The Apostolic Catholic Church of the Beatitudes

One Bread

One Body

An Important Message From Our Bishop

Nov.30, 2008

Yesterday I listened to the pain and desperation of a young mother whose husband's paycheck had been garnished by a subsidiary of CitiBank. In light of the current corporate bailout, I could not help but recall Jesus' description of a very similar situation in Matthew 18, as well as the reaction of the kingdom to such behavior. In the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, after having his own very large debt cancelled, the debtor then had another servant thrown into prison for the inability to repay a small debt.

The bailout has thus far proved itself to be nothing less than another opportunity for the banking interest to practice unmitigated greed. Instead of using the money given them to reopen retail credit markets, they have generally used the windfall to acquire other banks and financial institutions. Many of bailout beneficiaries, including CitiBank, continue to operate highly profitable predatory subsidiaries such as check cashing companies, payday loan companies and title loan companies that exploit the poor.

Each day more families, even those with young children, are being put on the street. Modest homes are being foreclosed at an alarming rate. The wages of the poor are being garnished like never before to pay judgments obtained by bailout beneficiaries. Instead of protecting the poor, the courts are continuing to facilitate these atrocities.

In the area around our Tampa Church, many families live in tents while several dozen boarded up foreclosed homes stand empty.

The Church cannot remain silent in the face of such suffering in our midst! To do so would make the Church irrelevant. To do so would be to forget the priorities and example of Jesus. To do so would be to deny the presence of God with the suffering poor. In its greatest periods, the Church, instead of simply accepting the worldly order, has always challenged the secular order at point after point. Look again at the 17th chapter of Acts. It says that the early Christians were looked upon as subversives who were turning the world from Caesar to another king, Christ. Consequently, it was said of them, "These are the people who have turned the world upside down". If they had listened to the words of Jesus' mother in the Magnificat they would have known this all along.

This bishop, with the approval of church leaders of various denominations, asked that a moratorium be placed on the foreclosure of owner occupied homes under $70,000 in value until the benefits of the bailout could trickle down to the working poor. No positive response has been received.

I believe God's poor should wait no longer for OUR response. The Church must stand in solidarity with them. I will be attending several foreclosure hearings each week and telling the judges and lawyers that what they are doing is wrong. I also plan to stand between the families and the police as a non violent witness when families are evicted from modest foreclosed homes. I urge you to follow this example and to join with me. It is possible that if it takes twenty or thirty sheriff's deputies to carry out one eviction, perhaps the authorities and the banks may be moved by publicity to slow down the process and make an effort to renegotiate predatory mortgages.

Bishop Chuck Leigh
Apostolic Catholic Church

Homeless man

Homeless and mentally ill woman

Can you stretch your heart sufficiently to see Jesus here?

We, as a nation, collectively made a decision to move all "non-dangerous" mentally ill from safe hospitals to our mean and cold streets. We also created a situation where "old" means used up (instead of wise) and now this man and woman have zero chance of meaningful survival in our country.

Jesus cries out throughout the gospel for social justice because it is God's own.

"Faced with oppression, pillage, and abandonment, our response is life....It is a new and splendid utopia of life, where no one can decide for others how they will die, where love will be certain and happiness possible, and where those condemned to a hundred years of solitary confinement find, finally and forever, a second chance on this earth."

G. Garcia Marquez

From the Pastor,

The Church of the Beatitudes is an independent Catholic community dedicated to peace and social justice. It promotes that catholicity clearly demonstrated by the early church in Acts, the Pauline Letters and the records of the Early Church Fathers. It competes with no other Christian reflection and seeks cooperation with all in bringing about God's kingdom. In this we find Joy and Peace.


Becoming a member is an acceptance that we are the arms and legs of Our Savior , Jesus Christ. As such we have faith journeys that extend well beyond a need for a comfortable Sunday Mass. As Christians we are and must be Compassionate people in a world of hate or indifference.

We recognize that we have serious responsibilities and that we require a level of MATURITY that refuses to recognize the willful forgetfulness of injustice and a blatant buy-in to the culture of consuming at the expense of those who are poor and hungry. No, we are a real church, facing the realities of life around us. As brothers and sisters we care for each other so that we have strength to care for all. The spirit is willing yet the flesh is weak. That is true for all of us but we know that we are all strong in Christ and can depend upon Him for guidance and support.

Come join us in bringing about the Kingdom of God. Become a servant so that you may feel the limitless power of the Spirit. Begin a journey that will end in your salvation and the salvation of those you touch. "Whatsoever you do for the least of these, you do for me."

Father Bernie

Old Catholic does not mean old fashioned nor does in even mean "old". It is the vibrant expression of Christianity in Europe today and possesses a sacred and ancient lineage.

From Dominus Iesus, Defining a True Particular Church
This is a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that
was approved and published on behalf of Pope John Paul II
by the then Cardinal Ratzinger

The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the Catholic Church....

The Apostolic Catholic Church fulfills John Paul II definition of "True Particular" Catholic Church

Inquiries and verification may be made to any Roman Catholic chancery

What is wanted now is not simply the Christian who takes an inner complacency in the words and example of Christ, but who seeks to follow Christ perfectly, not only in his own personal life, not only in prayer and penance, but also in his political commitments and in all social responsibilities.

We have certainly no need for a pseudo-contemplative spirituality that claims to ignore the world and its problems entirely, and devotes itself supposedly to the things of God, without concern for human society. All true Christian spirituality, even that of the Christian contemplative, is and must always be deeply concerned with man, since "God became man in order that man might become God" (St. Irenaeus). The Christian spirit is one of compassion, of responsibility and of commitment. It cannot be indifferent to suffering, to injustice, error, and untruth.

Thomas Merton. Peace in the Post-Christian Era. Edited by Patricia A. Burton (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2004): 135.

Feeding the Poor at a Sacrifice


In the first centuries
of Christianity
the hungry were fed
at a personal sacrifice,
the naked were clothed
at a personal sacrifice,
the homeless were sheltered
at personal sacrifice.


And because the poor
were fed, clothed and sheltered
at a personal sacrifice,
the pagans used to say
about the Christians

"See how they love each other."


In our own day
the poor are no longer
fed, clothed, sheltered
at a personal sacrifice,
but at the expense
of the taxpayers.


And because the poor
are no longer
fed, clothed and sheltered
the pagans say about the Christians

"See how they pass the buck."

Peter Maurin
Catholic Worker Founder

Easy Essays

Racism is America's sin of choice. It has prevented our country from achieving greatness on the world stage and separated us from God. We have been punishing dark skin in America since 1492.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

Open House and Barbeque
August 17, 2008

Yes!! All are welcome!

A Family Affair

Fun for all!

Michelle directs activities

Happiness is a warm iced tea

Church Dedication February 3, 2008
A Church Dedicated ..... to YOU!

The Bishop Comes Knocking

All Are Welcome

Bishop Chuck and Bishop
Ken Denski

The Blessing Begins

The Altar

The Baptistry

The Crucifix

The Community!!

Homily

The Miracle of our Tabernacle

Our Wonderful New Home in Trainer!

Deo Gratias!

The Christmas Altar

A Christmas Welcome

Windows to the World

And you shall find him ...laying in a manger

Rose and KC
Two Christmas Angels

The Apostolic Catholic Church

This is what we are about...

Please click here to play video

The Beatitudes beautifully expressed. A gift from Rev. Ms. Trish Gaffney and Rev. Ed Jansen, from our Apostolic Catholic Church in Maryland.

Isaiah 58 6-10

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter;
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

Apostolic Catholic Church website CLICK HERE

The Apostolic Catholic Church is being blessed
with dynamic national growth. A well formed
clergy and laity is our continued strength.

Newly Ordained Deacon Rev. Dr. Pat Alexander (Florida)
Gives her first Blessing as Rev. Ms. Suzan Holderbaum (Michigan)looks on.

Rev. Trish Gaffney
(Maryland)

Rev. Suzan Holderbaum (Michigan)

Rev. Bernie Callahan, Pastor
Church of the Beatitudes (Pennsylvania)

Pat's Ordination
Church of the Beatitudes
Lansdowne, PA 10-14-07

Danielle and Fr. Bernie Provide music.

Breakfast at Lansdowne's famous
"Doyles" restaurant!

Father Bernie Leaves the Meeting

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth.......

What part don't you understand?

In this video we see ourselves, don't we? Click Here

The Arms and Legs of Christ

Our Fifth Year

The Feast of the Assumption
Aug 15, 2007

Happy Anniversary!

In Loving Memory of Myra, Wife, Deacon
and an example to all of beatitude

One Million Iraqi Civilians (including 500,000 babies) killed by U.S. Sanctions after Gulf War I.

Over one million Iraqi civilians killed since post 9-11 U.S. invasion.

Matthew 10:37 - 11:1

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet, because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man, because he is righteous, will receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink, because he is a disciple, amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.

Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one's need.

Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart,
praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Acts 2: 44-47