Bishop cautions Catholics against Reformed Church

By Ngor Arol Garang

July 27, 2009 (ABYEI) — On Sunday 26, Catholics and other Christians in Sothern Sudan have been cautioned against the Reformed Catholic Church, a breakaway sect that has commenced activities in the semi-autonomous region.

Addressing congregation in Abyei Roman catholic church on Sunday, Catechist Alor Kuol reminds believers that Bishop Ceaser Mazzolari of Rumbek wrote a pastoral letter early this month warning Christians against false teaching and misguiding of church leaders’ activities in the region. He said the sect leaders had abandoned priestly celibacy and obedience to the pope.

Alor referred to the letter the Bishop sent out to other Dioceses and centers urging them to stay away from Reformed Catholic Church citing that these individuals are no longer acceptable members of the Catholic Church and you should no longer follow them,” the Bishop said.

Bishop Mazzolari of Rumbek Diocese in his letter referred to members of the new sect as copycats who imitate the prayers, readings and external ceremonies of Catholic services in such a way that simple people think they are attending a Catholic mass or prayer service, “In their teachings, they criticize the doctrine of the Catholic Church as old and out of date and disparage church leaders as being unable to understand the changing times,” he said.

“These Reformed Catholics will appeal to the struggle of the people as something the traditional Catholic Church is not able to cope with or resolve. This idea is also entirely false because the church has been very close to the people and its leaders to obtain peace and the needed reconciliation,” Bishop Mazzolari wrote.

He pointed out that the new sect is looking for discontented Catholics to confuse and divide them. “They will misguide you to become bitter with your church as they are bitter, and to disobey the laws of the church, which they already do, and to lose you precious gift of faith.

The bishop described the Reformed Catholics as “the devil roaming around in our days, trying to lead people astray from the faith.” They are also persecuting the church and the faithful.

The Reformed Catholic Church, is an independent Catholic denomination with historical ties to the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Old Catholic churches. However, due to differences in theology and polity, the RCC is not affiliated nor it is in communion with the Roman Church.

The Reformed Catholics do not believe in the infallibility of the Pope as they believe that only Jesus Christ can be infallible. They also do not believe that the Pope is the Supreme Pontiff of the Church, but they consider him as being the Bishop of Rome, a bishop first among equals.

(ST)