North American Old Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
The North American Old Catholic Church is an Independent Catholic denomination in the United States. Although not a member of the Union of Utrecht, the denomination adheres to Old Catholic
teachings and polity in their governance.
. The church's focus is currently on vocations and training men and women to be Old Catholic priests and planting churches and parish ministries.
As of July 2011 the church operates parishes in Houston AR; Bear, DE; Kissimmiee, Port St. Lucie, and Pembroke Pines, FL; Warner Robins, GA; New Orleans, LA; Baltimore, MD (2); New York, NY; Providence, RI; Athens, TN; Dallas, El Campo, and Kilgore, TX; Richmond, VA and Washington, DC (2).
The denomination operates a primary care center and free medical clinic in Chattanooga, TN, Baltimore MD, Macon, GA, and Washington, DC.
, but it allows local parishes to use traditional Western liturgies that are regularized in other churches, such as the Tridentine Mass
, versions of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, and the Novus Ordo from the Roman Catholic tradition.
The General Episcopal Synod, which consists of all bishops (both active and retired), the rector of St Wolbodo Seminary and the superiors of the denominations various religious orders, meets every three years.
The Corporate Board of Directors, which is composed of both clergy and laity, meets annually as required by law and has administrative over site on business and financial matters, as well as other corporate entity responsibilities as required by law.
In the period between meetings of the synod, the executive committee of the denomination meets a total of six times per year, once face-to-face and other times via teleconference. The executive committee is composed of clergy who exercise "ordinary jurisdiction" over a variety of church bodies.
The chief executive of the church is the Presiding Bishop, Archbishop Michael Seneco, who was elected to the post in January 2007 in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Presiding Bishop works as a full time employee of the church.
is held to be one of the great patriarchs of Christianity, who is to be respected but not submitted to, and decisions made by Rome without consultation with the church catholic are not accepted. According to the NAOCC, the most recent ecumenical council
was at the Second Council of Nicaea
in the year 787.
The NAOCC maintains that the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law
, specifically Canon 844 §2 (which allows Roman Catholics to receive the sacraments from non-Catholic ministers in cases of "necessity or [when] genuine spiritual advantage commends it") permits Roman Catholics to receive the sacraments from NAOCC clergy.
However, some Roman Catholics counter that this interpretation of Roman canon law has not been endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church (the author and sole competent interpreter of its own canon law). Their argument, in part, is that Canon 844 §3 relating to Roman Catholic clergy administering the sacraments to non-Roman Christians specifically refers to Eastern churches and "members of other Churches which the Apostolic See judges to be in the same position as the aforesaid eastern Churches so far as the sacraments are concerned". They additionally argue that the application of Canon 844 §2 to the NAOCC depends, also, upon demonstration of the "necessity" or "genuine spiritual advantage" which NAOCC cites. Those who question NAOCC's interpretation of the Canon point out that given the wide availability of Roman Catholic Churches in North America, and the relative paucity of NAOCC Churches, making the "necessity" or "genuine spiritual advantage" argument is difficult.
The NAOCC and most contemporary Old Catholic bodies usually respond to this criticism by pointing out that the official teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the validity of Old Catholic clergy and sacraments were addressed by the late Pope John Paul II issued the document "Dominus Iesus", which was also signed by then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, (now pope Benedict XVI) on 6 August 2000, which states:
"Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the [Roman] Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in Communion with him. The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church remain united to her by means of closest bonds, that is, by Apostolic Succession and a valid Eucharist, are true in particular Churches. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, since they do not accept the [Roman] Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church."
Old Catholic Church
The term Old Catholic Church is commonly used to describe a number of Ultrajectine Christian churches that originated with groups that split from the Roman Catholic Church over certain doctrines, most importantly that of Papal Infallibility...
teachings and polity in their governance.
Background
The North American Old Catholic Church (NAOCC) was founded in January 2007 at a meeting in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. The church's focus is currently on vocations and training men and women to be Old Catholic priests and planting churches and parish ministries.
As of July 2011 the church operates parishes in Houston AR; Bear, DE; Kissimmiee, Port St. Lucie, and Pembroke Pines, FL; Warner Robins, GA; New Orleans, LA; Baltimore, MD (2); New York, NY; Providence, RI; Athens, TN; Dallas, El Campo, and Kilgore, TX; Richmond, VA and Washington, DC (2).
The denomination operates a primary care center and free medical clinic in Chattanooga, TN, Baltimore MD, Macon, GA, and Washington, DC.
Liturgical life and expression
The North American Old Catholic Church recognizes the Old Catholic Mass as its official liturgyLiturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
, but it allows local parishes to use traditional Western liturgies that are regularized in other churches, such as the Tridentine Mass
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
, versions of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, and the Novus Ordo from the Roman Catholic tradition.
Theological beliefs
Theologically, the church stresses the inclusive character of the Gospel and welcomes the disabled, gays and lesbians, and people of all classes and political affiliations as adherents. Those who are married, women, and gays and lesbians are admitted to holy orders at all levels.Organization
Leadership of the church is vested in the General Episcopal Synod and a Corporate Board of Directors.The General Episcopal Synod, which consists of all bishops (both active and retired), the rector of St Wolbodo Seminary and the superiors of the denominations various religious orders, meets every three years.
The Corporate Board of Directors, which is composed of both clergy and laity, meets annually as required by law and has administrative over site on business and financial matters, as well as other corporate entity responsibilities as required by law.
In the period between meetings of the synod, the executive committee of the denomination meets a total of six times per year, once face-to-face and other times via teleconference. The executive committee is composed of clergy who exercise "ordinary jurisdiction" over a variety of church bodies.
The chief executive of the church is the Presiding Bishop, Archbishop Michael Seneco, who was elected to the post in January 2007 in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Presiding Bishop works as a full time employee of the church.
Relation to the Roman Catholic Church
The NAOCC has no objection to the Roman Catholic Church or to the Bishop of Rome. The PopePope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
is held to be one of the great patriarchs of Christianity, who is to be respected but not submitted to, and decisions made by Rome without consultation with the church catholic are not accepted. According to the NAOCC, the most recent ecumenical council
Ecumenical council
An ecumenical council is a conference of ecclesiastical dignitaries and theological experts convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice....
was at the Second Council of Nicaea
Second Council of Nicaea
The Second Council of Nicaea is regarded as the Seventh Ecumenical Council by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic Churches and various other Western Christian groups...
in the year 787.
The NAOCC maintains that the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
, specifically Canon 844 §2 (which allows Roman Catholics to receive the sacraments from non-Catholic ministers in cases of "necessity or [when] genuine spiritual advantage commends it") permits Roman Catholics to receive the sacraments from NAOCC clergy.
However, some Roman Catholics counter that this interpretation of Roman canon law has not been endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church (the author and sole competent interpreter of its own canon law). Their argument, in part, is that Canon 844 §3 relating to Roman Catholic clergy administering the sacraments to non-Roman Christians specifically refers to Eastern churches and "members of other Churches which the Apostolic See judges to be in the same position as the aforesaid eastern Churches so far as the sacraments are concerned". They additionally argue that the application of Canon 844 §2 to the NAOCC depends, also, upon demonstration of the "necessity" or "genuine spiritual advantage" which NAOCC cites. Those who question NAOCC's interpretation of the Canon point out that given the wide availability of Roman Catholic Churches in North America, and the relative paucity of NAOCC Churches, making the "necessity" or "genuine spiritual advantage" argument is difficult.
The NAOCC and most contemporary Old Catholic bodies usually respond to this criticism by pointing out that the official teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the validity of Old Catholic clergy and sacraments were addressed by the late Pope John Paul II issued the document "Dominus Iesus", which was also signed by then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, (now pope Benedict XVI) on 6 August 2000, which states:
"Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the [Roman] Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in Communion with him. The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church remain united to her by means of closest bonds, that is, by Apostolic Succession and a valid Eucharist, are true in particular Churches. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, since they do not accept the [Roman] Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church."
External links
- Old Catholic Library documents, liturgies, canons
- Saint Wolbodo Seminary
- Southern Province USA
- Old Catholic Vocations
- Independent Catholic News Service
- Old Catholic Publishing Group
- Benedictine Religious Order, The Anacletian Brothers
- Old Catholic Society of Jesus
- Global Library of Spiritual Writing (a ministry of the Diocese of Texas)