wpeb.jpg (32274 bytes)The Liberal Catholic Church

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A tri-annual magazine exploring the deeper aspects of religious thought, experience and practice in the world today

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From the Presiding Bishop

X Johannes van Alphen

After having visited the Netherlands for a week, the Presiding Bishop and his wife Ria, moved over to the Province of Great Britain and Ireland for another two weeks. In the Netherlands they were present at the ordination to the priesthood of their son Markus. The service was beautifully conducted by the Regionary Bishop Philip Draaisma and left a deep impression on the many that attended the service.

After having stayed a few days in Edinburgh with Fr Iain MacLeod, who is also Manager of St Alban Press for Europe, they moved on to Birmingham for the Sunday service. Thereafter they moved on to Tekels Park in Camberley where they stayed in the Theosophical Guest House, surrounded by rain drenched woods. It was here at the St Francis Church where the Founding Bishop James Ingall Wedgwood stayed for extended periods of time. Refreshed after a few days of rest and repose, they moved on to Southampton. Here they spent the first evening with a women's Healing Group from the Parish of Fareham. After intense discussions on the subject of healing, it was late before returning to the hotel. Only to continue the next morning to the Channel island Jersey.

This island has had quite an interesting time of Church activities. The Healing Centre, the Sanctuary of 'Fleur de l'Ile', made again for a most interesting time of deep discussions as to what the role of women as healers could be. From there, the party returned to Southampton for the Sunday Service. Thereafter the Presiding Bishop and Ria returned to London from where they returned home in South Africa. The whole trip in the British Province was one of deep involvement and many discussions, all the time with Bishop Richard Palmer, as well as with Clergy and Laity in the various centres.

As the Presiding Bishop and his wife have now well settled in their new home, and found the postal services to be regular and operating well, he has requested that the new address of the Presiding Bishop be noted: 116 de Meerpaal, P O Box 75048, 0040 Lynnwood Ridge, South Africa. The present postal address in Waterkloof will remain valid well into 1999, but will be terminated at some time during that year.

Interesting discussions are taking place by e-mail with a group of disenchanted Russians of the Orthodox Church in Moscow.

Fr Mario Herrera visited Costa Rica where he found a nucleus of Liberal Catholics who were most grateful to receive Fr Mario in their midst. He celebrated Mass and renewed contacts which was very much appreciated.

In Ghana, much work is being done by Bishop Isaac Zaney to achieve three things: 1. He ensured a legal base for the Church and her work in Ghana; 2. To secure three properties in Accra for the Church Diocese, i.e. a house, donated by Deaconess Eva Kuevi, on which the Church in Accra is situated; a Church site, situated East of the University of Ghana, on lease from the Ghana Government; and another plot of land in Accra, also a donation; 3. An 11 ha land of Bishop Zaney, situated in Ho, where Bishop Zaney wishes to establish an International Church Centre for retreats and community work, following the examples of Tekels Park in England and Krotona in California.

Bishop Gaspar Torres visited the Theosophical Centre in Wheaton, Illinois in the U.S.A. at the invitation of the Theosophical Society. While there, he received the sad news that his house was burgled and that everything in that house was stolen. On his return, however, it turned out that the police had found the burglars and were able to retrieve most the belongings of Bishop Gaspar. The Angels must have been looking well after Bishop Gaspar while he was away from home.