Apostolic Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
The Apostolic Catholic Church (ACC) is a self-governing church that claims to trace its faith and worship from the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that Jesus Christ and his Apostles established. The church believes the Trinitarian Doctrine
that states that the Father
, the Son
, the Holy Spirit
are three persons in one being. The church's goal is to mediate and unite the Western Rite
or the Roman Catholic Church
and the Eastern Rite
or the Orthodox Church to form a single Catholic
Church.
It is a conservative church in that it observes the proper attire for men and women. These practices are criticised by other Christian churches as being inappropriate to manifest holiness. Especially during the sacrifice of the Holy Mass, veils and decent dresses are worn by women while men wear white shirts and trousers, but mostly white soutanes. Vulgar and liberated attire such as mini skirts and jeans by women and sando shirts by men are strictly prohibited and should not be worn at any time. These ancient church traditions were removed after the Vatican II Council by the Roman Catholic Church but were all retained by the Apostolic Catholic Church to show-off its orientation. Members of the church are also known for their discipline and piety; youths are not allowed intimate relationships with one another, thus breaking some teachings of the Bible regarding young people to develop love for the opposite gender, because it is alleged to be the route of indecent and immoral behavior. Adults are prohibited vices such as alcohol, cigarettes-but some men still practice it, gambling and drugs. The Apostolic Catholic Church is classified as an autocephalous pseudo-catholic church because it is not in communion with the Vatican
or the Holy See
and the Bishop of Rome although it follows Catholic teaching and theology like the Marian Devotion and recitation of the Holy Rosary
. ACC does not recognize the supremacy of the Pope
as the head of the Catholic Church. It has its own leader, Patriarch Dr. John Florentine L. Teruel, P.P. who claims that he is respected and followed by members of the church congregation and other christian denomination
s as well as other religious leaders.
, Bataan
, Philippines
. It has two main shrines: one is the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Sacrifice Valley and the other is the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rock in Quezon City
, with the first as its main cathedral. The church was registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 4, 1992.
similar to Eastern Orthodox churches; located in Hermosa
, Bataan
, Philippines
. It is officially called Barangay
Sacrifice Valley Ecclesiastical State where the highest clergy
of the church and the Patriarch
Dr. John Florentine Leonzon Teruel reside and govern the whole denomination
. Like other Christian patriarchates worldwide, Sacrifice Valley does not accept the authority of the See of Rome but respects it. Its principal church is The Cathedral
of the Most Holy Trinity, where the history and foundation of the church took place. There is also a unique and one of a kind outdoor church, called the Nature's Basilica
of the Blessed Virgin Mary which has circular structures that shelter the different cult images of Mary
, the Theotokos
. It is also commonly allegedly known and claimed to be the Pilgrimage
Capital of Bataan because every year during Holy Week
, thousands of people including Roman Catholics visit it for their devotion to Mahal na Ingkong, title given by their leader to God according to ACC members and clergy
, this however, beacame the subject of controversy because neither the Bible and the Apocrypha claim it. The Apostolic Catholic Church follows the Episcopal polity
because it maintains a council of bishop
s that is headed by a sole leader, the Patriarch.
atic catholic because it does not accept the authority of the Pope
nor the Doctrine
of Papal Infallibility
and the conditions approved in the Vatican II Council that removed some ancient Christian traditions.
Church governance is divided into Dioceses headed by Archbishops or Bishops. Each Diocese is also divided into individual Parishes headed by one or more priests.
The church is an active member of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines
along with other Protestant and non-Roman Catholic churches whose goal is to achieve ecumenism
. Today, the church is said to have more than five to eight million members worldwide, making it the third largest Christian denomination in the Philippines
after the Roman Catholic Church
as the first and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Aglipayan as the second.
and the Anglican Communion
, it recognizes all Roman Catholic and Orthodox saints. Currently, there is only one saint beatified by the ACC
Patriarch
.
*St. Maria Virginia Peñaflor Leonzon, mother of the Church and the Patriarch, Dr. John Florentine L. Teruel, PP. She is the honorary foundress of Apostolic Catholic Church and its Cursillo Movement. Having an elevated spiritual life, she was beatified and canonized a saint in 1995 by the Patriarch. Because of this, St. Maria Virginia P. Leonzon became the first Filipino non-Roman Catholic saint. All members of the church congregation believe that St. Maria Virginia P. Leonzon was the Covenant
of the Holy Spirit
, Mahal na Ingkong and the reincarnation
of the Virgin Mary. When she was still alive, St. Maria Virginia was a living saint for all ACC
members. When this woman was still living, she was a common subject of spoof in many video sharing and blog sites (e.g. Youtube), she is always accused of blasphemy bacause of always reenacting the stations of the cross done by Jesus Christ to save humanity. Many other Christian churches also accuse Maria Virginia of these improper acts because she always say during Holy Week celebrations that salvation was given through her, however, what she claims to be are not supported by the books of the Holy Scriptures. She died at the age of 83 in Sacrifice Valley in 2005.
. Their claim that God told them his new name was "Ingkong" and Maria Virginia was God's covenant and the reincarnation
of the Virgin Mary, further heated the controversy. Unlike other religious leaders, Dr. Teruel possesses various material or earthly things such as expensive Air Jordan shoes and a collection of genuine branded watches. The materialism of Teruel is always criticized in documentaries and TV shows as well as in their hometown of Hermosa, Bataan
. Christian churches also demonstrate their criticisms to ACC because it teaches its members as to having already eternal salvation. This is because, all teachings of the ACC cannot be found anywhere in the Scriptures (e.g. the name Ingkong) and also the idea of reincarnation. The Patriarch also, Dr. Teruel, is very worldly, expensive having Air Jordan rubber shoes and living in a mansion. ACC also practices some pagan rituals, which are contrary to the sound doctrine of Christianity, such as pagtatawas or driving out evil spirits by the use of alum mixed with water. The said practice had its roots to the ancient witchcraft used in some secluded islands and provinces in the Philippines.
The official symbol of the church are two crosses with a dove between them. The Eastern Rite
Orthodox cross is on the left and the Western Rite
Roman Catholic cross is on the right with a dove that represents unity and peace between them in the center. The combination of the two crosses are viewed by the Apostolic Catholic Church as symbolic of the unity of Christianity, particularly the Eastern and Western Churches.
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
that states that the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
, the Son
God the Son
God the Son is the second person of the Trinity in Christian theology. The doctrine of the Trinity identifies Jesus of Nazareth as God the Son, united in essence but distinct in person with regard to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit...
, the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
are three persons in one being. The church's goal is to mediate and unite the Western Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
or the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and the Eastern Rite
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite is the liturgical rite used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches, by the Greek Catholic Churches , and by the Protestant Ukrainian Lutheran Church...
or the Orthodox Church to form a single Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church.
It is a conservative church in that it observes the proper attire for men and women. These practices are criticised by other Christian churches as being inappropriate to manifest holiness. Especially during the sacrifice of the Holy Mass, veils and decent dresses are worn by women while men wear white shirts and trousers, but mostly white soutanes. Vulgar and liberated attire such as mini skirts and jeans by women and sando shirts by men are strictly prohibited and should not be worn at any time. These ancient church traditions were removed after the Vatican II Council by the Roman Catholic Church but were all retained by the Apostolic Catholic Church to show-off its orientation. Members of the church are also known for their discipline and piety; youths are not allowed intimate relationships with one another, thus breaking some teachings of the Bible regarding young people to develop love for the opposite gender, because it is alleged to be the route of indecent and immoral behavior. Adults are prohibited vices such as alcohol, cigarettes-but some men still practice it, gambling and drugs. The Apostolic Catholic Church is classified as an autocephalous pseudo-catholic church because it is not in communion with the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
or the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and the Bishop of Rome although it follows Catholic teaching and theology like the Marian Devotion and recitation of the Holy Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
. ACC does not recognize the supremacy of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
as the head of the Catholic Church. It has its own leader, Patriarch Dr. John Florentine L. Teruel, P.P. who claims that he is respected and followed by members of the church congregation and other christian denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
s as well as other religious leaders.
Foundation
The Apostolic Catholic Church (ACC) was founded in 1992 by John Florentine L. Teruel. His mother, the ACC Matriarch, Maria Virginia Peñaflor Leonzon, became its honorary foundress. The church is based in Sacrifice Valley Ecclesiastical State in HermosaHermosa, Bataan
Hermosa is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 52,484 people in 8,988 households."Hermosa" means "beautiful" in Spanish, like the Portuguese formosa.-Barangays:...
, Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It has two main shrines: one is the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Sacrifice Valley and the other is the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rock in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
, with the first as its main cathedral. The church was registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 4, 1992.
Patriarchate
The Apostolic Catholic Church has a patriarchatePatriarchate
A patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. A patriarch, as the term is used here, is either* one of the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, earlier, the five that were included in the Pentarchy: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, but now nine,...
similar to Eastern Orthodox churches; located in Hermosa
Hermosa, Bataan
Hermosa is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 52,484 people in 8,988 households."Hermosa" means "beautiful" in Spanish, like the Portuguese formosa.-Barangays:...
, Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is officially called Barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
Sacrifice Valley Ecclesiastical State where the highest clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
of the church and the Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
Dr. John Florentine Leonzon Teruel reside and govern the whole denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
. Like other Christian patriarchates worldwide, Sacrifice Valley does not accept the authority of the See of Rome but respects it. Its principal church is The Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of the Most Holy Trinity, where the history and foundation of the church took place. There is also a unique and one of a kind outdoor church, called the Nature's Basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
of the Blessed Virgin Mary which has circular structures that shelter the different cult images of Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, the Theotokos
Theotokos
Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
. It is also commonly allegedly known and claimed to be the Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
Capital of Bataan because every year during Holy Week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
, thousands of people including Roman Catholics visit it for their devotion to Mahal na Ingkong, title given by their leader to God according to ACC members and clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
, this however, beacame the subject of controversy because neither the Bible and the Apocrypha claim it. The Apostolic Catholic Church follows the Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
because it maintains a council of bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s that is headed by a sole leader, the Patriarch.
Denomination
The Apostolic Catholic Church is a Pseudo-Christian cult, but it claim itself to ba a Catholic denomination that can be classified as paleo-orthodox because its goal is to mediate Catholicism to revive the ancient traditions that Papacy taught early Catholics. The church manifests itself as schismSchism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
atic catholic because it does not accept the authority of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
nor the Doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
of Papal Infallibility
Papal infallibility
Papal infallibility is a dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when in his official capacity he solemnly declares or promulgates to the universal Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals...
and the conditions approved in the Vatican II Council that removed some ancient Christian traditions.
Hierarchy of members
There are two kinds of members, the Sealed Servants or official members and the associate members or those who received other Catholic Sacraments but did not yet receive the Holy Sealing from God, the Holy Spirit, through His Holy Covenant, Saint Maria Virginia or through the Patriarch, John Florentine. There is also a hierarchy of members from children to adults. Sealed Servants are classified as "APO" (men and women, 21 years old and above) and "Auxiliaries" (youth, below 21 years old). Auxiliaries are further classified into: Hijas de Maria (girls 13 to 20 years of age), Cherubims or Seraphims, (boys 13 to 20 years of age), and Angelitos and Angelitas (girls and boys below 13 years old).Church governance and congregation
The Apostolic Catholic Church as a self-governing autocephalous church, has only one Congregation and religious Order which is the Order of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit (OMHS). The members of said Congregation are the Archbishops, Bishops, Auxiliary Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Subdeacons, Deaconesses, Nuns, and Third Order Members, bound by their Evangelical Vows of Chastity, Poverty, Obedience, and Acceptance of their immediate superiors, to the Patriarch, His Holiness, Dr. +John Florentine L. Teruel, P.P., and to God, the Holy Spirit, who is called by His new Name Ingkong. The lay governing body of the Apostolic Catholic Church is headed by the Parish Pastoral Council, with its own elected officers and committees, the working force of the church.Church governance is divided into Dioceses headed by Archbishops or Bishops. Each Diocese is also divided into individual Parishes headed by one or more priests.
The church is an active member of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines
National Council of Churches in the Philippines
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines is a fellowship of ten mainline Protestant and non-Roman Catholic denominations, and ten service-oriented organizations in the Philippines. It represents close to twelve million adherents. Advocacy for environmental protection and against...
along with other Protestant and non-Roman Catholic churches whose goal is to achieve ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
. Today, the church is said to have more than five to eight million members worldwide, making it the third largest Christian denomination in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
after the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
as the first and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Aglipayan as the second.
Saints
The Apostolic Catholic Church follows the doctrine of recognizing saints and holy people based on what they have done while still alive. Similar to the Episcopal ChurchEpiscopal Church in the Philippines
The Episcopal Church in the Philippines is a province of the Anglican Communion first established by the Episcopal Church. It was founded in 1901 by American missionaries led by Charles Henry Brent, who served as the first resident bishop. It became an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion...
and the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
, it recognizes all Roman Catholic and Orthodox saints. Currently, there is only one saint beatified by the ACC
ACC
ACC may refer to:-Business:* ACC Limited, Indian cement manufacturer* ACCBank, Ireland* American Campus Communities, private student housing provider* American Communications Corp, cabling company in San Diego...
Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
.
*St. Maria Virginia Peñaflor Leonzon, mother of the Church and the Patriarch, Dr. John Florentine L. Teruel, PP. She is the honorary foundress of Apostolic Catholic Church and its Cursillo Movement. Having an elevated spiritual life, she was beatified and canonized a saint in 1995 by the Patriarch. Because of this, St. Maria Virginia P. Leonzon became the first Filipino non-Roman Catholic saint. All members of the church congregation believe that St. Maria Virginia P. Leonzon was the Covenant
Covenant (religion)
In Abrahamic religions, a covenant is a formal alliance or agreement made by God with that religious community or with humanity in general. This sort of covenant is an important concept in Judaism and Christianity, derived in the first instance from the biblical covenant tradition.An example of a...
of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
, Mahal na Ingkong and the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of the Virgin Mary. When she was still alive, St. Maria Virginia was a living saint for all ACC
ACC
ACC may refer to:-Business:* ACC Limited, Indian cement manufacturer* ACCBank, Ireland* American Campus Communities, private student housing provider* American Communications Corp, cabling company in San Diego...
members. When this woman was still living, she was a common subject of spoof in many video sharing and blog sites (e.g. Youtube), she is always accused of blasphemy bacause of always reenacting the stations of the cross done by Jesus Christ to save humanity. Many other Christian churches also accuse Maria Virginia of these improper acts because she always say during Holy Week celebrations that salvation was given through her, however, what she claims to be are not supported by the books of the Holy Scriptures. She died at the age of 83 in Sacrifice Valley in 2005.
Criticisms
Soon after the church split with the Roman Catholic Church, many Catholic and non-Catholic members of the clergy began to conclude that Patriarch Dr. Teruel and his mother, Maria Virginia had established a cultCult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
. Their claim that God told them his new name was "Ingkong" and Maria Virginia was God's covenant and the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of the Virgin Mary, further heated the controversy. Unlike other religious leaders, Dr. Teruel possesses various material or earthly things such as expensive Air Jordan shoes and a collection of genuine branded watches. The materialism of Teruel is always criticized in documentaries and TV shows as well as in their hometown of Hermosa, Bataan
Hermosa, Bataan
Hermosa is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 52,484 people in 8,988 households."Hermosa" means "beautiful" in Spanish, like the Portuguese formosa.-Barangays:...
. Christian churches also demonstrate their criticisms to ACC because it teaches its members as to having already eternal salvation. This is because, all teachings of the ACC cannot be found anywhere in the Scriptures (e.g. the name Ingkong) and also the idea of reincarnation. The Patriarch also, Dr. Teruel, is very worldly, expensive having Air Jordan rubber shoes and living in a mansion. ACC also practices some pagan rituals, which are contrary to the sound doctrine of Christianity, such as pagtatawas or driving out evil spirits by the use of alum mixed with water. The said practice had its roots to the ancient witchcraft used in some secluded islands and provinces in the Philippines.
Symbol
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite is the liturgical rite used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches, by the Greek Catholic Churches , and by the Protestant Ukrainian Lutheran Church...
Orthodox cross is on the left and the Western Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
Roman Catholic cross is on the right with a dove that represents unity and peace between them in the center. The combination of the two crosses are viewed by the Apostolic Catholic Church as symbolic of the unity of Christianity, particularly the Eastern and Western Churches.
View on family planning
The Apostolic Catholic Church views the RH Bill (Reproductive Health Bill) as the answer to the increasing growth in the Philippine population. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church that views it as a sinful act, the ACC church considers it a non-abortive method of planning a family in the future. They were previously skeptical about the bill, but after Patriarch Dr. +John Florentine Teruel heard the discussion of Representative Edcel Lagman, the principal author of the bill, they now fully support it like other Protestant Christian denominations.External links
- http://www.acc-ingkong.com/, the official website of the Apostolic Catholic Church.