OFE

Eric Michel Ministries International 

and

Franciscan Abbey of Immanuel Communion of Love

Third Order of Franciscans

Independent Catholic Ministry

The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (sui iuris) particular churches of the Catholic Church, in full communion with the Pope in Rome. Although they are distinct theologically, liturgically, and historically from the Latin Church, they are all in full communion with it and with each other. Eastern Catholics are a distinct minority within the Catholic Church; of the 1.3 billion Catholics in communion with the Pope, approximately 18 million are members of the eastern churches.


The majority of the Eastern Catholic Churches are groups that, at different points in the past, used to belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox churches, or the historic Church of the East; these churches had various schisms with the Catholic Church. The Eastern Catholics churches are communities of Eastern Christians that either returned to communion with the Pope or, in some cases, had never broken communion. The Pope's recognition of Eastern Catholics who returned to communion has been controversial in ecumenical relations with the Eastern Orthodox and other churches. The five historic liturgical traditions of eastern Christianity, comprising the Alexandrian Rite, the Armenian Rite, the Byzantine Rite, the East Syriac Rite, and the West Syriac Rite, are all represented within Eastern Catholic liturgy. Consequently, the Catholic Church consists of six liturgical rites, the eastern rites and the Latin Church's liturgical rites. On occasion, this leads to a conflation of the liturgical word "rite" and the institutional word "church."


Although some theological issues divide the Eastern Catholic Churches from other eastern churches, not in communion with the Pope, some Eastern Catholic jurisdictions admit members of the latter to the Eucharist and the other sacraments, as governed by applicable Eastern Catholic canon law. Full communion with the Bishop of Rome constitutes mutual sacramental sharing between the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Latin Church, including Eucharistic intercommunion and recognition of papal supremacy. Provisions within the 1983 Latin canon law and the 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches govern the relationship between the Eastern and Latin Churches. Historically, pressure to conform to the norms of Western Christianity practiced by the majority Latin Church led to a degree of encroachment (Latinization) on some of the Eastern Catholic traditions. The Second Vatican Council document, Orientalium Ecclesiarum, built on previous reforms to reaffirm the right of Eastern Catholics to maintain their distinct liturgical practices, which reflect ancient theological and spiritual practices that developed within Eastern Christianity.


The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, promulgated in 1990, was the first codified body of canon law governing the Eastern Catholic Churches collectively, superseding a series of ad hoc papal documents issued in the late 20th century on the matter. However, each church also has its internal canons and laws to this. Members of Eastern Catholic churches are obliged to follow the norms of their particular church regarding the celebration of church feasts, marriage, and other customs. Notable distinct norms include many Eastern Catholic Churches regularly allowing the ordination of married men to the priesthood (although not as bishops to the episcopacy), in contrast to the stricter clerical celibacy of the Latin Church. Additionally, Eastern Catholics who seek marriage are obliged by canon law to have the union blessed by a priest, even when the marriage occurs at a Latin Church parish. The Latin Church, in contrast, allows both deacons and priests to witness a couple's marriage vows on behalf of the Catholic Church. Both Latin and Eastern Catholics may freely attend a Catholic liturgy celebrated in any rite.

Les Églises catholiques orientales (ou parfois, le terme utilisé, péjoratif, des Églises uniates) sont la composante de rite oriental de l'Église catholique. Elles se caractérisent par le fait d'être en communion avec l'évêque de Rome (le pape), dont elles reconnaissent la primauté, et d'utiliser les rites liturgiques orientaux (copte, syriaque occidental, maronite, syriaque oriental, byzantin, arménien, guèze). Elles sont définies dans la terminologie catholique comme étant des Églises autonomes ou « Églises de droit propre », au sens juridique sui iuris, et sont considérées comme étant pleinement l'Église catholique, au même titre que l'Église latine de rite latin.

Selon les chiffres de l'Annuaire pontifical, elles comptent 18 millions de fidèles en tout, soit 1,5 % des catholiques, qui sont plus de 1,2 milliard.

Parfois appelées « uniates », les Églises catholiques orientales sont diverses par leurs origines et par leurs dates de ralliement à Rome. L'Église maronite qui remonte à l'époque patristique a, comme les Églises copte, arménienne ou indienne, vécu longtemps de façon autonome pour des raisons principalement géographiques. Les relations entre l'Église maronite et les latins se sont intensifiées dès le xiie siècle. Comme il n'y a jamais eu de situation de rupture avant l'établissement et le renforcement de ces liens, l'Église maronite peut faire valoir qu'elle a « toujours été catholique ». Cependant, la plupart des autres Églises catholiques orientales ont rejoint l'Église catholique entre le xviie et le xxe siècle, parfois par détachement de la communion dans laquelle elles se trouvaient, et même par la fondation de patriarcats ou d'Églises catholiques avec une partie du clergé et des fidèles des Églises locales. Cette méthode qualifiée d'« uniatisme », fut pratiquée dans un contexte global d'activité missionnaire et d'influence diplomatique de l'Église catholique. La distinction entre ces Églises catholiques maintenant unies à Rome et les Églises orthodoxes locales reste ténue : liturgie, discipline sont presque identiques et seul le rattachement juridique à Rome et à son patriarche (le pape catholique) fait parfois la différence. Les Églises catholiques orientales conservent leurs rites orientaux et leurs traditions ecclésiales propres (par exemple, l'ordination sacerdotale d'hommes mariés), mais sont dans l'Église catholique dont elles acceptent la théologie (purgatoire ; filioque ; dogmes proclamés depuis le xixe siècle) et où elles sont nommées « Églises orientales catholiques ». Aujourd'hui, avec la diaspora de leurs pays d'origine, elles sont également implantées en Europe occidentale, en Amérique et en Océanie.

Pour les Églises qui ont déclaré l'unité avec Rome depuis le xixe siècle, se placer dans la juridiction de l'Église de Rome avait l'avantage, pour les fidèles concernés, soit d'en faire des sujets à part entière dans les États catholiques tels que la Pologne ou l'Empire d'Autriche où les orthodoxes étaient parfois considérés comme des sujets de second ordre, soit de les placer sous une protection européenne dans les États musulmans déclinants tels l'Empire ottoman. C'est pourquoi les Églises grecques-catholiques font l'objet de débats et de critiques depuis leur origine de la part des Églises orthodoxes qui les considèrent comme des dissidences, responsables de leur propre affaiblissement. Ces critiques portent sur leur identité, en particulier sur leur niveau d’autonomie, sur les conditions de leur formation et de développement, ainsi que sur la légitimité de leur allégeance, à une période où la politique officielle du Vatican est le dialogue œcuménique et le respect des Églises orientales, notamment après le concile Vatican II. L'uniatisme est aujourd'hui considéré, tant par des catholiques que par les orthodoxes, comme une méthode du passé. Tout de même, la dernière Église catholique orientale à être érigée est l'Église catholique érythréenne le 19 janvier 2015 par le détachement de l'Église catholique éthiopienne.


https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglises_catholiques_orientales

Revd. Eric Michel

72 years of his Christening in 1951 by the Roman Catholic Church

57 Years

Since the beginning of his involvement in metaphysics

1966 - 2023 

Protestant Ordained for 35 Years

1988 - 2023

Franciscan for 3 years

2020 - 2023

Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist and the Abbey of Saint Mary Theotokos

EMMI-FAICL Ecclesiastical Affiliation OFE Charter#04062022

Most Reverend Chaplain Eric M. Gagnon​  OFE, SFU

Doctor in Theology, Doctor in Divinity, Doctor in Philosophy*

Archbishop of Eric Michel Ministries International

Prior at the Cathedral Priory of Thomas-Judas (FAICL)

Director of the Interdenominational Assembly of Churches, 

Director of Footsteps of Jesus Seminary and Bible Academy 

& Commander of EMMI-FAICL Community Chaplaincy 

Co-Founder with the Very Reverend Marie Arnold of the New Hope & Missions Ministry (Baptist)

CHARTER OF THE ORDER OF FRANCISCANS OF THE EUCHARIST 

Sanctification of Families Union of Saint Francis of Assisi (SFU)

Franciscan Abbey of the Immanuel Communion of Love and the Third Order of Saint Francis Ministry


Title:


Reverend Eric Michel Archbishop or Episcopi Vaganti 

Episcopi vagantes (singular: episcopus vagans), Latin for wandering bishops or stray bishops, are those persons consecrated, in an "irregular way", as Christian bishops outside the structures and not in communion with any generally recognized churches, but part of areligious movements, specifies that now episcopi vagantes are "those independent bishops who collect several different lines of transmission of apostolic succession, the general term for "wandering" clerics, as were common in the Middle Ages, is clerici vagantes;  the general term for those recognizing no leader is acephali.


Teachings on the nature of Apostolic Succession vary depending on the ecclesiastic body, especially within various Protestant denominations. Christians of the Church of the East, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church all recognize the validity of each other's apostolic succession. Among the previously mentioned churches opinions vary as to the validity of succession within Old Catholic, Anglican,

Moravian, and Lutheran communities. Roman Catholics deny the validity of all Sacraments by Protestant Churches with an "episcopal polity" whilst the Church of the East has a very little stance on the matter entirely. Opinions within the Orthodox churches are often inconclusive. Episcopal Protestants typically recognize the validity of the four traditional apostolic churches.


In the beginnings of the Methodist movement, adherents were instructed to receive the sacraments within the Anglican Church since the Methodists were still a movement and not as yet a separate church in England until 1805; however, the American Methodists soon petitioned to receive the sacraments from the local preachers who conducted worship services and revivals. The Bishop of London refused to ordain Methodist priests and deacons in the British American colonies. John Wesley, the founder of the movement, was reluctant to allow unordained preachers to administer the sacraments:


We believe it would not be right for us to administer either Baptism or the Lord's Supper unless we had a commission so to do from those Bishops whom we apprehend to be in a succession from the Apostles. ~John Wesley, A.D. 1745 


EMMI uses the episcopal polity of ecclesiastical governance because "the sole guarantor of apostolic faith, which includes apostolic life, is the Holy Spirit." 


Argumentation:

The doctrine of apostolic succession is believing that it is neither taught in Scripture nor necessary for Christian teaching, life, and practice. Accordingly, the Protestants strip the notion of apostolic  succession from the definition of "apostolic" or "apostolicity." To be apostolic is simply to be in submission to the teachings of the original twelve apostles as recorded in Scripture. This doctrinal stance reflects the Protestant view of authority, embodied in the doctrine known as Sola Scriptura. Nowhere in Scripture did Jesus, the apostles, or any other New Testament writer set forth the idea of “apostolic succession.”  and neither is Peter presented as “supreme” over the other apostles.


All Christians who have a genuine relationship with God through and in Christ are part of the "true Church", according to exemplary statements of evangelical Protestant theology, notwithstanding condemnation of the Catholic Church by some Protestants.  Based on tradition or based on scripture, of merely human institutions. Such claims can be found among the worldwide community of Christians. All appear to treasure the truth that liberates, and Jesus taught his followers to love one another.


Among the first who rejected the doctrine of apostolic succession were John Calvin & Martin Luther. Baptist successionism is one of several theories on the origin and continuation of Baptist churches. The theory postulates an unbroken lineage of churches, since the days of John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus and have held beliefs similar to those of current Baptists.


EMMI ordinations are biblically valid. We asserted that the Book of Common Prayer as a whole contained a strong sacrificial theology in the ordinal.


Modify from the original at Wikipedia.org 


God Is My Light

The Eric Michel Ministries International is a Catholic denomination of Christian, independent organizations with the association or contractual agreement with established churches in Canada and USA and Australia, to deliver full services to our members.


Welcoming environment built upon a solid foundation of God’s Word and dedicated service in preaching and living the Gospel of Christ. We hope

to have you join our fellowship so we can help each other grow n the knowledge and love of Christ.


The Eric Michel Ministries International (EMMI) is a not-for-profit corporation of Chaplains with headquarters based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Chaplaincy traces its founding to Jesus and the Twelve Apostles and sees the Bishops of the church as the successors of the Apostles. While it

derives its Apostolic Succession from the teaching.


Baptists are individuals who comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed

only for professing believers, believer's baptism and that it must be done by complete immersion, effusion or sprinkling.


The history of Eric Michel Ministries International is based on documents that we possess, since 2010 we were saying that our roots started in 1987

leading to the general ordination of the members of S.U.N.S., on December 7 of the year 1988, when we implant the mediatech Bible list on

November 6, 2015, we found a Bible with the mark SUNS dated 1978. We are existing at today's date for at least 41 years. (2019) 


*

We are a religious corporation that are followers of Christ in the footsteps of Francis, Anthony, and Clare of the Franciscan Order and strive to lead their lives according to the words and work of Christ, following the example and spirituality of their fraternal and father, Saint Francis of Assisi.  Members serve as Chaplain Ministers in the community and work in capacities to help the needy. 

Academic Research in Christian Theology and Apologetics Teaching Methods (ARCTATM)
Short Name or AKA: Research, Theology and Teaching Ministry (RTTM) 

FAICL is Franciscan in that it provides a lifestyle which applies to everyday life the principles of Christianity in the way of Francis and Clare of Assisi.

The lifestyle is founded on a common rule at the heart of which is the promise to live in the spirit of poverty, humility and prayers, also to strive for and seek to foster and uphold Peace, Justice, Ecology, care for those less privileged, and loyalty toward the FAICL.