Breaking News: Bishop Robinson Cavilcanti and Wife Murdered in Olinda, Brazil

http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=15623

BREAKING NEWS: Bishop Robinson Cavilcanti and wife Murdered in Olinda, BrazilBy David W. Virtue www.virtueonline.org
February 27, 2012
It is with deep and profound sadness that we report the deaths of Bishop Robinson Cavilcanti and his wife Miriam in the city of Olinda, Brazil.

The Diocese of Recife reports that Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti and his wife were murdered in their home in Olinda in Northeastern Brazil last night. The bishop’s adopted son is alleged to have knifed his parents following a quarrel.

On 26 February 2012, at approximately 10:00 pm the bishop returned to his home in Olinda after having visited a parish earlier in the day. The bishop’s son is alleged to have pulled a knife on his father and stabbed him.

Bishop Robinson, a solid Evangelical, led the Diocese of Recife during a bitter struggle with the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil over his church's embrace of the Episcopal Church's pansexual agenda. There were bitter property struggles.

He was vigorous defender of the faith and of the family. In May 2011 when Brazil legalized gay marriage, Cavilcanti wrote, "Today immorality was legalized. Sin was legalized. Brazil is in mourning. The next step is the criminalization of heterosexuals who do not recognize the normalcy of homosexuality, the attack on freedom of expression and freedom of religion, with the PLC 122, now in the Senate."

Cavalcanti said the media had already long ago manipulated public opinion, an authentic brainwashing to break resistance and "reeducate" the nation.

He believed, however, that "Brazilian citizens of moral convictions based on the values of revealed faith and values always affirmed by our country will continue, with conviction and courage to express their strongest condemnation to this unfortunate moment, which tarnish the highest court justice of the Country." He lamented that the there was no evangelical voice in court.

Bishop Robinson and I became friends more than a decade ago. VOL helped him establish a communications module, provided computers, and more to deal with the growing liberalization and secularization of his province.

This is an enormous tragedy for this diocese which was the only one growing because of his commitment to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We were in regular touch with each other. The last time we met was in Cape Town, South Africa, at the Lausanne Congress of Evangelism where he told me that the diocese was recovering from the property wars and new parishes were forming with many young people coming to Christ.

He and his wife were dear friends and I shall miss them mightily. Please pray for this young emerging diocese that it will find the leadership necessary to move forward.

Here is the official announcement from the Diocese.

From the Diocese of Recife

It is with deep sadness that the Anglican Church - Diocese of Recife communicates the tragic death of the Right Reverend Bishop Edward Robinson de Barros Cavalcanti and of his wife Miriam Cavalcanti, which occurred this Sunday 26/02/2012 at around 10pm in the city of Olinda, Brazil.

The diocesan family give thanks to God for the dedicated ministry of its father in God, our pastor, teacher and friend, a true prophet and present day martyr, who fought for the cause of the Gospel of Christ, for the Church and for the Anglican Communion, and who always depended on his wife, a faithful co-servant who supported him throughout his years in ministry.

They exit unto Eternity, leaving a legacy of service, love and doctrinal faithfulness, to which the Diocese will continue to adhere.

We will presently inform the date of their burial.

Bishop Evilásio Tenório - Bispo Suffragan Elect

Bishop Flávio Adair - Bishop Suffragan Elect

Rev. Márcio Simões - President of the Diocesan Council

Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti and Wife Miriam Murdered by Adopted Son

H/T to Anglican Ink for the lead in reporting this sad story at

http://www.anglicanink.com/article/cavalcanti-murdered.  We recommend Anglican Ink to other bloggers.

 

 

Recife bishop and wife killed by their adopted son

Article | February 27, 2012 - 8:02am | By George Conger

 

The Diocese of Recife reports that Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti and his wife were murdered in their home in Olinda in Northeastern Brazil last night. The bishop's adopted son is alleged to have knifed his parents following a quarrel.


On 26 February 2012, at approximately 10:00 pm the bishop returned to his home in Olinda after having visited a parish earlier in the day. The bishop’s son is alleged to have pulled a knife on his father and stabbed him.


Mirian Cavalcanti, the bishop’s wife, attempted to intercede and was stabbed also. The two died at the scene.

The bishop’s son, Eduardo (29) who had lived in the United States, sources tell Anglican Ink, is believed to have had a history of drug abuse and petty crime. The younger Cavalcanti was facing deportation from the U.S. at the time of the crime.


On 20 May 2011, the 68 year old bishop told the 35 annual convention of the Diocese of Recife that he would retire on his 70th birthday in June 2014.


Deposed in 2005 along with the majority of the clergy of Recife by the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil (IEAB) for contumacy for their refusal to accept the Brazilian Church’s endorsement of gay bishops/blessings, this action has not been recognized by a majority of the wider Anglican Communion. The diocese has been under the temporary provincial oversight of the Province of the Southern Cone and has close ties to the Anglican Church of North America.


The Archbishop of Canterbury has long attempted to mediate the dispute between Recife and IEAB. Dr. Williams told a press conference at the close of the 2009 Primates Meeting he had sent emissaries to the two sides and hoped “this would lead to an eventual reconciliation.”


However, Bishop Cavalcanti last year told The Church of England Newspaper this was an unrealistic hope. Forcing the two into one institutional body would compel “people of two different religions to live formally together,” he said.

Since it broke from the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil (IEAB) in 2005, the diocese has seen significant growth and “has more than doubled its number of congregations, clergy and members,” a diocesan spokesman noted. As of the start of 2011, the diocese stated it had 5,102 members in 47 congregations with 61 ordained clergy, and a “presence in 9 Brazilian states” – and is roughly half the size of the IEAB.


In a statement reporting the bishop’s death, the diocesan council stated that they gave “thanks to God for the dedicated ministry of its father in God, our pastor, teacher and friend, a true prophet and present day martyr, who fought for the cause of the Gospel of Christ, for the Church and for the Anglican Communion, and who always depended on his wife, a faithful co-servant who supported him throughout his years in ministry. They exit unto Eternity, leaving a legacy of service, love and doctrinal faithfulness, to which the Diocese will continue to adhere."

The bishop’s death was a tragedy, the Rev. Gustavo Branco told Anglican Ink. The Cavalcantis “had always been known by their gift of hospitality. The Diocese is mourning but we must go on. It was his will. It is God´s will,” he said.