Validity

Validity – Are we validly Catholic?

If the Roman Catholic Church is your source of truth in these matters, see what the Roman Catholic Church teaches in it’s official document “DOMINUS IESUS,” issued during the reign of Pope John Paul II, June 16, 2000, and signed by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope-Emertus Benedict, August 6, 2000, refer to Section IV: Article 17:

"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 the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches."

Catholic Almanac

"The Roman Church recognises the validity of Old Catholic Orders and other Sacraments."

- Felician A Roy, OFM,   1974; p. 368.

"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."

It should be noted that our Bishops and all of our clergy have valid Apostolic Succession and this is what determines valid ordination.

What is “Old Catholicism”?

We know from history that the Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ was united for a thousand years.  Today, however, the Catholic Church is comprised of five felow congregations:

· Roman Catholic

· Old Catholic

· Anglican Catholic / Episcopalian

· Eastern Catholic (or Eastern Orthodox)

· Oriental (Coptic, Syrian, Nestorian)

These fellow churches, together relating to each other in love, hold that through baptism, celebrated in our churches according to the faith handed down to us from the Apostles, we are each made members of the one Mystical Body of Christ.