The following is the text of a official letter from the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International. -- editor

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Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International
13F Dowon Bldg., Dohwa 2 dong Mapo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 121-728
Tel: (82-2) 3275-4200 Fax: (82-2) 3275-4220 E-mail: mission@tongil.or.kr

Ref. No. FFWPUI 2010-18

To : Regional presidents, National messiahs, National leaders
From : FFWPU International Headquarters
Date : Cheon-gi 1.4.20 by the Heavenly Calendar (June 2, 2010)

Re. : True Parents’ special instructions regarding the right to give sermons or speeches at churches or official events/meetings anywhere in the world

May God and True Parents’ blessings and love be with brothers and sisters in your region, mission nations and providential organizations.

On Sunday May 30, 2010, there was an incident at the national headquarters church in Brazil that resulted in the regional president being forcibly escorted from the podium while he was giving his sermon, in order to make way for Hyun-jin nim to speak, without True Parents’ approval.

This memo is being sent in order to explain the circumstances of that incident and convey True Parents’ special instructions, given on May 31, 2010. All leaders should fully understand and abide by these instructions.

Hyun-jin nim’s visit to Brazil and sermon given during Sunday service was presented such that it appeared that core members had invited Hyun-jin nim and requested him to speak at the service. It was later revealed that Hyun-jin nim’s visit was prepared by UCI, which influenced a majority of the board of directors of the Brazilian church to open the way.

The visit was promoted without any consultation with the Latin American church’s regional president and at a time when he was touring South American nations on True Parents’ instructions to hold the Unification Ascension Festivals. After the regional president heard what was happening, he sought and was informed of True Parents’ instructions through the World Mission Headquarters. True Parents stated that, without their approval, no one has permission to give a sermon at an official gathering of members. This was conveyed through an official memo sent on May 28 to the Brazilian national headquarters. The memo conveyed instructions to resolve this matter under the guidance of the regional president and national leader of Brazil.

However, the staff attending Hyun-jin nim apparently continued to make preparations for the event and insisted on following through with the decisions that they made. The regional president and national leader of Brazil were denied any right of consultation.

Despite the memo from the World Mission Headquarters with True Parents’ instructions, they insisted that they would bring Hyun-jin nim to the headquarters on Sunday and that the podium be yielded unconditionally. The regional president and church leaders of Brazil waited right up until the time for service on Sunday for the opportunity to resolve this issue through dialogue, but nobody from the other party appeared and there was no chance to consult with them.

Consequently, the regional president began to give the sermon, as originally planned, to commemorate the publication of True Father’s autobiography in Portuguese. They spoke on the significance of the textbooks and True Father’s autobiography, and the core content of the teaching materials centering on True Father’s “Last Words,” the final part of the speech he delivered at the Ascension Festival. At that time, however, Hyun-jin nim’s staff mobilized many young people and escorted Hyun-jin nim to the headquarters church where the service was in progress. They forced the regional president, who was still delivering his sermon, and the national leader, from the stage, took over the main hall of the headquarters, and held their own meeting.

Fortunately nobody was seriously hurt. However, the regional president was brought down from the podium and virtually confined in the back room. Members in Brazil who were viewing the entire situation via live webcast reported that they were shocked. This was a sorrowful and tragic incident.

Upon hearing about this, True Parents made it clear that such violence is intolerable. They reiterated and emphasized the instructions that Hyun-jin nim may not give a lecture or sermon at an official event or at the church without the explicit approval of True Parents.

Please thoroughly guide leaders and members, therefore, so that such a situation never happens again in the regions and mission nations.

Hyung Jin Moon
International President