Jan. 2008 Articles

January 2, 2008

Dear Family in Christ,

Recognizing the many sad and horrific events that happened in our world in 2007, I would like to dedicate the year 2008 to the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel, asking for his protection of our church, her people and those assisted through her ministries in 2008. I am requesting that throughout the many parishes, missions and ministries of the RCC the prayer of St. Michael the Archangel be added to the those offered after the celebration of the mass.

In Christ,

++Phillip

The Prayer of St. Michael the Archangel

Sancte Michael Archangele,
defende nos in proelio.
contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium.
Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur:
tuque, Princeps militiae coelestis,
Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos,
qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo,divina virtute, in infernum detrude.
Amen.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

January 1, 2008

A Happy New Year to you all!

The bad news: Your car has just depreciated $1000, and all your clothes are now last year's!

The good news: You are still able to enjoy our car and you still might fit into last year’s clothing!

Isn't time a mystery? I'm amazed that I have experienced 46 'new year's days' - time has sped by so quickly. With each passing year, it seems to go by faster and faster… And more and more gray hair is making an appearance! Of course, for children, time has a different quality: for them, eternity is the period between birthdays.

We human beings appear on the world stage so transiently. We do our bit-part, and move into the wings, to make way for others. The Great Sphinx of Egypt has watched Anthony and Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Mussolini and World War 2 soldiers all stare up at it. They are now in the history books, but the sphinx remains... A silent witness of time.

'How strange is life! When we are children, we say, 'When I am big...' and then, when we grow up, we say, 'When I am married.' But then the thought turns to 'When I am able to retire.' Then when retirement comes, we look back over the landscape that we have traveled and a cold wind blows over it. Somehow, we have missed it all, and it is gone. Life, we learn too late, is in the living, in the fabric of every day and hour.'

Life is in the living! If I were an old-fashioned novelist I'd probably start a book I was writing with: 'In this year of Our Lord, 2008...'

But will it be a year of grace? That depends - mostly - on ourselves. As Shakespeare eloquently put onto the lips of Cassius: 'The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.'

We've got to be clever, as well as lucky. That will take hard work, and ingenuity, and the development of creativity. However, for some, the fault will lie outside themselves. Others, with agendas and power, will manipulate the fate of many people.

During the 90’s, many a beautiful dream has died. We lost the hope of a world guided by notions of meekness, rather than blatant self-interest. The gap between rich and poor - everywhere - is widening. The arms race hasn't lessened, as we thought it might, and the War in Iraq, Afghanistan and the senseless murder of Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan has offered the world so much pain and suffering. So many of our dreams have wilted, our hopes have withered. So as we brace ourselves for a rough passage into 2008, with a future that seems bleaker than it looked a generation ago, is there a word from the Lord for us?

As Jesus spoke about his impending death to his disciples, there were two dominant responses: the earliest - resentment; later - fear. You'll recall that right through Jesus' ministry his friends didn't understand this sort of destiny. They'd been conditioned to believe in another kind of savior, and therefore their motives in committing themselves to Jesus were not always what they should have been. St. Peter, the great apostle, tried to talk Jesus out of such a possibility, thus re-enacting one of Jesus' greatest temptations. Jesus' response was swift and devastating: 'Get behind me, Satan!'

In John 16, Jesus is talking very frankly to his friends about what was soon to happen. There was plenty to be fearful about. He was going to leave them - in a world of sin, unrighteousness, and judgment. Like a woman in childbirth, their pain and trauma would be intense. And in the hour of trial, they would all desert him Their destiny: suffering!

But the chapter ends with one of the most encouraging and hope-producing words Jesus ever uttered: 'In the world you'll have trouble, but don't be afraid, I have overcome the world!' Just as Jesus was identified with us in our defeats and sicknesses and suffering, so, he says, we can be identified with him in his victory. This opens up some amazing possibilities. His victories I can make my own. If I adjust my life to his, and relate intimately to him, when he overcomes I can overcome. I actually live by the life and victories of Another. That doesn't imply the absence of trouble, but the transformation of trouble.

I want to share a story with you: A missionary couple, married late in life, were deeply in love with each other. The husband at the breakfast table was telling guests of a dream he had the night before. His wife broke in, 'Why, Frank, did you dream that dream or did I?' They were so identified with each other's experiences that they couldn't tell which one dreamed the dream! We can smile at the naivete of these married lovers, but in truth a committed Christian can say to Christ, 'Why Master, did you win that battle, or did I?' And we hear him gently answer, 'Why, we both did, for my victories are your victories!' Our Lord can overcome your feelings of resentment and fear: you don't have to harbor them in this new year!

The dictionary defines resentment as having negative or bitter feelings about someone or something. There'll be many people in our lives this year who will not measure up to our expectations. And if we want to win any other battles, we’ve got to learn to accept and forgive people. In fact, Jesus said that if you want mountains to be moved in your life you must 'forgive anything you may have against anyone' (Mark 11:22-25).

Resentments are deadly - literally. 'Nothing on earth consumes a person more quickly than the passion of resentment,' said Nietzsche.

What happens TO us in life is relatively unimportant; it is what happens IN us that really counts. And we can handle the conflicts we have with people or situations three ways. We can be resentful, and ask 'Why... me?' And if we add enough resentment to a calamity we can prepare for a nervous breakdown. Or we can give in to resignation - a kind of fatalistic 'whatever will be will be' attitude. Some kinds of fatalism can have Christian- sounding explanations. For example, when sickness or trouble comes we say 'It's the will of God.' To me, that the 'Will-of-God heresy'.

The answer to resentment: Rejoice always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances, live a life of gratefulness: it is the heart of all true prayer.

Resentment or Fear is what we feel in the presence of real or imagined danger. Some fears are our friends: they link us to reality and prepare us for flight! Other fears - perhaps most? - are imaginary, and destructive. Normal fear makes us jump back onto the sidewalk if an unexpected car is coming. Abnormal fear is hellish - and the smoke of its torment ascends upwards forever until one learns that 'perfect love casts out fear.'

This year, face your fears with the help of another person. Don't settle down to live permanently with your fear. If you do you will never be happy or effective. And you won't get rid of negative attitudes like fear by changing locations. Fear can always find you!

Do we move beyond fear and anxiety by summoning our courage and saying, 'There, now, be brave!'? You can't easily exhort yourself out of fear into bravery. The steps to take begin with facing up to your fear: some fears are simply products of an over-active imagination. Then begin to replace fear with faith. 'The only known cure for fear,' says a famous psychiatrist 'is faith.' 'I sought the Lord,' said David, 'and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.' Then externalize them - in writing, or, better, by verbalizing them with a trusted friend.

Love is the other – the greatest -- antidote for fear: That is why Jesus refers to love so much during his earthly ministry. Love… the greatest of gifts from God.

Happy New Year to you all! May you all be blessed abundantly!

In Christ,

++Phillip

The Reformed Catholic Church: A Review of the Year 2007

As 2007 comes to an end, I wanted to take a few moments to share some reflections that I have concerning the events and personalities that have helped to further shape this family that we know as The Reformed Catholic Church.

We know that the world we live in has seen much tragedy this year, culminating with senseless inter-faith violence and destruction in India, Inter-denominational violence in the Holy Land, and the brutal and cowardly murder of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, purportedly by a criminal group that claim they act in the name of our God.

It is my prayer that 2008 will see prophets of peace and warriors of love seize the world stage from those who seek to harm the people of God. The world community has experienced enough pain, suffering and heartbreak to last a lifetime. It is time for people of conscience and courage to say, “Enough” and step forward to end this long dark night of terror. It is time to stop the insanity that leads to nothingness.

I offer this prayer of peace for us all:

We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which
we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times
keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings
and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with
generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature
and control our greed for material things, knowing that
our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being
for who he is, for who she is,
reaching to the spirit that is within,
knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice,
for the alleviation of the crippling poverty
that condemns millions of people around the world
to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving,
who are condemned to homelessness, slave labor, and prostitution,
and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture
even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war,
for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places
through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere,
for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation,
intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping,
training for entertainment, abusive pet owners,
and all other forms of exploitation
such as overloading and overworking pack animals,
bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty,
whether to humans or other animals,
for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving
and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us,
and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

Prayer for World Peace - Dr. Jane Goodall

I could find no better words than those above. May we each do our part in making this world a better place for ALL of God’s creatures, great and small alike.

The Reformed Catholic Church

The Reformed Catholic Church, our community, has experienced significant and exciting growth during 2007, with a number of new clergy and communities entering into our community, new parishes and ministries providing refuge and service to our sisters and brothers, a new diocese has been promulgated, and there has been the development of new, innovative outreach programs that stretch out across the expanse of the globe. It is clear that the Holy Spirit continues to lead this community forward, so that the Gospel of our Lord, unfettered by complicated dogma and artificial barriers, may be once-again heralded to the four corners of the earth.

No longer An Independent Jurisdiction But A Denomination!

As the months of 2007 passed by, The Reformed Catholic Church made such significant strides in growth that it is now considered by many mainstream organizations to be a denomination, and is included as such in the National Council of Churches Yearbook and a number of Church Organizations/Resources across the United States and abroad.

The Reformed Catholic Church is taking its rightful place on the world stage by engaging in a number of ministries. Our ministries are diverse, effective and far-reaching. The diversity of our ministries is clearly reflected in the examples that follow: HIV/AIDS Ministry, Homeless Services Ministry, Meal Delivery Ministry, Prison Ministry, House Repair Ministry, Senior Citizen Care Ministry, Nursing Home Ministry, Hospice Ministry, Hospital Chaplaincy Ministry, Spiritual Direction Ministry, Mental Health and Addiction Ministry, Youth Development Ministry, Domestic Violence Ministry, Armed Forces and Merchant Marine Chaplaincy Ministry, Law Enforcement Ministry, Fire Department Chaplain Ministry, Native American Ministry, African Continent Ministry, Church Oversight Ministry, Inter-Denominational Ministry, Interfaith Outreach Ministry, and Equality Ministry.

This diversity of ministerial service is made possible by the commitment, compassion and vision of the people of the church. It is my prayer that we will continue to develop, sustain and expand a number of programs that will benefit the people of God.

Recognizing that our ministries are truly Social Service oriented, in December 2007, I prayerfully promulgated the Office of Reformed Catholic Social Services. This Office will serve as the clearinghouse for the variety of social programs that our Church offers. This is an historic moment in the life of the church, as it advances the reach of the church, and makes it abundantly clear that we are a servant people, seeking to be the hands and feet of Christ in this world. We will unite our efforts, across the country and across the globe, making the many social services of the church known and instantly available through our Director of RCSS, our International Website and the local RCC Communities that offer the service(s) requested.

Our Gains in 2007

Across the United States, our Church gained several new communities and clergy. In Philadelphia, Bishop Ken Denski and Monsignor Christopher Tobin were installed in November as Bishop and Chancellor of the newly promulgated Diocese of St. Katherine Drexil. Fr. Michael Abair has accepted an invitation to develop a Spiritual Direction program for the RCC. Fr. Will Heller, of Warsaw, NY has opened Sacred Heart RCC. Fr. Michel-Paul Holland of Ft. Wayne, Indiana opened Holy Redeemer RCC with Deacon Scott Johns joining the parish ministry. Reverend Tim Yost of Jacksonville, Florida joined us in November, Brother Steven Sandaluk, RJE and Brother Danny Eldridge, RJE have developed St. Stephen the Martyr RCC in Livingston, Tennessee. John Daly of St. Michael the Defender RCC was received into the Franciscan Order. Fr. George Lucey, Pastor of St. Francis Mission, West Orange, New Jersey joined the RCC as an Associate member. Several Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican priests are now engaged in the process of incardination.

Bishop Barry Ferguson, OSB of Lubbock, Texas brought the Parish and Soup Kitchen of St. Benedict into the RCC. Bishop Raelyn Scott, RCF and the community of St. Mary RCC, Ft. Worth Texas launched the Divine Mercy Hospice and Chaplain Training Program. Monsignor Michael Baremore, RCF opened St. Anthony RCC in San Antonio, Texas, Brother Richard St. Clare, OSB prepares for his ordination in January, 2008 and has made plans for the development of a new parish in Seattle, Washington. Fr. Martin Jordan, RSJ has accepted an appointment as Vicar of Finance for the Church. Fr. Warren Taylor, RSJ has developed a successful and very popular Online Radio podcast program for the church that has gained listeners across the globe. Monsignor Marcis Heckman, RSJ has developed a team that seeks to improve the communications and technology of the church.

Internationally, The Reformed Catholic Church established a presence in the Emerald Isle, Republic of Ireland with the parish of St. Patrick planted by Monsignor Niall Sheridan, RSJ in County Ross Common. Monsignor Sheridan, who will be ordained Bishop in May, 2008, serves as Father Protector of the European Communities until such time as local Bishops can be installed to serve the people of the European communities, which are vast and diverse in their theology, ethnic identity and societies.

We also gained a presence in Queensland, Australia though the ministry of Sr. Meg Britton, who founded St. Flora Mission. Sr. Meg has a podcast ministry that reaches out across the globe and shares a contemporary, inclusive and inviting Christian message with her listeners.

In England, Dr. Gemechu Guye of London prepares for ordination and development of a parish community.

In Paraguay, Fr. Olimpio Armoa of Ciudad Del Este was welcomed into the RCC.

In the Netherlands, Rev. Brother Rene Betch, of Maastricht, is in the process of developing and opening a Benedictine Community that is open to all people of faith.

In Poland, Rev, Brother Tomasz Pulchalski, and his community have opened three parishes in Poznan, Wroclaw and Warsaw that are welcoming the many people rejected by “mainstream” churches.

In France, Alexandre Nevejans of Lye, has entered the vocations process that will lead to Holy Orders.

We also gained a significant presence in several nations on the African Continent through the incardination of Monsignor Bernard Wamala and his community in Nairobi, Kenya; and through the incardination of Fr.Igani Ibiso of Nigeria.

In Pakistan, Brother Indris Andrew Nawab of Islamabad leads a large community of faithful. Through the generosity of the people of the RCC, the members of the parish were provided with financial resources to purchase much needed food and goods for the Christmas Holiday.

Our Loss – The Passing of Bishop Peter Posthumus, OPJB

After a lengthy and difficult struggle with heart disease and cancer, Bishop Gordon Peter David Posthumus, OPJB, the Prior Provincial of the Dominicans of St. John the Beloved, passed to his eternal reward on the Feast of All Souls, November 2, 2007. Bishop Peter will be long remembered for his missionary passion, his love of Old Testament scripture, his ecumenical outreach efforts and his generosity. Bishop Peter’s ashes have been entrusted to me for internment into the memorial garden of the cathedral. Bishop Peter’s ashes remained in state for 30 days after he was received. A number of visitors and pilgrims traveled to St. Sebastian Cathedral to pay their respects to our brother. A fitting monument to Bishop Peter will be erected in the Spring of 2008.

As for the Dominican Order, Bishop Peter asked that I serve as Father Protector of the Dominican Order of St. John the Beloved (OPJB) until such time as an appropriate candidate for Prior Provincial is identified and installed. I will honor that request.

Eternal rest grant unto +Peter, O Lord, and let Your Perpetual Light shine upon him.

Other Losses That We Experienced

The openness of our theology and the inclusive nature of our church sometimes present unexpected crises of faith for some. Due to cultural indoctrination and personal inclination, the ordination and role of women is not an issue that some people can easily reconcile in themselves as it has the potential to create a difficult obstacle for them to overcome. But The Reformed Catholic Church is committed to full equality in matters of ALL sacraments of the church, especially the ordination of women to the presbyteral order, including the fullness of the priesthood. As a result of this personal obstacle, we have had two clergy leave to join a more conservative community. We wish them well in their journey of faith and pray that they will find what they are seeking. One priest resigned from the community as he wished to pursue an Anglican/Emergent tradition. We wish him well as he continues his journey.

Our Past

No organization, regardless of goal, purpose or scope, is totally free from conflict and disappointment. Sadly, church and faith communities are included in this observation. It is true that we have had some difficulties and heartache in the past, some caused by misunderstanding, some by ego, and others by hidden agendas and power struggles. Yet, I believe that these trials were absolutely essential for the continued formation of the Church.

These trials have made us a stronger community, giving us the necessary skills we need to identify and correct potential problems. As time and experience have proven, we will not always prove to be the “right home” for people, as some are not sure what they are looking for in their spiritual journey. Importantly, we are aware that we are not immune to differences and issues that can – and do -- cause schism. However, we have matured as a church and have proven that we can weather any storm. The boat may rock, but it does not capsize. Through the grace of God and through these trials, we have grown from a core group of 12 uncertain people to an international community of diverse cultures and people committed to sharing the message of the Gospel.

Our Future

In a relatively short time, we have grown from a small group into an international body, with a diversity of cultures and needs. As such, we have had to leave behind the comfortable “mom and pop shop” mentality of the past and move towards a more structured way of conducting the church’s activities. We now have a much greater responsibility and must be ready to take on that responsibility with confidence.

Our only limitation is our lack of imagination… Limitation comes from a lack of faith, hope and love. Without these strong pillars, we will surely face stagnation, erosion and extinction. There would be absolutely no purpose for our existence. I do not suspect that any one of our clergy, and more importantly, any of the faithful, will allow us to forget these pillars or allow us to falter. The Reformed Catholic Church is now much larger than any one of us -- or the sum of us combined. It is a living, breathing, ever-changing creation that has been given a special mandate: to bring home the lost, forgotten, unwanted and inconvenient sheep.

Each of us has been led to this church by the urging of the Holy Spirit and have been given the responsibility to safeguard her from those who would do her harm. This most especially includes each of us! We must be a church of unity, always committing to our hearts the words of our Lord: That all may be one. To that end, we must commit ourselves to be less concerned with dogma, and what “differentiates” us from others and more concerned with that which unites us and what we can do to meet the needs of the flock! As such, we must be perpetually open to diverse ideas, reconciliation and unity by overcoming personal agendas, past pains and suffering. We must not be what church WAS but what church CAN – AND SHOULD -- BE.

I remember these words and take them to heart:

I am only one, but I am one! I cannot do everything; but I can do something. I will not allow what I cannot do to interfere with what I can do. – Edward Everett Hale

I believe it prudent to place increased emphasis on Formation, Education and Spiritual Direction in the year ahead. Those seeking to enter into Holy Orders need to have a more defined training path upon which they can travel to better understand their faith, their vocation, their spirituality, the history of the church, the rubrics of liturgy, and a myriad of other topics that will serve to greatly enhance their ministerial service. A Spiritual Director himself, Fr. Michael Abair, of Pilgrim Sanctuary in Camden, NJ, has graciously volunteered to help create the Spiritual Direction Program for the Church. We have an obligation to provide well trained, well balanced clergy for the people of God.

Clearly, we have a long journey ahead of us. But it is a journey made more joyful by those who travel with us. As long as we remain focused on Christ, I believe that we will do amazing things for His people. If we succumb to ego and hidden agendas, then we will surely falter. As scripture reminds us, “You cannot serve two masters. You will either love the one and detest the other.” Our Master, and the True Head of the Church, is Jesus the Christ. We must always remember that, whether we serve as bishop or the prayerful person in the pew. May we always seek to preach and teach His Gospel of Hope, not emulate some communities that sell Christ as a cheap commodity, hawking a reprehensible gospel of financial prosperity, personal gain or encourage discrimination or hatred of people because they are “different”. May we all remember that while the destination is known, the journey surely remains unwritten.

Reconciliation

Lastly and importantly, my thoughts drift to those who, for whatever reason, have left our community:

For those whom we have harmed in the past though our human frailty and weaknesses, we humbly ask for your forgiveness. For those who have harmed us in the past, know that we truly forgive you. For those wanting to return, know that our arms are open and we welcome you home. Let us, as a people, continue to build a house where ALL are truly welcome! Let us remember the words of St. Augustine of Hippo: In matters of essentials, unity! In matters of non-essentials, liberty! In all things, charity! Let these words be written on our hearts.

We have much work to do and many miles to travel in the year ahead. May God Bless and protect the people of The Reformed Catholic Church in the year ahead!

Your Brother in Christ,

++Phillip

Metropolitan Archbishop

Presiding Bishop

In Season

Dear Family in Christ

I begin this note with joyful news that the family who were the topic of my "candy cane in the mud" article, has been moved off the land and into their own house! Through the mercy of God , and the compassion and generosity of a man of faith, Tina and Heath have moved into a safe housing unit and now have an opportunity to recover from nine months of living in extreme climate and unsafe conditions. May God watch over his children, Tina and Heath, and may God bless abundantly the good man, who humbly chooses to remain anonymous.

It is my honor to announce that Bishop Shane Price, Bishop of the Diocese of the Holy Spirit, has accepted an appointment to serve as Vicar of the Judiciary of The Reformed Catholic Church effective January 22, 2008. Bishop Price has a demonstrated history of service as the Judicial Vicar of his previous jurisdiction. As such, I am confident that +Shane will tirelessly strive to improve/enhance the effectiveness of the office of the judiciary.

The Reformed Catholic Church has gained a parish community in Seattle, Washington, named in honor of St. John the Beloved. This new parish was founded by Fr. Richard St. Clare, OSB, who was ordained on January 13, 2008 at St. Sebastian in Columbus, Ohio. Please keep our new priest and his parish community in your prayers.

Fr. Martin Jordan, Vicar of Finance, of Portsmouth, Maine, has accepted an appointment to the office of Chancellor of the Diocese of the Holy Trinity. Please keep him in your prayers as he begins his new ministry.

As we read in Ecclesiastes 3.1:

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens.

To that end, this is a season of action and we must make decisions that will affect the future of the Church.

As the RCC gains a much greater presence on the global stage, I simply cannot continue to do all the oversight work that I have done over the past four years or more. My focus in 2008, by absolutely necessity, will be on the European and African communities that are beginning to burgeon and could, in all likelihood, outnumber the communities in the United States by the end of the year. Clearly, the unfettered Gospel of our Lord IS being heard across the globe.

As a result, I believe it prudent to act now and appoint Bishop David Frazee, the Coadjutor, to the responsibility of day to day operations of the RCC/USA, so as to free time for me to adequately address the myriad of correspondence that is coming in from a number of countries abroad. Assisting David will be Bishop Bill Quinlan, of the Archbdiocese of St. Patrick and Bishop Patrick Batuyong, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Michael the Archangel, who will be responsible for the processing of Incardination requests for clergy in USA/Canada.

Be assured, these are necessary growing pains and the actions mentioned take nothing away from the Diocesan Bishops, who retain their authority in their dioceses. Further, it is my desire to elevate Bishop Frazee, Bishop Quinlan and Bishop Batuyong to the office of Archbishop. On January 3, 2008 I asked the RCC College of Bishops to bless this request and have received a majority vote in favor of this request. Of the sitting college members, only two bishops did not respond to the request for vote on the matter.

As such, on the 20th of January, 2008, in a local ceremony, Bishops Frazee and Quinlan were elevated to the dignity of the Arch-episcopacy. Their offices will be affirmed and confirmed at Synod, 2008 in Atlanta, at which time, Bishop Patrick Batuyong will also be elevated to this dignity in a formal ceremony of installation. While Bishop David assists me in the operations of the day to day activity of the church, I remain the Presiding Bishop.

During the College of Bishops' Conference held on January 19, 2008, we discussed the need for revisions of the Canons to reflect the change of the church from a local jurisdiction to the global church that we have become. We will, as a College, begin revisions that will be presented to the church body at Synod for review, discussion and vote.

I believe that we made significant strides in 2007 in spite of ourselves. I am certain that we will make incredible strides in 2008 in light of ourselves!

Please offer your prayers of support for +David, +Bill and +Patrick.

I also ask your prayers for me, as I refocus my mission on the global church. There is so much work to do. May we all have the energy to do what we can for the people of God!

In Christ,

++Phillip

Welcome the new Apostolic Nuncio to Australia

Dear Family in Christ,

I am pleased to welcome Monsignor Ian Charles Adrian, OSB of Brisbane, Australia, after a period of prayerful discernment and reflection, requested incardination into the growing family of The Reformed Catholic Church. Monsignor Adrian will serve as our Apostolic Nuncio to Australia and is working with me to develop Formation Programs for the RCC. Monsignor Adrian will be working with Sr. Meg Britton to establish a Reformed Catholic Church community in Queensland, Australia. Please keep our Australian family in your prayers.

Please join me in welcoming Monsignor Adrian to our family. His email address is frianadrian@yahoo.com.au

In Christ,

++Phillip

Metropolitan Archbishop

Presiding Bishop

January 30, 2007

Dear Family in Christ,

I would like to ask for your prayers for Bishop-Elect Bernard Wamalwa, his family and community and the people of Nairobi, Kenya as they continue to experience dangerously uncertain and violent times in the aftermath of elections. May God keep our family together, safe, and in peace.

I want to thank the College of Bishops for their vision, energy and support. As a people of faith, we have come such a long way in so short a time; yet we have such a long journey ahead of us! May we always remember how blessed we are to have each other making this journey with us!

A special thank you to Fr. Michel-Paul Holland, who has accepted an appointment to the office of Director of Formation. He will be seeking a volunteer from each diocese to assist him in developing a formation program for the RCC. Please keep him in your prayers as he begins this important work!

May God continue to bless the RCC,

++Phillip

The Prayer of St. Michael the Archangel

A Happy New Year to you all!

RCC Radio