Vol 15 Issue 40 Christmas Tide 2022 A.D.

Editorial
Happy Christmas Tide and God’s gracefilled New Year
of the Lord 2023! Thank you for joining us in the jour-
ney of faith: based on Lex Credendi, Lex Orandi, Lex
Vivendi, (what we believe is how we worship is how we
live ). We continue to embrace the Faith of our Lord
Jesus Christ, as He taught, as the Apostles preached and
as the Fathers of the Church preserved. Our role is to
remain faithful to Him until His Second Coming- Pre-
serve, protect and pass on the Faith once delivered unto
the saints.
Though a quarterly edition, due to the voluminous
blessings that God continue to bestow on us, we have
been publishing this our Koinonia once a year. Our
thoughts and prayers continue to be with you through
the year through our morning and evening prayers.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Grateful to
The Cover Picture - The Revelation Cross, painting Dea-
Him for all the blessings that have been and all the
con Rod Umlauf: In the book of Revelation, Chapter’s 4-5,
blessings to come.
there is a description of four living creatures who sur-
Thankful to our clergy and the faithful for the dedica-
round the Throne which is in Heaven and continually
tiona and trust. Happy New 2023 Anno Domini!
sing, “ Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was,
Blessings Always
and is, and is to come.” Between the four living creatures
+ Leo & Holly Michael
and the twenty-four elders there is a “Lamb standing, as
Holy Trinity Anglican Seminary welcomes though it had been slain...” ( This scene corresponds to a
you! vision seen by the prophet Ezekiel in Chapter 1). The four
creature were like first, a lion, second an ox, third a flying
Holy Trinity Anglican Seminary (HTAS) is
owned and administrated by the Holy Catho- eagle, and the fourth a figure with a face like a man. Tra-
lic Church Anglican Rite of the diocese of Holy ditionally exegesis connects the four living creatures with
Trinity and Great Plains. It’s location in Kansas the four evangelists; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The
City, mid-America makes travel easy to meet the
campus schedule. It forms part of a long tradition Four Gospels are seen as a symbol that the Gospel of the
of the Holy Catholic Church of Anglican Rite and continues this impor- Kingdom would be preached to the four corners of the
tant work of evangelization of the Kingdom of Christ in the United States earth. The Lamb is the Christ, Jesus, who was slain for
of America and beyond its mission territories.
With the advancement of communications, Holy Trinity Angli- the salvation of the whole earth and who shed His blood
can Seminary will offer online and on campus training for its students. for the entire world.
Holy Trinity Anglican Seminary firmly believes that Good Formation
will ensure FRUITFUL Ministry. Keeping in mind the Great Commis-
sion of the Lord, HTAS will train its candidates in strong Scriptural foun-
dation, Sacramental worship in the Apostolic Tradition as enunciated in
the conservative Anglican Tradition. With qualified faculty and commit-
ment to the cause of priestly formation, Holy Trinity Anglican Seminary
is set to impart the traditional Anglican orthodoxy even in the emerging
social and pastoral challenges. The seminary will also offer courses for
lay students as well.
The Seminary primarily serves the Holy Catholic Church An- In the Koinonia masthead, the circle with the cross in the center symbol-
glican Rite while students belonging to other denominations are wel- izes the paten and the diverse elements which form a whole. The Mosaic
represents the great cloud of witnesses and the church tradition. The red
come to participate in our program of study and reflection. The Holy
in the letters represents the blood of Christ with the font comprised of indi-
Trinity Anglican Seminary will soon be accredited with a view to confer- vidual pieces of letters that are not joined until the blood unifies them. Koi-
ring the Bachelor’s Degree in Theology. nonia is the official publication of the Anglican Province of the Holy Cath-
Holy Catholic Church pays special attention to the forma- olic Church-Anglican Rite (HCCAR) aka Anglican Rite Catholic Church.
tion of her ministers. Church directives require that candidate to the It is published quarterly at St. James Anglican Church, 8107 S. Holmes
Road, Kansas City, MO 64131. Phone: 816.361.7242 Fax: 816.361.2144.
priesthood undergo a minimum of three years devoted to an intense and
Editors: The Rt. Rev. Leo Michael & Holly Michael, Koinonia header: Phil
specifically priestly formation. These directives are implemented at this Gilbreath; email: [email protected] or visit us on the web
seminary, with particular emphasis on the Anglican traditions of the at: www.holycatholicanglican.org Cover picture: Rev.Br. Rodd Umlauf
Holy Catholic Church.

Koinonia 2
Mary Did Know.
Bishop Leo Michael

I
magine life without the social media where in Elizabeth, who was deemed barren, was already six
only the community that you lived in was able months into her pregnancy. The angel asserted that
to verify and attest to one’s identity and integ- there is nothing impossible with God, referring to this
rity - a small town mentality if your will, where miraculous birth of the Savior of the world. Mary said
everyone knew each other. This was how it was at the yes in submission to the Angel, “behold the handmaid
time of the birth of our Lord. It was the ‘word of mouth’ of the Lord, be it done unto me as you have said.” And
that carried the ‘word of God’ - It’s called the Oral tradi- the Angel departed from her.
tion. The Bible as we know it is the result of the oral tra- In the supernatural conception of the Son of
dition until it came to be accepted as the canons of the God in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Leo
Bible under the Church Fathers. However, the tradition the Great comments: “Lowliness is assumed by majesty,
was handed down through the Apostles and preserved weakness by power, mortality by eternity. To pay the
the through the Church Fathers.There are aspects of debt of our sinful state, a nature that was incapable of
the role of Mary etched in the Scripture and others that suffering was joined to one that could suffer. Thus, in
have been passed on through Apostolic Tradition. keeping with the healing that we needed, one and the
The Gospel of St. Luke describes the annuncia- same mediator between God and men, the man Jesus
tion of the birth of Christ to a young virgin of Christ, was able to die in one nature, and unable to die
Nazareth named Mary. in the other.”
He greets her with, “Hail Mary Full of Grace” And thus began God’s plan of Salvation to a lost
Mary’s consent was needed for the birth of Jesus – the humanity. The story of the birth of Christ is covered by
one who will save people from their sins. Mary, already St. Luke and Matthew and we are given the wondrous
betrothed to Joseph was confounded by the Angel’s message of Christ’s birth. It reveals the initial struggle
message and asks frank question, “How can this con- of Joseph. Mary was already with the child before their
ception be possible as I’m not married yet?” arranged marriage. He wanted to quietly dismiss her to
The angel reassures her that the child she will spare her of embarrassment and a cruel punishment of
conceive would be of the Holy Spirit and that her cous- the sin of adultery. He was met by an angel in a dream.
Koinonia 3
The angel reassured him that the Child was of the Holy until the passage of Herod. St. Luke sums it up as ‘Mary
Spirit. And he submits to God’s will, as Mary did. kept all these things and pondered in her heart. Mary
Joseph then needed to obey the Emperor’s dic- knew.
tate to a tax census and arrives at Bethlehem to register Then we see Mary at the first miracle in Cana
himself. There, Mary delivers the son of God. One of the at a wedding pleading ‘son they have no wine” and Je-
contemporary Christmas songs, Mary Did You Know?, sus responding, “woman my hour is not yet come’ and
asks if Mary knew when she kissed the face of her little Mary tells the servants, “Do as He tells you” The miracle
boy that she kissed the face of God. Mary knew. Joseph happens.The woman that Jesus addressed his mother as
knew. They both knew that this was the Son of God as is not derogatory but the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.
they kissed His face. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
More confirmations come through the shep- and between your offspring [a] and hers; he will crush
herds in the field who were watching the flock that night. [b] your head, and you will strike his heel.”
They arrive at the manger to see this baby wrapped in In the midst of his public life of teaching and per-
swaddling clothes and lying in forming miracles and
a manger. And they were told healings, someone an-
that a Savior has been born for nounces, “behold your
them in the city of the David, mother and brothers
which is Christ the Lord. And are here.” Jesus replies,
the angelic chorus glorified “Who is my mother
God and wished peace to peo- and who are my broth-
ple of good will. They came, ers and sisters? Only
they saw and believed. Mary those who do the will
saw this confirmation from of God” Was this an in-
others of God’s marvelous act! sult or a compliment to
Yes, Mary knew. a mother who carried
Then came the arrival out her God-given mis-
of the wisemen from the East sion?
guided by a load star through In his three years
fields and deserts and moun- of public life, in spite of
tains. The star disappears in the mercy and good-
Jerusalem by King Herod’s ness he gave to all who
palace. The only option for received him, he was
them was to ask for a direction deemed a blasphemer
from Herod the King. Herod by the religious zealots
learns the birth of the mes- for speaking the truth,
siah from the prophecy concerning Bethlehem. Herod which Pilate himself could not fathom. Jesus was tried
is troubled by the birth of Christ. He asks the magi to let and crucified as a criminal between two thieves and
him know when they find Christ, only to do away with there we see Mary at the foot of the Cross with John,
this new threat to his kingdom and sovereignty. His where Jesus says, “Woman behold thy son; son behold
edict goes out to kill all the children under two years. thy mother.” John took care of her from there on and
The star reappears and brings the magi to the manger. then Mary awaits the Pentecost, the coming of the Holy
They bring him gold for the King of kings, frankincense Spirit.
for the Hight Priest and myrrh for his embalmment at This is all that we can glean from Scripture re-
his burial. How could a baby upon his birth could be garding Mary’s role and presence in the life of the early
destined to die. “ For this child shall be the cause of church. But, before the New Testament came to us in
many rise and fall in Isarael” Prophet Simeon said upon its written form, there was oral tradition. The teaching
seeing the Messiah with his own eyes. Mary knew what of the Apostles handed down the greatest story of sal-
was in store for her son. vation in and through Jesus Christ. The early Church
Mary and Joseph had to flee to Egypt to protect “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fel-
their newborn and raise him at the home in Nazareth lowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers.”
Koinonia 4
(Acts 2:42). The essence of the Apostles teaching is ex- and Protestant alike) articulation of Jesus Christ as one
pressed by St. John the Divine: “That which was from person in two natures, Nestorius claimed that Jesus Christ
the beginning, which we have heard, which we have the man and the Divine Logos were two separate persons.
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our For this reason, he refused to call Mary the Mother of God
hands have touched, concerning the Word of life— the (Theotokos in Greek), a title given to her by early Chris-
life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, tians, and instead called her the Mother of Jesus (Chris-
and announce to you the eternal life, which was with totokos). This belief also led Nestorius to deny that the
the Father and was revealed to us— we declare to you second person of the Trinity suffered on the cross, claim-
that which we have seen and heard, that you also may ing that it was only the man, Jesus, who suffered, and not
have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the God.
Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. We are writing
these things to you so that our joy may be complete” As a result of this false teaching, later named
(1John 1:1-4) Nestorianism, the third Ecumenical Council was called
The Apostolic teaching is what has been handed in Ephesus in A.D. 431. The council proclaimed that Jesus
down by the apostolic tradi- Christ was one person: one hun-
tions through the church fa- The council in Ephesus (431 A.D.) dred percent God and one hun-
thers who preserved the faith proclaimed that Jesus Christ was dred percent man, with a ratio-
all along through centuries. nal soul and body, and in whom
If we ascribe Mary’s role only one person: one hundred percent the Divine and human natures
based on the Scripture and as- God and one hundred percent man, dwelt. The title Mother of God
sign her significance only as to with a rational soul and body, and was given to Mary in order to
her role in the birth of the sav- protect the truth about Jesus
ior, then we are mistaken. For in whom the Divine and human Christ’s divinity, and is still used
the church tradition augments natures dwelt. The title Mother of today in Orthodox and Catholic
and reiterates the presence of God was given to Mary in order churches.”
Mary alongside the Scripture: Hear what one of the
“He who is true God was there- to protect the truth about Jesus earliest writings of the church
fore born in the complete and Christ’s divinity, and is still used fathers says: “[T]he report con-
perfect nature of a true man, today in Orthodox and Catholic cerning the child was noised
whole in his own nature, whole abroad in Bethlehem. Some
in ours. By our nature we mean churches. ” said, ‘The Virgin Mary has giv-
what the Creator had fashioned en birth before she was married
in us fromthe beginning, and took to himself in order to two months.’ And many said, ‘She has not given birth; the
restore it. In Mary’s Womb, God Becomes Man” (This ex- midwife has not gone up to her, and we heard no cries of
cerpt from a letter by St. Leo the Great (Epist. 28 ad Fla- pain’” (Ascension ofIsaiah 11 [A.D. 70]).
vianum, 3-4: PL 54, 763-767) The church pondered over the miraculous con-
When the church struggled with controversies ception of Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary
concerning the nature of Christ whether he was only through the centuries. For the Son of God to be born
Divine or human or both, the church came down with in a womb, it would make sense that the womb would
the word ‘theotokos’ (God bearer) there by ending the need to be a sinless receptacle. Not that Mary made
controversy that Jesus was only human and asserting herself sinless, but God could have made her so as He
that He was fully God and fully Human. Yes, Mary did chose her to be the mother of His only son before she
know that when she kissed her baby boy, she kissed the was even born. And hence the expression, ‘immaculate
face of God. conception’ that she was conceived sinless or God made
Kenneth Henderson, the Catholic Blogger from a sinless womb for the birth of His only Son. Could this
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma simplifies this complicated have been possible with God? Yes, of course, for He is
heresy thus: “Back in the 5th century, a teaching about God who is Light and in Him there is no darkness.
Jesus Christ was being circulated by a man named Nesto- The church tradition called her death as ‘the dor-
rius who taught that Mary bore only Jesus who was a mition of Mary’ or’ the Assumption of Mary,’ that she was
man, not God. In contrast to our (Orthodox, Catholic, assumed body and soul into heaven. In St. Epiphanius’
Koinonia 5
classic Panarion (“bread box”) or Refutation of All Her- cemetery of the martyrs” (The Genuine Acts of Peter of Alexan-
esies, written about AD 350, this early Church Father dria [A.D. 305]).
affirms belief in the Assumption: “Like the bodies of the “We acknowledge the resurrection of the dead, of which
saints, however, she has been held in honor for her char- Jesus Christ our Lord became the firstling; he bore a body
acter and understanding. And if I should say anything not in appearance but in truth derived from Mary the
more in her praise, she is like Elijah, who was virgin from Mother of God” (Letter to All Non-Egyptian Bishops 12 [A.D.
his mIn St. Epiphanius’ classic Panarion (“bread box”) or 324]).
Refutation of All Heresies, written about AD 350, this Methodius
early Church Father affirms belief in the Assumption: “While the old man [Simeon] was thus exultant, and re-
other’s womb, always remained so, and was taken up, joicing with exceeding great and holy joy, that which had
but has not seen death(Panarion 79). before been spoken of in a figure by the prophet Isaiah, the
Let not anyone fool us or mislead us about the holy Mother of God now manifestly fulfilled” (Oration on
Simeon and Anna 7 [A.D. 305]).
role of the mother of our Lord as though the church
“Hail to you forever, you virgin Mother of God, our un-
founded by the Lord Jesus got fast forwarded to the six-
ceasing joy, for unto you do I again return. . . . Hail, you
teenth century when the Reformation came to be. Sad-
fount of the Son’s love for man. . . . Wherefore, we pray
ly, the baby was tossed with the bathwater, reformation
you, the most excellent among women, who boast in the
purely was protestant- protesting against the excesses
confidence of your maternal honors, that you would un-
and overindulgence of the Roman Catholic Church
ceasingly keep us in remembrance. O holy Mother of God,
then, keeping only the Scriptures as the sole authority
remember us, I say, who make our boast in you, and who
and tossing out the Apostolic Teaching.
in august hymns celebrate your memory, which will ever
Here are the teachings of the Fathers of the
live, and never fade away” (ibid., 14).
Church regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary:
Cyril of Jerusalem
Irenaeus
“The Father bears witness from heaven to his Son. The
“The Virgin Mary, being obedient to his word, received
Holy Spirit bears witness, coming down bodily in the form
from an angel the glad tidings that she would bear God”
of a dove. The archangel Gabriel bears witness, bringing
(Against Heresies, 5:19:1 [A.D. 189]).
the good tidings to Mary. The Virgin Mother of God bears
Hippolytus witness” (Catechetical Lectures 10:19 [A.D. 350]).
“[T]o all generations they [the prophets] have pictured Ephraim the Syrian
forth the grandest subjects for contemplation and for ac- “Though still a virgin she carried a child in her womb,
tion. Thus, too, they preached of the advent of God in the and the handmaid and work of his wisdom became the
flesh to the world, his advent by the spotless and God- Mother of God” (Songs of Praise 1:20 [A.D. 351]).
bearing (theotokos) Mary in the way of birth and growth, Athanasius
and the manner of his life and conversation with men, “The Word begotten of the Father from on high, inex-
and his manifestation by baptism, and the new birth that pressibly, inexplicably, incomprehensibly, and eternally, is
was to be to all men, and the regeneration by the laver [of he that is born in time here below of the Virgin Mary, the
baptism]” (Discourse on the End of the World 1 [A.D. 217]). Mother of God” (The Incarnation of the Word of God 8 [A.D.
Gregory the Wonderworker 365]).
“For Luke, in the inspired Gospel narratives, delivers a Epiphanius of Salamis
testimony not to Joseph only, but also to Mary, the Mother “Being perfect at the side of the Father and incarnate
of God, and gives this account with reference to the very among us, not in appearance but in truth, he [the Son]
family and house of David” (Four Homilies 1 [A.D. 262]). reshaped man to perfection in himself from Mary the
“It is our duty to present to God, like sacrifices, all the Mother of God through the Holy Spirit” (The Man Well-
festivals and hymnal celebrations; and first of all, [the Anchored 75 [A.D. 374]).
feast of] the Annunciation to the holy Mother of God, to Ambrose of Milan
wit, the salutation made to her by the angel, ‘Hail, full of “The first thing which kindles ardor in learning is the
grace!’” (ibid., 2). greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother
Peter of Alexandria of God? What more glorious than she whom Glory Itself
“They came to the church of the most blessed Mother of chose?” (The Virgins 2:2[7] [A.D. 377]).
God, and ever-virgin Mary, which, as we began to say, he
had constructed in the western quarter, in a suburb, for a
Koinonia 6
 Gregory of Nazianz concerning this utterly stupid argument . . . let us prove by
“If anyone does not agree that holy Mary is Mother of divine testimonies both that Christ is God and that Mary
God, he is at odds with the Godhead” (Letter to Cledonius the is the Mother of God” (On the Incarnation of Christ Against
Priest 101 [A.D. 382]). Nestorius 2:2 [A.D. 429]).
Jerome “You cannot then help admitting that the grace comes
“As to how a virgin became the Mother of God, he [Rufi- from God. It is God, then, who has given it. But it has
nus] has full knowledge; as to how he himself was born, been given by our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore the Lord
he knows nothing” (Against Rufinus 2:10 [A.D. 401]). Jesus Christ is God. But if he is God, as he certainly is,
“Do not marvel at the novelty of the thing, if a Virgin then she who bore God is the Mother of God” (ibid., 2:5).
gives birth to God” (Commentaries on Isaiah 3:7:15 [A.D. 409]).
Council of Ephesus
Theodore of Mopsuestia “We confess, then, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begot-
“When, therefore, they ask, ‘Is Mary mother of man or ten Son of God, perfect God and perfect man, of a ra-
Mother of God?’ we answer, ‘Both!’ The one by the very tional soul and a body, begotten before all ages from the
nature of what was done and the other by relation” (The Father in his Godhead, the same in the last days, for us
Incarnation 15 [A.D. 405]). and for our salvation, born of Mary the Virgin according
Cyril of Alexandria to his humanity, one and the same consubstantial with
“I have been amazed that some are utterly in doubt as the Father in Godhead and consubstantial with us in hu-
to whether or not the holy Virgin is able to be called the manity, for a union of two natures took place. Therefore
Mother of God. For if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, how we confess one Christ, one Son, one Lord. According to
should the holy Virgin who bore him not be the Mother of this understanding of the unconfused union, we confess
God?” (Letter to the Monks of Egypt 1 [A.D. 427]). the holy Virgin to be the Mother of God because God the
“This expression, however, ‘the Word was made Word took flesh and became man and from his very con-
flesh’ [John 1:14], can mean nothing else but that he par- ception united to himself the temple he took from her”
took of flesh and blood like to us; he made our body his (Formula of Union [A.D. 431]).
own, and came forth man from a woman, not casting off In conclusion Mary is venerated, i.e. respected as the
his existence as God, or his generation of God the Father, Mother of our Lord and never worshipped. Our wor-
but even in taking to himself flesh remaining what he was. ship is only to God. And yet none of us could accom-
This the declaration of the correct faith proclaims every- plish what she did from the cradle to the cross and res-
where. This was the sentiment of the holy Fathers; there- urrection and beyond. She is the greatest mother and
fore they ventured to call the holy Virgin ‘the Mother of disciple and the woman designated to conceive and
God,’ not as if the nature of the Word or his divinity had bear the child, Emmanuel, who is God with us, Jesus
its beginning from the holy Virgin, but because of her was our Emmanuel.
born that holy body with a rational soul, to which the As Fr. Melville Scott at the turn of the nineteenth centu-
Word, being personally united, is said to be born accord- ry commented: “We are to retain the truth of Christmas,
ing to the flesh” (First Letter to Nestorius [A.D. 430]). pondering it in our hearts. Mary pondered the mystery
“And since the holy Virgin corporeally brought of her motherhood; we are to ponder that of the Brother
forth God made one with flesh according to nature, for Who has united our nature to His own. We are to pon-
this reason we also call her Mother of God, not as if the der the dignity of our nature, and to seek to rise to a
nature of the Word had the beginning of its existence from life worthy of such a connection. We are to remember
the flesh” (Third Letter to Nestorius [A.D. 430]). the mutual respect that there should ever be between
“If anyone will not confess that the Emmanuel is man and man. Levelling socialism would abolish all to-
very God, and that therefore the holy Virgin is the Mother kens of respect to any, but our common brotherhood in
of God, inasmuch as in the flesh she bore the Word of God Christ will lead us to tokens of respect to all. We are to
made flesh [John 1:14]: let him be anathema” (ibid.). ponder the new possibilities, or, rather, certainties, open
John Cassian to men, when this great mystery of grace shall usher in
“Now, you heretic, you say (whoever you are who deny a mystery of glory proportioned to it.(A Devotional Exposi-
that God was born of the Virgin), that Mary, the Mother tion of the Teaching of the Christian Year,)
of our Lord Jesus Christ, cannot be called the Mother of ><> ><> ><>
God, but the Mother only of Christ and not of God—for
no one, you say, gives birth to one older than herself. And

Koinonia 7
 Thank God
for Christmas!
Rich Maffeo

O
ne of the things I very much enjoy about is darker still. It is the time of the winter solstice – the
the Christmas season are the lights. Red time of the shortest day and the longest night. This year
lights, blue, white, blinking, bubbling – all the winter solstice will occur on December 21st.
kinds of lights. In some neighborhoods, In other words, during December, and especial-
some people seem to compete as to how magnificent ly during the week around Christmas, darkness reigns.
their home displays can be. I’ve read in the news – per- Trees look dead. Shadows are at their longest.
haps some of you have also – of homes so decorated I believe it is not at all coincidental that in the
with lights that people drive for miles just to see the midst of that darkness, God orchestrated the celebra-
decorations. tion of His Son who is the Light of the World. In the
No one really knows why Christmas is celebrat- midst of lengthening shadows, God tells us there is
ed in December. Theologians and other scholars have great and ineffable hope.
speculated Jesus was actually born in the early spring in God gave His people many prophesies through
Israel. But I think a December birthday commemora- Isaiah about the first Advent. Here is one of them. And
tion is very appropriate. it provides our text for today: “The people who walk in
December – at least in the western hemisphere darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark
– the same hemisphere where Jesus was born – is the land, the light will shine on them.” (Isaiah 9:2)
darkest month of the year. And the week of Christmas The Christmas season, introduced to us each

Koinonia 8
year on the first Sunday of Advent, is about light in the ness encompassed the prodigal son of the great saintly
midst of darkness. No, it is about light EXPLODING woman – his mother – Monica. But then he met Jesus.
from the darkness. It’s about hope for everyone who And light shone through his darkness. We today know
seeks His light. him as Saint Augustine, one of the fathers of the Chris-
Let’s look at only a few examples. First, Mark 5:1 tian Church. He wrote two classics studied today: The
You probably remember the story. City of God, and Confessions.
They came to the other side of the sea, into the country You might know the name of Horatio Spafford:
of the Gerasenes. When He got out of the boat, imme- I’ve also mentioned him before. Here is a very brief syn-
diately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met opsis of his terrible darkness:
Him, and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no Safford’s 4-year-old son died of Scarlet Fever. A
one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; year later, he suffered the loss of his business in a ter-
because he had often been bound with shackles and rible fire. Two years after that, he sent his wife and four
chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and daughters for a vacation in Europe. He planned to fol-
the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong low shortly afterward. Enroute to England, the ship
enough to subdue him. Constantly, night and day, he Mrs. Spafford and their children were on collided with
was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, another, taking with it 226 people to the bottom of the
and gashing himself with stones. Seeing Jesus from a Atlantic. Among the dead were all four of Spafford's
distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him . . . daughters. When his wife, Anna, finally arrived in Eng-
And what did the Light of the world do? The land, she sent a six-word telegram to Spafford. It read
desperate man lived alone, fearing and feared, cold, iso- "Saved alone. What shall I do?"
lated, in darkness. And then he met Jesus. And Jesus Spafford immediately followed on the next
healed the man, casting out the demons into the herd of ship sailing for England. As his ship crossed the spot
swine grazing a short distance away. where his four daughters drowned, Spafford wrote these
Then there is Bartimeus. Luke 18:35ff As Jesus words: When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot,
road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he be- Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my
gan to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should
of Nazareth was passing by. And he called out, saying, come, let this blest assurance control, that Christ hath
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own
led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he blood for my soul. . . . And Lord, haste the day when the
kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned even so, it is well with my soul.
him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he Then there is John Newton, former captain of
said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!”And Jesus said to slave ships in the 18th century. He stuffed the ship holds
him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” with human slaves who had hardly enough room to
But not all who come to Jesus are healed. Re- stand amongst the filth and sewage and accompanying
member Fanny Crosby? I’ve mentioned her before – illness and death of his slaves. Newton considered their
probably because of her passion for Jesus despite her deaths as simply marked off as the cost of doing busi-
physical darkness. ness – until God got hold of the evil man and changed
Blind for all of her life, Fanny Crosby, is the his life. You know the song he wrote: Amazing Grace,
greatest hymn writer in the history of the Christian how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once
Church. She saw over 8,000 poems set to music and over was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.
100,000,000 copies of her songs printed. Fanny gave the I was blind, but now I see.
Christian world such songs as: He Hideth My Soul, I None of you know my story before I came to
Am Thine 0 Lord, Praise Him Praise Him, Redeemed Christ. But my darkness was as black as any starless
How I love to Proclaim it. night. I won’t rehearse for you my vile and most con-
And then there is Augustine of Hippo: As a temptible sins that deserve me a place in hell. I only ask
teenager, Augustine lived a profligate, reckless, godless you to trust me when I tell you – I lived and I reveled
life. Then he got caught up in religious heresy. Dark- in hellish darkness. And then Jesus called me and saved
Koinonia 9
me and brought me into His most glorious and marvel- people, ‘Who do you say that I am? And some said Jer-
ous light. emiah, or one of the prophets.” And then Jesus looked
So, what is YOUR story? If we took the time we at His disciples and said: ‘But who do YOU say that I
would be here for hours, hearing from each one of you am?”
how the Lord Jesus shed His light on your life and res- The preacher paused a moment and then con-
cued you from your own darkness. tinued to paraphrase from the text: “Peter said, you are
And that is why Christmas is about light. And the Christ, the Son of God.” And Jesus said to him, “You
life . . . eternal life. There is good reason the Holy Spir- are blessed, Simon, son of John, because flesh and blood
it placed this psalm in our Bibles: Even though I walk did not reveal that to you, but my Father in heaven re-
through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, vealed it to you.”
for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they com- “Thank God for Jesus,” the preacher said again.
fort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence And then to his congregation he asked, “Has God re-
of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My vealed to you who Jesus is? Are you a child of God? Is
cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow Jesus your Lord?”
me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house He continued, “Do you know of Jesus because
of the Lord forever. (see Psalm 23) your preacher told you about Jesus? Do you know about
The Lord Jesus said of Himself, “I am the Light Jesus because your parents told you about Jesus? Or do
of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the you know Jesus because God told you about Jesus?”
darkness, but will have the Light of life.”(John 8:12) “Do you thank God for Jesus?”
And again, the Holy Spirit tells us: This is the A few moments later, his simple sermon ended.
message we have heard from Him and announce to you, We turned off the radio and talked about what
that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. we’d just heard. The preacher, simple as his message
(1 John 1:5) seemed to be, reminded me of what the very erudite St.
A few years ago, my wife and I were driving Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: “And when I came
south along I-85, scanning the radio stations for some- to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of
thing worthwhile to listen to on a Sunday afternoon. speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony
I’ve told this story before, but I must tell it again as I of God. For I determined to know nothing among you
close this message on this last Sunday of Advent. except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians
So, as we scanned the radio stations we came 2:1-2).
across a preacher in the middle of his sermon. From This Christmas, as we open the gifts set for us
the way he spoke – his vocabulary and his manner of under the tree, Oh, may God help us reflect on the gift
delivery – I conjured an image of many of the preach- He gave us: “God so loved the world that He gave His
ers Nancy and I sat under during our three decades in only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him would
evangelical churches. There was nothing erudite about not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
his delivery, or for that matter, what he said. But, oh! He And, please God, help us say from our hearts,
captured our attention. “Thank God for Jesus.”
“Thank God for Jesus.” He repeated that phrase Thank God for the light of Christmas that shines
again and again during the several minutes we listened from houses and Christmas Trees and department
to him. stores and supermarkets and so many churches across
He reminded his congregation, “Jesus came as this country and around the world – reminding every-
a baby and lived 33 years so that He could die for your one and anyone with eyes to see – Jesus is the light of the
sins and my sins. Thank God for Jesus.” world. The light that shines even in the darkest month
“He was glad to do what He did because of His – the darkest week of the year. The light that shines even
great love for you and me. Thank God for Jesus.” Then in the darkest life and the darkest of experiences and the
he asked his congregation, “Do you thank God for Je- darkest of situations.
sus?”
Nancy and I heard a few voices in the congrega- Thank God for Jesus. Thank God for Christmas!
tion call out, ‘Amen,” and “Yes, we do.”
Then he said, speaking out of what I recognized ><> ><> ><>
was chapter 16 of St. Matthew’s gospel, “Jesus said to the
Koinonia 10
HCCAR IN EL PASO, TX
Our Lady of the Abandoned HCCAR
Confirmations @ Our Lady of the Abandoned HCCAR in El Paso,
Texas. Fr. George continuing his ministry pastoring to people and
community of El Paso Texas, while assisting at Casa Vida - Rehab
Center! God bless you Fr. George!
(Left): Fr. George cheering his team Argentina for the WORLD CUP
SOCCER and GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAL! Congrats Argentina!
Koinonia 11
 Principles of
Franciscan
Spirituality
Part I
Article & Painting by Rev. Br. Rodd Umlauf TOF

Koinonia 12
Introduction: exercise and knowledge of the text and becomes a living
This study is a summary and paraphrase of experience by acting the words out.
principles of the Spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, set In this way, Francis says, we return the Word to
forth in a 12 lecture course by Br. Bill Short, O.F.M. and the “Most High God”. By returning things to God we re-
produced by “Now You Know Media” (also known as turn things to their proper owner. Every good thing that
Learn25). The original title of the course is “The Trea- we have and are, our insights, health, things, belong to
sure of a Poor Man”. God. This includes our knowledge of the material world
The goal of the Christian life is to live a life that and even our knowledge of Scripture.
is Christ-Like, Christ-Centered; following in the foot- To hang onto this knowledge and not share it
steps of Jesus, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit for with others by living it out would be selfish, especially if
holy and godly living. In short, to live as disciples and we withhold it from those in need.
followers of Jesus is to be imitators of Christ following Grounded in the Word
His teachings and commandments. Francis was grounded in the Word of God. This
In the overview of the course, Br. Short begins means the whole text of the Bible. He loved the Psalms
with the statement: “The spirituality of St. Francis of As- and prayed them every day of his life in the Daily Office.
sisi is based on hearing the Gospel and putting it into But in particular, the Word of God for Francis meant,
practice. He [Francis] begins by listening: the Synop- “The Word of the Gospel”. In this sense, the Gospel
tic Gospels teach him about Jesus’ instructions to His meant all 4 books of the Gospel; Matthew, Mark, Luke,
disciples about how to live. The Gospel of John reveals and John. The Gospel told according to the four evange-
who Jesus is, and how He is related to the Father. Fran- lists.
cis is an example of someone who reads the Word of Within these four sacred texts Francis looked
God prayerfully. He also prays the Psalms in the Divine for what he called, “the Fragrant words of Our Lord Je-
Office, participates in the Eucharist, and takes time for sus Christ”. What are the words that Jesus spoke in the
silent meditation in solitude. These spiritual practices Gospel ? He pays special attention to specific words,
are basic elements of his spirituality.” every single word. It is said that Francis had committed
Spirit & Life: Hearing the Gospel & Practicing it to memory all of Jesus’ words recorded in the four Gos-
We must realize that spirituality is not just a set pels.
of religious doctrines and beliefs, but it is the way these Why are these words so important ? Because
beliefs are lived out, expressed in how we live, and they are the words of the Word of God, who has become
made visible to the world. flesh in Jesus (as we are told in the beginning of John’s
Thomas of Celano, a companion of Francis and Gospel). Jesus is the Beloved Son, the Eternal Word of
first biographer, wrote: “He was the man with the evan- God, who has become a man and taken on human flesh
gelical vocation in truth and in faith the servant of the and nature in the Incarnation.
Gospel...His supreme desire, his ardent wish and his It is these words that Francis found in the Gos-
highest principle was to observe the Gospel in all things pels and he made them a pattern for his life and taught
and above all things...”. (The Life of Saint Francis by his followers. The actual words of Jesus in the Gospel
Thomas of Celano, chapter 30, 84) are the “outline” and foundation of Franciscan Spiritu-
In his Admonitions VII , Francis speaks of being ality.
brought to life by the spirit of the “divine letter”. This Di- Franciscan Spirituality begins by reading and
vine Letter are the words of Scripture; the actual written listening to the words of Jesus. This listening leads to
words of the text. understanding the Word, then treasuring the Word in
He talks about the spirit of the divine letter as our heart, and then living and acting out and express-
not in opposition to each other, but that the spirit of the ing the Word outwardly, which is to do what the Word
letter is enclosed within the letter of the text, and that requires of us.
the text gradually opens up and reveals the spirit which In reading the Gospels, the Church has made
is enclosed in the letter. This is accomplished by read- a distinction between what are commonly called the
ing or hearing the text, pondering the text and thinking “Synoptic Gospels” (Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and
on it, and then he “returns that Word to the Most High Luke, which describe events of Jesus’ life from a simi-
God” by “doing” what the text says (in following the ex- lar or singular point of view, as contrasted with that of
ample of what the text requires one to do in order to act John). The Gospel according to John has a more theo-
out the Gospel). The text goes from being an intellectual logical and sacramental point of view.
Koinonia 13
 Francis looked to the Synoptic Gospels to give This was often done in remote locations, often times on
instruction on how to be a disciple and follow Jesus. high mountains, and sometimes for 40 days at a time:
This is the practical side of life; how to treat those we again, following Jesus’ footsteps. This experience gave
meet. The Gospel of John, in contrast, tells most clearly them a deep awareness of Jesus as recorded in the Holy
who Jesus is as the Divine Son of God, but more spe- Gospels.
cifically, giving us a form of prayer of Jesus and how Cleaning House: The Word of God in Our Hearts
we address Almighty God. John chapter 17 is the most Central to Franciscan Spirituality is the Word of
common cited passage in the writings of St. Francis. God. This cannot be overestimated. But Francis empha-
He meditated upon this conversation between God the sized this using the phrase “Word of God” on two levels,
Father and Jesus the “Beloved Son” for many years. In not just in reference to the Bible. The first and foremost
the course of his life, Francis makes this prayer of John was to the Word of God as the Incarnate Word become
17 his own prayer. There is a deep identification with man in the person of Jesus; Capital “W”. The second
Jesus, getting into the mind of Christ and seeing God was the word of God in the written words of Scripture;
as abba, Father, but also a conformity to Jesus in one’s lower case “w”.
own life, following Jesus’ teachings and placing our feet, Br. Bill Short begins his second lecture this way:
as it were, into His footsteps. According to Francis, the “ The Word of God comes toward us, in a kind of migra-
deeds of Jesus are what are called “vestiges” of Jesus, His tion. Philippians 2 [ verses 6-8] describes the journey
footsteps (how Jesus taught, healed, fed, and accepted of the Incarnate Son from equality with God to sharing
suffering, etc.). We imitate Christ as literally as humanly our humanity. To receive this Word in our hearts, we
possible. need to clean our inner house as a dwelling place. By
Reading the Word of God Prayerfully receiving the Word and expressing it in our actions, we
In depth meditation on Scripture, and more participate in a ‘holy activity’ or ‘sacred action’. In this
specifically on Gospel texts, the Word enters the heart. way, the Word of God takes flesh in concrete examples”.
Many in our modern era speak of “Daily Devotions” Br. Short continues and discusses this “Divine
where we read a passage of the Bible and then a com- Migration” and the journey of the Word towards us in
mentary on the passage. We Anglicans follow the Lec- the Incarnation. The Word, the Son, reveals to us God’s
tionary for the Psalms and Scripture readings of Morn- name, who the Father is. In the beginning of the “Lord’s
ing and Evening Prayer. The contemplation on the text Prayer”, which was St. Francis’ favorite prayer, Jesus
of Scripture should be so deep, that it becomes one with reveals to us that God is Abba = Father. It is a family
the person and begins to form the way a person thinks, name, a friendly name, an affectionate loving name, like
acts, and reacts toward others. a child who calls his father “Daddy”. And we see how
An example might be that Jesus was concerned the Father reveals the name of Jesus, the “Beloved Son”
for the poor and the sick. It would follow, that as those in Jesus’ baptism and the transfiguration. These names
attempting to walk in the steps of Jesus, we should be are revealed to us through the Holy Spirit because only
concerned with the poor and needy and visit those in in the presence of the Holy Spirit do these names have
desperate situations, even those in prison. In so doing, family meaning because God in His true nature is a cir-
we see the face of Jesus in all we encounter (See Mat- cle of family love.
thew 25 and the parable of the Sheep and the Goats). Jesus, as the Eternal Word of God and the heart
The daily practices of Francis and his follow- of the Trinity, travels to us in the Incarnation to be with
ers involved daily prayer. This was through communal us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We recite from the
prayer in praying the Daily Office recited seven times beginning of the Gospel at the end of each Mass, John
daily together with the Psalms appointed for that day, 1. And we also recite during Mass from the Nicene
and also private prayer. This was in fact a following in Creed“...[He] “came down from heaven, And was incar-
Jesus’ footprints because Jesus prayed the Psalms ac- nate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was
cording to the Jewish lectionary, which meant praying made man...”
certain Psalms on certain days and according to certain Jesus, born of Mary, had made a humble journey,
hours of the day. a voluntary exile from the glory of heaven and accepted
Francis and his followers also set aside time for the position of lowly servant, born in a barn with sheep
silence and solitude so that they could contemplate the and cows and oxen, because there was no room for Him
Scriptures and prayer and listening to God in quietness. in the family guest room (The “Inn”). Think about that...

Koinonia 14
the King of Glory in Heaven humbled Himself for our earthly treasures and the cares of the world too much to
sake and became one of us, our Brother. What was the be concerned. We all know the story of the sower well
reason ? He loved us so much. Jesus let go of His divine but do we take the time to test the soil of our hearts to
powerful status and He emptied Himself to become a see if there is good ground for the seed of the Word to
servant for us, even to accept suffering and dying for us live ?
on a tree, which is the true tree of life. Francis gives us an explanation of how the Word
St. Francis saw how the Word humbled Himself comes into the soil, the rich dirt of our hearts:
and came to us in the shape of a servant, in a shape of “Let us beware of the malice and craftiness of Satan,
someone of little importance, and a person like a pilgrim who does not want anyone to turn his mind and heart to
far away from the home in the heart of the Trinity....”He God. And prowling around he wants to ensnare a per-
came to those who were His own, but His own received son’s heart under the guise of some reward or assistance,
Him not....”... “Though He was rich, He became poor...” to choke out the Word and precepts of the Lord from
For us ! And who and through Him, we and everything our memory, and, desiring a person’s heart, to blind it
was made ( John 1:3). through worldly affairs and con-
These thoughts im- cerns and to live there. The Lord
press upon Francis greatly. says: When an unclean spirit
The Word, sent from God, goes out of a person, it roams
takes on a humble form, a through arid and waterless re-
poor little babe of little im- gions seeking rest; and not find-
portance, born of humble ing any, it says: “I will return to
circumstances to a poor my home from which I came.
virgin woman, in a little And coming upon it, it finds it
town, and whose first bed empty, swept, clean and tidied.
was a food trough for ani- And it goes off and brings seven
mals to eat from. other spirits more wicked than
This certainly plays itself, who move in and dwell
a role in Francis, following there, and the last state of that
in the example of Jesus, voluntarily gives all of his fam- person is worse than the first.... Let us always make a
ily positions of wealth and high social status to become home and a dwelling place there for Him Who is the
a poor man serving the poor. Lord God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit “.
Do we recognize the Word made man which Here Francis combines two of Jesus’ parables and uses
has come to us as a poor servant, born in humble cir- homelike images of someone doing interior house-
cumstances in the little town of Bethlehem and raised cleaning to talk about making room for the Word in
in lowly status in Nazareth ? one’s heart, sweeping away distractions, but warns not
Is there room in our proud hearts for Him ? to let the quiet inner emptiness be left vacant because
There is a long section in St. Francis’ “Earlier other bad things could sneak in. We should sweep our
Rule” composed with his brothers around the year 1221 heart clean but be careful of an empty heart. We must
which revolves around the idea of allowing the Word to be eager to invite someone in to dwell there (the Word/
come into our “house”. It is an extended meditation on Jesus). Otherwise there will be someone else ready to
accepting this Word and letting the Word enter a dwell- move into the empty house; Satan and seven of his evil
ing place in us, that is, the heart. This meditation begins buddies (Luke 11:14-28).
with the parable of “The Sower” (Matthew13:1-9, 18- Francis’ advice: Fill up the heart with the Word,
23). The Word of God is the seed, the Son, who wants do not just clean it and leave it empty. Our hearts need
to make our hearts His dwelling place. In the parable of to be occupied by Jesus, not vacant. Our hearts should
the Sower the soil is the rich dirt of our heart where the not so much be filled with good words and ideas and
seed of the Word seeks to take root. Yet not all hearts thoughts, but with a personal presence of Divine Love
have good soil and even then, some do not understand filling our inner house so that we can live it out.
and the Devil comes and snatches away the seed of the “As We Believe, So We Pray, So We Live”, for the love of the
Word that was sown. There are some hearts full of stones Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
and the Word cannot take root there. Other hearts love (Above) Deacon Rod in Prayer

Koinonia 15
 HCCAR IN ECUADOR
The Ministry of the Franciscan Order of Divine Compassion Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite

LA ORDEN FRANCISCANA DE LA DIVINA COMPASIÓN - PROVINCIA NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS ÁNGELES.

FRANCISCANOS ANGLICANOS EN ECUADOR PERTENECIENTES A LA SANTA IGLESIA
CATÓLICA DE RITO ANGLICANO CELEBRA LA NOVENA AL NIÑO JESÚS EN FAMILIA CON TODOS
LOS FELIGRESES EN LOS DIFERENTES SECTORES DE LA PARROQUIA - SANTUARIO NUESTRA SEÑO-
RA DE LA NUBE.
THE FRANCISCAN ORDER OF DIVINE COMPASSION - PROVINCE OUR LADY OF LOS ANGELS.
ANGLICAN FRANCISCANS IN ECUADOR BELONGING TO THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH OF THE
ANGLICAN RITE CELEBRATE THE NOVENA TO THE CHILD JESUS ​​IN THE FAMILY WITH ALL THE
PARISHIONERS IN THE DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE PARISH - NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA NUBE
SANCTUARY.
Koinonia 16
(Above) FRANCISCANOS ANGLICANOS DE ECUADOR Y NUESTRA SANTA IGLESIA CATÓLICA DE
RITO ANGLICANO JUNTO CON TODOS NUESTROS FELIGRESES ESTAMOS AVANZANDO EN LA
CONSTRUCCIÓN DE LA PARROQUIA - SANTUARIO NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA NUBE. TENEMOS FE
Y EWPERANZA EN DIOS Y CON DEVOCIÓN A LA SANTÍSIMA VIRGEN MARÍA DE LA NUBE MÁS LA
AYUDA DE LOS FELIGRESES Y AMIGOS BENEFACTORES TERMINAREMOS LA CONTRUCCIÓN DEL
TEMPLO PARA HONRA Y GLORIA DE DIOS.
ANGLICAN FRANCISCANS OF ECUADOR AND OUR HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH OF THE
ANGLICAN RITE TOGETHER WITH ALL OUR PARISHIONERS, WE ARE PROGRESSING IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF THE OUR LADY OF THE CLOUD PARISH - SANCTUARY. WE HAVE FAITH AND HOPE
IN GOD AND WITH DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY OF THE CLOUD PLUS THE HELP
OF PARISHIONERS AND BENEFACTOR FRIENDS WE WILL FINISH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
CHURCH FOR THE HONOR AND GLORY OF GOD.

Koinonia 17
 HCCAR IN COLOMBIA
The Ministry of Bishop Luis Carlos Garcia Medina in Barranquilla, Colombia., Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite

Koinonia 18
 La entrega de Regalos a los niños del Grupo The delivery of Gifts to the children of the Pre
Pre Juvenil Cazadores de Sueños. Juvenile Group Cazadores de Sueños.
Atendemos a 42 niños a quienes les formamos We serve 42 children whom we train in Values,
en Valores, Diversión y Fe. Fun and Faith.
Todos los sábados charla, Eucaristía, Diversión Every Saturday talk, Eucharist, Fun and Lunch.
y Almuerzo.
La entrega de Regalos Navideños y las Camise- The delivery of Christmas Gifts and T-shirts.
tas.
Los regalos con el Dr. Carlos Gutiérrez, Presi- The gifts with Dr. Carlos Gutiérrez, Honorary
dente Honorario de la Fundación Litoral Atlántico. President of the Fundación Litoral Atlántico.
Actividad Lúdica y entrega de Regalos a los Playful activity and delivery of gifts to the chil-
niños del Grupo de la Comunidad Afrodescendiente. dren of the Afro-descendant Community Group.
Recordando nuestra ordenación Sacerdotal en Remembering our priestly ordination on
Noviembre 25 de 2006. En la foto el padre Rafael y el November 25, 2006. In the photo, Father Rafael and
Padre Fausto, ambos que de Dios Gozan. QEDP. Father Fausto, both of whom enjoy God. QEDP.
El Comedor de los Niños del Grupo Cazadores
de Sueños en el Barrio El Pueblo. The Children’s Dining Room of the Dream-
Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Es- catchers Group in the El Pueblo neighborhood.
tación de Predicación Santo Tomás Beckett. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Santo
Antes. Tomás Beckett Preaching Station.
Campaña de La Fundación Litoral Atlántico, Before.
Providencia Católica de Rito Anglicani del Litoral Campaign of the Fundación Litoral Atlántico,
Atlántico y Suramérica de Construcción de Vivienda Catholic Providence of the Anglicani Rite of the Atlan-
para personas más desfavorecidas y con restricciones tic Coast and South America for the Construction of
físicas. Housing for the most disadvantaged people and with
Se derrumbó la casucha de madera, el tugurio. physical restrictions.
Para proceder a la construcción de la vivienda. The wooden shack, the slum, collapsed. To
proceed with the construction of the house.
Hola Hello
She is Veronica.
Ella es Verónica. I wanted to tell you about a Necessity Project.
Te quería contar sobre un Proyecto Necesidad. Work of Mercy to help Veronica who suffered from po-
Obra de Misericordia para ayudar a Verónica quien de liomyelitis as a child.
niña sufrió de poliomielitis. Regarding the project to adapt the house for
Con respecto al proyecto de adecuación de la Verónica, we were able to quote the materials and
vivienda para Verónica pudimos cotizar los materiales labor.
y la mano de obra. The project would consist of raising the piece in
El proyecto consistiría en levantar la pieza en material, with the plastered walls.
material, con los muros repellados. The roof and the electrical connection. Floor in
El techo y la acometida eléctrica. Piso en plan- cement template.
tilla de cemento. We have already managed to build 50% of the
Ya hemos logrado construir el 50% de la Obra. Work.
Se puede observar la casa ya levantada con You can see the house already built with some
algunas comodidades. Continuamos construyendo la amenities. We continue to build decent housing for
vivienda digna para Verónica. Verónica.
En la Misión Parroquia Nuestra Señora del At the Nuestra Señora del Carmen Parish Mis-
Carmen, Estación de Predicación Santo Tomás Beckett sion, Santo Tomás Beckett Preaching Station

Koinonia 19
 HCCAR IN ITALY
The Ministry ofFr. Luca de Pero HCCAR, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite

Alcune attività della nostra Missione in Italia del nord: la festa del quartiere con la pittura dei volti ai bam-
bini ed i palloncini colorati e la distribuzione di torte. Mese di ottobre: pellegrinaggio al Santuario della Madonna di
Chiampo, vicino alla città di Vicenza. Novembre: benedizione delle tombe e funzione al cimitero di Merano. Dicem-
bre: Inizio dell’Avvento e accensione della corona d’Avvento con i bambini. Raccolta di torte per i bambini e distribuzi-
one, iniziativa “il pacco degli angeli”.
Some activities of our Mission in northern Italy: the neighborhood party with the painting of faces for the
children and the colored balloons and the distribution of cakes. Month of October: pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of the
Madonna di Chiampo, near the city of Vicenza. November: blessing of the graves and service at the Merano cemetery.
December: Beginning of Advent and lighting of the Advent wreath with the children. Collection of cakes for children
and distribution, “the package of angels” initiative.
Koinonia 20
In Memoriam: As an Anglo Catholic Parish, St. James participated in the Queen’s Tea preceded by an Evensong in the
late Queen’s memory at St. James Anglican Cathedral, Liberty, Missouri
Koinonia 21
Christmas at St. James Anglican Cathedral, Liberty, MO
Preparation for Christmas and the Lessons and Carols St. James Anglican Cathedral in Liberty

Koinonia 22
DHTGP & HCCAR SYNODS 2022 A.D.
The Annual Dioceasan and Provinciail Synods at the Cathedral Parish of St. James

The Synodal Mass of the Diocese of Holy Trinity and Great Plains, accompanied
by the dedication of the Pipe Organ to the memory of Kate Daniels by Mr. James
B. Daniels Esq., Bishop Edmund Jayaraj address the synodal attendees. The 2023
Synod will be June 13-16th at St. James Anglican Cathedral in Liberty,MO

Koinonia 23
Publication of the Anglican Province of the
Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite
St.. James Anglican Cathedral
342 N. Water St, Liberty, MO 64068