Christ Catholic Church
Christ Catholic Church is a communion of Christians who believe and practice the Apostolic, Orthodox Catholic Faith. The heritage of the Christ Catholic Church is the same as the Orthodox Churches of the East and Western Catholic Church of Rome.
Ecumenically, the Christ Catholic Church believes in working with all Christians to uplift Christ. Christ Catholic Church is not a part of any other Communion, Orthodox or Catholic. They administer the Sacraments to any baptized, confirmed Christian who accepts the traditional faith of the ancient Creeds, and anyone who believes in the real Presence of the Body and the Blood of Christ in the Holy Communion and finally believes in one Lord, and One Church.
Christ Catholic Church believes in the unity of all Christians, in the Sacramental unity of communion and the Apostolic Succession, which teaches the faith of the undivided Church. They believe this undivided Church is referred in Holy Scripture as the Kingdom of God and the Body of Christ. This makes Christ the head and the high priest. It was Christ who empowered the Apostles to carry the message of Christ to the world and they were led by the Holy Spirit.
The Christ Catholic Church has its headquarters in Highlandville, Missouri.
History
Ever since the 18th century there has been a number of Catholic Churches separated from the Vatican. One of these churches developed in the Netherlands because it was sympathetic to the French Catholics who were being denied religious freedoms in France. This Dutch Church was under the leadership of the Archiepiscopal See of Utrecht which had a detached existence with Rome.
It was in 1870 at the first Vatican Council when the Doctrine of Papal Infallibility was proclaimed. Austria, Germany, and Switzerland churches withdraw from the Church of Rome because they believed that only Christ is infallible. This group of believers took the name of Old Catholic and they came under the leadership of the Archbishop of Utrecht.
Similar churches were established in the 1900 in the United States. Non-Papal churches, some Orthodox and some from the Old Catholic Churches, sprang up from other immigrants from Belgium, Poland, the Ukrainians, Greeks and even the Native Americans.
It was in 1937 that a number of independent Orthodox and Catholic churches incorporated into the Polish Old Catholic Church. Then in 1959 this Polish Old Catholic Church changed its name to Christ Catholic Church.
The Constitution and Canons of the Christ Catholic Church made it an independent, self-governing church. Christ Catholic Church is a traditional, Apostolic Faith Church, and considers itself as an Orthodox Catholic. The Vatican and other Catholic and Orthodox communions regard the Christ Catholic Church as valid.
Belief
Christ Catholic Church believes there is seven Sacraments and administers them as a means of Divine Grace. The Christ Catholic Church believes the seven sacraments are:
Baptism Christ Catholic Church believes Baptism makes one a Christian and a child of God, a member of the Body of Christ, and a member in His Kingdom on earth. It is the beginning of a new life in God.
Confirmation they believe Confirmation is the giving of the new life by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Bishop consecrates oil called Holy Chrism which is anointed on the believer and makes that believer become one with the priesthood of all believers.
Absolution they believe Absolution is confession and penance and reclaims those who have fallen from grace after their Baptism. Since Baptism is the union with God and His Kingdom, the Sacrament of Absolution restores that union when the sinner has sinned. Christ Catholic Church believes it is Absolution that sins are forgiven and a new beginning can begin.
Holy Eucharist they believe the Holy Eucharist, the Divine Liturgy and Holy Mass unite individuals with God as the human and the divine natures were first united in the Incarnation. Christ Catholic Church believes this Sacrament actually allows the partakers to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ for the nourishment of the souls and bodies for eternal life.
Holy Orders or Ordination:
They believe the Holy Orders or Ordination is the means by which the Church conducts its works. Christ Catholic Church believes the grace of God descends upon the laying on of hands by the Apostolic Bishop.
Holy Unction they believe in the anointing with blessed oil, called Holy Unction, which is used for the healing of infirmities for both the body and the soul.
Marriage Christ Catholic Church believes the Sacrament of Marriage joins a man and a woman in a Holy Union before God.
Christ Catholic Church believes the Divine Liturgy is the primary service of worship. They encourage using traditional Offices of Matins and Vespers, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Western Catholic devotions such as the Rosary, Novenas, and the Stations of the Cross.
The Christ Catholic Church does not believe the Church should be judged by its beauty on the outside of the building. They believe faith and the Church are undividable. Christ Catholic Church believes small groups of Christians working and worshiping together at an altar in private homes can be beneficial to the Church as a whole.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Christ Catholic Church:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2620,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “Christ Catholic Church:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2620,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “Christ Catholic Church:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2620, (accessed).
