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The Korean Catholic Church has backed the Vatican’s decision to dismiss excommunicated Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo from the priesthood.
In its Dec. 17 communique, the Vatican said the former archbishop from Zambia had committed “new crimes against the unity of Holy Church,” specifically that he had ordained bishops without a papal mandate, UCA News reports.
“Archbishop Milingo has … made some faithful confused and misled them in understanding Church doctrine. His dismissal was necessary and proper,” said Father John Bosco Byeon Seung-sik, undersecretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK).
Milingo initially fell foul of Church authorities in 2001 when he wedded Korean acupuncturist Maria Sung in a ceremony arranged by Reverend Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church.
The Vatican excommunicated him in 2006. In its Dec. 17 dismissal notice, the Vatican said he had not shown any repentance and had continued to ordain bishops.
In 2006, Milingo founded his US-based Married Priests Now! movement, which advocates that the Catholic Church allow married priests in active ministry.
The former archbishop is promoting his movement in South Korea, where he lives with his wife, according to Kim Jin-choon, president of the Cheongshim Graduate School of Theology run by the Unification Church.
Kim would not comment on the Vatican’s action but defended Milingo. “Despite many difficulties, he has committed himself to the ideals of true love, family and a peaceful nation through married life, as proclaimed by Reverend Moon,” he said.
“That is a truth all religions admit to, and contributes to building peace among religions,” he said.
Milingo’s wife is a member of the Unification Church, which is also known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.
SOURCE
Local Church backs married archbishop’s dismissal (UCA News)
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Unification Church (Wikipedia)
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