Old Roman Catholic Church in Europe facts for kids

The Old Roman Catholic Church in Europe (ORCCE) is a Christian church. It is part of the Old Roman Catholic tradition. This church is based in Brighton, United Kingdom.

The ORCCE sees itself as a Catholic church. It follows the Western Christian way of worship. This includes using the Roman Rite, which is a specific set of religious practices. The ORCCE works with other churches around the world. They have agreements for inter-communion. This means they share sacraments and worship together. They also work with international groups like the World Council of Churches.

The church believes its leaders are connected to early Christian leaders. This connection is called apostolic succession. It traces back through Arnold Harris Mathew to early Roman Catholic bishops.

What the Church Believes

The ORCCE follows the Nicene Creed. This is a statement of core Christian beliefs. The most important part of their worship is the Eucharist. This is a special meal that remembers Jesus.

The church believes it is one big family. Even though it has churches in many places, they are all connected. This idea comes from the Orthodox tradition. So, each church in the ORCCE can manage itself. But they all agree on the main ideas of the church and its faith. They believe in "unity in diversity." This means they can have different ways of doing things. Yet, they still share the same basic faith.

Because of this, ORCCE churches have more freedom in beliefs and practices. This is more freedom than in the Roman Catholic Church or Eastern Orthodox churches. For example, some members believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This means Mary was born without sin. Others see it as a good belief but not needed for salvation. But all churches celebrate the Feast of the Conception.

Old Roman Catholics often follow a saying from Vincent of Lérins. He said, "all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all." This helps them decide what to believe. Because of this, the ORCCE is different from the Utrecht Union. For example, the ORCCE does not ordain women as priests. They also do not support same-gender marriage.

The Church's Mission

The ORCCE has three main goals:

Keeping Old Beliefs Alive

The church wants to keep the true Catholic Faith. They follow rules from the Bible, old traditions, and reason. They believe pastors and scholars should explain Jesus' teachings. Everyone in the church should study these teachings.

Making Church Better

Old Roman Catholics want to bring back old ways of understanding church roles. This includes how pastors, bishops, and church councils work. They also want to understand church authority better. They believe the church was once a simple "church." The bishop in Rome had a special honor. But it was not a power over all other churches.

Bringing Christian Churches Together

The ORCCE wants Christian churches to understand each other better. They believe churches can be united in love. They can work together for everyone's good. They can also remove old ideas that are not helpful. By becoming more like Christ, they can help God's kingdom grow in people's hearts. Then, churches can become truly united.

History of the ORCCE

In the late 1990s, some clergy and church members were unhappy. They were part of the Anglican church. They wanted to see the "Continuing Anglican" movement grow in Great Britain. They asked the Old Catholic Church of the United States (OCCUSA) for help. They wanted to start an Old Catholic church in the United Kingdom.

In 2000, the English Catholic Church (ECC) was formed. It became independent but worked with OCCUSA. Bishop Robert McBride led this church.

In 2006, the ECC changed its name. It became the Old Catholic Church in Europe (OCCE). Bishop Dennis Beevers was its leader. This church was officially registered in the UK in 2006. It closed down in 2009.

In 2009, the OCCE changed its name again. It became the Old Roman Catholic Church in Europe (ORCCE). This church was officially registered in the UK in 2011. In 2011, the ORCCE joined with the Old Roman Catholic Church, Latin Rite. Archbishop Boniface Grosvold led that church. Fr. Jerome Lloyd became the leader of the ORCCE. Later, the ORCCE was no longer connected to the Old Roman Catholic Church, Latin Rite. The ORCCE is now connected to the Old Catholic Church of America (OCCA). This is different from the OCCUSA.

Working with Other Churches

The ORCCE knows it is not the only Old Roman Catholic church in Europe. It talks and works with other similar traditional Old Catholic churches.

The ORCCE follows the Declaration of Utrecht. This document guides Old Catholic churches. They believe that joining with the Holy See (the Pope's office) would need talks. They would need to agree on how the Pope's role (called the Petrine Ministry) is understood. This understanding would need to be different from what the Roman Church teaches now.

The Church Today

The Most Reverend Msgr Jerome Lloyd OSJV is the current head of the ORCCE. He is the Metropolitan of Europe (UK) and Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Britannia.

The church's clergy believe in helping people who want the Tridentine Mass. This is an older form of the Catholic Mass. It can be in Latin or in the local language. The ORCCE mostly uses the Gregorian Rite. This is often called the Tridentine Rite. They use it for services and daily prayers. They also use older versions of the Mass from before 1955.

The church has a mission in Brighton. They broadcast Masses every day online. This helps people who cannot go to a service in person.