1. Introduction

2. Why did the family federation (FFWPU) marry archbishop Milingo, who by his catholic faith was pledged to celibacy?

3. Did the FFWPU "chase" or "hunt" archbishop Milingo?

4. Was archbishop Milingo in isolation, or controlled during his nearly three months in America (May 20 - August 6, 2001)?

5. Did the FFWPU "brainwash" archbishop Milingo?

6. Did the FFWPU drug archbishop Milingo?

7. Did archbishop Milingo "escape" from the FFWPU in America, in order to return to the Catholic Church?

8. Did archbishop Milingo ever join the FFWPU or unification church? Did Reverend Moon ask archbishop Milingo to leave the Catholic Church?

9. Did the FFWPU or Rev. Moon have any plan create a "parallel church" in Africa, with archbishop Milingo as its head? Were there any documents drawn up outlining such a plan, or proposals of money to support it?

10. Was the "Milingo affair" simply a battle between two religious organizations for a "prize?" Why did the FFWPU attack the Catholic Church in this way?

11. Conclusion

The recent publication in Italy of Archbishop Emanuel Milingo's autobiographical book "The Fish Rescued fi om the Mud," based upon the Archbishop's interviews with Michelle Zanzucchi, contains serious allegations and grievous errors of fact regarding the relationship between Archbishop Milingo and the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), and the reasons for the Archbishop's decision to marry Maria Sung and their participation in a Blessing ceremony conducted by Reverend and Mrs Sun Myung Moon on May 27, 2001. The purpose of the book's publication is easy to understand. The entire experience has unfortunately been an embarrassment for the Roman Catholic Church. They did not recognize the union of the Archbishop and Maria, did not consider that Ms. Sung had any rights to meet with the Archbishop or hear his wishes personally, did not intend to deal directly with the FFWPU, and certainly did not wish that this drama be played out upon the world stage, trumpeted by the media. The book may serve the church's concern to protect its faithful by offering a simple explanation, painting the FFWPU as the villain.

Archbishop Milingo may also have his purposes for participating in the writing of such a book. The original ultimatum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued on July 17, 2001, demanded that His Grace renounce his relationship with the FFWPU, and disassociate completely from Reverend Moon, or face excommunication. After thirteen months in isolation, there is no doubt that the rehabilitation of the Archbishop's standing in the Catholic Church requires that he clearly distance himself from Reverend Moon and his movement. But still not being able to see or hear from Archbishop Milingo directly, and not knowing the conditions or constraints placed upon him during this past year, many questions remain regarding the true origin and motives of these statements. If we accept them as true, it paints a picture of the Archbishop's motives and methods that is not flattering. It calls into question his many public statements, and interviews on radio and television, and suggests someone far different than the courageous and saintly man that we came to know and believe in. In his final meeting with Maria Sung on August 29, 2001, the Archbishop explained to Family Federation officials the Holy Father's direction to him, and precisely why he was choosing to make the marriage a "sacrifice," as he said and ask Maria to be his sister, not his wife. Though Maria may have struggled to accept this, the FFWPU did not. As we had promised, we accepted his decision, supported his wishes, and issued a clear public statement on September 3, 2001. Any efforts we have made in the past year in relation to the Archbishop have not been to "claim" him, but out of concern for his health and safety. The same is true for Maria Sung, the Archbishop's family, and the government of Zambia.

But Archbishop Milingo promised during our August 29, 2001 meeting to tell the truth about his relationship with the FFWPU. We believed him then and we believe in him now. We do not fault His Grace for the misrepresentations in this book, for we have no idea of the circumstances or reasoning that led to their inclusion in the book. But fortunately, the Family Federation possesses his recorded interviews with the BBC in London and major networks in the USA. We have photo, video, and newspaper records of his whereabouts and schedule during his time in the USA and Korea, including his "honeymoon. We have pages and pages of his handwritten notes for all of his published documents. These, and the testimonies of hundreds of Christian ministers, both white and black, with whom he met and who are NOT members of the FFWPU, will demonstrate that many of the book's claims are false and misleading. We summarize this information below, even as we are preparing the material for publication. Our purpose is not to defame the Archbishop, nor to further aggravate the Catholic Church, but to refute the most egregious and scurrilous charges in the book, "The Fish Rescued form the Mud." There was no brainwashing, no coercion, and no plot against the Catholic Church... NEVER! The easiest answer for Rome, for many faithful Catholics, and perhaps in some way even for Archbishop Milingo, is to place all the responsibility for this tragic story upon the Family Federation, and make it a "scapegoat," as we say in English, by casually tossing about unproven and undefined charges of "brainwashing" or control by drugs. But these baseless and inflammatory claims are not sufficient and not helpful. The entire story was played out in front of the world, and in our deepest hearts we all know it is not that simple. The long struggle between Archbishop Milingo and the Catholic Church which began years before he ever met the Reverend Moon, is well known, as is the character of the participants. No, we each must take responsibility for our role in this sad historical drama: the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, the Roman Catholic Church, and Archbishop Milingo. We would like to begin that process now:

The FFWPU holds that the first institution created by God, in the Garden of Eden, was the family. Adam and Eve, the scripture teaches, were created not as Catholic, Protestant, Moslem or Jew, but as husband and wife. Their separation from God was not only individual disobedience... it was the breakdown of the first human family, resulting in mistrust between man and woman, and violence and hatred between brothers. While various religions have been the bearers of values, traditions and customs for different peoples at different times and places, ultimately it is the family that is the true school of love and morality, and the basic unit of a good society and a peaceful world. The Catholic Church, exemplary in its focus upon family, has also protected the sanctity of love and the virtue of service through its sacrificial condition of celibacy for priests, following the teaching and example of Jesus for 2000 years.

The FFWPU recognizes that the Kingdom of God will be realized not by any one church, but by recreating the ideal of the God-centred family as it was intended in the Garden of Eden, before the fall of the first ancestors. We seek to work with all religions, to renew and rebuild Godly families. We challenge all people of faith to transcend their own narrow religious viewpoints, and cooperate for this restorative and redemptive work.

Archbishop Milingo had attended previous Blessing ceremonies, joining leaders of other faith traditions in praying for couples of many different religions. But on May 27, 2001, His Grace joined 60 other clergy and their spouses in an interfaith affirmation of the family as God's holy instrument of peace. Since then, thousands of other clerics have joined in matrimony or reaffirmed their vows in the same manner. On September 14 this year, 800 clergy couples joined together to commemorate the first anniversary of the terror of 911, and proclaim true love and family as the only way to peace; the only answer to terrorism and religious hatred. Among these couples were Christians and Muslims who chose to marry each other in an act of reconciliation and healing. To some it may seem that the willingness to marry an Archbishop is an attack" upon the Catholic faith. Others believe that Reverend Moon's emphasis upon interreligious and interracial marriage is an attack upon their traditions and beliefs. It is not intended this way at all. We see it as the only way to peace, and we believe that Archbishop Milingo, a faithful Catholic to his bones, saw this simple truth and sought to embrace this broad vision while maintaining his devotion to the church he has always served. When he found this to be impossible, he made the choice that both he and Reverend Moon had always understood was his priority. Christ himself was considered a threat to religious tradition and law by the religious leaders of his day, and so was rejected by the very people prepared to receive him.

The Family Federation is well known for its commitment to interreligious dialogue and its efforts to promote world peace through spiritually based solutions (see www.iifwp.org or www.irfwp.org, www.wango.org, www.members aol.com/scwpeace/, etc). The relationship with Archbishop Milingo developed over several years as he participated in interreligious dialogues and conferences, not with Unificationists alone but with leaders from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. His Grace was and is deeply loved and respected by Family Federation members for his pure and spiritual ways. A warm and embracing figure, the Archbishop was always considered a good friend and a genuinely loving and inspirational leader. As much as FFWPU members reached out to him, the Archbishop has also made it clear that he saw in our movement a way to continue his ministry once it seemed that the Catholic Church would not allow him to continue at all. To be sure, Reverend Moon challenged all of the religious leaders we worked with to build exemplary marriages and families. In the process, many clergy had their own marriages restored, even after years of separation and divorce As Archbishop Milingo notes in his new book, he made his decision to marry in February of 2001. Reverend Moon did not know of it, nor did any of us, until His Grace appeared suddenly in New York a few days before the scheduled Blessing ceremony on May 27, 2001.

In the weeks following the Blessing ceremony, Archbishop Milingo visited many American cities, such as New York, Washington, DC, Chicago, Seattle, and Portland, as well as several cities in Korea. He gave press conferences and was interviewed by media in most of these places. He travelled publicly, and preached and healed in a number of Christian churches around the country receiving invitations to many more. He was a guest in the homes of many American ministers, most of whom were NOT FFWPU members. When he stayed at FFWPU facilities in New York or Washington, he had his own car and driver, and occasionally went out on his own, or travelled to visit his friends or Maria Sung's relatives in the states.

During this period, His Grace met publicly and privately with the leaders of the married priest movement in the US. He taped television shows for CBS, was interviewed by the London Daily Telegraph ("I'll Have No More Inquisitions," June 15, 2001), and appeared on the well known BBC radio program, "Religion and Ethics" (excerpts of his BBC interview are attached. The entire interview may be heard at www.archbishopmilingo.org) He also maintained regular contact with his staff and followers in Italy, and the Zambian Helpers Society in Zambia, although the Catholic Church prevented his congregations from communicating with him at all. All of the above is a matter of record, and can be documented.

On the contrary, ever since his public declaration on August 8, 2001, that he wanted to meet his wife and decide their future together, the Archbishop has been totally hidden from the public. None of us can truly be sure where he has been or what he has been through during these past 13 months. After this long ordeal, it is understandable that his many public statements of a year ago are now distant and strange. But given the circumstances, why is the Family Federation being accused of control, rather than those responsible for the Archbishop's last 13 months?

Such dramatic terms, without proof or merit, are merely justifications for the actions taken and appealingly simple explanations for those unwilling to look more deeply. No sleep was deprived, no food was withheld; no locks on doors; no force or restrictions. In the United States, a more religiously diverse and pluralistic society, the Unification Movement of Rev. Moon has been recognized by the courts as a "bona fide" religion, and its rights are protected. Such charges and suspicions were raised years ago, but have never proven to have legal or scientific merit. They are the product not of genuine investigation and personal experience, but of ignorance and narrow-mindedness. They are comparable to the Pharisees' claim that Jesus' power to cast out demons came from the devil himself (Matthew 12:24). In his relationship with the FFWPU over the years, Archbishop Milingo heard presentations on Reverend Moon's teaching, debated and discussed religion with others, engaged in dialogue with leaders of many faith traditions, and gave sermons and homilies in many different churches in America. We believe he was simply moved and inspired by these experiences, nothing more and nothing less.

Such scurrilous and defamatory charges, which are without merit or cause, have been raised again and again by "unnamed officials," and should immediately cease. We call upon responsible leaders within the Vatican to publicly refute such charges, which serve simply to justify the actions of Archbishop Milingo and assuage official embarrassment by placing the total responsibility upon the FFWPU.

Once the Archbishop received the July 17, 2001 ultimatum from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, it was clear that he would be forced to choose between his marriage and his church. Because neither the Archbishop nor Reverend Moon intended that he leave the Catholic Church, an urgent plan was made for him to try and meet the Holy Father directly, by visiting Rome before the deadline for excommunication, which was August 20. He discussed this plan with Family Federation leaders, who supported him completely. The reservations were made by FFWPU. We paid for the tickets, which were issued by an FFWPU-owned travel agency. He had breakfast with Reverend and Mrs. Moon the last few mornings before his departure, and they joined us all in praying for the success of the Archbishop's journey. We drove His Grace to the airport, and he and Maria were accompanied by Rev. Zagery Oliver and Rev. Phillip Schanker (who flew separately to disguise the date of His Grace's secret arrival).

Archbishop Milingo prepared and sent several letters to the Holy Father, pointing to the sexual scandals and moral corruption within the church, asking to remain an Archbishop yet married, offering to be a bridge to the many thousands of married priests and nuns who desire to be part of the church, etc. He prepared a detailed presentation for his meeting with the Pope. Copies of his handwritten notes, as well as his air travel reservations, and other proof of these facts, will be made available upon request.

On May 26, 2001, the Archbishop issued a public explanation of his decision to marry. In it, he said, "Reverend and Mrs. Moon have never asked me to deny or abandon my Catholic faith." On June 10, in a personal letter to Pope John Paul II, released only after the July 17~` ultimatum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he wrote, "I am determined to find the way, if at all possible, to work within the confines of the Catholic Church." I his interview with the BBC Religion and Ethics program on July 22, he said, "I am not a member (of the Unification Church), neither does Reverend Moon want that I become a member. Not at all!" The text of these, and the full broadcast of the BBC interview are available at www archbishopmilingo.org .

No such plan was EVER discussed or considered. No funding was ever offered for such a plan. In a July 25, 2001 Press Conference in Washington, DC (available on video tape), His Grace was asked if he intended to start a new church with the African-American ministers he was meeting in America. He clearly stated that this was not his or Reverend Moon's desire. "I desperately pray that the work he has given me can be fulfilled through the Holy Catholic Church," he said. "But that is to be decided by others, not by me. It is they who left me no place in my own church, long before this moment. But I now ask openly for what they have denied me for years: an audience with the Holy Father, whom I love and respect." Such a destructive plan is totally against everything that the Family Federation stands for, and contrary to anything we have ever done. A letter is now being prepared, that will be signed by 20-30 non-Unificationist clergy, to state clearly that no such plan was ever proposed by Reverend Moon. If there was any mysterious document that later disappeared, it was never seen by the FFWPU, and we have nothing to do with it.

In August of 2001, the Family Federation went to the media not to attack the Roman Catholic Church. No official representative of the FFWPU ever accused the Catholic Church (on the contrary, the Italian press was filled with scandal and accusation regarding the FFWPU, with much of it attributed to unnamed" Vatican sources. We did not go to the media for publicity, or to promote Reverend Moon. We stated our position quite clearly. We supported the right and responsibility of Archbishop Milingo and Maria Sung to meet and decide their future together, a right that the Vatican clearly did not agree with, and did not wish to support. We promised to support whatever decision was taken. We used the media as the only instrument we had to place Maria's cause in front of the people of Italy and the world. Despite the fact that the private meeting that Maria requested was never allowed, and the Archbishop was brought in and out under heavy security, and not allowed to say anything publicly, the FFWPU fulfilled its promise completely. Any further actions during the Archbishops exile and seclusion have been for one purpose only: to assure his health and safety, and to speed his return to public ministry.

Archbishop Milingo stated his idealistic belief that he could somehow fmd a way to be embraced by the Catholic Faith even as he sought to renew it through his marriage as an Archbishop. In retrospect and reflection he has realized other motives and purposes which may have impelled his actions. In any case, once he found that he could not have both his beloved church and his wife, he eventually chose to be true to his vow of obedience to the Pope and maintain his devotion to the Catholic faith, which was his stated priority (and Reverend Moon's) from the start. The famous Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei also recanted his teaching that the earth revolves around the sun, rather than risk censure by the church. This did not change the truth of his proclamation; it merely delayed the time for its expression. The problems that now ravage a celibate but struggling priesthood are apparent in the United States, in Africa, and around the world. These are but symptoms of the moral and spiritual crisis facing the Christian Church and the entire community of faith. We are convinced that the renewal of God s ideal of the family is the only solution that will get to the root of the problems facing the whole of humanity. There will be no peace among nations, or in our society, till we find peace in our homes. As French literary genius Victor Hugo wrote: "Nothing in the world is so powerful as an idea whose time has come."

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