Thinking of joining us?

What you need to know

To those who may be considering becoming a parishioner in one of our parishes, the question as to the validity of Old Catholic Sacraments often comes up.  The following should help you in feeling comfortable with your decision to embrace our Sacraments without any question of their validity.

 In our Holy Orders, Archbishop John enjoys Apostolic Succession as all of our ordained clergy must.  Ours comes down through many years and connections with the Old Catholic Church.

 When members of the Roman Catholic Church encounter Old Catholic Churches for the first time, they are often surprised to learn that Catholic jurisdictions exist apart from Rome.

 At the Vatican on 16 June 2000, Pope John Paul II ratified and ordered the publication of Dominus Iesus.  This Declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was signed and published by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI in August of the same year.

 In this Declaration, the Roman Catholic Church recognizes the validity of Orders and Sacraments of Old Catholic denominations:

 “The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches.”

 “Therefore, these separated Churches and communities as such…have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation.  For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church.“ IV.Unicity and Unity of the Church, 17

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