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'''George Augustus Stallings, Jr.''' (born [[March 17]], [[1948]]) is best known as the founder of the [[Imani Temple African-American Catholic Congregation]], an [[African American]] led form of [[Catholicism]]. He had been a Roman Catholic priest, but made a public break with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] on the [[Phil Donahue]] show in [[1989]] and was excommunicated the next year. |
'''George Augustus Stallings, Jr.''' (born [[March 17]], [[1948]]) is best known as the founder of the [[Imani Temple African-American Catholic Congregation]], an [[African American]] led form of [[Catholicism]]. He had been a Roman Catholic priest, but made a public break with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] on the [[Phil Donahue]] show in [[1989]] and was excommunicated the next year. |
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Revision as of 08:42, 22 December 2009
George Augustus Stallings, Jr. (born March 17, 1948) is best known as the founder of the Imani Temple African-American Catholic Congregation, an African American led form of Catholicism. He had been a Roman Catholic priest, but made a public break with the Roman Catholic Church on the Phil Donahue show in 1989 and was excommunicated the next year.
Early life and ordination
Stallings, Jr., was born on the 17th of March, 1948, in New Bern, North Carolina, to George Augustus Stallings, Sr., and Dorothy Smith. The youthful George was exposed by his grandmother, Bessie Taylor, to black Baptist Church worship, and enjoyed it so much that he also desired to be a preacher. He would later find this desire realized in his own Church, the Roman Catholic Church, by becoming a priest. George was very Afrocentric from a young age. During his high school years, he challenged the orders of the bishop that every student should shave his mustache. The young George, we are told, argued that he could not do it because the mustache was a reflection of his black identity[.[1]
Having within him a deep desire to become a minister in the Catholic Church, George proceeded after high school to St. Pius X Seminary, a college seminary in Kentucky. Here he was graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy in 1970. After seminary, he was sent by his bishop to study at the prestigious North American College, Rome. He lived in this college and took classes at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and earned three degrees between 1970 and 1975. He acquired a bachelor’s degree in Sacred Theology, a master’s degree in Pastoral Theology and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology.
George was ordained a priest in 1974 and served as an associate pastor between 1974 and 1976 at our Lady of Peace Church, Washington, D.C. In 1976, at the very young age of 28 years and just two years after ordination as a priest, he was named a pastor of St. Teresa of Avila, Washington, D.C. He was the pastor of this church for 22 years before he was named the Evangelist of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C Evangelism Program.
Departure and excommunication from the Catholic Church
He states he left because the Church did not serve the African American community or recognize talent. Critics claimed he had lived extravagantly and had been asked to seek psychiatric help.[2] The Washington Post reported in 1990 that concerns about Stallings' association with teenage boys had helped lead to his split with the Roman Catholic Church. [3]
One year after having received this new appointment, he left the Archdiocese to found the African American Catholic Congregation. He was ordained a bishop in 1990 by the Old Catholics, a schismatic group not in communion with Rome, and Archbishop in 1991 with the same group. [4]
In 2009 the Archdiocese reached a $125,000 settlement with Gamal Awad, who said he was sexually abused at 14 by Stallings and a seminarian.[5]
Relationship with Emmanuel Milingo and Sun Myung Moon
Stallings has regained attention recently due to his association with Emmanuel Milingo and his group Married Priests Now!.[6] Stallings is also active in the Middle East Peace Initiative, which promotes conflict resolution between Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims. [7][8]
In the year 2001, Stallings married Sayomi Kamimoto, a native of Okinawa, Japan, by Sun Myung Moon the founder of the Unification Church. They now have two sons. In 2004 he was a key organizer for an event in which Moon was crowned with a "crown of peace." The event was attended by a number of United Stated congresspersons.[9]
Media appearances
George Stallings has made numerous appearances in the news media. He has been featured in The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, Phil Donahue Show, Diane Rhem Show, to mention but a few. He is the author of the book, I am … Living in the Rhythm of the god within the key of g minor. He says he is also writing his autobiography titled, Confessions of a Renegade Priest.[10]
References
- ^ Bekeh Ukelina Utietiang, ISSUES IN THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: A STUDY OF ARCHBISHOP GEORGE AUGUSTUS STALLINGS, JR.
- ^ Time Magazine
- ^ [1]
- ^ Bekeh Ukelina Utietiang, ISSUES IN THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: A STUDY OF ARCHBISHOP GEORGE AUGUSTUS STALLINGS, JR.
- ^ William Wan, "Washington Archdiocese Reaches Settlement in Sexual Abuse Lawsuit," Washington Post, Wednesday, October 14, 2009
- ^ The Washington Post
- ^ Bowie resident pushes for peace
- ^ Muslim cleric from Edison works for peace in Middle East
- ^ Babington, Charles (2004). "The Rev. Moon Honored at Hill Reception - Lawmakers Say They Were Misled". Washington Post: A01.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Bekeh Ukelina Utietiang, ISSUES IN THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: A STUDY OF ARCHBISHOP GEORGE AUGUSTUS STALLINGS, JR.