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Church News
Apostolic Catholic Church Voted Into National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
General Assembly adjourns and looks to the future
The General Assembly of the
National Council of Churches and Church World Service, celebrating the biblical call to
rejoice, pray and give thanks, also called upon churches and governments to take
additional steps toward worldwide justice and peace. The General Assembly adjourned Thursday
night following the installation of National Council of Churches President Peg Chemberlin and President Elect Kathryn
Lohre in St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral here. In its three-day meeting here, the General Assembly voted the
Apostolic Catholic Church into membership, adopted a resolution calling
for nuclear disarmament, and issued messages regarding the tragedy at Ford Hood, citing the urgency of health
care reform, and urging that money saved by international reductions in military spending be used to reduce infant
mortality and extreme poverty. The General Assembly also issued a message of appreciation regarding the recent visit
of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the U.S. Bible Study, on I Thessalonians 5:16-18,
"Rejoice Always, Pray without ceasing, Give thanks in all circumstances," the Assembly's theme, was led by
the Rev. Dr. Charles Amjad-Ali, Martin Luther King Jr. Professor for Justice and
Christian Community and Director of Islamic Studies at Luther Seminary in Minneapolis. More.
Minneapolis, November 2009
The ACC ContigentBishop Chuck
Leigh, wife Lynne, Father BernieCallahan, Argentina Morris and Father Fred Morris
General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon Speaks to the Assembly
and the Rev. John L. McCullough Executive Director, Church World Service Inc. looks on.
Bishop Takes Notes
A celebration Dinner!
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South America
This report comes from a priest of exceptional courage who carries the very marks of the Gospel on his body. I am proud that
the same is true of several other Apostolic Catholic priests. It is so very great an honor to be the bishop for priests who
so fully image Jesus with their lives.
Chuck
September 30,2008
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| Fr. Fred Morris and Brazilian Archbishop Helder Camara-1974 |
September 30, 2008
Brasilia,
Well, I want to give you an update on what has been happening here in Brazil.
To start with, today, September 30, is the 34th anniversary of the day I was kidnapped by the Brazilian military in Recife,
Brazil, where I was working as a missionary for the United Methodist Church.
Last Friday was the 100th birthday of Dom Helder Camara, the archbishop I worked with in Recife back in the early 70s.
He was the most courageous of the bishops in Brazil under the military dictatorship that was installed by the CIA in 1964,
and which stayed in power for 21 years by its use of torture, rape, murder and disappearing of opponents. He was world famous
for his efforts at non-violent social change and received hundreds of invitations to speak in Europe and the US. On every
occasion he denounced the military for their violence and human rights violations. He also denounced their acceptance of
the US economic model for Third World countries, which guaranteed their permanent poverty and subservience to the First World
powers.
The Amnesty Commission of the Ministry of Justice of today’s civilian government in Brazil, has been holding “Amnesty
Caravans” over the past two years. They have been going to various parts of the country and holding hearings on the
cases of persons who have filed suit against the government for human rights violations in the period of the military dictatorship.
At these hearings, they present the results of their findings of the merits of the cases and then they grant some form of
indemnification (financial) as a symbolic gesture of apology and formally ask the plaintiffs for forgiveness for what was
done to them by the government 30-40 years ago.
About a month ago, I received an email from the Commission inviting me to the Caravan which would be held on September
26 (Dom Helder’s birthday) at the headquarters of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops (CNBB) in Brasilia, as
my case would be dealt with on that day, as my kidnapping and subsequent torture and final expulsion from Brazil in 1974 was
the result of my close association with Dom Helder in Recife. I gladly accepted the invitation and Argentina and I flew to
Brasilia on September 23 and then attended the Amnesty Caravan on the 26th. Jessica and Erick, two of my Brazilian children,
and their mother, Tereza, were present, along with my dear friend, Alanir Cardoso, the Brazilian who was kidnapped and tortured
together with me in 1974, as his case was also on the agenda.
The Caravan began its session at 9:30 a.m. There were about 200 people present, many Catholic bishops, the head of CONIC,
the Brazilian Council of Churches, several Ministers and/or vice-Ministers of the Brazilian government, a bishop of the Brazilian
Methodist Church, representing the College of Bishops, and lots of friends and other persons concerned with human rights.
There were 13 cases on the agenda.
Two of the Ministers, the president of the CNBB and the president of the Amnesty Commission made welcoming speeches, some
quite eloquent and heroic in their affirmation of human rights and their denunciations of the abuses that were committed by
the military dictatorship during the period from 1964 to 1985 when it was in power. One of the Ministers had been a victim
of that regime himself. The most remarkable part of this to me was that the Brazilian Methodist Bishop, speaking in the name
of the College of Bishops of the Brazilian Methodist Church, formally asked me for forgiveness for the fact that that church
did not support me in any way back in 1974. I was, and am, amazed, and deeply grateful
Shortly before noon, my case came up, as the first of the 13. It was different from the others in that I am a US citizen.
The fact that I was tortured was, in itself, extraordinary, and the fact that the Brazilian government was in the process
of granting me indemnification and asking my forgiveness was even more extraordinary.
After the Vice-President of the Commission, Dr. Sueli Bettola, a Catholic nun who is an attorney, and was the “relator”
of my case made her report, I was given an opportunity to speak. (They said I had 10 minutes and I only took abut 25—I
explained to them that when a preacher has a chance to address a congregation in 34 years, 10 minutes weren’t enough.)
My remarks were a limited summary of what had happened to me 34 years ago and an expression of thanks and appreciation for
the people who supported me. I was surprised at the depth of emotion that at times overwhelmed me. I wasn’t aware
of some of the feelings that I had apparently been keeping bottled up all these years. It was, for me, a remarkably therapeutic
experience. Judging from the tears being shed throughout the room, it was deeply emotional for many others as well. (I will
translate those remarks sometime20soon and send them to any of you who might be interested.)
At the end, the president of the Commission, Dr. Paulo Abrão, said I was being awarded a symbolic lump sum to compensate
for the loss of salaries I suffered as the result of my being expelled from Brazil, and a monthly pension for life. Unbelievable.
And then he said, in the name of the government of Brazil, that they wanted to ask for my forgiveness for what had been
done by the government and its agents in 1974. Absolutely unbelievable. It was as if the US government were to apologize
for the victims at Abu Grahib and Guantanamo and ask for their forgiveness. Unthinkable. But it happened, much to the credit
of the Brazilian government.
After lunch the session continued until 8:30 p.m. as the other 12 cases were heard and indemnification was awarded and
forgiveness asked. A remarkable day. A remarkable event.
Argentina and I are going to São Paulo tomorrow for a visit with my son, Erick, who lives there with his companion, Adriana.
He works at the Paulo Freire Institute, promoting grassroots democracy in Brazilian schools. Jessica, who is Director of
the Master’s programs at the Law School of the University of Miami, had to return home. (She is also on the Board of
Directors of Amnesty International USA and has been dedicating her career to the promotion of human rights.)
We will be returning to Panama on Sunday, October 5, where we will be preparing for our move to Nicaragua on November
1.
We are deeply grateful to God for having inspired people in the Brazilian government to carry out this program, and for
the opportunity we had to be with so many friends and family here in Brazil. And deeply moved by the action of the Brazilian
Methodist Church after all these years.
If you would like to get the translation of my remarks to the Commission, please let me know, as I won’t send it
unless requested.
Peace and love,
Fred and Argentina Morris
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| Fr. Fred with son Erick and daughter Jessica, today |
Fr. Fred Morris is a priest of the Apostolic Catholic Church

Bishop meets Governor
Bishop Chuck Leigh, President of the Florida Council of Churches met with Governor Charlie Crist. Chuck stated that "We were
able to get a committment from the governor to reinstate funding for children's health that had been removed from the medicaide
budget. He also committed to back summer nutrition funding for poor children."
Just One Church, an ecumenical faith community, meets at the Coronado Golf and Beach Resort each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. All
are invited to participate.

Bishop Chuck and Florida
Governor Charlie Crist
National Council of Churches
Meeting

Bishop Chuck and Father
Fred Morris attend the
meeting.

Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon
General Secretary
National Council of Churches USA

Father Bernie and Rev. Dr. Patricia
meet Dr. Elizabeth S. Tapia,
the featured speaker.
The Apostolic Catholic Church supports the following declaration of the NCCC Conference:
We Churches
of the United States have a message of hope for a fearful
time.
Just as the churches responded to the harshness
of early 20th Century industrialization with a prophetic “Social Creed” in 1908, so in our era of globalization
we offer a vision of a society that shares more and consumes less, seeks compassion over suspicion and equality over domination,
and finds security in joined hands rather than massed arms.
Inspired by Isaiah’s
vision of a “peaceable kingdom,” we honor the dignity of every person and the intrinsic value of every creature,
and pray and work for the day when none “labor in vain or bear children for calamity” (Isaiah 65:23). We do so
as disciples of the One who came “that all may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10), and stand
in solidarity with Christians and with all who strive for justice around the globe.
In faith, responding to our Creator, we celebrate
the full humanity of each woman, man, and child, all created in the divine image as individuals of infinite worth, by working
for:
·
Abolition of forced labor, human trafficking, and
the exploitation of children.
·
Employment for all, at a family-sustaining living
wage, with equal pay for comparable work.
·
The rights of workers to organize, and to share in
workplace decisions and productivity growth.
·
A system of criminal rehabilitation, based on restorative
justice and an end to the death penalty.
In the love incarnate in Jesus, despite the
world’s sufferings and evils, we honor the deep connections within our human family and seek to awaken a new spirit
of community, by working for:
·
Abatement of hunger and poverty, and enactment of
policies benefiting the most vulnerable.
·
High quality public education for all and universal,
affordable and accessible healthcare.
·
An effective program of social security during sickness,
disability and old age.
· Tax and budget policies that reduce disparities between rich and poor, strengthen
democracy, and provide greater opportunity for everyone within the common good.
· Just immigration policies that protect family unity, safeguard workers’
rights, require employer accountability, and foster international cooperation.
· Sustainable communities marked by affordable housing, access to good jobs, and
public safety.
· Public service as a high vocation, with real limits on the power of private
interests in politics.
In hope sustained by the Holy Spirit, we pledge
to be peacemakers in the world and stewards of God’s good creation, by working for:
· Adoption of simpler lifestyles for those who have enough; grace over greed in
economic life.
· Access for all to clean air and water and healthy food, through wise care of
land and technology.
· Sustainable use of earth’s resources, promoting alternative energy sources
and public transportation with binding covenants to reduce global warming and protect populations most affected.
· Equitable global trade and aid that protects local economies, cultures and livelihoods.
· Peacemaking through multilateral diplomacy rather than unilateral force, the
abolition of torture, and a strengthening of the United Nations and the rule of international law.
· Nuclear disarmament and redirection of military spending to more peaceful and
productive uses.
· Cooperation and dialogue for peace and environmental justice among the world’s
religions.
We—individual Christians and churches—commit
ourselves to a culture of peace and freedom that embraces non-violence, nurtures character, treasures the environment, and
builds community, rooted in a spirituality of inner growth with outward action. We make this commitment together—as
members of Christ’s body, led by the one Spirit—trusting in the God who makes all things new.
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