Articles

Panama's 2005 Military Law
"Ordinariato Castrense"
Government of Panama Signs Agreement With Vatican
Placing a Bishop in Charge of the Police/Military

Introduction

     This "Panama Military Law" is based on a document called "Ordinariato Castrense" that was signed to the best of our knowledge and research on Friday July 1st, 2005.  It is an agreement between the government of Panama and the Vatican that creates a new military post.  This is the post of a military bishop, or "Vicariato Castrense."  The only catch is Panama doesn't have a military.  It must be understood that this new post of Military Bishopric is not like a chaplain to the military, it is the reverse.  It is a position title more like a General, actually it's above a General.  This places the entire military under the command and influence of this Military Bishop.  This is obviously a dangerous mixing of Church and State.  And you can see how if you do not share the same Catholic faith you could be persecuted in various ways. Other countries (Costa Rica, Venezuela, Argentina, and Cuba) in Latin America have signed on to this agreement with the Vatican in the past years and it has always resulted in persecution, this has been especially true in Cuba and Argentina.  In fact, the current president of Panama, Martin Torrijos, has not only started up almost a dozen new military schools in Panama (under the control of this new Bishopric), but they have asked troops from Cuba that have been trained in torture to come to the schools and train their new "military" which is more of a police-state militarization. (According to Miquel Antonio Bernal)
    While in Panama on a mission trip we were able to obtain a DVD of an interview with Guillermo David Endara Galimany (a past President of Panama) and Miguel Antonio Bernal (an expert in the Panama Constitution, and a Professor at the Titular University) speaking out against this military agreement that was signed with the Vatican. As our friends there translated it to us we realized these were some pretty serious developments and decided to do what we could to share them with others here in the US.  The following video and audio clips are from that DVD.

Three people are part of this interview.

• Guillermo David Endara Galimany, (President of Panama 1989-1994)
• Miguel Antonio Bernal (an expert in the Panama Constitution, and a Professor at the Titular University)
• The Hosanna Vision Interviewer (Name is currently unknown)

    The video and audio was reviewed and translated by a Seventh-day Adventist Pastor and at their request will remain unnamed.

Video Clips

    We have posted the maximum amount of video covered under the terms of "fair use" without violating Copyrights.  Please listen to the audio translation for a more complete "picture" of the dynamics of this agreement.

    Would you like a higher quality copy of this video to share with your friends or church family?  Please click here to order this on DVD.  This DVD is a mixed mode DVD, and also includes the full high quality audio translation, and the text write-up of the interview.

Text of audio (rough) translation

• Panama Military Law - Text of Translation.pdf

Summary

    Copies of this interview both raw and translated are being sent to several Seventh-day Adventist media centers for them to review.  There are some details in the story of how we came to obtain this interview that we cannot reveal because we do not want to endanger those who gave this video to us.  Shortly after this interview both these men were given copies of the Great Controversy.  Also shortly after ex-president Guillermo David Endara Galimanydid this interview, his offices were destroyed. We can tell you that we were a bit nervous having a DVD labeled "Panama Military Law" as we were hand-searched by the Police/Military at the airport.  But we were able to bring it back without any problems.  Thanks be to God!

Research Links (English)

• Official Presidential Web of Panama(English translation)

• Hosanna Vision (English translation)

• Guillermo David Endara Galimany - (President of Panama 1989-1994)(English)

• They criticize creation of military ordinariato in Panama - (Expired cached (by Google webpage we found while researching.)(From the Dallas-Fort Worth News)(English Translation)

• Endara questions creation of military ordinariato(1)(Foros Panama)(English translation)

• Endara questions creation of military ordinariato(2)(Foros Panama)(English translation)

• Uneasiness and neglect , Miguel Antonio Bernal, Titular university professor , The Panama America(Caritas Panama)(English translation)

• Uneasiness and neglect - (The Panama America) - The dissatisfaction and the frustration also increase and is for that reason that is urgent a transformation of our state structures.(El Panama America)(English translation)

• Military Bishopric of Venezuala (English)

• Military Ordinariato Of Brazil (English translation)

• Ordinariate Militar de Venezuala (English translation)

• http://www.translate.google.com - Translate Any Webpage or text

Research Links (Spanish)

• http://www.presidencia.gob.pa - Presidencia de la República de Panamá(Spanish)

• http://www.hosannavision.com - Hosanna Vision (Spanish)

• Critican creación de ordinariato castrense en Panamá - (Dallas Fort Worth)(Spanish)

• Ex presidente cuestiona creación de ordinariato castrense en Panamá (La Palma Interactivo)(Spanish)

• http://www.forospanama.com/archive/index.php/t-5413.html - Ex presidente cuestiona creación de ordinariato castrense en Panamá (Spanish)

• http://forospanama.com/showthread.php?mode=hybrid&t=5413 - Endara cuestiona creación de ordinariato castrense (Spanish)

• http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Node/3258/ - Ordinariato Militar de Venezuala (Spanish)

• http://www.arquidiocese.org.br/paginas/jurisd1.htm - ORDINARIATO MILITAR DO BRASIL (Spanish)

• http://www.ordimil.org.ve - Ordinariate Militar de Venezuala (Spanish)

   

Search Terms Used (Google)

• "vicariato castrense" Panama

• "vicariato castrense" Guillermo Endara

• "ordinariato castrense" Panama

• "ordinariato castrense" Panama firmado viernes

• "Guillermo Endara" AP ordinario

• "vicariato castrense"

• "Ordinariato Militar"

• "Miguel Antonio Bernal"

• "Guillermo David Endara Galimany"

See more from our Mission trip to Panama.

Questions and Answers:

• How does/could this affect me?  Watching and being aware of the dynamics of how the Vatican is dealing with governments may work to our advantage in at least understanding what is coming next.  And possibly even how to resist it for a time.  These steps in Panama seem carefully planned and calculated in their timing.
   

• Why is this development important?  Panama is a Constitutional Democracy much like the United States.  As this agreement was pushed through without so much as even a single vote, we can clearly see again how this could happen in the United States at some point in the near future.  Since control of the Panama Canal was returned to Panama in 2000, the Panama Military now controls the canal.  Since this new Military Bishopric places a Bishop in charge of the military/police it doesn't take long to see who is really in control of not only Panama, but also the Panama Canal now.  Which may possibly be used in the future to dictate who is granted access to the canal.

Still have questions? Contact us.