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About the Reformed Catholic Church

The Reformed Catholic Church

 

GBLT Information

You Can be Gay and Catholic

OUR MISSION

We are a Diverse People United in our Faith, Liberated by the Gospel!

The Reformed Catholic Church endeavors to provide a welcoming place where all people can come to worship God, pray,  receive the Sacraments, and better understand the Word.

Of particular concern to us is the offering of valid sacraments to those who have been disenfranchised by the exclusionary practices of other churches and other Christians seeking forms of worship and beliefs of the early church.
WHO WE ARE

We are a community created to shepherd and become a home for all those without a spiritual home. We retain basic Catholic beliefs of love, faith, spirituality, prayer, and sacramentality. We remain in, and honor, the traditions of the Orthodox Catholic churches and the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht, Netherlands.

  • We are Christians striving according to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

  • We are Catholics believing in the True Presence of Jesus Christ on our Altar.

  • We are God's Children living in God who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

MISSION: Holy Cross Reformed Catholic Church's purpose is to provide a safe, non-judgmental and welcoming place to all people who have suffered rejection from those organized religions that hold rules above compassion and judgment before love.

The Sacraments are:  Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick,  Marriage/Holy Union, Holy Orders.

HOW DO WE DIFFER? Reformed Catholic Church’s liturgy is “very much like” that of a Roman Catholic Mass, although there are numerous doctrinal differences between the two denominations.

  • Holy Eucharist  We offer Holy Eucharist, to all people who have been sent away hungry from the Lords Table because of rules. The only criteria for receiving is that one be a Baptized Christian and believe that Christ is present on our Altar. It is our policy to WELCOME ALL people without regard to race, color, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, contraception beliefs, or other issues that are between the Creator and the created. We neither condone, nor do we practice discrimination implicitly or tacitly on the basis of any human authority.

  • Marriage/Holy Union We acknowledges same-sex marriage and second marriages for the divorced, “Our official statement on that is basically that a marriage is limited to a union of two people, regardless of gender.”

  • Holy Orders Reformed Catholic Church will ordain women. Clergy celibacy is an option in this denomination. We are a Non-discriminating regard to race, color, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, we encourages men and women who believe they are academically, physically and mentally prepared for public, ordained ministry to contact the Presiding Bishop at presidingbishop@reformedcatholicchurch.org

  • Parish Council:  It operates as an advisory element to the pastor and staff in areas of Liturgy, Parish Life, Education and Service. The parish elects the Council Members and a Parish Lay Leader . Believing that the Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church through the 'Sense of the Faithful', our Catholic Community sees itself as a process as well as an institution which hopes to listen to, rather than speak for, the people of God as they seek ways, prompted by the Spirit, to remake the Church into a credible community of faith for the world.
WHAT WE BELIEVE

  • We are a community created to shepherd and become a home for all those without a spiritual home. We retain basic Catholic beliefs of love, faith, spirituality, prayer, and sacramentality. We remain in, and honor, the traditions of the Orthodox Catholic churches and the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht, Netherlands.

  • We believe that Jesus is the Christ and our savior.

  • We believe in The Holy Trinity.

  • We believe in the three historic creeds: Nicene, Apostles, and Athanasia.

  • We believe in the seven sacraments of The Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Anointing and Prayers for the Sick, Confession and Reconciliation, Marriage, and Holy Orders.

  • We believe that all Holy Orders (deacons, priests, and bishops) are open to both men and women.

  • We believe that celibacy of those in Holy Orders is a personal decision.

  • We believe in, and hold, apostolic succession.

  • We believe and accept the doctrines of the Seven Early Church Ecumenical Councils.

  • We believe and appreciate the wisdom and guidance of the Early Church Fathers.

  • We appreciate the wisdom and guidance of the founding Fathers of the Old Catholic Movement as expressed in the Historic Documents of the Old Catholic Churches of Europe, particularly the Declaration of Utrecht.

  • We believe that homosexuality is not a sin and invite GBLT people to participate in all sacraments, including Holy Union and Ordination.

  • We believe that those who struggle with gender identity matters deserve understanding, respect and the unconditional support of the church as they make decisions that affect their lives and the lives of those whom they love.

  • We believe in the responsible stewardship of the resources of our planet.

  • We believe in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church , of which ALL Christians-- regardless of Denomination , are members.

  • We believe in the sanctity of marriage, however we believe that Jesus is merciful and those who have been divorced and/or remarried are offered the sacraments of the church.

  • We believe that family planning is a personal decision between a husband and wife.

  • We believe in the scriptural teaching of Jesus Christ.

 
 

The Reformed Catholic Church is…

For the young, it is a home that speaks faith in God

and faith in oneself, relevant to the world at the

beginning of the Twenty First century:

GOD BELIEVES IN ME.

For the divorced, it is a home that speaks of an end

to the past, and a new beginning, with the

forgiveness and the blessing of happiness and

peace of the Lord Himself:

GOD IS MERCY.

For the alienated, it is a home that speaks of

compassion, sensitivity and sincerity, that

embraces weakness and finds strength in difference:

GOD IS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

For the person imprisoned in any way, either

internally or externally, it is freedom to be oneself,

with the assurance that real love always reveals

itself as mercy, and that mercy is the ability to love oneself:

GOD IS
     

The Reformed Catholic Church is an emerging denomination that is living the Gospel across the United States and Internationally.

The Reformed Catholic Church is an open affirming progressive community. We are a Non-discriminating, all-inclusive, valid catholic apostolic church. A diverse people affirming the love of Christ , united by their faith, liberated by the gospel,

The Reformed Catholic Church International Office

Location: 3165 Doyle St. Toledo OH 43608

Phone: 1-866-769-0075

We are a newer community, created to shepherd and become a home for all those without a spiritual home. Our church is an open affirming progressive community, alternative to the rigid structure and doctrines of the Roman church.  However, we retain the basic catholic beliefs of faith and love, spirituality and community, prayer and sacramentality.  Although we are a newly formed rite, we remain in the traditions of the Orthodox Catholic churches and the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht. 

We are a valid catholic apostolic church, with our ordained clergy tracing their succession back to Peter in 38 A. D.  Our celebrations of the Mass are identical to that of the liturgical structure of Roman Catholicism, however, in regards to Social Justice,  we accept all people, and hold no bounds or limits to people seeking the love of God. 

We are a Non-discriminating, all-inclusive, open and welcoming community. A diverse people affirming the love of Christ, united by their faith, liberated by the gospel, existing for all who seek the love and mercy of God.

Validity of the Sacraments of The Reformed Catholic Church: 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 other Catholic denominations.

"These 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, and 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