Reformed Catholic Church (Venezuela)
- See Reformed Catholic Church (disambiguation) for similarly titled religious denominations.
| Reformed Catholic Church (Venezuela) | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Independent Anglican |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Associations | Orthodox Anglican Communion |
| Region | Venezuela |
| Origin | 2008 |
The Reformed Catholic Church of Venezuela (Anglican Rite) (Spanish: Iglesia Católica Reformada de Venezuela) is a member jurisdiction of the Latin-American Anglican Church, a part of the global Orthodox Anglican Communion, and has received recognition from the Conservative Anglican Church of North America, a small United States-based group.[1] It is therefore not a part of the Anglican Communion or the Roman Catholic Church.
History
The jurisdiction was inaugurated in June 2008 by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans who rejected (among other things) the Roman Catholic ban on married priests. News reports claim church leadership has expressed support for some of the policies of President Hugo Chávez.[2] [1]
Not surprisingly, several high-ranking prelates in the Roman Catholic Church have criticized the new jurisdiction for attempting to divide the larger Catholic Church, and asked Roman Catholics to avoid the church.[3] [4] [5]
The church is headed by Mons. Enrique Albornoz, who serves as the Metropolitan Bishop. This church is based in South America and is not connected to any of the North American churches that have used the name "Reformed Catholic Church."
References
- 1 2 Romero, Simon (July 31, 2008). "Breakway church in Venezuela is sympathetic to Chávez". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
- ↑ Chávez-linked church decried - Miami Herald, June 29, 2008
- ↑ Ingram, James (2008-07-05). "Pro-Chavez Catholics under fire". British Broadcasting Corporation News. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ↑ ""Reformed Catholic Church" Not Catholic: Venezuelan Prelates Clarify Status of Group". Innovative Media, Inc. 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ↑ Johnston, Geoffrey P. (December 15, 2009). "Chavez attacks Venezuelan churches". ChristianWeek. Retrieved 6 February 2010.