The Anglocatholic Church

On December 6, 2018, there was at The National Library of Estonia, in Tallinn, the capital city of the Republic of Estonia, a very representative conference of the society in Estonia on the topic “Religion in Estonia”. Among the dignitaries were His Eminence Metropolitan Stefanus of the Apostolic Orthodox Church of Estonia, His Eminence Bishop Philippe Jourdan, The Bishop of The Roman Catholic Church in Estonia, His Eminence Archbishop Urmas Viilma, Estonian Evangelican Lutheran Church, His Eminence Archbishop Emeritus Andres Põder, Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, The Reverend Erki Tamm, President of The Baptist Church in Estonia, The Reverend Robert Tsherenkov, Superintendent of The United Methodist Church in Estonia, The Reverend Ago Lilleorg, Bishop of Estonian Christian Pentecostal Church, and many others. Among them was also His Beatitude, The Most Reverend Dr. Heigo Ritsbek, MA, MDiv, DMin, LittD, DD, Patriarch of The Anglocatholic Church.

On December 5, 2018, by the decree of His Beatitude, The Most Reverend Dr. Heigo Ritsbek, MA, MDiv, DMin, LittD, DD, Patriarch of The Anglocatholic Church there will be following changes in our gatherings internationally: The Meetings of The Holy Synod will not be happening separately of other activities, but these Meetings of The Holy Synod will take place during two days prior of the opening of our Conclaves of The College of The Bishops of The Anglocatholic Church. After The Meeting of The Holy Synod this June in Toronto, our next gathering – God willing – will be The Second Conclave of The Anglocatholic Church in 2021. The next Conclaves are planned once in 4 years: in 2025, 2029, 2031 etc. All bishops of The Anglocatholic Church are invited to attend The Conclaves of The Anglocatholic Church, as they all belong to The College of Bishops.

On December 5, 2018, His Beatitude, The Most Reverend Dr. Heigo Ritsbek, MA, MDiv, DMin, DD, Patriarch of The Anglocatholic Church, elevated Archbishop Most Reverend Godwin Booysen, BA, MA, PsyD, PhD, DD, and Archbishop Most Reverend Dr. Martin Lakwey Kiprotich, DD, as Metropolitan Archbishops – over The Metropolitan Archdioce of Saint Symeon and Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Mark the Evangelist respectively, of The Anglocatholic Church.

As November 2018 there are twenty-five Bishops at THE ANGLOCATHOLIC CHURCH: Patriarch Dr. Heigo Ritsbek (Estonia); Patriarch Coadjutor David Smith (Canada); Primate Glentis G. Samuel (Canada); Primate Dr. Ian Charles Adrian (Australia); Primate Dr. Jean Ndjewel (Cameroon); Primate Jose Fernando de Faria (Brazil); Primate Dr. Martin Lakwey Kiprotich (Uganda); Primate Dr. Jeffrey Pangilinan Orellana (Philippines); Primate Dr. Godwin Booysen (South Africa); Metropolitan Archbishop Raphael Marie Villiere (France); Archbishop Emmanuel Kwasi Mensa (Ghana); Archbishop Vincent De Paul Nzunu (DR Congo); Bishop Dr. Raivo Kodanik (Estonia); Bishop Paul Jacob Boardman, Jr. (United States); Bishop Mathew Enoch Mount (United States); Bishop Jean Claude Normand (France); Bishop Joseph Iorhumba Pevigo (Nigeria); Bishop Joseph Matungulu Kyanga DR Congo); Bishop Ralph Sutich (United States); Bishop Jorge dos Santos Costa (Brazil); Bishop Orestes Calazans Filho (Brazil); Bishop Jean Nicholas Ngigoe (Gabon); Bishop Bongani Mchuba (South Africa); Bishop Delvano Westenhofer Brum (Brazil) and Bishop Dr. Sylvester Rwakaikara Adyeri (Uganda).

We have also five Bishop Elects who are waiting their Consecration as Bishops in Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

In November 2018 three largest Archdioceses of The Anglocatholic Church are: Archdiocese of Saint Mark the Evangelist, led by His Eminence, Most Reverend Dr. Martin Lakwey Kiprotich, D.D., Archbishop, in 5 countries, 20 churches, 1 bishop, 37 priests, and 22 deacons with 10,060 faithful members; Archdiocese of Saint John the Apostle, led by His Eminence, Most Reverend Emmanuel Kwasi Mensah, Archbishop, in 3 countries, 54 churches, 1 bishop, 94 priests, and 194 deacons with 5,336 faithful members; and Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mediator Dei, led by His Eminence, Most Reverend Dr. Jean Ndjewel, Metropolitan Archbishop, in 6 countries, 23 churches, 5 bishops, 34 priests, and 8 deacons with 3,273 faithful members. 

On November 23, 2018, by the decree of His Beatitude, The Most Reverend Dr. Heigo Ritsbek, MA, MDiv, DMin, LittD, DD, Patriarch of The Anglocatholic Church, His Eminence, The Most Reverend Jose Fernando de Faria, Archbishop of The Archdiocese of Holy Spirit of The Anglocatholic Church (Brazil) has been elevated as Metropolitan Archbishop. So he will be Metropolitan Archbishop over The Metropolitan Archdiocese of the Holy Spirit of The Anglocatholic Church. Under him are three dioceses in Brazil and one diocese in Peru. Also Metropolitan Archbishop Jose Fernando de Faria serves as The Primate of All South America of The Anglocatholic Church.

The Anglocatholic Church has around the world in twenty-four countries: Australia, Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, Estonia, France, Gabon, Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Nigeria, Paraguay, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Tanzania, Uganda, and United States in ten archdioceses and eighteen dioceses total 128 parishes with 21,797 faithful members. Among them are 24 bishops, 209 priests, and 235 deacons, total 468 clergymen.

Primate Jean Ndjewel from West Africa announces that Archbishop Vincent de Paul Nzunu from DR Congo, and Bishop Jean Nicolas Ngijoe from Gabon are in the process of joining The Anglocatholic Church.

On October 17th, 2018, His Beatitude Dr. Heigo Ritsbek became a member of The Estonian Society of Church History.