In a letter to the Brazilian Primate, Archbishop Akinola said the action of Archbishop Olivera created a "crisis concerning our relations". Then the Nigerian Primate blasted Bishop Juval Neves, Bishop of Southwestern Brazil, saying that a paper he wrote and broadly published as an authoritative voice from Brazil, argued that the Windsor Report and the agreed theological position of the Communion represented "a pretentious majority wishing to assume control and power". Akinola said such a judgment was "shocking, damaging and false."

"These circumstances demonstrate such a dramatic divergence from the theological commitments of the Anglican Communion and others in the Global South, that the presence of your province at the conference in Egypt would be counter productive," wrote Akinola.

The message was clear: Stay away.

The Nigerian archbishop concluded his letter to Olivera saying the situation in the Communion was grave. "We are seeking to speak with integrity and love. The actions and statements of your province are only adding to the tensions. Until we hear from you and your church your clear decision to correct these actions and statements, the organizing committee has agreed unanimously to withdraw the invitation for your province to be represented in Egypt."

Angered by his letter, Archbishop Olivera wrote back to Akinola saying, "It seems that we are facing judgment and discrimination within the South of the Anglican Communion."

He then accused Akinola of not listening to the voices of those from Brazil but only those churches of the USA and Canada. "Now, it seems, the organizing Committee of the Global South meeting does not want to listen to us and that there is only way of thinking."

Olivera accused Akinola with having only "one theological perspective and not being pastorally and theologically open to the diversity, which is the basis of the Anglican Communion. The church in Brazil has never broken communion with any of the provinces of the Anglican Communion, although it never agrees with all positions and attitudes."

Olivera then blasted Akinola over the deposed Bishop of Recife saying that he did not know the real situation, that it was an "internal matter of the Brazilian Church" and that Cavilcanti was deposed "due to disciplinary, ethical and moral measures."

Olivera blamed Cavilcanti for breaking communion with the Brazilian Church, as he "offended and disrespected the Primate."

The archbishop denied that that he knew anything of Bishop Neves writings regarding the Windsor Report and said that as a senior bishop in the province he had the freedom to express himself.

Apparently that freedom is not afforded the Bishop of Recife.

Olivera said he was saddened and shocked by the actions of the Global South committee describing it as "authoritarian and discriminatory" and with no way to reverse the decision. He concluded by saying that "we have never seen an archbishop of Canterbury act in such [a] way."

Last week a civil court judge stopped an irregular "synod" of dissidents in the Diocese of Recife that had been called by Suffragan Bishop Filadelfo Oliveira Neto, acting on behalf of Archbishop Olivera, saying that the administrative, judicial and economic property remained with the "deposed" Bishop Robinson Cavilcanti and with the 32 "excommunicated" clergy of the diocese. The judge said the suffragan bishop had "no right for convocation" as the Province and Diocese had their own Constitution and Canons under the present sitting bishop.

The Brazilian Primate Orlando Oliveira had tried to do an end run around the orthodox diocese by issuing an "Episcopal Decree", but the legitimate synod obtained an official notary, recognized by Brazilian Law effectively nullifying the archbishop's unofficial "XXIII Diocesan Synod" with the courts saying it had no constitutional or canonical support.

Diocesan lawyers said the pseudo "Synod", could not be installed and deliberate because it lacked a quorum, as established by the Diocesan Canons and Statutes.

Frustrated by the lack of support coming from the Global South for Archbishop Olivera, the liberal bishop of Southwestern Brazil, Jubal Neves wrote to Louie Crew, the Episcopal Church's leading homosexual lay advocate with a headline screaming "Akinola the Pope?"

In his letter Neves said the actions of Akinola were a "mistake" and he urged Crew to send the letter of his archbishop to all the Anglican bishops.

An open letter of support for faithful Anglicans in the Diocese of Recife had been earlier issued by Emmanuel parish in Chesham, England.

"In the light of the recent official "deposing" of the Bishop of Recife, and the threatening of 37 diocesan clergy in the Province of Brazil, we are writing this open letter to offer our support and prayers for Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti, and to all the clergy in the diocese of Recife who are being attacked by the provincial authorities in Brazil. We recognize that Bishop Robinson and the clergy of the diocese who hold orthodox, mainstream Anglican beliefs, in line with the vast majority of the Anglican community, are being deliberately persecuted by the authorities of the province who are driven by a liberal and revisionist agenda, and who are clearly supported financially by the Episcopal Church of the USA. It saddens us that while the Anglican Church has been growing and bearing fruit in the diocese of Recife over a number of years, the declining church in the rest of the Province is seeking to destroy that work by removing the Bishop Cavalcanti, and threatening the clergy who remain faithful to the gospel. It also saddens us that on a personal level, a large number of men and women are being undermined in their ministry, and facing increasing emotional and financial strain and uncertainty because of the action of the Province."

Historically the Province of Brazil was a plant of the Episcopal Church USA from which it has obtained considerable financial support over the years. The province's liberal stance on faith and morals is a direct result of the influence of the ECUSA.

Earlier, in July, the Brazilian Province requested a covenant with the Episcopal Church USA and sought financial backing for what it called a "substantial mission fund," to expand its ministry throughout the South American country. The report was submitted to the national Executive Council.

The Province of Brazil had its origin in 1890 by Episcopal missionaries who missionized the country. It gained independence in 1965 but sought re-establishment of ties with the ECUSA for financial reasons and what it called a "Commitment to be Companions in Christ."

The revisionist archbishop has demonstrated a visceral hatred towards orthodoxy which found its focus on the only evangelical diocese in the province.

The Diocese of Recife has repeatedly asked for help from the Archbishop of Canterbury in its struggles with Archbishop Olivera, and the matter has been referred to the newly set-up Panel of Reference.

END

"Judge Stops 'Synod' of Recife Dissidents"
He supports orthodox diocesan bishop

Press Release from Recife
September 10, 2005

In a new chapter of the tensions between the Brazilian Province and the Diocese of Recife, Judge Cátia Luciene Laranjeira de Sá, of the Pernambuco State Civil Court, ordered the suspension of a pretended "Synod" of the liberal dissidents, lead by Suffragan Bishop Filadelfo Oliveira Neto, which would include canonical reforms and ordinations.

The pretended "Synod" was called for September 09th and 10th. The judge accepted the demand by lawyers Bruno Romero Pedrosa Monteiro and Felipe Costa Fontes - representing the Diocese (a legal entity with administrative, judicial and economic autonomy), that includes "deposed" bishop Robinson Cavalcanti and the 32 "excommunicated" clergy, that the Suffragan has "no right for convocation", and that the Province and the Diocese must behave according their own rules: The Constitution and the Canons. The question is that the pretended "XXIV Diocesan Synod" was called by the "XXIII Diocesan Synod" that met in December 2003, to take place in December 02nd-04th 2004, but suffered, the intent of prohibition by an "Episcopal Decree" issued by Brazilian Primate Orlando Oliveira with no constitutional or canonical support. The Synod assembly, unanimously decided to convene, and had its minutes registered in the official notary, being considered by the Brazilian Law "A Perfect Juridical Act". So it would be impossible to have a meeting that already had happened. The diocesan lawyers affirmed the lack of legal support for the convocation, and that the pretended "Synod", could not be installed and deliberate without filling the required quorum, as established in the Diocesan Canons and Statutes. Said, also, the lawyers in the Petition:

"From these facts all decisions or ordinations that comes from that meeting, a pseudo-synod formed by a dissident minority, without obey the Diocesan Institutions, against the majority of the Diocese, the Provincial and Diocesan Canons, and the Civil Law, is totally null, and cannot produce any effect and judicial sphere, for being against the canonical, the constitutional and the civil norms as well affected the social and judicial security of the country". For the Diocesan Press Secretary, the Revd. Estevao Menezes Chiappetta:

"The appeal to the Civil Court was imperative, by the reason that the Ecclesiastical Court, the House of Bishops and the Primate are all members of the same power group that exercise an authoritarian control of the provincial administration. Oppressed by the Church, we appealed to Caesar."

END