The guidance, which was prepared in December 2009 by the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, it has yet to be signed off on by Secretary Clinton. Until Clinton approves the guidance, domestic and international organizations fighting HIV and AIDS are prohibited from using funds approved by the US Congress in December 2009.

Outside of sub-Sahara Africa, one third of all new HIV infections are due to intravenous drug use. In countries like Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Vietnam and China, well over half of new HIV infections are from injection drug use.

Syringe Exchange Programs (SEP’s) as the one called for in the yet-to-be released State Department guidance not only reduce the infection rate, but give counselors access to addicts who might not otherwise seek services, allowing them to receive treatment for the underlying drug use and other related health issues.

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Annually in May, the church reviews each person’s employee file which includes re-submitting their information to update their background check as part of the churches unwavering dedication to the protection of children and vulnerable church members.

The entire process is expected to take one month.

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In addition to being a catholic priest, Father Johnson serves as a public safety communications professional in the town of Amherst, New Hampshire. Additionally, he serves as a commissioned officer in the Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. He lives in Greenville with his wife, Cassie.

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On the web:
Saint Mary’s Old Catholic Church: www.saintmarysocc.org
NHEDA: www.nheda.org/
Civil Air Patrol: www.gocivilairpatrol.com/html/index.htm

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“The sacraments of the Catholic Church, most especially communion, in which Catholics from age to age believe to be the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, are a gift from God to all his children. When church leaders attempt to use the sacraments as a weapon or tool to exert control or to change people’s behaviors, it represents a true failure of the church, and further damages the relationship that God has with his children here on earth.”

“Bishop Tobin’s recent attempt to change Representative Kennedy’s stance on abortion by “asking” Kennedy to not receive communion betrays the very central and divine gift that communion represents- the ultimate gift of love and forgiveness. Christ was betrayed, crucified, and resurrected for all people – not just those who follow the rules set down by other men.”

“The Roman Catholic Church has failed in its teaching of their faithful, and they now are attempting to use the Body of Christ as a tool to control the mass exodus of faithful and clergy. Catholics are leaving the Roman Church and joining other Catholic or sacramental churches at a brisk pace. Bishop Tobin and his brother bishops have lost touch with the people they are called to serve, and the sacrament with which they are sacredly charged with making available to all who seek it.”

“The last time Christ’s body was used in this way was on the cross on Good Friday. Bishop Tobin is attempting, through fear, intimidation, and under the pain and threat of withholding that which was promised to all God’s children, to coerce, beguile, and force people to a place of belief that is not authentic, but rather uniformed and dispassionate.”

“For any church to abuse the Body of Christ in this manner is abhorrent, and we call Bishop Tobin to reconcile himself to God through an earnest reception of the Sacrament of Communion. For it is through the reception of communion that we all can come to a right relationship with our Creator.”

Communion in the North American Old Catholic Church is open to all baptized Christians. Congressman Kennedy and his family are welcome to pray and receive the sacraments at the Church of the Holy Paraclete, 208 Douglas Ave (inside Brooklyn Tea and Coffee House) every Sunday at 6:00 PM. When Kennedy is in Washington, he is invited to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (inside Specialty Hospital of Washington) 700 Constitution Ave NE every Sunday at 11:30 AM.

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The Roman Catholic Bishops announced that at their November meeting in Baltimore, MD they will consider the approval of a 57 page pastoral letter titled “Marriage: Love and Life in the Diving Plan- A Pastoral Letter of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops .”

The document, a draft of which was obtained by the Independent Catholic News Service, discusses marriage between men and women and that the bishops feel “…compelled to speak out against all attempts to redefine marriage so that it would no longer be exclusively the union of a man and a woman as God established and blessed it.”

“The document in its draft form contains many contradictions…” Archbishop Wynn Wagner III, Bishop Coadjutor of the church stated in a recent meeting; “while quoting the late John Paul II as saying ‘to form communion of persons is the vocation of everyone. All human persons are created in the image of God, who is a communion of love of three persons, and thus all are called to live in a communion of self-giving love.’ it goes on to state the only two purposes of marriage Procreative and Educative- denying both homosexual persons and heterosexual persons who cannot pro-create access to the sacrament of marriage.

We invite Catholics and people of all faiths to join us in prayer that the Roman Catholic Bishops will feel Christ alive within their hearts, and see their way clear to stand up for the Gospel of truth and love for ALL believers and all those who seek the blessings of God on their Christian marriage.

The North American Old Catholic Church offers the sacrament of marriage to all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, ability or desire to pro-create, gender identity, or civil divorce.

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Archbishop Michael Seneco, Presiding Bishop of the church stated “The Roman Catholic Church is attempting to influence current health care legislation as it makes its way through Congress, hoping to derail the full public health care effort based on the payment for reproductive services to women.”

The Archbishop continued, “The US Government has a constitutional obligation to ‘promote the general welfare ’ of its citizens, and for the Roman Catholic Bishops to interfere with our democratic process is patently un-American. Further, for them to attempt to deny access to healthcare is contrary to the Gospel message of love and care for your fellow man.”

The North American Old Catholic Church is a pro-life church. As a church in the United States, we temper our pro-life stance with a high level of tolerance, and recognition that America was founded on the idea of a pluralistic society. No American is required to embrace the ideological or spiritual beliefs of any other American, and the Roman Catholic Church’s continued attempt to sway legislation to include its moral and ethical beliefs is contrary to the idea of a free and civil society, and flies in the very face of the founder’s vision for our country.

The North American Old Catholic Church believes that the key to decreasing the number of abortions provided in the US rests in drastic and sweeping changes, improvements and access to pre and post natal care, as well as to our foster care and adoption programs nationwide.

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“We have had a great increase in the amount of vocations to the Old Catholic Priesthood this year.” stated Archbishop Michael Seneco, Presiding Archbishop of the North American Old Catholic Church.

Rev. Chong’s ordination is scheduled for 11:00 AM on Sunday, October 25, 2009, at St. Mychal Judge, the Old Catholic Church in Dallas. The ordination will be presided over by The Rt. Rev. Thomas H. Hooker, Jr., bishop of the Diocese of Texas. Other bishops set to be attending include Archbishop Michael Seneco (Presiding Bishop), Archbishop Wynn Wagner (Regionary Bishop) and Bishop Luis Londono (Director of Latin Ministries).

When asked why the North American Old Catholic Church has seen a sharp increase in vocations to the priesthood, Mr. Matthew Velic, who sits on the board of trustees for Saint Wolbodo Seminary said, “We have a unique educational program that allows for a great amount of flexibility in the educational process, while still giving the students a good feel of community that one would find at a more traditional institution.”

Archbishop Seneco continued, “We also feel that the state of our Nation — with poverty on the rise; the exploding cost of health care; the housing market falling flat are just a few of the reasons people are answering the call God has given them. All our seminarians and applicants have expressed a strong concern for these and other issues, and a desire and commitment to work together to change things for our country, and her people.”

Additionally, church officials site an outreach effort to clergy who left larger, institutional churches over marriage, gender or sexual orientation, as well as a significant and deliberate campaign to increase vocations in the African American and Latino communities.

Upon ordination, Rev. Chong will be a valuable addition to the staff of St. Mychal Judge.

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“The practice of making someone ask for condoms stigmatizes condoms and those who use them, making it less likely that the consumer will purchase them.” said Mother Meredith Moise, vicar for Black and Latino Catholics for the church. “To make it more difficult for black men and women to obtain protection is a dangerous practice.” she concluded.

The statistics demonstrate the urgent need for easy access to condoms: Annually, 3 million teenagers acquire an STD and 750 thousand teenage girls become pregnant. It is believed that 46% of black gay and bisexual men are infected with HIV, and the general HIV infection rate is highest amongst black men who engage in sex with other men. HIV/AIDS is the number one killer of young black women, and the infection rate is four times higher in Hispanic women, and fifteen times higher in black women than it is in white women.

Access to condoms is crucial to stemming the tide of HIV infections and death from AIDS in the United States.

We urge CVS/Caremark to follow the examples of other pharmacy chains. CVS’s closest competitor, Walgreens, has a policy in place that prohibits locking up condoms in their stores.

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These guidelines restrict several actions that occur in Catholic worship that may transmit the Swine Flu virus from one parishioner to another.

Until the Centers for Disease Control ends the health emergency declaration with regards to the Swine Flu, the following changes to the worship experience have been instituted:

• Physically exchanging the sign of peace by shaking hands, hugging, or other bodily contact is prohibited;
• Passing the communion chalice when non-alcoholic wine is utilized is prohibited;
• The practice of ‘intinction’- dipping the communion bread into the communion wine before consumption is prohibited;
• Passing the chalice when 12% by volume alcohol wine will continue to be permitted, however the communicant will not be allowed to hold the chalice as is sometimes the practice. The chalice will need to be held by the minister;

Clergy are also instructed to be sure to thoroughly wash chalices with warm soap and water between each use.

In a memo to the church, Archbishop Michael Seneco stated: “While these rules may seem excessive, and over cautious- the public perception of the Swine Flu issue is one of great concern and panic. These changes should continue to instill confidence in our parishioners for the duration of this public health emergency.” Seneco is the presiding bishop of the church.

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The North American Old Catholic Church, through its parishes and ministries in the Dallas, Texas, Central and Gold Coast regions of Florida will work to educate businesses and Micronesians on their rights under the Compact of Free Association that exists between the US and the FSM, by producing materials Micronesian nationals can take with them when they apply for jobs explaining their rights.

“Under the compact, Micronesian nationals are allowed to work and live legally in the US without applying for traditional permission (green cards, resident alien and worker permits) from the US Department of Homeland Security. Unfortunately, many FSM nationals find it difficult to obtain legal employment in this post-911 era, as most Americans are unaware of the rights of FSM nationals under the Compact of Free Association.” said Archbishop Michael Seneco in a prepared statement: “It is our hope that we can assist FSM nationals in their employment quest, and at the same time, educate business owners on this valuable pool of ready workers.” he concluded.

The Compact of Free Association, originally negotiated in 1969, and most recently ratified with amendments in June of 2004, gives FSM nationals the right to work in the US and to serve in our military. In exchange, the US provides military security for Micronesia, and gives the US a firm foothold in the South Pacific, which is strategic in our nation’s war on terrorism.

The church will also begin to work with the FSM government to monitor reported abuses in the recruitment and treatment that some FSM Nationals have reported when being employed on the US Mainland, specifically in agribusiness and poultry production.

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