Union of Utrecht (Old Catholic)
Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches | |
---|---|
Utrecher Union der Altkatholischen Kirchen | |
Roman Catholic Church | |
Separations | Union of Scranton Old Roman Catholic Churches |
Members | c. 63.000 |
Official website | utrechter-union |
The Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches, most commonly referred to by the short form Union of Utrecht, is a federation of
The 1889
As of 2016,[update] the UU includes six member churches: the
History
Foundation and enlargement
The mother church, the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands, was established in the 18th century as a result of tensions between the local Catholic hierarchy and the Roman Curia. The other churches, such as the Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany, and the Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland, followed suit after the First Vatican Council, which defined the dogma of papal infallibility.[2]
Missionary activity and schisms
In the former Yugoslavia, the union had three organized Old Catholic episcopal jurisdictions: Old Catholic Church of Croatia (created in 1922-1923, first bishop Marko Kalojera consecrated in 1924 in Utrecht),[7] Old Catholic Church of Slovenia (with bishops Radovan Jošt and Anton Kovačevič), and Old Catholic Church of Serbia (with bishop Milan Dobrovoljac (1954-1966). Three churches formed "Union of Old-Catholic Churches in Yugoslavia" (1954). This union eventually ceased to exist with break-up of Yugoslavia (1991-1992) and even before that, the Old Catholic bishopric in Serbia was extinguished, and the same happened with bishoprics in Slovenia and Croatia. Finally, remaining Old Catholic parishes in Croatia and other parts of former Yugoslavia were placed under jurisdiction of the Old Catholic Church of Austria.[2][6]
With the establishment of the Polish National Catholic Church in the United States as a member of the Utrechter Union, by 1997, the International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference stated that this church was not in full communion with other Union of Utrecht churches because they did not accept the ordination of women.[8][9] Since 1998, the Polish National Catholics did not permit the conference's bishops to participate in episcopal consecrations.[9] The conference stated in 2003 that full communion "could not be restored" and "effectively expelled" the Polish National Catholic Church.[8][9] The church "refused to repudiate" a 1976 conference statement opposing the ordination of women, and the Polish National Catholics "indicated that any attempt to admit women to the ministerial priesthood would lead to a break in full communion with churches that adopted the practice."[9][10]
The Old Catholic Church of Austria approved the blessing of same-sex unions in 1998 without IBC deliberation; in contrast, the Polish National Catholic Church disapproved the blessing of same sex unions in 2002 and "described homosexual practice as sinful".[9] The Polish National Catholic Church established the Union of Scranton in 2008, and no other North American body has been recognized by the International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference.
The Old Catholic Church of Slovakia was a member church of the Union of Utrecht from 2000 but it was removed from membership in 2004.
In July 2011, the Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland ended its mission to Old Catholic parishes in Italy. "In cooperation with ecumenical partner churches" the parishes were "offered a model that guarantees their continued pastoral care".[11]
Organization
Individual Union of Utrecht member churches maintain a degree of autonomy, similar to the practice of the
Theology and practices
The Old Catholic churches reject the universal jurisdiction of the pope, as well as the
See also
Notes
- ^ The organization Polish Catholic Church in Poland, a member church of the UU, is not to be confused with the Catholic Church in Poland or confused with the Polish National Catholic Church, a former member church of the UU.
References
- ^ a b "Old-Catholic churches". World Council of Churches. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Utrechter Union - History". www.utrechter-union.org. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
- ^ "Bilateral Relations". Church of Sweden. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ Berlis, Angela (n.d.). "Relations with the Anglican Church". utrechter-union.org. Translated by Conklin, Daniel G. Utrecht, NL: Utrechter Union der Altkatholischen Kirchen. Archived from the original on 2016-04-28. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ "Thiruvalla Agreement". Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Member Churches". utrechter-union.org. Utrecht, NL: Utrechter Union der Altkatholischen Kirchen. Archived from the original on 2016-04-10. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ Hrvatska starokatolička crkva: Naša povijest
- ^ a b "Communiqué of the IBC meeting in Prague/CZ, 2003" (Press release). Amersfoort: Utrechter Union der Altkatholischen Kirchen. 2003-11-29. Archived from the original on 2016-05-01. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
- ^ from the original on 2004-08-30.
- ISBN 9780567031549.
- ^ Weyermann, Maja (2011-06-21). "International Old Catholic Bishops Conference (IBC) withdraws from the parishes in Italy" (Press release). Utrecht, NL: Utrechter Union der Altkatholischen Kirchen. Archived from the original on 2016-04-30. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
- ^ "Communiqué of the IBC meeting in Breslau/PL 2000" (Press release). Utrecht, NL: Utrechter Union der Altkatholischen Kirchen. 2000-07-29. Archived from the original on 2016-05-02. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
- ^ "Archbishop Joris Vercammen". oikoumene.org. World Council of Churches. Archived from the original on 2008-07-09.
- ^ "Bernd Wallet (48) New Archbishop Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands". EN24 News. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "Bernd Wallet verkozen tot nieuwe aartsbisschop Oud-Katholieke Kerk". Friesch Dagblad (in Dutch). 17 February 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ^ "Canceled again: Consecration and installation of the new Archbishop Bernd Wallet". Union of Utrecht of Old Catholic Churches. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Bernd Wallet aartsbisschop van Utrecht". Oud-Katholieke Parochie St. Agnes, Egmond. Bisschoppelijk Bureau. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "Bernd Wallet verkozen tot nieuwe aartsbisschop van Utrecht". Oud-Katholieke Kerk van Nederland. Bisschoppelijk Bureau. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-7546-6704-9.
- ^ "Agreement - Between The old Catholic churches united in the Union of Utrecht and The church of Sweden" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-01-29.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-582-08695-1.
The Old Catholic Church numbers about 400,000 members worldwide and compromises those churches belonging to the Union of Utrecht. These churches accept the doctrines of the Church prior to 1054 (the year of the Great Schism which divided the Eastern and Western churches) and reject more modern doctrines such as the infallibility of the pope. Clergy may marry and...