Pro-Chavez Catholics under fire

But the ruling body of the Catholic Church says its members are criminals who are trying to divide the Church.

The Church and the government have been in frequent conflict in Venezuela.

Catholicism is practised widely in Venezuela, but the new group's open support for President Chavez's socialist policies is deepening those divisions.

Feathers ruffled

The Reformed Catholic Church was set up by a group of priests from a mixed background.

It has a small following - several thousand people in the west the country.

But despite its size, its philosophy has ruffled a few feathers.

The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, the ruling council of the Catholic Church, has described the founders as delinquents.

Its vice president, Archbishop Roberto Luckert, has accused the new organisation of taking government money and mixing politics with religion.

But Enrique Albornoz, who was appointed as the Reformed Church's first bishop last week, denies the allegations.

"We support the work the government is doing for the poor," he told the BBC, "but we don't take any political line."

The breakaway organisation is unusual in supporting Mr Chavez.

The Catholic Church has often clashed with the president, accusing him in the past of taking Venezuela down a path to dictatorship.

He in return has criticised the Church for being elitist and ignoring the country's poor.