Press Release
Link: Milingo responds to the Vatican Psychiatrist on Celibacy
Article: Celibacy: Expert Vatican psychiatrist: 'Celibacy is a provocation' to a superficial world
The Orthodox Churches and Priestly Celibacy
>> Read the whole article (marriedpriests.org)
Special blessings to Archbishop Milingo and his wife Maria on this 50th anniversary celebration of his ordination as a priest.
I and the other archbishops of the Prelature offered Holy Mass for him today at 11 AM and will continue to do so all week.
I sent his name to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem to be placed there today in prayer.
Archbishop Milingo celebrated a festive anniversary Mass in Lusaka, Zambia his morning at 10 AM with his family and friends around him is prayerful support and celebration.
+Peter Paul Brennan
Vicar General
Married Priests Now! Catholic Prelature
Special blessings to Archbishop Milingo and his wife Maria on this 50th anniversary celebration of his ordination as a priest.
I and the other archbishops of the Prelature offered Holy Mass for him today at 11 AM and will continue to do so all week.
I sent his name to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem to be placed there today in prayer.
Archbishop Milingo celebrated a festive anniversary Mass in Lusaka, Zambia this morning at 10 AM with his family and friends around him is prayerful support and celebration.
+Peter Paul Brennan - Vicar General
Married Priests Now! Catholic Prelature
Some exceptions in Catholic rules
By Peter Smith • August 25, 2008
The Roman Catholic Church has required priests to be celibate since at least the 12th century, but there are exceptions.
So-called Eastern Rite churches, for example, are loyal to Rome but follow many Eastern Orthodox traditions, including the married priesthood.
And beginning in the 1950s, popes began approving the ordinations of married former Lutheran pastors who had converted to Catholicism. In 1980, Pope John Paul II approved a "Pastoral Provision" outlining procedures for ordaining married priests who had converted from the Episcopal Church.
Nearly 100 former Episcopalians have been ordained under the provision, said Monsignor William Stetson of the national Office of the Pastoral Provision. Among them was the Rev. Jeffrey Hopper, who was ordained as the Archdiocese of Louisville's first married priest in 2006 and serves as an assistant pastor at St. James Church in Elizabethtown. The Vatican has processed similar requests from married ministers who converted from other Protestant denominations, although it has no formal policy or office to oversee them.
Researcher Frederick J. Luhmann, author of "Call and Response: Ordaining Married Men as Catholic Priests," has tracked 13 such priests from Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian backgrounds -- but no Baptists.
Married priests cannot be parish pastors -- a recognition that the heavy workload would interfere with family life, Stetson said. But they can help administer parishes and preside at Mass and other sacraments. (courier-journal.com)
FOR years Father Brian Spillane presided over a flock of young, impressionable boys at St Stanislaus College in Bathurst.
A chaplain and a teacher, he officiated at school Masses, led the pupils in prayer and gave them religious guidance.
He also, according to allegations by 13 former students, repeatedly sexually assaulted them.
One alleged victim, who completed year 7 at the well-known Catholic boarding school in 1986 before being expelled, blew the whistle on 65-year-old Spillane's alleged sex offences.
He was also a key witness in the conviction of a former St Stanislaus science teacher, Steven Joseph Wade, who was jailed in 2002 for sex offences committed at the school in 1986.
The allegations of sexual abuse are only the latest in a string of abuse scandals to fuel public debate about the Catholic Church and the conduct of its clergy.
The school says it first became aware of the allegations against Spillane five years ago, when it was contacted by the same alleged victim. It forwarded the allegations to Bathurst police, who sent the information to the child protection and sex crimes squad.
What became of that investigation is unknown but in August last year Bathurst police set up Strike Force Heador to investigate the claims of abuse by Spillane and two other staff members.
The investigation was a watershed for the original whistleblower, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has spent time in psychiatric care.
Four more former pupils came forward to allege abuse and in May police charged Spillane with 33 offences.
The charges included six counts of sexual intercourse with pupils aged 11, 12 and 13, and 18 counts of engaging in and inciting acts ofgross indecency. The other charges related to sex with males aged between 10 and 16.
Early last month police executed search warrants at the school in relation to two former priests and a lay teacher; one is understood to be Spillane and another Wade.
Yesterday Spillane's lawyer, Greg Walsh, declared his client's innocence.
Since the charges were laid another eight pupils have come forward to allege abuse and assault.
The principal of the school, John Edwards, said Spillane had joined the school in the 1970s, left, then returned in the mid-1980s, when he was school chaplain for a number of years. He left the school in 1991 or 1992 but remained a member of the congregation for some time.
He then worked at a Queensland parish before returning to Sydney and, as late as 2004, was serving at the Ashfield headquarters of the Vincentians, the order that runs St Stanislaus.
At a July hearing for his case, Spillane's lawyer stated he was no longer a priest and had married.
The recent charges have also renewed the concerns of some former St Stanislaus pupils who had long suspected something was not right.
One who attended about a decade before the whistleblower said he had observed late-night visits to priests' and brothers' quarters by pupils.
He had suspected a cover-up, he said, and once he heard about the charges levelled against Spillane he became more suspicious.
"I was suspicious when I was at Stannies. I'm more suspicious now about the boys going late at night to staff quarters. [There were] also outings we had - camping overnight in tents at places like Trunkey Creek."
The activities of priests and brothers should have been known to other staff members because they were obvious to students, he said.
The then college president, Joe Keating, died several years ago. The second-highest ranking priest was Father Peter Dwyer. He is a parish priest elsewhere in the state. He did not return the Herald's calls yesterday.
Dylan Welch, Linda Morris and Terry Jones in The Sydney Morning Herald.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008, was a day of great inspiration as one-hundred
religious leaders gathered at the Greater Holy Temple Church on the west
side of Chicago for the monthly ACLC Pastors’ Prayer Breakfast. The
host pastor, Bishop Earnest Hamilton, is the founder of Love Fellowship
International Churches and the Hamilton Foundation of Chicago. He was
an active supporter of the recent Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC
where he invested a week’s effort in educating pastors in the Washington, DC,
area about the festival and mobilized 26 members of his church to attend.
Arrangements for the breakfast in his beautiful facility were perfectly
executed and the environment was filled with a welcoming and an uplifting spirit.
Dr. A. Harold White (ACLC Illinois Co-Chairman) called the gathering to
order and Bishop Hamilton offered the host greeting and invocation. As the
breakfast was served, familiar and new guests continually arrived,
spirit quickly transformed everyone into new friends! The breakfast was followed
by powerful representative prayers for the city, state, nation and world and
a proclamation of the ACLC Statement of Purpose.
A spirited video report was played of the historic Global Peace Festival
on August 9 in Washington, DC, and Rev. William Martin of Chance Ministries
shared about his experiences at the festival and the accompanying American
Leadership Conference. He described his astonishment at the religious,
racial and ethnic diversity of the thousands gathered on the West Lawn of
the U.S. Capitol. He was deeply moved by the music and the presentations,
especially the testimonies of two mothers who were reconciled through
God’s unconditional love after one mother’s son was murdered
by the other mother’s son. He also praised Dr. Hyun Jin Moon for his
vision and profound leadership in inspiring the festival.
An additional special report was given by Mr. Samuel Weber, a young
missionary from Cameroon, Africa, who had been preparing to return to his
homeland with a ministry to spread the Gospel throughout the nation. He
showed a brief video report of his work and asked the assembled clergy to
join him in an ongoing prayer condition as a foundation for his future
program. He exemplified the fulfillment of “living for the sake of
others” and everyone was inspired by his dedication and sincere desire to save God's children.
The main message was delivered by Dr. James Bass, Pastor Emeritus of the
historic Mt. Olive MBC and one of the most beloved religious leaders in
Chicago and the nation. He was introduced by ACLC Founding Member, Pastor
T. L. Barrett, Jr., who testified that Dr. Bass generously opened his pulpit
to him as a young preacher as well as to scores of other preachers throughout
Chicago as they started their ministries.
Dr. Bass’ message focused on “unity” which he began
with a beautiful analysis of the phrase “One Family Under God”. He
referred to texts in John 17:20 where Jesus prayed for the unity of all
believers and Acts Chapter 2 where, on the day of Pentecost, Jesus’
disciples were in one place, in one accord and with one direction. He
reminded us how God’s great power of goodness is realized through unified prayer and action!
Dr. Bass continued his message with the famous story of a man on his
deathbed who gathered his 12 sons and asked them to collect 14 sticks. He
gave one stick to the eldest son and asked him to break it. Next, he gave
one stick to the youngest son and asked him to do the same. When they had
successfully broken their sticks, he asked them to bind the remaining 12
sticks together and try to break them, but it was impossible. This is the
strength of unity! Dr. Bass proclaimed that he is convinced that the
ministry of Father and Mother Moon is creating leaders who are turning the
world upside down! It is through their power and commitment to creating
unity that God abundantly blesses their work!
A surprise guest during the program was Bishop Ki Hoon Kim, National ACLC
Chairman. He shared closing remarks and graciously thanked all Chicago
clergy for their continual support of the ACLC and their source of
inspiration throughout the nation. The benediction was offered by renowned revivalist, Rev. Leroy Elliott.
As the guests continued to fellowship after the end of the program, the
fulfillment of Dr. Bass’ wonderful message was clearly evident.
Everyone was filled with a spirit of hope and excitement as they exchanged
information on their ministries and made plans for future reunions. Unity
centered on God is the key to building the Kingdom!
Thousands of followers of various faiths gathered on the Mall on Saturday evening for the Global Peace Festival, an event to promote cooperation among the world's religious leaders.
JOHN TULLY/THE WASHINGTON TIMES Delores L. Walton (right) and her daughter Delores Thomas traveled from Queens, N.Y., to participate in the Global Peace Festival in the District. The festival was attended by thousands of followers from various faiths, highlighting their shared goals and the need for global unity.
The festival, held on the West Lawn of the Capitol, represents the launch of a long-term initiative by more than 150 faith- and community-based organizations to advocate for peace and unity worldwide.
"We are here to let the world know that we can be together," said the Rev. Paul Murray, executive director of GPF USA. "It's all about compassion. It's all about peace. We can change our world."
Speakers included D.C. civil rights activist and former D.C. Delegate Walter E. Fauntroy and GPF Chairman Hyun Jin Moon, son of Unification Church founder the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.
Mr. Moon is also chairman of News World Communications Inc., parent corporation of The Washington Times.
Several speakers at the festival focused on the common philosophies and goals on which many of the world's religions are based.
"We are one people and one divine presence," said speaker the Rev. Marisha Hazzard, a staff minister at the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles.
Grammy Award-winning Christian music artists Yolanda Adams and David Phelps performed as well as the GPF Interfaith Choir.
Several reconciliations were at the center of the festival. Marita Michael, the mother of a boy who was murdered outside Anacostia High School in Southeast in 2003, embraced Michelle Postell, the mother of her son's killer.
And Elik Elhanen, an Israeli Jew whose 14-year-old sister was killed during a suicide attack in Jerusalem, connected with Aziz Abu Sarah, whose brother was beaten to death by Israeli soldiers.
Over the past three months the GPF has been partnering with faith-based organizations, nonprofits, youth groups and others in the Washington area and around the country.
Among the organization partners are the Humanities Council in the District, the Interfaith Consortium, the Greater Washington Urban League, the Universal Peace Federation and the Points of Light Institute.
Last week, the GPF organized about 1,000 youths to perform service projects around the District.
There are a total of 17 festivals planned for 2008, including a grand finale in Brazil in late December.
The next festival takes place in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 29-31. The first festival was held in the Araneta Coliseum in Manila in 2006. (in Whashingtontimes)
Thousands of peacemakers came to celebrate peace on the lawn of the US Capitol Saturday at the Global Peace Festival USA. The gathering, billed as the largest interfaith and multicultural event ever held in Washington DC, was the second in a series of fifteen Global Peace Festivals this year, with the next planned for late August in Nairobi, Kenya.
"The great thing about the Festival is that it brings people together with neighbors from other faiths and cultures in a safe encounter," said the Festival's executive director Paul Murray, Pastor of the fast-growing church Apostolic Lighthouse Church in Baltimore. "When people see Muslims and Jews from Jerusalem and other trouble spots embracing each other in tears of forgiveness and reconciliation on the stage, they naturally reach out right away with those of other faiths in the crowd."
Rabbi Izhak Bardea from Ramat Gan, Israel, joins the Interfaith peace ceremony Peacemakers Marita Michael, the mother of a murdered boy embraced Michelle Postell, the mother of her son's killer.
Throughout the afternoon, the air vibrated with the sounds of prayers and songs of peace in many different keys. The Black Bear Native American singers called the crowd to order with a traditional prayer dance, and Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi and a large Muslim delegation shared traditional Islamic prayers of peace.
Several speakers reminded the crowd of the parallels with another great gathering in Washington 45 years ago, when Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his immortal message, "I have a dream." Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, one of King's closest aides during the sixties, said the time had come to fulfill King's dream of creating the beloved community. "We must become the 'Joshua Generation' Martin envisioned," Lowery said, "leading the world into a promised land as One Family Under God."
Gospel superstars Yolanda Adams and David Phelps – with seven Grammies between them – were among the many entertainers keeping the crowd in a festive mood, with additional performances from the 500-voice Global Peace choir and a strong contingent of rising local youth groups singing the Global Peace Festival theme song "Where Peace Begins"
Bolivian Tinkas Champions Brotherhood of Jaya A crowd of many thousands listen to the keynote, "America and One Family Under God
The Festival also celebrated the power of service to transform people and communities. "Service is just another way of saying "I love you," said Rev. Mark Farr of the Points of Light Institute, a lead festival partner. The Institute, along with the Universal Peace Federation, Boys and Girls Clubs of Washington DC and more than 242 partner agencies organized a recent citywide day of service. A "Food for Peace" helped fill the shelves of the Capitol Area Food Bank, which recently revealed to the Washington Post that thousands of families were at newly at risk of hunger. Festival goers brought food from as far away as Chicago.
GPF Founder Dr. Hyun Jin Moon delivers the keynote address. "America is already the model of a peaceful world, but she must realize her blessings are for the whole world," he said The Children's Peace Cloth of Many Colors
Above: Hon. Manoel Ferreira, Congressman and Brazilian bishop, announces upcoming GPF in Brasilia.
The global theme of the Peace Festival is "One Family Under God" – a world without the barriers of race and religion – and the leadership role of America as the model of interfaith harmony.
"I want to share a new vision for America," said Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, the Global Peace Festival founder and the third son of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, "It is a vision rooted in our nation's founding principles, taking the ideal of one nation under God and bringing it one step further into a greater, universal ideal, of one family under God. One world family of peace is a dream for Americans and all people of faith, and most of all, it is the dream of God."
###
Universal Peace Federation
mbalcomb@upf.org
Tel: +1 (914) 631-1331 ext 195
Cell: +1 (914) 373-9671
Skype ID: balcomb
Press release
Lucknow (India) 07 August 2008: The World Movement for Global Democracy (WMGD), an international network of people and organizations working for a better world is organizing the Global Symposium 2008 from 12 to 15 December 2008 at Lucknow, India.
The theme of this year’s Global Symposium is ‘Awakening Planetary Consciousness’ and invites participation from educators, civil society organizations, university professors, media and corporate representatives and children from world over.
The four major themes of Global Symposium are as follows: 1. Structure of World Democracy & World Parliament 2. World Religions, Spirituality and Culture 3. Education, Human Rights, Grass root Movements and Role of Civil Society and 4. World Peace and Sustainable Development
The 5th Global Symposium aims to strengthen cooperation among the civil society and media to unite their efforts in world interest and to act and achieve our common goals by laying a strong foundation of a nuclear-free, democratic, sustainable, just and peaceful world order by bringing together inter governmental agencies, global leaders, civil society organizations, corporate representatives, media and children.
The Global Symposium is an annual event that has developed a world wide movement through a global partnership with civil society and educational organizations to establish sustainable development, world unity and world peace. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many to be proximate with some amazing people, aside from being able to directly help address major issues confronting the world today. Global Symposium is an internationally recognized civil society conference which alloys a high-standard conference and a diverse intercultural festival in its programme. The reports of previous four Global Symposiums (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007) are available at the official website: www.wmgd.net/symposium
There is no registration or participation fee. All delegates from abroad will be provided with complimentary boarding and lodging (accommodation and meals) facilities at our guest house along with transport within Lucknow city (Local Transport) from. The delegates are expected to manage their own travel expenses to and from Lucknow city.
The Purpose of this International gathering, in the first instance, is to strengthen cooperation among the civil society to unite their efforts in world interest and to act and achieve our common goals by: 1) Laying a strong foundation of a nuclear-free, democratic, sustainable, just and peaceful world order by bringing together inter governmental agencies, global leaders, civil society organizations, corporate representatives, media and children and 2) Creating a widespread awareness about issues like scarcity of safe drinking water, reform of governmental and corporate structures, more equitable distribution of resources, development of renewable energy programs and encourage dialogue to replace international conflict for achieving a breakthrough by creating a sustainable future.The Conference aims to create a widespread awareness about issues like scarcity of safe drinking water, reform of governmental and corporate structures, more equitable distribution of resources, and development of renewable energy programs and encourage dialogue to replace international conflict for achieving a breakthrough by creating a sustainable future.
The Global Symposium will act on all these suggestions above and constitute a BREAKTHROUGH 2007 -2012 team. The BREAKTHROUGH team will be constituted as a group of active thinkers, active doers and active achievers who will come together at Global Symposium in December 2008 and through joint effort, coordination and networking will endeavour to awaken planetary consciousness for a New World.
Contact: Tariq Khan, Project Leader, Global Symposium 2008, Secretariat, World Movement for Global Democracy (WMGD), 12 Station Road, Lucknow - 226001 INDIA, Tel:
A. Milingo's letter
The Preamble
I would not like that the readers are misled by thinking that the two words are synonymous. They are rather “Cause and effect.” Where there is no forgiveness, there is no redemption. If we take redemption as freeing someone from some bondage, the person bound will only be free when his/her fault is forgiven. Only then will he/she be loosened.
The Priests’ role in human Salvation
We have reached a stage, where more and more the need of a priest in the Catholic Church is clearly defined and looked for.
The theological language calls the Church “A sacrament.”
The Church is a sacrament, because it is a sign of salvation, a beacon, put on the tower of the world. But due to the fall of the leading beacons, due to imposed celibacy on the priests, the principal and leading beacons have been deemed by the Roman Catholic Church, and consequently the mystical body of the Church is covered up by the dirty wicks of the beacons, and is suffering the consequences of shame and despair.
My Appeal to the Married Priests
Whatever you have passed through believe in what was said to you “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedeck.” These words were also said to the high Priest,
Our Prayer
Together with the
We have made enough noise to convince many Catholics that a married priest is a priest forever. He will still continue to impress Catholics by his model family life when he will speak the same language as other families.
In some dioceses the faithful, the Roman Catholic Christians have openly come out accepting married priests. It is their choice, the choice of the people of God.
The Catholic Community needs to raise the more their voice for the need of priests.
As the
Due to the stubbornness of the Roman Catholic Church, with an ambition to be above
other Churches, they imposed a precept, which was wrongly understood as a dogma.
One does not break a law, which is not exposed in all its ramifications.
Celibacy deals with sex, and sex was not taught in the seminary, except the prudence not to commit sexual sins.
Forgiveness Is Redemption
It is unbelievable to come across Catholics, who together with the Roman Catholic Church do not forgive the married priests. “It has never dawned in my mind to see a priest besides a woman in marriage. He promised to God not to marry. He accepted the law of the Church. “The whole history of celibacy has been taunted with the word:
“Imposition.” The condemnation leveled against the married priest includes unforgiveness on the part of the Roman Catholic Church.
Even those so called fortunate ones, who have been dispensed from the vow of celibacy, have been deprived of the greatest gift from God, “The exercise of their priestly vocation.” They must never say that they are priests, but ex-priests and humbly add:
“I was a priest.”
A grave and serious sin committed by the Roman Catholic Church is this unforgiveness.
He showed this teaching in fact in the case of His Apostle Peter.
Not only did
When he went out to the gateway another servant-girl saw him and said to the people there, ‘This man was with
And again with an oath, he denied it, ‘I do not know the man.’ A little later the bystanders came up and said to
Then he started cursing and swearing, ‘I do not know the man.’
Strange that in spite of the three
He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you. “At the third time, when
He was given the responsibility of the same love he promised to
The Roman Catholic Church, the assembly of God’s people, headed by the Pope, should have the same attitude
The repentance of
But when a person who has never committed a serious sin sees someone who has fallen, he makes a big deal of it and gives the sinner no peace.”
“
(
There is no forgiveness in Excommunication
The Roman Catholic Church freely sends to hell all those she has excommunicated.
She hates them, as we learn what she did to those whom she labeled “Heretics.”
She killed them they lost their human dignity, just as the married priests are looked at as no more human beings, worth the name.
As long as the Roman Catholic Church holds on to excommunication, she does not represent
“Forgive them for they know not what they do.” The whole humanity was forgiven publicly, in a loud voice.
The Roman Catholic Church has been going on without being challenged, causing divisions in the Church of Christ, destroying unity for which Jesus (John:17) prayed that it should be the sign of his mission, sent by the Eternal Father.
In Ezekiel 33:11, we read of the Eternal Father who says: “I do not take pleasure in the death of the wicked but in the conversion of the wicked who changes his ways and saves his life.”
God mercifully postpones judgement so that we, infected by our faults and sins may at last return to him.” (
My Confreres Married Priests
With the psalmist we say: “Rescue me from human oppression, and I will observe your precepts.
Let your face shine on your servant, teach me your will.” (PS. 119:134-135).
Do not hesitate to take courage and publicly say: “I am a Priest. Here am I at your service.” Let us join hands in the battle against evil.
We are prepared and equipped. Let us begin with intensive personal prayer. I mean to take time to look into ourselves. We are in the front line of the battle against evil.
But let us use an easy way, as St. Francis of Assisi teaches us: “…….a servant of God should burn and shine in such a way by his own life and holiness that he rebukes all wicked people by his example and the devoutness of his conversation, in this way the brightness of his life and the fragrance of his reputation will make all men aware of their own wickedness.” (
By
Thank God! Thank God! These are the first words that came out of my mouth as I realized that I was still alive after the helicopter crashed.
The day we flew to Seoul from Cheongpyeong (July 19, 2008), there was a hurricane warning. Although the hurricane, "Seagull", had already killed 6 people in Taiwan and continued its course towards the Korean peninsula, the weather conditions at Cheongpyeong and in Seoul were determined as permissible for flight.
True Parents had a luncheon meeting with some of the church leaders in a Chinese restaurant at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Seoul. It was about 4:45 p.m. when we left Seoul by helicopter to return to Cheon Jeong Palace in Cheongpyeong. Though it was still raining and cloudy, the pilot had checked out the weather conditions in Cheongpyeong. Because of the now questionable weather conditions, he decided to follow the Bukhan (North Han) River towards the north—Cheongpyeong Lake in front of the Cheongpyeong Training Center is formed from a dam in the Bukhan River, which is a tributary of the Han River that flows through the city of Seoul.
As we continued following the Bukhan River, we encountered thick patches of fog and clouds, but we could still see well enough to follow the course. When we arrived in the area of Cheongpyeong Training Center we could see the top of the Cheon Seong Mountain where the Cheon Jeong Palace is located. The heliport is located about 300 yards below the Palace at the foot of the mountain. From the helicopter, although we could see the top of Cheon Seong Mountain, the area where the heliport is located was covered by some fog and cloud.
The crash
As the helicopter approached the landing pad, suddenly a thick layer of fog moved in and completely covered the area. The pilot's view of the site became almost zero, but the landing wheels were already out and the helicopter was hovering over the landing pad about to land. But he decided, quickly, to take the craft up and out of the pitch dark, foggy area. It was then that the tail hit a tree and the helicopter reeled from side to side, the powerful blades plowing through trees by the scores. The pilot tried his best to find a way to secure a soft landing in the wooded area of thousands of pine trees. The helicopter, with only half of the tail wing, plowed through the woods for about 150 yards. It finally hit a big cherry tree and crashed in a muddy wooded area near a small stream. There also was a small pond less than 20 feet away from the crash site. Two of the five blades of the helicopter were lost as the craft went through the trees and the remaining three blades became stuck in the muddy hillside as the helicopter crashed. Boom...! It made a thunderous noise.
The escape
While the helicopter was going through this course of turmoil, which took only a minute, we who were on board were experiencing a roller coaster ride, holding onto whatever we could grab. Because of the thunderous sound of the crash, I lost consciousness for a moment. But the noise of the crying children was loud enough to bring me back. Among the 16 people (3 crew members, 13 passengers) in the helicopter, there were three children, Shin-goong nim (6 yrs.), Shin-wol nim (5 yrs.), and Shin-joon nim (5 yrs.). Upon regaining consciousness I realized that I was still tightly seat belted and hanging against the side of my chair. I struggled for a while to release myself. The cabin of the helicopter was in chaos as the copter was tilted on its left side. The children were crying at the top of their lungs.
At that moment it came back to me that Father and Mother were in the helicopter. Instinctively I shouted, "Save Father and Mother first!" Then I looked around the back of the cabin, where I knew 11 people had been seated, to locate the true grandchildren.
Glancing forward I noticed that two of the security brothers were already in the front section of the cabin where Father and Mother were seated. Father was dangling on the side of his chair, tightly seat-belted. He was struggling hard to release himself from the seat belt. So, Mr. Lee Sang- soo (security) lifted him up and Mr. Yoon Ki-byung (Father's assistant) released Father from the seat belt. Meanwhile, Mother's foot was stuck at the corner of the seat. Mr. Kim Seok-byung (Pyong-il Communications Co.) pulled her foot out of its trap. Because the helicopter was tilted on its side, the entrance door was now located above us and so we had to lift Father, and then Mother, up through the door. By then, luckily, one of the crew members was already outside on the roof and he helped Father and Mother to finally get out. Once reaching the top of the helicopter, they had to slide 8 feet down to the wet and muddy ground. Following True Parents, the grandchildren were lifted up through the exit and they followed the same path.
After the grandchildren were out, eight of us who accompanied Father and Mother that day climbed out of the door one by one. Nobody remembers who came out first or who was the last among us to leave the helicopter. When I made my way out, however, I could see a couple of people behind me. I still remember how urgent I felt when the smell of the smoke became overwhelming and also the strong heat from the flames which had just ignited and were about to burn the interior of the helicopter. In spite of the smoke and fire that had begun engulfing the cabin we all escaped safely from the helicopter without fighting one another.
When I found myself on the ground, I realized that I could not move with ease because of the rainfall and muddied ground. It seems that instinctively we all knew that we had to run as far away from the burning helicopter as possible—that it could explode at any second. So we desperately trudged through the mud and rain, scared that an explosion would occur any second. It is a fact that the fuel helicopters use is more flammable than automobile gasoline and the fuel tanks which were attached on both sides of the copter could explode not just by fire but also by a strong impact or shock.
I immediately looked around to locate Father and Mother and the grandchildren. As I stood up from the fall in the mud I noticed True Father was carried away from the helicopter by the security brothers. But Mother was still stuck on the muddy ground struggling. Mr. Pak Jung-Hyun tried to help her to stand up, but she could not move her legs. So I quickly ran to her and put her on my back and tried to move away. Mr. Pak held her to stay on my back. The ground was so muddy and my back started hurting that I could not walk upright but half crawling. We were able to move up the hill about 70 yards and I finally collapsed. Father was about 10 yards ahead of us, sitting on the muddied ground behind a big pine tree. Someone shouted, "Bring Mother up here! It's safer!" But I could not carry her any further. At that point two young security brothers came to carry Mother to the place where Father was waiting. So, most of us including the three grandchildren, gathered together around Father while the rest were scattered nearby.
Though it was still raining, a strong and tall flame with dark black smoke engulfed the helicopter when we looked back at it. Father offered his lap so that Mother would have a place to lay her head. But she could not move even an inch. So, I sat on the ground near her head so she could rest her face on my lap. I hadn't noticed that my pants were almost completely covered with mud. It was then Mr. Pak took off his jacket, folded it and put it on my lap for Mother to lay her head. As we sat there for a while, we heard three explosions. The pine trees surrounding us amazingly protected us enough that none of the debris—from the three explosions that followed—fell on us.
To the hospital
It was about 25 minutes after the helicopter crashed that the ambulances and fire trucks arrived with fire fighters. I shouted that Father and Mother had to be carried out quickly to the Cheongshim Hospital which was only about a mile away. I was not only worried about True Parents' injuries but also reporters' cameras. I did not want anyone to take pictures of True Parents covered in mud. Some security brothers who had witnessed the crash from the Palace came down to the site and immediately took Father and Mother on stretchers to the ambulances before any reporter appeared.
Shin Joon-nim was crying loudly, looking for his Onni, Im Ji-sun, but she had injured her back and could not move. She was on the ground nearby, in pain, and was also carried out on a stretcher to the ambulance. The rest of us helped one another until we reached ambulances, and we were safely transferred to the Cheongshim Hospital emergency. It was about 6 P.M. when a nurse took off my mud-covered shoes!
Even before our arrival at the hospital, YTN news channel (CNN in Korea) reported the accident. Following the YTN news all the major news media in Korea covered the story with pictures of the burning helicopter.
Through that night and the next day at the hospital all of the passengers were thoroughly checked by X-ray and MRI. Several had fractures, or bruises to the back—mostly minor injuries. Although everyone was still in shock from the trauma, thankfully there were no head injuries and everyone was conscious and mentally sound. The most seriously injured were Mother and Im Ji-sun who both had successful surgery on a dislocated spine. News of the accident got out and within hours people from around the world began calling. I had lost my cellphone in the fire so I was left pretty quiet for several hours until I got my new phone. My wife was finally able to reach me from New York in the middle of the night.
I began feeling severe pain on my back and neck. Thankfully, the doctor said that the tests showed I didn't have any fractures or dislocations or broken bones. The pain was coming from twisted and severely stressed muscles. That night I could hardly sleep because of the pain and flashbacks of that terrible thunderous crashing sound and the events that ensued. Even until today my memory has not been able to erase that terrible sound.
Many miracles
From the day after the accident occurred, numerous testimonies of spiritual nature came to us from all over the world. We also received a technical report from the helicopter's pilot and special investigaters.
According to a specialist's investigation, over 90% of helicopter accidents are fatal to some or all passengers. About three months before this accident there was a military helicopter crash near the site where our helicopter crashed. All of the four passengers were instantly killed. I, myself, have seen and heard of helicopter accidents and I cannot recall any survivors. It is common knowledge that when a helicopter crashes, there are usually no survivors. So it was truly a miracle that all 16 people on board came out of the crash without shedding even a drop of blood. Furthermore, even the special investigators could not understand why it took more than 20 minutes until the helicopter exploded though the helicopter started burning as soon as it crashed. Usually when a helicopter crashes there is a fire that causes an immediate explosion.
Another miraculous fact is that, according to the pilot, if the helicopter had continued its course for another tenth of a second it would have crashed into a huge boulder which would have resulted in instant explosion and death to all passengers.
Also the three remaining blades became entrenched in the muddy hillside at the time of the crash. A specialist said that because they were stuck in the hill, the blades couldn't do any damage to the body of the helicopter. Had this not happened, because of the blades' spinning power the helicopter would have tumbled and been thrown upside down. A few sharp edged tree stems poked through the helicopter at the time of the crash. But none of those sharp edged tree stems came through to the passenger cabin area. One penetrated through the luggage compartment area only a foot away from a passenger seat. Another one came through the cockpit.
The special investigators could not understand why the fuel tank did not explode immediately after the crash. As I have mentioned before, the fuel used in helicopters is much more volatile and dangerously flammable even with a strong impact.
If the helicopter had fallen in a direction one degree (on the panel) north, it would have crashed onto the school buildings where there were hundreds of students.
These are some of the miraculous points shared by the pilots and special investigators.
Spiritual aspects
On July 20th (one day after the accident) Kim Young-ho, a Korean movie director, spoke at a movie festival in the city of Puchun where 180 movie directors were attending a seminar. He described to them his fantastic experience just the day before when he was fishing at the lakeside of the Cheongpyeong Training Center with a friend. It was around 5pm. In the sky there suddenly appeared a big white helicopter flying over them. It was a cloudy and rainy day, but both he and his companion saw the helicopter riding on a beautiful rainbow. There was no sunshine then, so they were wondering how this beautiful rainbow appeared so clearly to them. More fantastically, they saw hundreds of white robed angels with white wings. They thought these were pigeons at the first sight. But they were real! They were flying with the helicopter, holding it, embracing it, surrounding it. They were completely shocked at what they were witnessing and didn't know if it was a dream or if it was really happening. Soon after they heard a loud crash. Later they heard on the T.V. news that Rev. Moon's helicopter had crashed with 16 people in it. Neither Kim Young-ho nor his friend are Unification Church members and, in fact, the movie director had never even seen Rev. Moon in his life.
An old Korean grandmother who claims to be a Unification Church member—though she hardly knows what's currently going on in the Church—saw Hyo-jin nim in her dream embracing a white helicopter. It was a few days before the accident when she saw this. Since she didn't know even that Hyo-jin nim had already passed into the spirit world, she thought that the church must have a helicopter-toy factory.
God's mysterious work
We, who are aware of God's providential work and True Parents' critical importance in it at this time of the era of the fourth Adam, can interpret these spiritual testimonies. We can clearly see how much God and spirit world worked to protect True Parents. Just as at the time of Jesus' birth three wise men from the east who did not have anything to do with Jesus followed the star to show their respect to the birth of the Messiah. These two movie makers, non-believers of True Parents, clearly testified to this miracle. Also, we can interpret the grandmother's dream that Hyo-jin nim, from the spirit world, protected True Parents from harm. There are many more testimonies and stories like this which will be eventually revealed.
What I can conclude at this point is that this crash was not an ordinary accident. It was providential. Because I know that the True Parents are truly the manifestation of God on earth, it is my conviction that Father and Mother had to set a condition to sacrifice their lives on behalf of all the blessed couples who have not been able to accomplish their providential responsibilities. Just like the time when Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac as an offering to God, God accepted Abraham's condition as a genuine one and saved Isaac's life. By going through the crash, God already accepted the condition set by True Parents and gave their lives back to us. I firmly believe that because of this providential helicopter accident, the providence will make a quantum leap and move on towards a higher dimension for the realization of God's ideal.
Even today I went through a physical therapy twice to cure my back pain. It has become my routine since I was discharged from the hospital a few days ago. I also went to see a Chinese herb medicine doctor today. Lying on a hospital bed with dozens of acupuncture needles in me, I shed tears of "Thanks to God and True Parents."
July 29, 2008
Peter H. Kim
by Frank Kaufmann 
Dr. Frank Kaufmann is executive director of the Inter-Religious Federation for World Peace (IRFWP), editor in chief of Dialogue and Alliance (a scholarly journal on religion and peace), and editor in chief of The New World Encyclopedia (a values based, general knowledge encyclopedia). He has worked in the area of religion and conflict resolution for 29 years in over 65 countries, at times in physical danger and life threatening circumstances.
His peace missions have taken him to areas of conflict, including Israel and Palestine, Croatian Refugee Camps, the Eritrea-Ethiopia border, Hindu-Muslim conflict zones in India and Kashmir, revolutionary centers of southern Philippines, the Gulf, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere.
Dr. Kaufmann has worked with major religious figures from around the world, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Greek Orthodox Patriarch (Dimitrios), Pope Shenuda of Cairo, Grand Muftis of Syria, Yemen, Israel and Gaza, Major Rabbis and religious figures throughout Israel, major Protestant and Catholic leaders, leaders from the Russian, Greek and Syrian Orthodox churches, and major international figures from Buddhism, Hinduism and other world traditions.
He teaches World Religions, Church History, Religion and Conflict Resolution, and other courses at New York area Universities and Seminaries, and maintains a vigorous public speaking schedule on issues