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is a branch of the Old Catholic community in the United States of America with an active presence in Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. We also have relations with several other communities throughout the USA and Canada. This part of the Catholic Church encourages formal and informal relations with other branches of the Church. Ecumenical outreach is one of the mission goals. The church centers most of its activity upon caring for the disenfranchised, forgotten and rejected by society.
Our community is a direct descendent of the European (Utrecht) Old Catholic community through bishop Arnold H. Mathew; however, we are not members of the Utrecht Union. (We strive to gain "reconciliation" among Old Catholics throughout the world and in particular with the Utrecht Union as well as the Anglican Communion. "Old Catholic" is defined as those church communities that adhere as closely as possible to the guidelines established by the Utrecht Union of Churches while not necessarily being members of that Union.) The Apostolic lines of succession in addition to origination from the Archdiocese of Utrecht also derive from Anglican, Orthodox and Roman sources. These have been reviewed by Catholic scholars and pronounced a "valid succession of orders" and a "valid transfer of powers". The Old Catholic Church - Mathew Succession is an affirming, inclusive and welcoming Church.
Mass (Holy Eucharist) schedules vary from area to area. Sacramental services (weddings, baptisms, etc.) are arranged by appointment. To make further inquiry please click here to send e-mail:
We are presently seeking candidates for Holy Orders. For further information contact Fr. Ken Denski: rev.ken@verizon.net
Reading Materials
On the World Wide Web:
Old Catholic and general church reference material
A Brief Background and History Statement
Declaration of the Catholic Congress at Munich
The Fourteen Theses of the Old Catholic Conference - Bonn
Declaration of Utrecht (a definition of Old Catholicism)
Old Catholic Altarbook (English translation)
Old Catholic Theology, Bern, Switzerland
Old Catholic Theology, Bonn, Germany
St. Pachomius Library
The Ecole Library
Index of Patron Saints
Christian Classics Ethereal Library
Early Church Fathers
Environmental Theology reference material
A Partnership for the Earth: Churches and the Environmental Movement
Environmental Crisis: A Challenge to the Churches
Ecology, Cosmology and Theology: a Trialogue
In Hard Copy:
Simple Living: the Path to Joy and Freedom; Hobday, Sister Jose; 1999.
The Old Catholic Church: a history and chronology; Pruter, Karl Rev.; 1996.
The Brotherhood of the Common Life and Its Influence; Fuller, Ross; 1995.
A Hospital Visitation Manual; Biddle, Perry H., Jr.; 1994.
A Marriage Manual; Biddle, Perry H., Jr.; 1994.
A Funeral Manual; Biddle, Perry H., Jr.; 1994.
Sanctuaries; Kelly, Jack and Marcia; 1991.
Devotio Moderna; van Engen, John; 1988.
A History of Christian Theology: an introduction; Placher, William C.; 1983.
A History of the North American Old Roman Catholic Church; Trela, Jonathan; 1979.
Old Catholic Church of America: Old Catholicism in the New World; Holman, John E.; 1977.
the International Council of Community Churches (ICCC).
The ICCC is a member of The World Council of Churches, The National Council of Christian Churches, and the "Churches Uniting in Christ" inter-communion agreement.
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This organization also reserves the names: the Old Catholic Church, the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht, the Old Catholic Diocese of Lousiana, the Old Catholic Diocese of Mississippi, the Old Catholic Diocese of Alabama, the Old Catholic Diocese of Pennsylvania, the Old Catholic Diocese of Delaware, the Old Catholic Diocese of New Jersey, the Old Catholic Diocese of Texas, the Old Catholic Diocese of Missouri, the Old Catholic Diocese of Maryland, the Old Catholic Diocese of Minnesota, the Old Catholic Diocese of Wisconsin, the Old Catholic Diocese of Florida and the Old Catholic Diocese of North Carolina. Use of these names without permission is a copyright infringement.
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