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Welcome to the
United Reform Catholic Church International
“We are an
Ecumenical Catholic Mission”
We are Catholic Christian
communities that are committed to the person of Jesus Christ and to His teaching. We accept and believe the testimony of His
apostles who were His first disciples and eyewitnesses of His life, death, and resurrection from the dead. It was these same
disciples who passed on to the church their own testimony about the person of Jesus and the events of His life. Embodied in
their testimony are the very teachings of Jesus Himself.
The Reformation
After the Great Schism, the Roman Catholic Church continued to develop in Western Europe.
For the next 450 years, during the Middle Ages, the Popes consolidated their power and extended their influence over the Church
and society. With the dawn of the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church was overloaded with moral and political corruption.
Many concerned religious leaders made efforts to reform the Church.
These efforts at reform became known collectively as the Reformation. Two very different reformations resulted from these
tensions. One became known as the independent communities that became Old Catholic. They were called Old Catholics because
they sought to turn the clock back and adhere to the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church prior to the various schisms.
Some of the independent Catholic communities, like the United Reform Catholic Church International (URCCI) derive
their Apostolic Succession through the Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht.
The Archbishop of Utrecht traces his Apostolic Succession back to the Holy Apostles. The independent and Old Catholics therefore
have a valid line of succession, a valid priesthood and episcopate with valid sacraments. The Roman Catholic Church has
never denied this fact.
Distinctives of the United Reform Catholic Church International
(URCCI)
How does
the United Reform Catholic Church International (URCCI) differ from the Roman
Catholic Church?
1.
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.
2.
Deacons, priests and bishops are permitted to marry.
3.
Women are welcomed to all ranks of ordination: deacon, priest and bishop in the ministry of the Church. As Saint Paul wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free,
male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
4.
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.
5.
Artificial contraception is an issue of conscience between husband, wife, and God.
6.
Each Catholic is an equal part of the Church. Therefore, lay people are encouraged to play a prominent role
in the Church.
7.
No Christian is excluded from the sacramental ministry. All baptized Christians are invited to participate in
the worship and sacraments of the Church.
8.
The United Reform Catholic Church International (URCCI) is an independent Catholic
Church, descended from the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht.
The United Reform
Catholic Church International is recognized as a Federal Tax Exempt 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization, by the Internal
Revenue Services of the United States of America
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