User:David Deschambault

Tau David Deschambault is an ordained Priest in the Gnostic tradition. He is Psychotherapist regulated by the College of Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario (CRPO). He is a Metis citizen and author. He attended St Augustine’s Roman Catholic Seminary from 1988 to 1991. After completing his studies he was accepted by the Bishop of the Archdiocese of Toronto for ordination. However after much prayer and discernment he declined ordination. As much as he felt convinced that he had been called to the seminary he was also convinced that he was not being called to the Priesthood as it existed at that time. However he continued to live a life of service.

After working twenty seven years with the marginalized in the fields of addictions, mental health and the criminal justice systems he once again felt the call to the Priesthood. However by this time he had been married, divorced and remarried. After all these years had passed he did not understand why God was once again calling. He only know that when God calls you have to pay attention. Experience had told him that if God wants something then nothing is impossible. As a result he was led to an Independent Catholic Church and in 2009 was ordained a Priest with apostolic succession.

He was then assigned to a Parish in Midland, Ontario. As he became more involved within the parish he became increasingly concerned about its theology. As a result he was offered the opportunity by the Archbishop to establish the new mission of St Francis Church of Holy Light (SFCHL) which was established in Midland, Ontario. However as time passed he continued to disagree with the church hierarchy and its theology. Over time he visited other Independent Catholic Churches but always found them lacking in vision and temperament. As a result he completely divested from the Independent Catholic Church movement and SFCHL followed him.

St Francis Church of Holy Light Inc. is now an independent other-denominational church with charitable status as recognized by the Canadian Revenue Agency. The ordination counsel of SFCHL has appointed him as its Bishop and as the church moved on it continued to become more liberal and progressive in both theology and practice. As a result it is open to everyone regardless of their race, creed, ethnicity, sexual orientation or sexual variance. St Francis Church is still located in Midland, Ontario in the region of Huronia which is also the traditional hunting grounds of the Metis people who settled in this area after the war of 1812. Historically these Metis citizens are known as Drummond Islanders which are his ancestors and heritage.

As a result St Francis Church of Holy Light is now openly gnostic and completely supports the rich cultural diversity of Huronia. It has also strived to expand its mission. However as quickly as he was installed Bishop he accepted the title of Tau and put to rest the designation of bishop. This new privilege of Tau has become a more accurate embodiment of who he is humanly and spiritually. Tau simple means “Elder”. An elder is simply a custodian and servant of the people who are the real body of the universal church.

St Francis Church of Holy Light (SFCHL) takes as its exemplar the early Gnostic’s who shaped traditional Christian spirituality. These early Christian’s recognized that they stood on the shoulders of all who had come before them. As a result Gnosticism was founded on the wisdom of the past as it strived to lean into the future.

Gnostics were the antithesis of a literalist Roman Catholic Church which Constantine formed in his own image as he proclaimed himself Holy Roman Emperor. Early Gnostic’s viewed the Roman Catholic Church as a fallible human conception. Gnostics shone light on the opulent and decadent life style of Roman Catholic Bishops as proof of their lack of gnosis. Gnosticism is the mystical arm of Christianity. Mysticism is the search for the Divine within one’s self. For Gnostics self-knowledge was revealed by the Christ within through gnosis. Knowledge of the Christ introduces us to the Divine essence which lives within all creation. The Gnostic path is a path of direct enlightenment or direct experience. This experience is personal and cannot really be communicated to others with words. This is the Divine essence of direct experience. The literalist Roman Catholic Church who held the reins of power felt threatened by anything that could undermine their authority through direct experience of the Divine. As more and more people began to follow the Gnostic path the Roman Catholic Church felt increasingly threatened and responded with propaganda, heresiology and inquisitions. However as we all know you cannot kill an idea. Especially an idea whose time has come. As a result a Gnostic renascence has arrived. Gnostics are still here and are meeting again as diverse peoples of Mother Earth who seek freedom and liberation from the Divine spark which lives within all sentient life.

St Francis Church of Holy Light (SFCHL)offers a place to gather and live as equals within an individual given state of grace. It strives to advance the life of Christhood and to live in communion with the natural world. It seeks to avoid monetary regimes of governance and pursue resource leadership systems based on consensual egalitarianism. St Francis Church of Holy Light does not therefore levy monetary systems which are based on competition and confrontation. Rather it chooses to promote resource based systems of collaboration and cooperation. It is a recognized charity with Revenue Canada and donations it receives go directly to those in need. Because it chooses to avoid the trappings of organized religion it is self-sustaining. It does respond to a church of mortar, brick and glass, but to a temple of the mind, heart and soul of a Holy Spirit.

When it gathers for liturgical celebrations it do so outdoors around a sacred fire. The grass becomes its carpet. The trees become its walls. The clouds become its frescos. All the sights, sounds, smells and beauty of the natural world become a gift offered by the Creator. A temple which all of creation has been invited to share with one another. It is from this position of equality that all peoples are invited to participate in the life of St Francis Church of Holy Light regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, sex or sexual orientation.

As Gnostics they we accept that their lineage can be traced beyond the fringes of Christianity. This heritage connects them to grandfathers and grandmothers who were indigenous, Pagan, Celtic, Druid and members of the ancient traditions of the telestai and therapeutica which can be traced to Alexandria and the freethinking Hypatia. As a result they have chosen to live by the following Gnostic Agreement for Internal Awareness (GAIA).

THE GNOSTIC AGREEMENT FOR INTERNAL AWARENESS

MISSION

The mission of the Gnostic Agreement for Internal Awareness (GAIA) is for all humanity to attain the personal and collective awakening of Hompo Spiritus. In doing so, humanity will retreat from its destructive path which is destined to end all life on planet Earth. The stench of misery shall be replaced with the beautiful fragrance of love and peace. Only through gnosis can humanity be freed from the chains of the lower-self so it can soar to its rightful place as protectors of the common good and champions of Mother Earth.

PURPOSE

The purpose of GAIA is for all humanity to recognize their full potential as contributors to the common good and our ultimate reliance on a benevolent Mother Earth. Once these spiritual blessings are received humanity will ultimately realize its true potential as awakened interconnected spiritual beings. In this way the entire human race can aspire to surpass the limitations of the lower self which is trapped within the psychic domains of complacency and materialism. The soul will soar to unimaginable heights as spiritual realities are revealed through the eyes of gnosis.

VISION

Humanity will be guided by a new renaissance of light and wisdom as seen through the eyes and heart of an evolved Homo Spiritus. As a result humanity will have discovered fire for the second time. Only this time the internal fire which has been ignited will burn within the timeless soul of humanity. This eternal sacred fire within is called gnosis and will become the light which cast no shadow. It will be known as the protector and redeemer of the world. Our shared destiny will at long last cast aside ignorance and greed to claim the genius of peace, harmony and truth.

The entire philosophy of St Francis Church of Holy Light can be summarized by the following creedo which synthesizes a cosmic solution for the universal struggles of the human race.

THE COSMIC SOLUTION

An important attribute of energy is that it transforms and that this transformation is perpetual. Therefore a person may surmise that their consciousness is preserved after they depart this earthly life. ��In every corner of the cosmos energy and life co-exist. One of these is immortal in origin and waits beyond humankind. The cosmos is thus spiritual in nature and is therefore more harmonious and moral than humanity.����Consequently a lack of human awareness leads to a lack of human morality and harmony which causes great cosmic pain. Hence there is a depth of suffering which exists as a malady that the majority of humans are not even aware of. This results in misery, evil, wars and other forms of suffering which become meaninglessness and a horrifying condition of ignorance. ��Only once these truths are accepted will humanity come to realize that we are connected body, mind, emotion and soul. Once the power of gnosis is embraced humanity will come to know that we are connected by invisible strands of love!

The Gospel of Gnosis according to Philip