A man calling himself a priest came forward Monday evening to support a man the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas has called a fake. Monday, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas warned worshippers to beware of a fake bishop who charges for holy services that priests do for free.
Bishop Kevin Farrell said he was contacted by the Archbishop of Acapulco, Mexico, about a man named Martin Davila Gandara operating in the Dallas area. Farrell said the man is not a bishop or associated with the Roman Catholic Church.
Gandara, who claims to be a Catholic bishop from Guerrero, Mexico, allegedly charged for services such as baptisms, which were reported to take place in motels for fees ranging from $100 to $200.
Monday evening, a man who travels with Gandara said they are doing nothing wrong. Armando Seguila, who claims to be a priest, said they are Catholics who are no longer recognized by the Roman Catholic Church.
However, he admits they still baptize children and perform communion and believes their work it still valid.
"Anybody could baptize a child in an emergency," he said. "It doesn't invalidate the sacrament."
Blanca Alanis, of Garland's Good Shepherd Church, said she heard of the duo after one of their parishioners questioned why a bishop and priest were performing sacraments at a Plano hotel.
"She was going to be charged $120 for a child that only needed confirmation and $160 for baptism and confirmation," Alanis said.
The Dallas diocese says the Roman Catholic Church will not recognize any sacraments that aren't performed by Roman Catholic clergy.
"A sacrament is not an isolated event," said Sister Guadalupe Ramirez, Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence.
"A sacrament takes place and is an encounter with Christ in a faith community."
But those with the church said the men claim to be Catholic clergy and are preying on people.
"They hear bishop and of course that's someone special," Alanis said.
Seguila met with families at a house in Garland Monday evening. He said that his church, unhappy with the direction of the Roman Catholic Church, broke off to a sect he refers to as "modernist."
He called the diocese's claims lies.
"The argument that we are defrauding people and robbing them is not true," he said. "And you can ask these people that I baptized how much did I ask for."
Seguila said he is in North Texas now because he was invited.
He also said he would welcome a meeting with diocese officials.
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