Independent Catholic churches facts for kids

Independent Catholic Churches are Christian groups that follow many traditions of the Catholic Church. However, they are not officially recognized by the Holy See, which is the main leadership of the Catholic Church, led by the Pope. Most of these churches believe their bishops have "apostolic succession". This means they think their authority comes directly from the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus.

One of the first Independent Catholic Churches was the Old Catholic Church. This group disagreed with the idea that the Pope could not make mistakes when teaching about faith. This idea, called papal infallibility, was officially decided at the First Vatican Council in 1870. Many other independent Catholic churches later separated from the Old Catholic Church. A different example is the Society of Saint Pius X, a group of traditional priests started in the 1970s.

Churches like the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, or the Coptic Orthodox Church are different. They are at least partly recognized by the main Roman Catholic Church. Most Independent Catholic Churches began after 1870.

What Are Independent Catholic Churches?

Independent Catholic Churches are Christian groups that are not part of the main Roman Catholic Church. They often have similar ways of worship and beliefs. They might use the same types of prayers and ceremonies. These churches believe they keep the true traditions of the early Christian Church.

Why Did They Start?

Many of these churches formed because of disagreements with the main Catholic Church. Sometimes, these disagreements were about important rules or beliefs. Other times, they were about how the church should be led.

The Old Catholic Church

A big reason for some churches to become independent was a decision made in 1870. At the First Vatican Council, the Catholic Church officially said that the Pope is "infallible" when he teaches about faith and morals. This means he cannot be wrong on these specific topics. Some Catholics disagreed with this new teaching. They decided to form their own churches, which became known as the Old Catholic Church.

Other Reasons for New Churches

Over time, other groups also separated from the main Catholic Church. Sometimes, this happened because of different ideas about how the church should be run. Other times, it was because of disagreements with local leaders. These groups then started their own independent churches. They still wanted to follow Catholic traditions but in their own way.

Are They Different from Other Churches?

Yes, Independent Catholic Churches are different from other large Christian groups. For example, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church are also separate from the Roman Catholic Church. However, the Roman Catholic Church has some level of recognition for these groups. This is not usually the case for Independent Catholic Churches. Most Independent Catholic Churches were created more recently, after the year 1870.

Images for kids

• 

  Dominique Marie Varlet, a Catholic Bishop from the 1600s and 1700s.

• 

  Bishop Arnold Harris Mathew (1852–1919).

• 

  Roman Catholic Bishop Carlos Duarte (left) with Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez during a special church ceremony.

See also

In Spanish: Catolicismo independiente para niños