Christ the King - Mission Vision

The American Old Catholic Church

MISSION & VISION

To express the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Founded in Sacred Scripture, we seek to experience the full nature of the living, historic Catholic Church in its sacramental communion with a personal God; its charismatic joy in the Spirit; and its evangelistic zeal to share our blessed hope with all those who seek a deeper experience of God.

"Each one using whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." Hebrews 13:5

THE AMERICAN OLD CATHOLIC MISSION

The distinctive mission of the American Old Catholic Church is twofold. The brief history of the AOCC serves to explain the particular call of the American Old Catholic Church to bear witness to, and be a living active example of, the essential spiritual unity that exists among all the branches of Catholicism. Therefore, through our archbishop, the American Old Catholic Church is one of the founding denominations of the Ecumenical Communion of Catholic and Apostolic Churches. The ECCAC is an ecclesial communion commissioned to affirm, recognize and pray for all the branches of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and to embrace the clergy and laity of these branches as true brothers and sisters of Christ's One, Holy Church. In this, to be at least a prophetic pointer or prototype of unity in both an attitude of humility and charity, and in our works, worship and mission, that we may bear witness to that divine hope and calling, outwardly.

Secondly, we believe we have been called to draw all Christians into the fullest expression of Christ's church in the convergence of sacramental ministry, charismatic power and evangelistic zeal in order to most fully portray the face of Christ's Church to the world.

Finally, the American Old Catholic Church has a very special heart for those Catholics who for many reasons have felt separated from their Catholic roots and are seeking a valid and authentic way to be Catholic in today's world.

AN AUTHENTIC CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

To be an authentic Catholic community, a group must be able to trace its Apostolic Succession back to the original apostles. That same group must maintain a faithful adherence to the Gospel of Jesus as expressed through Apostolic Tradition. Finally, that group must actively participate in the sacramental ministry of the historic Catholic Church.

DISTINCTIVE OF AMERICAN OLD CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES

How does the American Old Catholic Church differ from a Roman Catholic Church?

The Catholics of our community do not accept the teaching of papal infallibility and, therefore, are independent of the pope's jurisdiction. As a result, we are not bound by some of the canons and regulations that are formulated and enforced in the Roman Catholic Church.
Priests and bishops are permitted to marry.
Women are encouraged to be more fully involved in the ministry of the Church. As Saint Paul writes, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Divorced people who remarry are able to be reconciled to the church through the grace of God and, therefore, are not excluded from the sacraments. Therefore, a divorced person may remarry with the blessing of the Church.
Artificial contraception is an issue of conscience between husband, wife and God.
Each Catholic is an equal part of the Church. Therefore, lay people are encouraged to play a prominent role in the Church.
No Christian is excluded from the sacramental ministry. All baptized Christians are invited to participate in the worship and sacraments of the Church.

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