonderful, but there comes a time for the journey to begin, as every journey begins, with a single step. Please, come join us on the journey. Take a step on the path with us and let us walk together following our Lord and Savior Jesus Chrits as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.
Please come worship and fellowship with us celebrating the Autocephalous Sacramental Movement! Space at the retreat is limited so please RSVP ASAP. Registration will require a non-refundable $125 registrant fee which will cover the cost of lodging, meals, and transportation to and from the airport (if needed).
You can register at our website. More details are available upon request.
Blessings on all of us and our endeavors within the Autocephalous Sacramental Movement!
Pax Christi,
+Ab. Brian E. Brown, OSH
The Most Rev. David F. Milne - RIP
January 25, 2008
The Most Reverend David Milne passed away on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton at the age of 50. He was the son of Fred and Mary Milne. His Excellency will be sadly missed by many family and friends. Friends may call on Friday, January 25, 2008 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the R.S. Kane Funeral Home (6150 Yonge Street, at Goulding, south of Steeles). A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic Church (3220 Bayview Avenue). Interment to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to the Asthma Society of Canada. Online condolences may be posted at the RS Kane Funeral Home website.
You may send cards of condolences to:
Abbot +Neil V. Christensen, C.S.E.F.
6919 Fleming Ave.
Sacramento, CA. 95828-4104
The Most Reverend Karl Pruter - RIP
November 19, 2007
Bishop Karl Prüter went home to be with the Lord Sunday evening November 18, 2007 around 8 pm. His wife Teresa was with him and he was most assuredly surrounded by a great cloud of angels and saints. He fought the good fight and finished the race. Teresa was reading Psalm 23 and holding his hand and as she came to the end of the Psalm, he let go and flew to the arms of his Lord and Saviour. His death was peaceful and gentle, one we would all hope to be blessed with when our time comes. While he will be missed greatly, not one of us would rob him of a single second with his Lord Christ whom he loved so much. We give thanks for many things in his life but particularly we give thanks for his Christian witness and his dedication to the Old Catholic Movement.
I will share more information as it is available. Thank you all so much for your prayers, emails, and phone calls. I was able to relay many of those well wishes to Bp. Prüter himself when we last spoke a couple of days ago and certainly to Teresa who will continue to need your prayers as she enters a new time in her life.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the life of Bishop Karl Hugo Prüter. We thank you not only for his life but also for his witness, his faithfulness, his love, and his friendship. May his life be a gentle reminder to us all of how to live a life of faith and Christian witness until we too have run the race and can join you both in your Heavenly Kingdom. Please send your holy angels round about his family and friends, strengthen them, comfort them, and in the darkness of their sadness, light a path for them to follow. Let light perpetual shine upon Karl, your good and faithful servant, and may he at last rest in peace. Amen.
From Bishop Brian
The Most Reverend Karl Pruter
November 6, 2007
Please keep The Most Reverend Karl Pruter in your prayers:
I solicit your prayers for a very venerable person within our movement, Bishop Karl Pruter. His wife Teresa called me last night as they were taking him away in an ambulance and then again today around noon from the hospital. Bishop Pruter, at 87 years of age, is not doing well and though he has surprised us in the past and survived various health challenges his wife and he both feel that this is one he will not recover from. (There are multiple medical issues.) Just this morning he told Teresa that he was leaving soon to be with the Lord.
He has done a lot in his 40+ years (tomorrow is the anniversary of his consecration) as a bishop for the independent sacramental movement and has served faithfully. (We should all do so well.) Pray for a peaceful end for him and that his loved ones may be comforted in the certain knowledge that he goes to meet his maker, the Lord he loved so much.
For me Bishop Pruter has been a much needed mentor, a very dear friend, and sometimes even an adversary, but always a person whom I have admired and loved.
I hope that with God's grace I can be at least half the man of faith that Bishop Pruter is and continue to fight the good fight as he has done until at last I too am called home by our Lord and Savior.
On behalf of his family and friends, I thank you for your prayers.
In Christ,
+Brian
2008 Directory of Autocephalous Bishops Catholic
October 28, 2007
Hear ye, hear ye, calling all bishops!
At Saint Columba Press we have begun work on the 2008 Directory of Autocephalous Bishops Catholic.
In an attempt to correctly list bishops within the independent sacramental movement we need your help. Please send your updated contact information including name, address, phone number, email address, and jurisdiction to us either through email or through snail mail. You can even visit us online and fill out the electronic form there. http://www.autocephalous.net/
In this edition we will be listing the entries both alphabetically and by location for cross reference purposes. We will also include our sister bishops who up to this point have not, to our knowledge, been included in any directory to date. We will not be listing titles and such but we will instead be using "The Most Rev." or "The Right Rev." or "The Very Rev." depending on a person's preference. So please let us know. Also, for those of you who are responsible for an entire jurisdiction of other bishops, if you would be so kind, please pass along their information as well. Also please feel free to pass this request along to all of our Venerable Brothers and Sisters whom you may know and encourage them to send us their information as well.
The deadline for entering your listing will be New Year's Day 1/1/08 but the sooner you send your information to us, the better. It is our goal to have this edition ready by early spring 2008. We understand that the moment the directory is published it will be "out of date" but we hope to make this the most complete and accurate directory ever and with your help we know it's possible.
Our mailing information:
Saint Columba Press Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion Post Office Box 1891 Hollister, MO 65673 Phone: 417-598-0852 Email: directory@autocephalous.net
Thank you so much for your cooperation in this endeavor. Blessings on you and yours and on your own God given ministry!
Pax Christi, +Brian E. Brown, Editor
Mar Melchizedek
October 11, 2007
Michael Melchizedek, formerly known as Mar Melchizedek, prime bishop for the Holy Synod for the American Diaspora of True Orthodox Christians and the Eparchy of Nebraska, has publicly renounced his orders as a Christian and Orthodox bishop and has adopted Buddhism, saying that "Christianity was just superstition and silly."
Additionally, despite his recent conversion to Buddhism, he has taken it upon himself to declare he is sufficiently trained in Zen Buddism to teach that practice, and has turned the offices of the Eparchy into a Zen center.
In making these decisions and taking these actions he has abandoned the Holy Synod, the Christian faith and his followers. Despite his long-time assertion that he is a validly ordained canonical Orthodox bishop and not part of the "independence movement," is had in fact been deposed by the Greek Old Calendar Bishop who consecrated him. Despite this deposition, he established the Eparchy on his own authority, placing his ministry squarely among the many independent clergy.
From Father Richard
Update on Victor Prentice
April 18, 2007
It seems that reports of Victor Prentice's death were exaggerated. We are please to note that he is very much alive and continuing his work for the Kingdom of God.
Prayers for Victor Prentice
May 7,2006
An unconfirmed report has come to our attention that Patriarch Victor Prentice of Mountain View, Arkansas has passed away. We ask for your prayers for the repose of his soul and for his church as they prepare to mourn their loss. More information to follow as we receive it.
Prayer Request for Patriarch Yury I
December 2nd, 2005
Patriarch Yury I (The Most Rev. Emigidiusz Jerzy Ryzy) of the Belarus Orthodox National Church of the American World Patriarchates must undergo surgery for an enlarged artery.
Well wishes can be sent to:
AWP - Belarus Home Mission 19 Aqueduct St. Ossining,NY 10562
Monsignor Ordice Gallups
November 10th, 2005
Monsignor Ordice Gallups underwent successful heart surgery this morning at a hospital in Washington, D. C. All went well and he is in recovery. God willing he will return home soon. Thanks to all for your prayers and for your continuing prayers for him and Vivian.
African Apostolic Orthodox Church
October 31st, 2005
The United Ecumenical Catholic Church is pleased to announce the incardination of the African Apostolic Orthodox Church (AAOC), under the leadership of Archbishop Haaike Barnard, into The United Ecumenical Catholic Church (UECC).
After some months of discussion, much prayer and discerment, all parties have agreed to come together as One Church - United in Christ. The AAOC will be subsumed into the UECC and all parishes, missions etc will be identified as UECC parishes from this point forward.
Archbishop Haaike has been appointed as Apostolic Admimistrator for the Region of Africa and Associated Territories, and, God willing, will be installed as Metropolitan Archbishop of that area around June 1st of 2006.
We are thrilled by this developement and give thanks to the Holy Spirit who has lead us to this point. This is a rare occurence within the independent movement, wherein East meets West, and small differnences in liturgy, polity etc are cast aside to follow the priestly prayer of Our Lord, "that they may all be one".
Brothers and sisters, we seek your prayers as we continue to undertake the work of building up the church of Christ here on earth.
Archbishop Dr. Louis Fair - RIP
October 31st, 2005
Archbishop Doctor Louis Fair, known by most people as hermit3712 in the yahoo messenger world, suffered a fatal heart attack on Wednesday, 26 October 2005. He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Sister Gabriella.
One of Archbishop Fair and his wife's ministries was the "No Kill" Cat Sanctuary of Hermitage-Hawaii which will be cared for by his wife.
Per Fair's wishes, there will be a by invitation only private cremation service.
Since the State of Hawaii does not recognize "Church Only" Sacramental Marriages, Sister Gabriella will not be receiving survivor benefits. Therefore, in lieu of the usual flowers, ongoing monetary donations to Hermitage - Hawaii's Cat Sanctuary are very much appreciated. Please call Sister Gabriella at 808-982-6915 between 12:00 P - 6:30 P Hawaii Time for details on making your contributions.
For further information, you may contact Metropolitan Archbishop Joseph Thaddeus, OSB, SSJt., Ph.D. at the Church Phone of: (505) 544-8279