Old Catholic Church of the Americas Inc (Occoa)

My name is Raymond Niblock, bishop of the Old Catholic Missionary Province which is a part of the Old Catholic Church of the Americas. I am asking you to consider a donation to support one of our priests who is half-way through a master’s degree program with St. Stephen’s University. His name is Father Castello Vore, and he lives in Gastonia, North Carolina, where he leads a mission in my name. His story is below, in his own words, and I pray his story will inspire you to give so the money we collect can be used to pay for his tuition. All money collected will go directly to Father Castello’s tuition. If there is any extra, that money will be directed for clergy relief for some of our aging and retired clergy who live below the poverty level.

Empowering Castello's Gospel Ministry & Priesthood Journey

Dear friends and supporters, my name is Father Castello. I have dedicated my life to sharing God's love and ministering to people. From a young age, I found solace in helping my Pentecostal grandfather pray for the sick in hospitals and nursing homes. Today, I lead a small, missional Old Catholic Community located at a low-income housing property where I live in North Carolina, and I am asking for donations to help me afford completing a master’s degree program.

A Call to the Priesthood

As my life unfolded, I faced numerous challenges, including struggles with high functioning autism, a learning disability, and coming out and thriving as LGBTQ in a conservative, Southern, state. Despite these hurdles, I never lost sight of my purpose to serve God’s people. The Holy Spirit had a plan for my life, and it led me to explore a Benedictine monastery where the inklings of a call to the priesthood were amplified.

That was four and a half years ago, about the same time when the Old Catholic Missionary Province accepted me as a seminarian to study and discern my calling for the priesthood. As a result of my work with the Missionary Province, the ordinary, Bishop Niblock, ordained me to the priesthood in April of this year. However, the ordination was not an end goal, but a beginning. To equip myself with the knowledge and skills to optimize my ability to serve others, I am pursuing a master's in ministry with a focus in theology and culture at St. Stephen's University. With your support, which I very much need, I am eager to embrace this divine path and continue making a positive impact on lives through the gospel and sacramental ministry.

The Journey Ahead

I am one year into the St. Stephen’s two-year program with straight-As. Already, the education I am receiving is deepening my understanding of God's teachings while equipping me with the additional skills needed to serve and connect with diverse and vulnerable communities and people. The program enhances my ability to be an effective priest amongst some of the most vulnerable people of society. However, my income is limited and well-below the poverty level. Therefore, I must rely on the gifts and kindness of others to raise the money to pay for my tuition. I hope you will consider making a donation to this cause so I can complete my education at St. Stephens, and may God bless you for your generosity.

Brian Smith, the brother of our beloved Bishop Paul Smith, had a medical emergency on Thursday evening at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport. He is presently in the intensive care unit at Baylor University Medical Center in downtown Dallas.

WHAT HAPPENED….

Brian was on his way to Northwest Arkansas on Thursday (1/12/2023). Accompanied by his brother, Bishop Paul, they had been in New Mexico for an appointment with Brian's neurology specialist, who has been treating Brian for epilepsy. Things went very well at his appointment.

They boarded the plane in Dallas for the last leg of their flight to Northwest Arkansas when, about two minutes from pushback at the gate, Brian began having the most prolonged grand mal seizure he has ever had that we know about. He initially shook and had a generalized tonic-clonic seizure for about 21 minutes. The shaking stopped, but he kept seizing - even though he was not moving.

A very helpful nurse was a co-passenger on the plane (Angelita Perez). Angelita saw what was going on and came to help immediately. The American Airlines flight crew was accommodating, too. Bishop Paul, who used to be a paramedic, gave Brian two doses of rescue medicine on the airplane while the flight crew brought the oxygen Angelita gave Brian. His rescue medicines did not touch the seizure. The paramedics came and removed Brian from the plane and transported him emergently to Baylor hospital in Grapevine by the airport. In the Emergency room, they continued trying to control the seizure. They intubated Brian, put him on a ventilator, and admitted him to intensive care.

They continued to try to get the seizures under control. They tried to get him off sedation over the next three days. As soon as sedation was turned down, he would start seizing again. On Sunday night (1/15/2023), they took him by helicopter from Baylor in Grapevine to Baylor University Medical Center in downtown Dallas. Brian is presently in the Neuro specialty intensive care, continues to be on a ventilator, and is still sedated.

His brother, Bishop Paul, has been joined by their mom, Pat, who flew from New Mexico, and other family members who came over from East Texas.

We have been asking for everyone to join us in prayer, but we also decided to ask you to contribute as much as you can to help Brian's family defray the travel costs and the expense of staying in Dallas to be by his side. They feel very well cared for at the Baylor University Medical Center, but the cost to all of them is tremendous.

If you can contribute, know that every cent of your contribution will go to Brian's family. The church will collect your contribution from GoFundMe and transmit it to the family members who need help defraying the costs of hotels, meals, and whatever else is needed while they try to tend to Brian while he is away from home. It is expected that Brian's stay at Baylor will last for a while.

Thank you for your prayers and your contributions. Whatever you can spare will be gratefully received and put to immediate use.