www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West ROCOR Western Rite Disappears?

Yes, that is the problem with "traditional" this or that. They make mountains out of mole-hills.

At least he is now where he believes he should have been from the beginning.

Alex

I'm definitely not Anti-Catholic, but I did some heavy research on this organization a few years back when their former "archbishop" claimed CDF was corresponding with them. The only source of information on their claims are themselves. The only one who said they were going to come in through the Ordinariate are themselves. I emailed Msgr. Steenson as soon as they stated that and made him aware of my concern with web links, etc.
The former "archbishop" and his wife had a wedding chapel in their home out of which they were promoting quickie weddings, etc. His wife was ordained online and performing these wedding as well. The group also is in "communion" with another body which does not necessarily wish to be Catholic, this other organizations head was the same "archbishop", who now claims to be a returned RC layman. The other strange thing that got me looking into this group is the current "archbishop's" vestment, which looks like a Malankara priest's style, with a RC bishops zucchetto, etc.

Here is what I had in the email at the time, you may have to use the internet archives to fine some of these now defunct links:

Retired Lt. Colonel Irl Gladfelter, DDS is apparently well known in the independent church world. Not only does he and his crew of merry clerics run around keeping lineages from Old Catholic, to Episcopalian, to protestant, to Coptic, to Syriac, etc, etc.etc (a sure red flag!!), he also is affiliated to a chapel (which strangely is his house and cathedral I suppose) which performs quicky weddings. He claims it is his wife who performed weddings and such, but has recently resigned her former clerical credentials. Yet a simply google search will show his involvement in weddings, etc.

See here:
http://www.alpb.org/forum/index.php?topic=1528.45

and here:

http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/sto...d=40492&page=2

and here:

http://www.alpb.org/forum/index.php?...6732#msg206732


Anytime Weddings
Kansas City, MO:
http://www.manta.com/g/mtkpvz8/irl-gladfelter

Formerly known as:
http://www.projectwedding.com/vendor...ity-ministries

Co-'consecrator' to women ordaining sect:
http://www.locva.org/index.php?id=50

Oh - and this popped up while I was looking at one of the other links:

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-church-that-wants-to-go-out-of-business?render=print

Your negaitve view of the ALCC suggests otherwise.



J/k, but seriously, many of the specifics you related are news to me; but as I said earlier, there's definitely a lot of misleading stuff about the ALCC on the internet -- and I think that those who are gung-ho about conversions to Catholicism are particularly susceptible to it.

OK, you're not anti-Catholic . . .

But when I come across a Lutheran who says he wants to belong to Rome, I jump on him and say, "Thank you Lord!"

If they pass muster with Rome, I'm OK with that - so should we all.

Alex

That's not exactly the same as starting an organization dedicated to getting Lutherans to convert.

"Never, never, never let anyone tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must be Eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies." -St. John Maximovitch

What about one who makes wild claims to being episcopal, says he's already Roman without being in Rome, performs Vegas weddings from his home, and evades any detailed questions?

Dear Michael,

I agree with what Peter the Rock said about the internet. You could contact the head of that group and see what he has to say about things that concern you.

I always contact such individuals with my questions and I come away with different impressions than what the internet can afford me.

Don't know the answer to your questions - and the internet isn't the be all and end all.

Alex

The same goes for all such organizations!

Well, I think there's some truth to the "says he's already Roman without being in Rome" part ... after all, the ALCC is an organization with the stated purpose of getting Lutherans and Anglicans to convert to Catholicism. (Conversely, if a Roman Catholic started an organization for getting Roman Catholics to convert to Anglicanism, I wouldn't be too surprised if people started saying that he/she was Anglican.)

That aside, I'd say that it is incumbent on the ALCC to present themselves accurately. But having said that, I also think that a large part of the success (in the sense of making a name for themselves, at least on the internet) is due to promoters who aren't officially affiliated with them. See for example:

http://www.theanglocatholic.com/tag/bishop-irl-gladfelter/
http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/2011/03/anglo-lutheran-catholics-to-enter.html
http://anglicansablaze.blogspot.com/2011/02/ordinariate-watch-anglo-lutheran.html
http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=40492

Dear Peter the Rock,

Hopefully, if this group is successful in getting a goodly number of Lutherans to become Catholic Michael Thoma won't be too upset then either!

Alex

And do you know the rest of it? The problem with quoting St John, and anyone for that matter, there is always someone who was there who can add context to such a quote.

Remember he reposed in 1966, not to long ago. And how many western rite churches did he leave in his diocese?