Dissident Proclaims Himself Colombian Bishop
Episcopal News Service. October 22, 1981 [81278]
BARRANQUILLA, Colombia -- Tito J. Mora, a former Episcopal priest who was deposed by the Bishop of Colombia in 1979, has "proclaimed and consecrated" himself as "bishop of the Church of the People."
At the ceremony, which took place in late September at an Episcopal Church building seized by Mora's followers, no bishop in apostolic succession was present or took part in the service.
Vested in cope and miter and holding a large staff, Mora declared his intention to the crowd. At the question "Do you want to be the bishop of the people?" he answered: "If the people ask of me this responsibility, if the people require of me this service, I cannot say 'no' and I thank them before God."
Mora and four other deposed priests have reportedly used innuendo and threats of violence in their decade-long active campaign against the diocese. Efforts of mediation and reconciliation have been attempted by a special commission of the Ninth Province, and the House of Bishops' Office of Pastoral Development as well as people within the diocese. All have proved fruitless.
The dissident group, which claims several hundred followers, is adopting the name of The Episcopal Church of Colombia as opposed to the official Episcopal Church in Colombia, used by the Episcopal Diocese of Colombia.
The Rt. Rev. Bernardo Merino, Bishop of the Diocese of Colombia, issued a statement saying that "Mr. Mora has no connection with any church of the Anglican Communion and is in fact usurping the title of bishop and the name of the Episcopal Church."