About Unity Catholic Church
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To look at the history of, "The Servants of the Good Shepherd", which gave birth to the "Unity Catholic Church", we will go back to July 25th, 1945 and Bishop Duarte Costa who started the "Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira" (Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil) and registered with the Brazilian government.
In 1973 C David Luther founded the "Community of the Good Shepherd" and in 1977 it changed its name to "The Servants of the Good Shepherd".
In May of 1980 the "National Catholic Apostolic Church of America" changes its name to the "Western Orthodox Church in America" (WOCA). On June of 1983 Bishop C David Luther also was the leader of the "Western Orthodox Church in America" and continued to lead the two groups together for many years.
Two years prior to his death, Bishop Luther retired from the Council of Bishops of the "Western Orthodox Church in America" leaving the leadership to Bishop Paul Diederich and Bishop Nickolas Careone. By amicable agreement with the other bishops, Bishop Luther retained his position as ordinary of the religious order known as the "Servants of the Good Shepherd" (SGS). From that time until his passing, the "Servants of the Good Shepherd" and the "Western Orthodox Church in America" operated as separate ecclesiastical entities.
One just has to look at the background of many of the groups in the Independent Catholic movement and those that also use the Orthodox name, to see them having ties to the historic "Western Orthodox Church in America", of Bishop Luther and the "Servants of the Good Shepherd".
You the reader, have found where this movement has started in this country. While other Independent Jurisdictions may have Apostolic Succsesion from Bishop Duarte Costa, the "Unity Catholic Church" through the "Servants of the Good Shepherd" have helped bring this movement in a very real and historic way through His Grace Carlos Duarte Costa, carrying his vision for the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church into the present day in America.
