Most Reverend Dom Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez.

 His Beatitude, Patriarch of Brazil. Diocesan Bishop of Brasilia.

1933 - 1937 Diocesan Seminary St. Thomas Aquinas-San Cristobal-Venuezuela. Bachelor of Arts (High School) 

1938 -1941 Major Seminary of Sao Jose Caracas Venuezela. Philosophy. 

1942 -1946 Gregorian University in Rome. Degree in Theology. Ordination to the priesthood with special permits from the Holy See in Salsona Spain by Bishop Monsignor Valentin Comillas Santa Maria. 

1948 Episcopal Consecration, Balboa Republic of Panama by Most Reverend Dom Carlos Duarte Costa. Roman Catholic Titular Bishop of Maurensi and founder of the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church. 

1977 St. Thomas College of Montreal. Canada. Professor of Theology. Doctor of Theology (Honoris Causa) 

1988 Saint Charles Theological Academy San Francisco California USA. Doctor of Divinity.

Separation from the Roman Catholic Church

In 1947 Castillo Méndez and three other clergy formally established the "Venezuelan Apostolic Church." Like the Brazilian Catholic church led by its first Patriarch Dom Carlos Duarte Costa, the Venezuelan church was to be independent of the Vatican, used Spanish instead of Latin in the liturgy, and would permit its clergy to marry. Father Castillo Méndez filed the new church's organizational papers with the Interior Ministry in early 1947, with signed affidavits from 250 fellow priests who had unanimously elected him Bishop of Caracas.

The Minister of Interior immediately ordered the Federal police to ensure that Reverend Father Castillo Méndez not wear the vestments or insignia of the office of Bishop. However, the new church did receive public approval.

Entry into the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church.

In the end, Reverend Father Castillo Méndez and Bishop Duarte Costa made arrangements to meet in the Panama Canal Zone, a territory under the jurisdiction of the United States of America, which did not have formal diplomatic relations with the Vatican.

On May 3, 1948, Most Reverend Dom Duarte Costa consecrated Reverend Father Luis Fernando Castillo Méndez as a catholic bishop, with the title of Bishop of Caracas and Primate of Venezuela, he was assisted by co consecrator 1, Most Reverend Dom Salamao Ferraz, Bishop of São Paulo who returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 1956 and was accepted as a valid bishop by His Holiness Pope John XXIII, he was appointed as Titular Bishop of Eleutherna, co consecrator 2, Most Reverend Dom Antidio Jose Vargas Diocesan Bishop of Lages,(Brazil) consecrated by H.E. Most Reverend Carlos Duarte Costa on the 8 December 1946 co consecrated by Most Reverend Dom. Salamao Ferraz.His Beatitude, Patriarch Dom Castillo Méndez's consecration led to his official persecution by the Roman Catholic Church Cardinal in Venezuel. By order of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy in Venezuela which had great influence in the late 1940’s young Bishop Castillo Mendez was persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy in Venezuela, he was tortured to denie that he was a catholic bishop, papers was drawn for him to sign, the young bishop refused to sign them and refused to denounce that he was a catholic bishop, he was tortured with hot irons leaving severe scaring upon his arms which was visible to the day he died.

(Such practices are still happening today by order of influential Roman Catholic Hierachy although the torture is not practiced)

He arrived in Brazil on June 21, 1950, He was installed by Most Reverend Dom Carlos Duarte Costa as parish vicar and diocesan bishop of Uberlandia in the state of Minas Gerais. In 1957 he was moved to Rio de Janeiro where he served as auxiliary bishop. He was reassigned to Brasilia in 1960, where he served as diocesan bishop of the state of Goias. In 1961 he acquired Brazilian citizenship.

Primacy

1982 he was undisputed leader, elected that year as president of the Episcopal Council of ICAB. In 1988 he was designated Patriarch of Brazil ICAB, and in

1990 he was named Patriarch of ICAN, the church's international communion.

In 2005 he was the Patriarch of the national church of United Kingdom & Ireland (page 71 of his biography written in 2005), positions which he held until his death. Patriarch Dom Luis, as he was now known ("Dom" being the honorific title 'Lord' for bishops in Brazil), He used the Pre Vatican II Roman Pontifical for all episcopal consecrations. However, like most autonemous Established Christian Churches, he denied papal infallibility the same as the Orthodox churches and did not support obligatory priestly celibacy although he remained single.

Ad Lima Visit 2009.

In December 2009, an envoy of catholic bishops from the United Kingdom was to pay a visit to His Beatitude as normal, the Ad Lima visit was to inform his beatitude of how the church was progressing. However the Superior General / Primus consecrated by his beatitude was. In Most Reverend Dom David Bell's his Cathedral Church during morning mass, he was spoken to by a unknown voice during silent prayers telling him that his beatitude was ill. The Superior General/ Primus who was consecrated and elevated by his beatitude see: http://www.hrcac.org.uk/archbishop-of-london.html   contacted his chaplain and episcopal vicar and informed them that they had to leave now and the reason why.

On the 22 October 2009, 3 bishops arrived in Brasilia and stayed with his beatitude at the palace leaving only for 2 days to go to see the president in Rio de Janerio returning to the patriarchal palace on the 26 October morning 2009 until the late morning of the 28 October 2009. During their visit his beatitude recognized immediately his friend and bishop addressing him as "Cardeal James". His beatitude was the spirit of life although a little unsteady and slow on his feet, but he was very alert and lucid. The photograph above was taken on the morning of the 28 October 2009 in Brasilia, Brazil in the forecourt area of the Patriarchal Palace.

Passing

On the morning of October 29, 2009, at approximately 9 am, His Beatitude, Patriarch Dom Luis Fernando Castillo-Mendez, the Patriarch of Brazil and the Worldwide Family of Catholic Apostolic National Churches died, at the age of 86.

Brazilian custom is to address catholic bishops and high-ranking church officials with the honorific title of "Dom" followed by the individual's first name. Thus Castillo Méndez was often addressed as "Dom Luis." Photograph is the funeral service of the late Patriarch Dom Luis Fernando castillo Mendez being presided over by the president of ICAB and the counsel of catholic bishops of ICAB.