Old Catholic Church
In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
The Catholic Charismatic Rite traces its heritage and apostolic succession through the Old Catholic Church, which cut communion with Rome in 1870 (1723). They are also a part of the Charismatic movement which is open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in one's life. This is not to be confused with contemporary usage of the words charismatic or Pentecostal. The Catholic Charismatic Rite believes in the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and the Quicumque Vult (Athanasian Creed).
The Catholic Charismatic Rite is more conservative than some other branches of the Old Catholic Church. It accepts the Seven Ecumenical Councils as binding upon all Christians and strive towards an undivided Church as experienced in the first 1,000 years of Christianity, prior to the East-West Schism of 1054 AD. It also accepts the teachings of the Council of Trent, including Trent's definition of the seven sacraments. They reject the ordination of women to the offices of deacon, priest or bishop, because this has not "been believed everywhere, always, and by all" (The Declaration of Utrecht of 19th century). However, it does allow its clergy to marry and adopt other liberalisations.
Members of the CCR refer to their rite as Charismatic, believing in the spiritual gifts and in the moving of the Holy Spirit. Although the CCR follows a set liturgy for both the Eucharist and the Sacraments, it is not rigid so as to prevent the movement of the Holy Spirit to enliven, enlighten, and sustain. It employs both traditional hymns and contemporary praise and worship songs. Its preachers base their sermons on the Bible. They are self-described as Orthodox in belief, Catholic in practice, and Charismatic in worship.
Old Catholicism affirms the ancient, apostolic faith and tradition of the first millennium of the undivided Catholic and Orthodox Church where the various local churches and bishops were autonomous. As in the Early Church and, according to patristic teaching, the universality of the Church is contained within the ministry of the bishop and the local Church. Thus, as with the Orthodox Church, the Old Catholic Church recognizes the first seven Ecumenical Councils and the doctrine accepted by the Church Universal before the Great Schism of 1054.
An Ancient and Apostolic Church
The Old Catholic Church has maintained its Apostolic Succession, and its Bishops and sacraments are recognized as valid by the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion and by the entire Christian community. Therefore, the Old Catholic Church is in a state of intercommunion with the See of Rome and all Churches in union with Rome by virtue of its apostolic succession and the Eucharist.
The ancient See of Utrecht in the Netherlands and its bishops were essentially independent of Rome until 1702: The bishops and archbishops of the See of Utrecht were freely elected by the local chapter of canons, which was taken from the local clergy. Because of the confusion and chaos of the Reformation in the Low Countries, the See of Utrecht was directly placed under the control of Rome and its existing independence dissolved. In spite of the inhibition of Utrecht's Archbishop Peter Codde in 1702 and the papal threat to "demote" the Utrecht province to a missionary territory – thus nullifying the See of Utrecht and its chapter's rights – the chapter of canons of the See of Utrecht decided to assert its ancient rights in the Church Catholic; and in 1723, the chapter of canons elected the Rev. Cornelius Steenhoven as Archbishop of Utrecht, who was ordained as a bishop by the French missionary, Bishop Dominique Varlet. Thus, apostolic succession is preserved in the Old Catholic Church. In the Old Catholic Confederation, however, the majority of our Bishops derive their Episcopal Lineage and Apostolic Succession from the line of Pope Paul VI through Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, the former Roman Catholic Cardinal-Archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia, who separated from Rome in 2009 because he married and became an international advocate for the married priesthood.
An Independent Catholic Church
The Old Catholic Church of the East in the Philippines continues the ancient, Apostolic faith and the right of an independent Catholic bishopric holding fast to the patristic beliefs and practices of the early undivided Church, in whose midst and in whose head is Jesus Christ. The name “Old” Catholic thus came from the belief that Old Catholics were remaining with the ancient teachings of the undivided catholic and apostolic Church – as a way of denying the “new dogmas” of papal supremacy and infallibility, which were understood as a break with the continuity of Christian and orthodox tradition and could not be regarded as truly catholic in any sense.
When in 1870 Rome assembled the First Vatican Council and there promulgated as dogma the doctrine of papal supremacy (universal jurisdiction) and the doctrine of papal infallibility in questions of faith and morality, many Catholics rejected these teachings as being neither supported by Scripture nor founded in tradition. Catholics –lay and clergy alike – who could not in good conscience accept these new dogmas were excommunicated (that is, barred from the sacraments of the Church) and were thus compelled to form an independent Catholic Church under the leadership of their bishops. Thus, as Old Catholics, we continue to hold on to the ancient Catholic and Apostolic faith and tradition.
Old Catholic Confederation
The Old Catholic Confederation (OCC) is a worldwide union of traditional, orthodox and canonical Old Catholic Churches, Dioceses, Jurisdictions and Religious Orders consisting of twelve national jurisdictions and ten Member Churches, ministering to nearly two hundred thousand Christians in twenty nations around the world. While the Old Catholic Confederation acknowledges His Grace, The Most Rev. Dr. Joris Vercammen as Primate of the Old Catholic Church and Successor of St. Willibrord, the Old Catholic Churches of the Old Catholic Confederation are governed by the Synod of Bishops founded upon the supreme authority of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through Apostolic Succession.
While the respective member Churches each have their own liturgical and sacramental practices, the dioceses of the Old Catholic Confederation encourages a restoration of the practices of the ancient Church, and especially with regard to the Rites of Christian Initiation of Baptism, Chrismation (Confirmation) and Holy Communion to be administered to infants and adults following ancient practice. Likewise, many bishop of the Confederation continue to tonsure new clerics and confer the minor orders of cantor, lector and subdeacon (in the ancient practice) upon our candidates as they progress toward Holy Orders. Following the example of Christ and the Apostolic tradition of the Early Church, the member Churches of the Confederation ordain married, single and celibate candidates to the ministry. Again, while there is a great deal of liturgical diversity within our member Churches, the Confederation encourages a restoration of the solemnity and mysticism proper to the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist that is also joyful and appropriate for the modern Church. While some of our parishes use the ancient liturgy of St. Gregory the Great, most of our parishes use the Old Catholic Altar Book of the Old Catholic Diocese of Germany or the second edition of the Roman Missal, with incense and chant, in accordance with local norm.
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We gratefully acknowledge that some of the above has been taken or paraphrased from the official website of the Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholic Church of Germany at http://www.alt-katholisch.de/english/about-the-old-catholics.html.
The Catholic Charismatic Rite traces its heritage and apostolic succession through the Old Catholic Church, which cut communion with Rome in 1870 (1723). They are also a part of the Charismatic movement which is open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in one's life. This is not to be confused with contemporary usage of the words charismatic or Pentecostal. The Catholic Charismatic Rite believes in the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and the Quicumque Vult (Athanasian Creed).
The Catholic Charismatic Rite is more conservative than some other branches of the Old Catholic Church. It accepts the Seven Ecumenical Councils as binding upon all Christians and strive towards an undivided Church as experienced in the first 1,000 years of Christianity, prior to the East-West Schism of 1054 AD. It also accepts the teachings of the Council of Trent, including Trent's definition of the seven sacraments. They reject the ordination of women to the offices of deacon, priest or bishop, because this has not "been believed everywhere, always, and by all" (The Declaration of Utrecht of 19th century). However, it does allow its clergy to marry and adopt other liberalisations.
Members of the CCR refer to their rite as Charismatic, believing in the spiritual gifts and in the moving of the Holy Spirit. Although the CCR follows a set liturgy for both the Eucharist and the Sacraments, it is not rigid so as to prevent the movement of the Holy Spirit to enliven, enlighten, and sustain. It employs both traditional hymns and contemporary praise and worship songs. Its preachers base their sermons on the Bible. They are self-described as Orthodox in belief, Catholic in practice, and Charismatic in worship.
Old Catholicism affirms the ancient, apostolic faith and tradition of the first millennium of the undivided Catholic and Orthodox Church where the various local churches and bishops were autonomous. As in the Early Church and, according to patristic teaching, the universality of the Church is contained within the ministry of the bishop and the local Church. Thus, as with the Orthodox Church, the Old Catholic Church recognizes the first seven Ecumenical Councils and the doctrine accepted by the Church Universal before the Great Schism of 1054.
An Ancient and Apostolic Church
The Old Catholic Church has maintained its Apostolic Succession, and its Bishops and sacraments are recognized as valid by the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion and by the entire Christian community. Therefore, the Old Catholic Church is in a state of intercommunion with the See of Rome and all Churches in union with Rome by virtue of its apostolic succession and the Eucharist.
The ancient See of Utrecht in the Netherlands and its bishops were essentially independent of Rome until 1702: The bishops and archbishops of the See of Utrecht were freely elected by the local chapter of canons, which was taken from the local clergy. Because of the confusion and chaos of the Reformation in the Low Countries, the See of Utrecht was directly placed under the control of Rome and its existing independence dissolved. In spite of the inhibition of Utrecht's Archbishop Peter Codde in 1702 and the papal threat to "demote" the Utrecht province to a missionary territory – thus nullifying the See of Utrecht and its chapter's rights – the chapter of canons of the See of Utrecht decided to assert its ancient rights in the Church Catholic; and in 1723, the chapter of canons elected the Rev. Cornelius Steenhoven as Archbishop of Utrecht, who was ordained as a bishop by the French missionary, Bishop Dominique Varlet. Thus, apostolic succession is preserved in the Old Catholic Church. In the Old Catholic Confederation, however, the majority of our Bishops derive their Episcopal Lineage and Apostolic Succession from the line of Pope Paul VI through Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, the former Roman Catholic Cardinal-Archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia, who separated from Rome in 2009 because he married and became an international advocate for the married priesthood.
An Independent Catholic Church
The Old Catholic Church of the East in the Philippines continues the ancient, Apostolic faith and the right of an independent Catholic bishopric holding fast to the patristic beliefs and practices of the early undivided Church, in whose midst and in whose head is Jesus Christ. The name “Old” Catholic thus came from the belief that Old Catholics were remaining with the ancient teachings of the undivided catholic and apostolic Church – as a way of denying the “new dogmas” of papal supremacy and infallibility, which were understood as a break with the continuity of Christian and orthodox tradition and could not be regarded as truly catholic in any sense.
When in 1870 Rome assembled the First Vatican Council and there promulgated as dogma the doctrine of papal supremacy (universal jurisdiction) and the doctrine of papal infallibility in questions of faith and morality, many Catholics rejected these teachings as being neither supported by Scripture nor founded in tradition. Catholics –lay and clergy alike – who could not in good conscience accept these new dogmas were excommunicated (that is, barred from the sacraments of the Church) and were thus compelled to form an independent Catholic Church under the leadership of their bishops. Thus, as Old Catholics, we continue to hold on to the ancient Catholic and Apostolic faith and tradition.
Old Catholic Confederation
The Old Catholic Confederation (OCC) is a worldwide union of traditional, orthodox and canonical Old Catholic Churches, Dioceses, Jurisdictions and Religious Orders consisting of twelve national jurisdictions and ten Member Churches, ministering to nearly two hundred thousand Christians in twenty nations around the world. While the Old Catholic Confederation acknowledges His Grace, The Most Rev. Dr. Joris Vercammen as Primate of the Old Catholic Church and Successor of St. Willibrord, the Old Catholic Churches of the Old Catholic Confederation are governed by the Synod of Bishops founded upon the supreme authority of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through Apostolic Succession.
While the respective member Churches each have their own liturgical and sacramental practices, the dioceses of the Old Catholic Confederation encourages a restoration of the practices of the ancient Church, and especially with regard to the Rites of Christian Initiation of Baptism, Chrismation (Confirmation) and Holy Communion to be administered to infants and adults following ancient practice. Likewise, many bishop of the Confederation continue to tonsure new clerics and confer the minor orders of cantor, lector and subdeacon (in the ancient practice) upon our candidates as they progress toward Holy Orders. Following the example of Christ and the Apostolic tradition of the Early Church, the member Churches of the Confederation ordain married, single and celibate candidates to the ministry. Again, while there is a great deal of liturgical diversity within our member Churches, the Confederation encourages a restoration of the solemnity and mysticism proper to the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist that is also joyful and appropriate for the modern Church. While some of our parishes use the ancient liturgy of St. Gregory the Great, most of our parishes use the Old Catholic Altar Book of the Old Catholic Diocese of Germany or the second edition of the Roman Missal, with incense and chant, in accordance with local norm.
___________________
We gratefully acknowledge that some of the above has been taken or paraphrased from the official website of the Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholic Church of Germany at http://www.alt-katholisch.de/english/about-the-old-catholics.html.