Liberal Catholic movement

Not to be confused with Liberal Catholicism.

The Liberal Catholic movement refers to those churches whose foundation traces back to the founding bishops of the Liberal Catholic Church. It is different from the Roman Catholic Church. The Liberal Catholic Movement is one of the most recognized Old Catholic groups in the United States.

Movement background

The founding bishop of the Liberal Catholic Church was J. I. Wedgwood who was ordained as a priest in the Old Catholic movement on July 22, 1913 by Arnold Harris Mathew (whose membership in the Union of Utrecht was terminated in 1910).

Differences of Opinion

First schism and the LCCI

Some of the clergy in the Liberal Catholic Church International returned to the Liberal Catholic Church, Province of the United States of America.

LCC Schism

Since both groups call themselves The Liberal Catholic Church, distinguishing between the two may be confusing. It has been suggested that the 'liberal' synod be known as the 'reform' synod.

Old Catholic Apostolic Church

The current Presiding Bishop is Adrian Glover, consecrated to the episcopacy in 2009 by John Kersey.

The Young Rite

In 2006 another reform resulted in the formation of a new group called the Young Rite. The past Presiding Bishop of the "mother" Liberal Catholic Church, Johannes van Alphen, who had resigned from the LCC in 2002, had consecrated Mario Manuel Herrera (in 2002) who in turn had consecrated Benito Rodriguez Cruz (in 2005). These three bishops consecrated to the episcopacy Marcus van Alphen, a former priest of the Dutch Liberal Catholic Church, in June 2006 in Hilversum, The Netherlands. Bishop Johannes subsequently joined the Young Rite and remained active in it until his death on the 25th of January 2009. In March 2008 the bishops of the Young Rite and bishop (Aristid Havilcek of Slovenia) to the episcopacy.

Bishop Marcus started the Young Rite as an autocephalous group operating within the Liberal Catholic tradition, yet separate from any of the Liberal Catholic Church organizations. Although the Young Rite shares many beliefs and customs with the Liberal Catholic Church and derives its apostolic succession from it, they are not affiliated with any of the Liberal Catholic Church organizations. The book expounds further on the doctrine and philosophy regarding this rite. The Young Rite operates in Slovenia, South Africa, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States of America. The Young Rite USA operates as the Community of St. George and is led by Presiding Bishops David Oliver Kling, Robert Lamoureaux and Bishop-elect Timothy Olivieri

The Liberal Catholic Union

Along with several Bishops and Clergy the Liberal Catholic Union formed as a vehicle for reintroducing Theosophical context that they felt had been stripped from common Liberal Catholic Practice. The LCU creates a distinct practice through the incorporation and infusion of not only Theosophical but French Gnostic theological concepts. The Church is active in several states with its largest community established in Indiana. The LCU does not have a seminary and instead relies on the "apprentice" method that they believe was originally the model of training used in the early Christian community. The Liberal Catholic Union is seen as a heavily esoteric order and promotes such practices as open communion offered to Christians as well as Non Christians without distinction.

See also

• Warren Prall Watters
• Free Church of Antioch
• Old Catholic

External links

• Liberal Catholic Church LCC Conservative Branch
• Liberal Catholic Church This website provides information about the Progressive Branch of the Liberal Catholic Church
• Liberal Catholic Church International The church in which theosophical tenets are allowed but not emphasized
• Liberal Catholic Church International, Province of Great Britain and Ireland
• The Liberal Catholic Union
• Universal Catholic Church
• The Liberal Catholic Church – Theosophia Synod
• Old Catholic Apostolic Church
• Liberal Catholic Universalist Church Liberal, Catholic, Universalist, Inclusive
• The Young Rite USA