(ZENIT News / Rome, 17.09.2024).- Salvatore Micalef, a man who calls himself a “Catholic Bishop,” has been pointed out by the Diocese of Rome as a fraud, after over a year of alerts issued by the Diocese of Fatima in Portugal. Micalef has been engaging in liturgical ceremonies, alleged cures and exorcisms in several places worldwide, including the famous Marian Fatima Shrine and the Italian capital itself.
A Controversial Figure and His Connection with Excommunicated Bishops
Born in Italy in 1974, Micaleft was ordained a priest in 2009 by Emmanuel Milingo, a former Zambian Archbishop, excommunicated by the Vatican. Milingo was known for his controversial exorcisms and, later, for ordaining Bishops without papal authority. In line with his mentor, Micalef has been able to attract a small group of followers, to a large extent thanks to the alleged cures and exorcisms he carries out under the self-proclaimed name of the “Catholic Prelature of Saints Peter and Paul.”
On September 4, 2023, the Diocese of Rome issued a press release warning that Micalef has no connection with the Catholic Church. The document highlights that Micalef has no ministerial faculties and cannot administer the Sacraments. However, this clarification came more than a year after the Authorities of the Diocese of Fatima alerted about his activities in Portugal, which poses doubts about the delay in acting.
The Case in Fatima: Warnings and Legal Threats Are Ignored
In 2023, the Diocese of Leiria-Fatima issued a statement disassociating itself from the so-called “Healing and Liberation” retreats organized by Micallef near the Shrine. The Diocese’s Vicar General, Father Jorge Guarda, clarified that Micalef was not in communion with the Holy See and that he had been ordained without papal mandate.
The case was sent to the Vatican, but Micalef and his team, led by young layman Francisco Marques, threatened to take legal measures against the Diocese if he was described as a “false Bishop.” According to Marques, Micalef’s episcopal ordination is valid as it was carried out legitimately by ordained bishops, although the latter were not recognized by the Pope.
This argument, which is theologically complex, was denied by the Fatima Authorities, who pointed out that Marques’ casual meetings with Pope Francis, evidenced in photos published on the social networks, couldn’t be used as proof of the legitimacy of his Movement.
Vigilance Is Intensified in Face of the Forthcoming Jubilee
The recent response of the Vatican and the Diocese of Rome was given in the context of greater vigilance due to the Jubilee 2025, a religious event of great magnitude, which expects to attract some 35 million pilgrims to Rome. The Authorities fear that individuals, such as Micalef, will take advantage of the massive affluence of visitors, to organize parallel unauthorized events to profit at the expense of the faithful.
Roots of Mister Micalef’s Movement
Micalef proclaimed himself bishop in 2014, after being ordained by William Manseau and Peter Paul Brennan, two Americans linked to the “Married Priests Now” Movement, founded by Milingo. Neither of these “bishops” is recognized by the Vatican, and the Movement has been characterized by its opposition to ecclesiastical norms on celibacy.
Emmanuel Milingo, who played a key role in Micalef’s formation, was a controversial figure in the Catholic Church. After being destituted for carrying our unauthorized exorcisms, he continued his ministry until he was suspended for marrying a woman of the Unification Church in 2006. His story became notorious both for his acts of healing as well as his incursion into music, with a popular CD launched in 1995. Milingo ended up excommunicated after consecrating bishops without authorization; he was reduced to the lay state in 2009.
Micalef’s Future and That of His Movement
With the Vatican and the local dioceses warning about Micalef’s activities, it remains to be seen if the group will be able to continue operating without confronting more legal or ecclesiastical repercussions. What is clear, however, is that the Catholic Church is taking more proactive measures to protect the faithful from individuals that seek legitimization outside papal control.
Micalef’s story is a reminder of the challenges the Church faces in the 21st century, where the speedy spread of information, the proliferation of independent Movements and the faith of millions of people can become fertile soil for controversial figures. Meanwhile, Rome is preparing for the Jubilee with open eyes given possible attempts of fraud or manipulation.
