SAN PABLO City, Laguna, Feb. 28, 2015—The Diocese of San Pablo in Laguna has reminded the local faithful to beware of a certain “Fr. Michael P Caadan” after it was revealed that he is a “fake” priest, and therefore already banned from celebrating Holy Mass and administering the sacraments in the episcopal see.
In a circular issued on Thursday, Feb. 27, San Pablo Bishop Buenaventura M. Famadico quotes a letter sent by Fr. Ludgerio Martins da Silva, chancellor of the Diocese of Dili in East Timor, where Caadan allegedly hails from, informing the prelate it has never had a priest named “Padre Michael P. Caadan.”
“Thank you for sending us the document. We are surprised to [sic] this weird document. In early year of 2000, we restarted our Curia and Mons. Carlos Belo did ordain three priests that year but not with “Mr. Michael Caadan” which Congregation of Santissima Trinidade never exist [sic] in Timor Leste,” it reads.
According to Famadico, Caadan regularly celebrates Mass at the Vicariate of St. Polycarp, claiming to be a missionary priest of the “Missionarios do Santissima Trinidad,” and affiliated with the Tahanan ni Maria in Carmona, Cavite.
The document mentioned is the one Caadan was supposed to have submitted to the San Pablo diocese, identifying him as a priest ordained by Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo in Sept 8, 2000.
Martins da Silva’s letter continues, “We want to confirm that the Diocese of Dili never has this kind of document … never has the seal used in this document. The statements in the document using mix of wrong Portuguese phrases and English makes confuse to [sic] those who understand Portuguese.”
It adds, “We are [sic] absolutely declare that the document is a fake one and the Diocese of Dili has never known one named Padre Michael P. Caadan.” (Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCP News)
