An Anglican woman priest was permitted to concelebrate the Eucharist at a Roman Catholic mass held to celebrate the creation of the Archdiocese of Chapeco and the seating of its first bishop.
On 9 Feb 2025 the Rev. Vivian Schwanke De Oliveira, a priest of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil (IEAB)’s Diocese Sul Ocidental, dressed in a cassock alb with a blue stole joined the 80 Catholic priests and 7 bishops in the procession at the start of the service, was seated with the other clergy around the altar, and took part in the service of installation and the con-celebration of the Eucharist, and received the sacraments at St Anthony’s Cathedral in Chapeco in Santa Catarina state in Southern Brazil.
In his sermon, the new archbishop, the Most Rev. Don Odelir Jose Magri, MCCJ, noted the presence of the IEAB minister among the clergy, and welcomed her active participation in the service as a sign of unity among Christian believers.
The Portuguese-language news service ACI contacted the diocese after the service asking whether the presence of Mrs. de Oliveira violated Canon 908, which forbids Catholic priests to concelebrate the eucharist with clergy not in full communion with the Catholic Church.
Archbishop Magri released a statement in response on 13 Feb 2025, noting that he had already communicated to the Apostolic Nunciature in Brazil the circumstances surrounding this “isolated incident of inadvertent violation of liturgical norms.”
“We renew our commitment to doctrinal orthodoxy and liturgical orthopraxis, and will make efforts to avoid future errors,” he said.
