Free Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
The Free Catholic Church is a German derivative movement of the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
.
bishop Carlos Duarte Costa - and his diocese of Botucatu, Brazil - severed ties with the Vatican
. The bishop was excommunicated in 1945 after he accused the Vatican
of having collaborated with the national socialists (Nazis) and fascists. He then founded the Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasileira (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church). In 1949 the church was brought to Germany
by the future Archbishop Johannes Peter Meyer-Mendez
where it was registered as the Free Catholic Church ("Freikatholische Kirche").
After the death of Archbishop Meyer-Mendez, his successor Georg Fröbrich, later Archbishop Hilarios Karl-Heinz Ungerer
, transferred the seat of the archbishop, i.e. the principal seat, from Cologne
to Munich
, the capital of Bavaria
. Archbishop Ungerer also was temporarily conductor of the now vacant Kustodie der Mariaviten in Bayern - founded by Archbishop Maria Paulus Norbert Maas - until his successful bid for demission of bishop's duties in 1978.
In September 1972, Bishop Ungerer rented a shop for a "shop church", which became the Free Catholic Shop Church at 25 Thalkirchner Strasse in Munich, as was the fashion in some big towns at that time. Over the next 25 years he endeavoured to integrate marginal groups into the church.
http://www.free-catholic.com
http://www.free-catholic.org
Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
The Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church is an independent Catholic church established in 1945 by Brazilian bishop Dom Carlos Duarte Costa, a former Roman Catholic Bishop of Botucatu.The ICAB has 58 dioceses and claims five million members in 17 countries...
.
Church background
In 1937 the Roman CatholicRoman 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...
bishop Carlos Duarte Costa - and his diocese of Botucatu, Brazil - severed ties 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...
. The bishop was excommunicated in 1945 after he accused 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...
of having collaborated with the national socialists (Nazis) and fascists. He then founded the Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasileira (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church). In 1949 the church was brought to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
by the future Archbishop Johannes Peter Meyer-Mendez
Johannes Peter Meyer-Mendez
Johannes Peter Meyer-Mendez was the founder and first Archbishop of the Free Catholic Church in Germany....
where it was registered as the Free Catholic Church ("Freikatholische Kirche").
After the death of Archbishop Meyer-Mendez, his successor Georg Fröbrich, later Archbishop Hilarios Karl-Heinz Ungerer
Hilarios Karl-Heinz Ungerer
Hilarios Karl-Heinz Ungerer is a German Bishop based in Munich, where he currently heads the Free Catholic Church, though his routes trace back through other independent European churches...
, transferred the seat of the archbishop, i.e. the principal seat, from Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, the capital of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. Archbishop Ungerer also was temporarily conductor of the now vacant Kustodie der Mariaviten in Bayern - founded by Archbishop Maria Paulus Norbert Maas - until his successful bid for demission of bishop's duties in 1978.
In September 1972, Bishop Ungerer rented a shop for a "shop church", which became the Free Catholic Shop Church at 25 Thalkirchner Strasse in Munich, as was the fashion in some big towns at that time. Over the next 25 years he endeavoured to integrate marginal groups into the church.
External links
http://www.free-catholic.com
http://www.free-catholic.org