The Old Catholic Church is a community of Christian churches. Many of these were German-speaking churches of laymen and clergymen who split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1870s because of the promulgation of the dogma of Papal Infallibility as promoted by the First Vatican Council of 1869–1870. The term "Old Catholic" was first used in 1853 to describe the members of the See of Utrecht, who were not under Papal authority. The Continental European Old Catholic Churches are usually a part of the Union of Utrecht. There are now English speaking Old Catholic Churches in the United Kingdom and North America not "in-communion" with the Union of Utrecht. The Old Catholic Church of Slovakia is an example of a Continental European Old Catholic Church that removed itself from the Union of Utrecht. “Catholic Church” redirects here. ... // The invention of the telephone (1876) by Alexander Graham Bell. ... For other senses of this word, see dogma (disambiguation). ... In Catholic theology, papal infallibility is the dogma that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error[1] when he solemnly declares or promulgates to the Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals as being contained in divine revelation, or at... The First Vatican Council was summoned by Pope Pius IX by the bull Aeterni Patris of June 29, 1868. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Diocese of Utrecht was established in 695 when Saint Willibrord was consecrated bishop of the Frisians at Rome by Pope Sergius I, and with the consent of the Frankish ruler, Pippin of Herstal, settled at the market-town of Utrecht. ... The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. ...

History

Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands

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Main articles: Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands and Ultrajectine

Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht Gerardus Gul (1892-1920).

St. Willibrord was consecrated to the Episcopacy by Pope Sergius I in 696 at Rome. Upon his return to the Netherlands, he established his See at Utrecht. In addition, he established the dioceses at Deventer and Haarlem. The Church of Utrecht also provided a worthy occupant for the Papal See in 1552 in the person of Pope Hadrian VI, while two of the most able exponents of the spiritual life, Geert Groote, who founded the Brethren of the Common Life, and Thomas a Kempis, who is credited with writing the Imitation of Christ, were both from the Dutch Church. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht Gerardus Gul (1892-1920). ... Ultrajectine defines the tradition of the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands headquartered at the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. ... Image File history File links Archbishop_Gerardus_Gul,_Jansenist_Old_Catholic_Bishop_of_Utrecht. ... Saint Willibrord (c. ... Sergius I (d. ... Events Births Deaths Categories: 696 ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... The Diocese of Utrecht was established in 695 when Saint Willibrord was consecrated bishop of the Frisians at Rome by Pope Sergius I, and with the consent of the Frankish ruler, Pippin of Herstal, settled at the market-town of Utrecht. ... Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. ... Coordinates: Country Netherlands Province North Holland Area (2006)  - Municipality 32. ... Utrecht ( (help· info)) is a municipality and the capital city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. ... The term Holy See (Latin: Sancta Sedes, lit. ... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ... The house where Adrian VI was born Adrian VI (also known as Hadrian VI or Adriano VI), born Adrian dEdel (March 2, 1459 - September 14, 1523), pope from 1522 to 1523, was born in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and studied under the Brethren of the Common Life either at Zwolle... Geert Groote (1340 – 20 August 1384), otherwise Gerrit or Gerhard Groet, in Latin Gerardus Magnus,was a preacher and founder of the Brethren of the Common Life. ... The Brethren of the Common Life was a religious community founded in the 14th century by Geert Groote, formerly a successful and worldly educator who had had a religious experience and preached a life of simple devotion. ... Thomas à Kempis (1380 - 1471) was a medieval Christian monk and author of Imitation of Christ, one of the most well-known Christian books on devotion. ... The Imitation of Christ (or De imitatione Christi), by Thomas à Kempis is one of the most widely read Christian spiritual books in existence. ...

Granting the petition made by the Holy Roman Emperor, Conrad II and Bishop Heribert of Utrecht, Blessed Pope Eugene III, in the year 1145, granted the See of Utrecht the right to elect successors to the See in times of vacancy. This privilege was affirmed by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215. The autonomous nature of this See was further demonstrated when a second papal grant by Pope Leo X, Debitum Pastoralis, conceded to Philip of Burgundy, the 57th Bishop of Utrecht, that neither he nor any of his successors, or any of their clergy or laity, should ever be tried by a tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church and that, if any such tribunals were called against them, these would be, ipso facto, null and void. This papal concession, in 1520, was of the greatest importance in the later defense of the rights of the Church of Utrecht. During the Reformation the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands remained under attack and the dioceses north of the Rhine and Waal eventually were dissolved and suspended by the Holy See. Protestants had occupied most church buildings, and those left were confiscated by the government of the Dutch Republic of Seven Provinces which favored Calvinist Protestantism. The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Conrad II (circa 990 - June 4, 1039) was the son of count Henry of Speyer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Blessed Eugene III, né Bernardo Pignatelli (d. ... Events Pope Lucius II is succeeded by Pope Eugene III Nur ad-Din ascends to power in Syria Construction begins on Notre-Dame dChartres in Chartres, France Korean historian Kim Pusik compiled the historical text Samguk Sagi. ... The Fourth Council of the Lateran was summoned by Pope Innocent III with his Bull of April 19, 1213. ... A certified copy of the Magna Carta March 4 - King John of England makes an oath to the Pope as a crusader to gain the support of Innocent III. June 15 - King John of England was forced to put his seal on the Magna Carta, outlining the rights of landowning... Pope Leo X, born Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici (11 December 1475 – 1 December 1521) was Pope from 1513 to his death. ... The origin of the Diocese dates back to 695 when St. ... Year 1520 (MDXX) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht Gerardus Gul (1892-1920). ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... “Catholic Church” redirects here. ... Pope Pius XI blesses Bishop Stephen Alencastre as fifth Apostolic Vicar of the Hawaiian Islands in a Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace window. ... It has been suggested that River Rhine Pollution: November 1986 be merged into this article or section. ... WAAL (The Whale) is a classic rock radio station broadcasting at 99. ... This article is about a region in the Netherlands. ...

However about one third of the population north of the Rhine in the Netherlands remained staunchly Catholic. The 17th century Popes appointed one bishop at a time to be Apostolic Vicar for those territories of the Dutch Republic of Seven Provinces which lay north of the Rhine and Maas rivers, who, governing from the city of Utrecht, sacramentally served the needs of the Dutch Roman Catholics. The laity were assisted by secret priests secretly celebrating Holy Masses in private homes, farm houses, or small chapels which resembled ordinary sheds rather than parish churches. The Apostolic Vicar of Utrecht thus had to serve from many hundreds of thousands to up to a million Catholics. German and Belgian missionaries secretly helped out. The Apostolic Vicar was at the same time named Archbishop of Utrecht in partibus infidelium (i.e. in the land of unbelievers), not the archbishop of a restored fully operative archdiocese of Utrecht. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Pope (from Latin... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ... Map of Dutch Republic by Joannes Janssonius United Netherlands redirects here. ... It has been suggested that River Rhine Pollution: November 1986 be merged into this article or section. ... The Meuse(Maas) at Maastricht Length 925 km Elevation of the source 409 m Average discharge 230 m³/s Area watershed 36 000 km² Origin France Mouth Hollands Diep Basin countries France - Belgium - Netherlands The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a large European river rising in France, flowing through Belgium and... Utrecht ( (help· info)) is a municipality and the capital city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. ... For other uses, see Eucharist (disambiguation). ... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ...

In 1691, the Jesuits took the step of accusing the Apostolic Vicar of Utrecht, Petrus Codde, of favoring the so-called Jansenist heresy. The Holy Father, Pope Innocent XII appointed a Commission of Cardinals to investigate the accusations against Apostolic Vicar Codde, violating the previous Debitum Pastoralis. The result of this inquiry was a complete and unconditional exoneration of the Apostolic Vicar. Events March 5 - French troops under Marshal Louis-Francois de Boufflers besiege the Spanish-held town of Mons March 20 - Leislers Rebellion - New governor arrives in New York - Jacob Leisler surrenders after standoff of several hours March 29 - Siege of Mons ends to the city’s surrender May 6... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ... Utrecht ( (help· info)) is a municipality and the capital city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. ... Jansenism was a branch of Catholic thought tracing itself back to Cornelius Otto Jansen (1585 – 1638), a Flemish theologian. ... Heresy, as a blanket term, describes a practice or belief that is labeled as unorthodox. ... Innocent XII, né Antonio Pignatelli (March 13, 1615 - September 27, 1700) pope from 1691 to 1700, was the successor of Alexander VIII. He came of a distinguished Naples family and was educated at the Jesuit college in Rome. ... For other uses, see Cardinal (disambiguation). ... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ...

Undaunted by the decision of the Commission, the new Pope, Clement XI, summoned Codde to Rome in 1700 to participate in the Jubilee Year whereupon a second Commission was appointed to try Codde. The result of this second proceeding was again a complete and unconditional acquittal. Pope Clement XI decided to issue an order which suspended the Apostolic Vicar in 1701 and appointed a successor to the Apostolic Vicariate of Utrecht, despite the ruling of the Commission. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Pope (from Latin... Clement XI, né Giovanni Francesco Albani (July 23, 1649 – March 19, 1721) was pope from 1700 to 1721. ... Events January 1 - Russia accepts Julian calendar. ... Clement XI, né Giovanni Francesco Albani (July 23, 1649 – March 19, 1721) was pope from 1700 to 1721. ... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ... Events January 18 - Frederick I becomes King of Prussia. ... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ...

Bishop Peter Codde resented the attempts by the Papacy and the Jesuits to interfere with the affairs of his Apostolic Vicariate. The Dutch refused to accept the replacement the Pope had appointed, and Codde continued in his office until he resigned in 1703. The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... Apostolic vicariate is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church for non-Catholic or missionary regions and countries which do not have a diocese yet. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Pope (from Latin... Events February 2 - Earthquake in Aquila, Italy February 4 - In Japan, the 47 samurai commit seppuku (ritual suicide) February 14 - Earthquake in Norcia, Italy April 21 - Company of Quenching of Fire (ie. ...

A replacement Archbishop, Cornelius van Steenoven, was elected by dissatisfied priests in 1723. Van Steenoven was consecrated by missionary bishop Dominique Marie Varlet, who had been made the Coadjutor Bishop of Babylon by the Pope, but never went to the Middle East. Varlet had instead chosen to support the Dutch Jansenists. The episcopal ordination was done without permission of the Pope, but supposedly according to the right previously granted to the See of Utrecht. Van Steenoven and his successors were not recognised by Rome, and Apostolic Vicars (bishops in lands where the Church is not sufficiently strong to organise dioceses) were appointed to the northern Dutch Republic's territories. All those who participated in the ordination of Van Steenoven to the episcopate were excommunicated. This was the beginning of the Old Catholic Church in the Netherlands, also known as the Ancient Catholic Church or the Roman Catholic Church of the Old Episcopal Order. Events February 16 - Louis XV of France attains his majority Births February 24 - John Burgoyne, British general (d. ... Archbishop Jerome Hanus of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      This article... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ...

Van Steenoven appointed and ordained bishops to the sees of Deventer, Haarlem and Groningen, which had all been vacant since the dissolution of the Roman Catholic diocesan structure in the Northern Netherlands. These appointments were again made without the consent of the Roman Pontiff, who still considered those sees vacant. Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. ... Coordinates: Country Netherlands Province North Holland Area (2006)  - Municipality 32. ... Coordinates: Country Netherlands Province Groningen Area (2006)  - Municipality 83. ... In Rome, the title of Supreme Pontiff (in Latin, Pontifex Maximus), belongs to the chief religious official of the city. ...

Most Dutch Catholics did not follow the Old Catholic bishops of the Utrecht chapter but remained in full communion with Rome and with the Apostolic Vicars appointed by the pope. Due to prevailing anti-papism among the powerful Dutch Calvinist Protestants, the non-Roman hierarchy of Utrecht was tolerated and even congratulated by the government of the Dutch Republic. Full communion is completeness of that relationship between Christian individuals and groups which is known as communion. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... Anti-Catholicism is discrimination, hostility or prejudice directed at Catholics or the Catholic Church, which can range in expression from individual hatred to institutionalized, violent persecution. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Calvinism is... Map of Dutch Republic by Joannes Janssonius United Netherlands redirects here. ...

Pope Pius IX, in 1853, received guarantees of religious freedom from the Dutch King Willem II, and established a Roman Catholic hierarchy in the Netherlands, which existed alongside that of the Old Catholic See of Utrecht. Thereafter in the Netherlands the Utrecht hierarchy was referred to as the 'Old Catholic Church' to distinguish it from that of Roman Catholicism. According to Roman Catholic theology, the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht has maintained apostolic succession, and its clergy thus celebrate true sacraments. 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Willem II Tilburg is a Dutch football club playing in Tilburg. ...

Impact of the First Vatican Council

Old Catholic Parish Church in Gablonz an der Neiße, Austria-Hungary (now Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic). A considerable number of ethnic German Catholics supported Döllinger in his rejection of the dogma of papal infallibility.

After the First Vatican Council in 1870, considerable groups of Austrian, German and Swiss Catholics rejected the teaching on papal infallibility, and left to form their own churches. These were supported by the `Old Catholic´ Archbishop of Utrecht, who ordained their priests and bishops; later the Dutch were united more formally with many of these groups under the name "Utrecht Union of Churches". Image File history File links Altkatholische_Kirche_Gablonz_Jablonec. ... Image File history File links Altkatholische_Kirche_Gablonz_Jablonec. ... A parish is a type of administrative subdivision. ... Jablonec nad Nisou (German: ) is a town in northern Bohemia, the second largest town of the Liberec Region. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... In Catholic theology, papal infallibility is the dogma that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error[1] when he solemnly declares or promulgates to the Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals as being contained in divine revelation, or at... The First Vatican Council was summoned by Pope Pius IX by the bull Aeterni Patris of June 29, 1868. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Diocese of Utrecht was established in 695 when Saint Willibrord was consecrated bishop of the Frisians at Rome by Pope Sergius I, and with the consent of the Frankish ruler, Pippin of Herstal, settled at the market-town of Utrecht. ... The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. ...

In the spring of 1871 a convention in Munich attracted several hundred participants, including Church of England and Protestant observers. The most notable leader of the movement, though maintaining a certain distance from the Old Catholic Church as an institution, was the important church historian and priest Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger (1799–1890), who had already been excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church over the affair. Despite never formally becoming a member of the Old Catholic Church, Döllinger requested and took last rites from an Old Catholic priest. 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Munich (disambiguation). ... The Church of England logo since 1998 The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger (February 28, 1799 - January 14, 1890) was a German theologian and church historian. ... 1799 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ...

The convention decided to form the "Old Catholic Church" in order to distinguish themselves from what they saw as a novelty (the doctrine of papal infallibility) in the Roman Catholic Church. At their second convention, they elected the first Old Catholic bishop, who was ordained by the Archbishop of Utrecht in the Netherlands. In 1874 they abandoned the requirement of priestly celibacy. From the middle of the 18th century onward the Dutch Old Catholic See of Utrecht had increasingly vernacularized its originally Roman Rite Latin liturgy and even Gregorian chant. The vernacular was slowly adapted in the liturgy by the 1870 Old Catholic churches, until finally introduced in 1877. The Old Catholic Church in Germany received some support from the government of the new German Empire of Otto von Bismarck, whose policy was increasingly hostile towards the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy See in the 1870s and 1880s. In Austrian territories, Pan-Germanic nationalist groups, like the Away from Rome! Movement of Georg Ritter von Schönerer, supported the conversion of Roman Catholics to Old Catholicism (or Lutheranism). Liberal politicians and philosophers also sympathised with the Old Catholic movement. “Catholic Church” redirects here. ... The Diocese of Utrecht was established in 695 when Saint Willibrord was consecrated bishop of the Frisians at Rome by Pope Sergius I, and with the consent of the Frankish ruler, Pippin of Herstal, settled at the market-town of Utrecht. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Clerical celibacy is the practice of various religious traditions in which clergy, monastics and those in religious orders (female or male) adopt a celibate life, refraining from marriage and sexual relationships, including masturbation and impure thoughts (such as sexual visualisation and fantasies). ... Look up Vernacular in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Latin Rite, in the singular and accompanied, in English, by the definite article, refers to the sui juris particular Church of the Roman Catholic Church that developed in the area of western Europe and northern Africa where Latin was for many centuries the language of education and culture. ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... “Bismarck” redirects here. ... Georg Ritter von Schönerer Georg Ritter von Schönerer (July 17, 1842-August 14, 1921) was an Austrian politician active in the late 1800s and early 1900s. ... Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. ...

The Old Catholic Church shares much doctrine and liturgy with the Roman Catholic Church. However it tends to have a more liberal stance on most issues, including the eligibility of women for ordination, acceptance of homosexuality, artificial contraception (birth control) and, less frequently, liturgical reforms/innovations and open communion. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      As a... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Since the 1990s the Utrecht Union of Old Catholic Churches has ordained women as priests. Dr. Angela Berlis was one of the first women to be ordained to the Old Catholic presbyterate.

From the Old Catholic Church website:^[1] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1772x1157, 194 KB) Dr. Angela Berlis, Universität Bonn. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1772x1157, 194 KB) Dr. Angela Berlis, Universität Bonn. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. ... Roman Catholic priest A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... The presbyterium of the Archdiocese of Chicago processed into Holy Name Cathedral to concelebrate the funeral Mass of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin. ...

The "Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany" (Katholisches Bistum der Alt-Katholiken in Deutschland) is an

• autonomous,
• episcopally, synodally structured,
• catholic
• church, which acknowledges the diversity and the essential teaching and institutions of the early, undivided church during the first millennium. Its origins lie in various Catholic reform movements.

Based on critical examination of the historical witnesses of early Christianity, the leaders of the Old Catholic movement developed an episcopal, synodal church structure, which incorporates the historic episcopal and priestly offices into democratic structures at all levels.

Old Catholics in the United States and Canada

Soon after Old Catholicism's momentous events at the end of the 19th century, Old Catholic missionaries came to the United States. A missionary is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. ...

Bishop Arnold Harris Mathew being ordained a bishop by Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht Gerardus Gul at St. Getrude's Cathedral, in the city of Utrecht, on 28 April 1908.

Many Independent Old Catholic bishops in the United States claim to trace their Apostolic Succession to Arnold Harris Mathew and the (later independent) Old Catholic Church of England, which is presently widely known as the Old Roman Catholic Church. Father Mathew was consecrated bishop on 28 April 1908, by Utrecht Archbishop Gerhardus Gul, assisted by the Old Catholic Bishops of Deventer and Berne, in St. Gertrude's Old Catholic Cathedral in the city of Utrecht. Only two years later, in 1910, Mathew declared his autonomy from the Union of Utrecht, with which he had experienced tension from the beginning. Bishop Mathew sent missionaries to the United States including the theosophist Bishop J. I. Wedgwood (1892 - 1950) and Prince (Bishop) Rudolph de Landas Berghes et de Rache (1873-1920). Image File history File links Arnold_Harris_Mathew_Consecration_Principal_Gerardus_Gul. ... Image File history File links Arnold_Harris_Mathew_Consecration_Principal_Gerardus_Gul. ... Bishop Arnold Harris Mathew Arnold Harris Mathew (1852–1919) was the first Old Catholic bishop in the United Kingdom. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Catholic deacon... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      This article... The Diocese of Utrecht was established in 695 when Saint Willibrord was consecrated bishop of the Frisians at Rome by Pope Sergius I, and with the consent of the Frankish ruler, Pippin of Herstal, settled at the market-town of Utrecht. ... Utrecht ( (help· info)) is a municipality and the capital city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. ... is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Bishop Arnold Harris Mathew Arnold Harris Mathew (1852–1919) was the first Old Catholic bishop in the United Kingdom. ... The Old Roman Catholic Church was founded by Arnold Harris Matthew, Old Catholic Church bishop for England, on 29 December 1910. ... is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Bishop James Ingall Wedgwood (1883 - 1951) was founder of the Liberal Catholic Church. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ...

Bishop de Landas arrived in the United States on 7 November 1914. He hoped to bring the various independent Old Catholic jurisdictions into one church under Archbishop Mathew. Bishop de Landas contributed greatly to the growth and development of the independent Old Catholic Church, ordaining and consecrating others including William Francis Brothers and Carmel Henry Cafora. is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

In the area of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Joseph Rene Vilatte began working with Roman Catholics of Belgian ancestry, who tended to separate from Roman influence due to their isolated geographical position at the time. Vilatte was ordained a deacon on 6 June 1885 and priest on 7 June 1885 by the Most Rev. Eduard Herzog, Bishop of the Old Catholic Church of Switzerland. After his ordination, Fr. Vilatte worked diligently on behalf of his congregations in Wisconsin, providing the only Catholic presence in his very rural part of the state. Green Bay is the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W Population  Ranked... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W Population  Ranked...

In time, he petitioned the Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht to be ordained a bishop so that he might confirm children and perform other ministrations for his people. His petition was not granted. Determined to meet the spiritual needs of his people, Father Vilatte sought opportunities in the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches. The Diocese of Utrecht was established in 695 when Saint Willibrord was consecrated bishop of the Frisians at Rome by Pope Sergius I, and with the consent of the Frankish ruler, Pippin of Herstal, settled at the market-town of Utrecht. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Coptic Orthodox Pope · Roman Catholic Pope Archbishop of Canterbury · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Faith... The term Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keeps the faith of only the first three ecumenical councils of the undivided Church - the councils of Nicea, Constantinople and Ephesus. ...

He was ordained a bishop in India on the 28 May 1892 under the jurisdiction of the Syriac Patriarch of Antioch. A number of western orthodox churches such as the African Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Catholic Church of America claim Vilatte as a kind of founder by virtue of his ordinations and consecrations. May 28 is the 148th day of the year (149th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Syriac Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Middle East with members spread throughout the world. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Antakya. ... The African Orthodox Church owes its Episcopate and Apostolic Authority to the Syrian Church of Antioch where there disciples were first called Christians, and of which the Chair (See) of St. ... The Orthodox-Catholic Church of America (OCCA) is an independent, self-governing Orthodox jurisdiction active primarily in the United States, but with clergy in the United Kingdom and Australia as well. ...

Since the passing of the original organizers from the ecclesiastical scene, the Old Catholic Church in the United States has evolved from a centralized administration with structured oversight of ministry to a local and regional model of administration with self-governing dioceses and provinces. According to some, this local model more closely follows the ancient tradition of the early Christian Churches as a communion of communities each laboring together to proclaim the message of the Gospel. For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ...

Today, the largest by far of these Old Catholic communities in the United States is the Polish National Catholic Church. There are many other U.S. groups which claim Old Catholic lineage, but few have any real membership. Unlike the Polish National Catholic Church, these have never been affiliated with or recognised by the Old Catholic Union of Utrecht whose churches have been in communion with the Church of England since 1931. Since late 2003, however, the PNCC has no longer been part of the Union of Utrecht. Among the reasons for disaffiliation are Utrecht's acceptance of the ordination of women, and a more liberal attitude towards the practice of homosexuality, both of which the PNCC rejects. The Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) is a Christian church founded and based in the United States by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic. ... The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. ... The Church of England logo since 1998 The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ...

The Conference of North American Old Catholic Bishops

With the PNCC no longer a member of the Union of Utrecht, the Union's International Bishops Conference asked the Episcopal Church, its ecumenical partner in the United States, to initiate discussions among various Old Catholics concerning how they identify as Old Catholics, the ecclesiology of various Old Catholic bodies, and whether these various churches ordain women. The Episcopal Church, after having gathered this information, reported to the IBC, the summary of the various experiences of those Old Catholic churches that responded. The report was given at the annual meeting of the IBC in August 2005. The IBC asked the Episcopal Church to host a consultation of these American bishops.

In May 2006, four American Old Catholic bishops gathered at the Bethsaida Spirituality Center in Queens Village, New York. These four bishops were the Most Rev. Peter Hickman, the Most Rv. Peter Paul Brennan, the Most Rev. Charles Leigh, and the Most Rev. Robert T. Fuentes. Along with these four bishops, also in attendance was the liaison of the Episcopal Church to the IBC, the Rt. Rev. Michie Klusmeyer, Bishop of West Virginia, the deputy for ecumenical and interfaith relations, Dr. Tom Ferguson, and Fr. Bjorn Marcussen, an Episcopal priest who had been ordained in the Old Catholic Church of Austria and who is an Old Catholic theologian. The IBC sent as a representative to this consulation, Fr. Gunther Esser, Director of Old Catholic Studies at the University of Bonn, Germany. Key to the discussions was the ecclesiology of the Old Catholic Church, highlighted in the Preamble to the Statutes of the International Bishops Conference. After three days of discussions, the American bishops agreed to the formation of the Conference of North American Old Catholic Bishops, agreeing to pattern itself after the IBC. The CNAOCB has as its central goal the tangible, organic unity among American Old Catholic jurisdictions. The bishops also agreed to meet at least twice a year.

In November 2006, the two bishops who remained engaged to the development and formation of the CNAOCB, met in Los Angeles, to develop the Conference's Unity Statement, to fashion its rules of order, and to set forth the criteria for joining the Conference itself. The Unity Statement, which incorported the ecclesiological understanding of the Union of Utrecht and which all new members must subscribe to, states:

Assembled at St. Paul’s Cathedral Center in Los Angeles, California, on the seventh day of November, 2006, we commit ourselves to these goals:

1. To place Jesus Christ as the head and center of this Conference of Bishops.

2. To conform to the gospel of Jesus and his call to serve God and to serve our neighbor.

3. To call upon the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, to bless, sanctify and guide this Conference.

4. To form this Conference of Bishops as an office, a voice and a center of Old Catholicism in the USA.

5. To model our Conference on the International Conference of Bishops (IBC) of the Union of Utrecht, as outlined in the Preamble of the Statutes of the International Bishops Conference of the Union of Utrecht.

6. To work collegially and cooperatively to form one National Old Catholic Church or a Communion or a Federation of American Old Catholic Churches.

7. To study and discuss Old Catholic documents and history, in order to determine how these documents are to promote the work toward unity.

8. To indicate those elements which identify our churches as Old Catholic.

9. To pray and work for unity among the bishops and the churches we represent.

10. To convene at least two face-to-face meetings each year for consultations on subjects of common interest.

We commit ourselves to these understandings:

1. In order to begin, nurture and perfect a more complete and satisfactory union, we have formed the CNAOCB, basing our cooperation upon the tenets of the Bonn Accord of 1931 between the Old Catholic and Anglican Churches, which states:

A. Each Communion recognizes the Catholicity and independence of the other, and maintains its own.

B. Each Communion agrees to admit members of the other Communion to participate in the Sacraments.

C. Full Communion does not require from either communion the acceptance of all doctrinal opinion, sacramental devotion or liturgical practice characteristic of the other, but implies that each believes the other to hold all the essentials of the Christian faith.

2. We acknowledge and accept the Union of Utrecht’s Four Ecclesiological Points, namely,

A. Ecclesiology of the Local Church: The fullness of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church resides in the local church, understood as the local diocese.

B. The Role of the Bishop and Apostolic Succession: Apostolic succession belongs to the church. Bishops are servants of the church, elected by the church, for ordained office in the church. Apostolic succession refers to the passing on of the faith of the apostles in and through the church under the leadership and oversight of the bishop of the local church, ordained for his or her office of bishop through the laying on of hands and prayer. Apostolic succession is not the personal possession of a bishop that can be passed on to others in separation from the office of bishop in the local church. There cannot be a church without a bishop; conversely there cannot be a bishop without church. Here the expression “local church” refers to a community of faith that can best be described as a diocese, which in turn consists of a communion of parishes and missions. Bishops without churches are outside of the apostolic succession, even though they may have been ordained with the proper ritual and the proper intention.

C. The Theology of Communion: Even though the fullness of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church resides in the local church, the local church cannot remain alone. The church’s catholicity must express itself, which it does through communion with other local churches. The bishop of a local church stands at the intersection of where the local church meets with the other churches in communion. The bishop represents the local church to the other churches in communion, and represents the churches in communion to the local church. The bishop brings concerns of importance for the local church that may have consequences for the entire communion to the attention of the other bishops of the communion, and brings the concerns of the bishops of the communion to the attention of the local church.

D. Synodality: Synodality permeates all levels of the church. Members of the local congregation meet and make joint decisions about how to implement the mission, pastoral care and finances of the parish. It elects the pastor from qualified candidates. It elects a parish committee of lay people to govern the temporal affairs of the parish and minister side by side with the pastor. It elects representatives to the Diocesan Synod. Old Catholic dioceses are governed synodically by a synod of elected lay people and clergy. The Diocesan Synod elects the bishop. An elected Synodical Council assists the bishop in the governance of the diocese between diocesan synods.

3. We accept the Declaration of Utrecht (1889), The Munich Declaration (1871), and The Fourteen Thesis of the Old Catholic Union Conference at Bonn (1874).

4. The clergy candidates are to be educated as professionals at the university level or at the discretion of the local bishop, candidates with sufficient pastoral experience may also be ordained Whenever possible, candidates will normally attain a Master’s Degree or its equivalent in theology or ministry.

5. The church is open to all the baptized. Any baptized member who is qualified may be elected to and called to holy orders with the laying on of hands for ministry in the church.

Given at Los Angeles, California, 7th of November, 2006

The signers of the Unity Statement are Bishop Charles Leigh (Apostolic Catholic Church) and Bishop Robert T. Fuentes (Old Catholic Diocese of Napa.

Although there have been various attempts at unity among Old Catholic jursidictions since the turn of the 20th century, none have had the participation or the support of either the Episcopal Church or the Union of Utrecht. Both the Episcopal Church and the Union of Utrecht agree to remain engaged with the Conference. However, the success of the CNAOCB, and the degree of unity among the American churches, rests with the American bishops, both present members and those that will join, and the churches they represent.

The Old Catholic Church in the United States

Old Catholics in the United States interpret and understand Catholicism and the Gospel in different ways. Some are more conservative, not acknowledging female ordination, excluding persons of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender identity from full participation in the life and ministry of the Church, and some even hold to some version of the Tridentine liturgy.

Others have established communities that are fully inclusive, embracing people from all social, economic, sexual, gender, national, ideological and ethnic backgrounds, and have participated in the Liturgical Renewal movement started in the 1940s.

Many Old Catholics in the United States tend toward a revisited version of Roman Catholicism, one that either matches their memory, or how they would have liked the Roman Catholic Church to be.

Some follow closely the foundational documents of the European Old Catholics, namely the Munich Declaration, the 14 Theses and the Declaration of Utrecht, while others find these foundational statements dated, or not in conformity with their views of catholicity.

The Old Catholic Church in the United Kingdom

The English Catholic Church, formally itself an implant of orthodox Old Catholicism from the USA (originally a missionary province of the Old Catholic Church of the USA or 'OCCUS') decided, in consultation with other orthodox Bishops, to re-name itself the "Old Catholic Church in Europe" or 'OCCE[1]' to become not just an English language representative for orthodox Old Catholicism in Europe but also to provide an organisation for orthodox Old Catholics to relate to and be cared for on the Western side of the European Continent (the Old Catholic Church of Slovakia similarly for the East). It must be stressed that these provisions for orthodox Old Catholics have yet to be formally agreed between the Churches concerned. The OCCE is a numerically small denomination and yet it remains loyal to traditional Old Catholicism and engages in partnership working with other orthodox jurisdictions within COUSPP[2].

Terminology

The term 'Old Catholic' is used often by many splinter groups, ranging from 'Continuing' or 'Traditionalist' to 'New Age'. Many of these self-identified Old Catholic Churches are gatherings of clergy without substantial congregations of faithful, and some allegedly exist only on the Internet. Although the Bishops of many of these groups can trace lines of Apostolic Succession through Old Catholic Churches, most of these are regarded as episcopi vagantes even by the established, mainstream churches of the Utrecht Union. Episcopi vagantes (Episcopus vagans, singular) (Latin for wandering bishops) are persons who have been consecrated as bishops in a Christian church in some irregular fashion, especially those claiming to have valid Roman Catholic orders although their consecrations were not authorized by that church, or those having orders that the Roman... The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. ...

References

• Episcopi Vagantes and the Anglican Church. Henry R.T. Brandreth. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1947.
• Episcopi vagantes in church history. A.J. Macdonald. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1945.
• History of the So-Called Jansenist Church of Holland. John M. Neale. New York: AMS Press, 1958.
• Old Catholic: History, Ministry, Faith & Mission. Andre J. Queen. iUniverse title, 2003.
• The Old Catholic Church: A History and Chronology (The Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, No. 3). Karl Pruter. Highlandville, Missouri: St. Willibrord's Press, 1996.
• The Old Catholic Sourcebook (Garland Reference Library of Social Science). Karl Pruter and J. Gordon Melton. New York: Garland Publishers, 1983.
• The Old Catholic Churches and Anglican Orders. C.B. Moss. The Christian East, January, 1926.
• The Old Catholic Movement. C.B. Moss. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1964.
• The Old Catholics, Anthony Cekada, The Roman Catholic Magazine, 1980.

See also

• American Catholic Church in the United States
• Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada
• Episcopi vagantes
• The Evangelical Old Catholic Comunion
• Free Church of Antioch
• Independent Catholic Churches
• The Liberal Catholic Church
• Old Catholic Church of America
• Old Catholic Church in Europe
• Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands

The American Catholic Church in the United States is an Old Catholic Christian denomination. ... The Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada traces their heritage and apostolic succession through the Old Catholic Church, which cut communion with Rome in 1870 (1723). ... Episcopi vagantes (Episcopus vagans, singular) (Latin for wandering bishops) are persons who have been consecrated as bishops in a Christian church in some irregular fashion, especially those claiming to have valid Roman Catholic orders although their consecrations were not authorized by that church, or those having orders that the Roman... The Evangelical Old Catholic Communion traces their heritage through the Old Catholic Church, which cut communion with Rome in 1870 (1723). ... Archbishop Warren Prall Watters and Bishop Ellen Watters of the Free Church of Antioch. ... Independent Catholic Churches are, by and large, very small Churches, some of them consisting of one congregation, that claim valid Apostolic Succession of their bishops, though these are often dismissed in mainstream Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican circles as episcopi vagantes (wandering bishops). // The actual beginnings of the independent Catholic Churches... The Liberal Catholic Church is a form of Christianity based on theosophical ideas. ... The Old Catholic Church of America is an autocephalous Old Catholic Church, founded in the United States of America in 1925 by Bishop Paul Francis Cope. ... Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht Gerardus Gul (1892-1920). ...

Notable Old Catholics

• Randall Garrett[3]
• Franz Heinrich Reusch
• Warren Prall Watters
• Arnold Harris Mathew

Randall Garrett (December 16, 1927 - December 31, 1987) was an American science fiction and fantasy author. ... Franz Heinrich Reusch (December 4, 1823 - March 3, 1900) was an Old Catholic theologian. ... Warren Prall Watters was the founding Archbishop of the Free Church of Antioch, one of several Independent Catholic Churches with valid Apostolic succession. ... Bishop Arnold Harris Mathew Arnold Harris Mathew (1852–1919) was the first Old Catholic bishop in the United Kingdom. ...

External links

v • d • e Churches in the Anglican Communion

Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia · Australia · Bangladesh · Brazil · Burundi · Canada · Central Africa · Central America · Congo · England · Hong Kong · India, North · India, South · Indian Ocean · Ireland · Japan · Jerusalem and the Middle East · Kenya · Korea · Melanesia · Mexico · Myanmar · Nigeria · Pakistan · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Rwanda · Scotland · South East Asia · Southern Africa · Southern Cone · Sudan · Tanzania · Uganda · USA · Wales · West Africa · West Indies — extra-provincial churches The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. ... Seal of the Theosophical Society Theosophy is a body of belief which holds that all religions are attempts by man to ascertain the Divine, and as such each religion has a portion of the truth. ... The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. ... Bishop Arnold Harris Mathew Arnold Harris Mathew (1852–1919) was the first Old Catholic bishop in the United Kingdom. ... In Christianity, the doctrine of Apostolic Succession (or the belief that the Church is apostolic) maintains that the Christian Church today is the spiritual successor to the original body of believers in Christ, composed of the Apostles. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Separate articles treat Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Orthodox Judaism. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Main article: Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is a world-wide affiliation of Anglican Churches. ... Photograph by Keith Edkins File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Anglican Church in New Zealand and Polynesia The Anglican Church in New Zealand and Polynesia is a church of the Anglican Communion serving New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. ... The Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central America is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 5 sees in Central America. ... The Church of England logo since 1998 The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... The Church of North India has united various denominations and missions and orders in India. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East is a province of the Anglican Communion stretching from Iran in the east to Algeria in the west, and Cyprus in the north to Somalia in the south. ... Founded in 1889 there are at present over 100 parish and mission churches with roughly 50,000 members in the Anglican Church of Korea. ... The Church of the Province of Melanesia, usually called the Church of Melanesia or COM, is the Anglican Province in the Melanesian countries of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... The Church of the Province of South East Asia was formed in 1996 and consists of the dioceses of Kuching, Sabah, Singapore and West Malaysia. ... The Anglican Church of Southern Africa (formerly the Church of the Province of Southern Africa) is the Anglican province in the southern part of Africa, including dioceses in Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Saint Helena, South Africa and Swaziland. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Flag of the Church in Wales The Church in Wales (Welsh: Yr Eglwys Yng Nghymru) is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six dioceses in Wales. ... The Church of the Province of West Africa is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering a number of sees in West Africa. ... The Church in the Province of the West Indies is a member Church in the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... The extra-provincial Anglican churches are a group of small, semi-independent church entities within the Anglican Communion. ... Churches in full communion: Mar Thoma Syrian Church · Old Catholic Church · Philippine Independent Church The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, commonly referred to as the Mar Thoma Church is a Reformed but episcopal offshoot of the pre-16th century undivided Saint Thomas Christians, and got its current identity in 1889, even though it was born much earlier. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...