'Moonie' archbishop quits church

Retired archbishop, Mgr Emmanuel Milingo, 71, has left the church after marrying Maria Sung, a 43 year-old doctor, at a Moonie group wedding in New York. The pair had never met before the ceremony on Sunday. Vatican spokesman, Fr Joaquin Navarro Valls said: "By joining a public wedding ceremony celebrated by the 'Moon' sect he has placed himself outside the Catholic Church and seriously damaged the link between bishops and the church." The maverick was archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia, until 1983. He resigned in that year, under pressure from Rome, because he had been carrying out his own style faith healings and exorcisms. He was moved to Rome where he continued to conduct unorthodox services. Last year, the Vatican issued new guidelines on exorcism that were widely understood to be aimed at him. He was also quietly retired from his position at the Pontifical Council for pastoral care of migrants and itinerant people. Milango has been attending Moonie group weddings conducted by the Rev Moon for the past two years. He said he felt his spiritual journey to the Moonies was a natural progression. The couple now plan to move to Africa.