[German] | Old-Catholics? What are they? |
[Czech] |
There is only one Christian church, but it is
comprised of many local churches, which are also called
"dioceses", "Landeskirche" etc., in short
"churches".
Most churches have a bishop at their head, stand alone and
independently of one another, as for example the Protestant,
Anglican and Orthodox churches.
The bishops of the Roman catholic dioceses, however, recognise
the leadership of the pope in Rome.
Most catholic dioceses in Germany are named after the town where
the bishop has his seat, as for example Magdeburg, Berlin,
Erfurt. - It is less well known that besides these, there exists
a diocese of Old-Catholics in Germany as well.
The catholic diocese of the Old-Catholics has
existed in Germany since 1873.
It was created as a result of two decisions of the First Vatican
Council (1869-70), namely, those concerning the infallibility and
the universal jurisdiction of the pope. These were innovations
which should strengthen the position of the pope in a manner
unknown in the ancient church. Many dedicated Catholics,
including professors of theology, especially in German-speaking
countries, publicly refused to accept these decisions of the
Council, because they could not reconcile them with conscience.
They were forthwith excluded from the Roman Catholic Church, that
is to say, excommunicated. Accordingly, they had to establish
their own parishes and have their own bishop. Since the
foundation of the catholic diocese of Old-Catholics in Germany in
1873, its bishops have resided in Bonn.
Because they denounced the above mentioned
Council decisions as an unlawful innovation, the German opponents
called themselves "Old-Catholics".
Today this name gives occasion for misunderstanding, but it
cannot yet be changed. Actually we should be called
"Reformed Catholics".
In Germany there are about 15,000 Old-Catholics, increasing trend! Parishes are to be found mainly along the Rhine and in Bavaria, earlier also in the Sudetenland, but in northern and eastern Germany there are very few. Independent catholic churches exist also in some other countries: Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland.
[Top]Because of independence from Rome a number of aberrations which occurred in the Western Church during the Middle Ages could be corrected. To state it first of all concisely: the Old-Catholics stand between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant churches. In hierarchical structure they are similar to the Protestants (episcopal, synodal). In the celebration of the divine service they scarcely differ from the Roman Catholic Church (Eucharistic service).
Our church is lead by the Synod, an assembly of representatives chosen from all parishes, in which only about one third are clergy. Between meetings of the Synod, over a period of several years, the leadership of the church is in the hands of the bishop and representatives chosen by the Synod, the so called "Synodalvertretung".
The main service on Sundays and festive days is
always a sacramental service, called "Holy Eucharist",
equivalent to the service which in other churches is called
"Holy Mass", "Communion Service",
"Divine Liturgy" respectively. To the Holy Communion
(Lord's Supper) all are invited who are baptised and who believe
in the presence of the Lord in his holy Meal. In response to his
word, "Drink this, all of you ...", all participants
are given the cup as well as the Host. Left over Hosts are
treasured in the tabernacle in order to bring the Holy Communion
to invalids. Veneration of the sacrament outside the eucharistic
service is not usual, at least in Germany.
Photo: 2005-02-19, old-cath. Hl.-Geist-Kapelle Köthen
Our priests are, of course, always available for pastoral dialogue, and if so desired, for individual confession. But nobody is obliged to make individual confession, since remission of sins is also possible in the general penitential prayer of the divine service.
We have the threefold office: deacon, priest, bishop.
Each office is conferred through its respective ordination rite.
The ministry of deacons and priests may be practised by
nonstipendiaries, who are also engaged in a civil occupation.
Since the decision of the Synod in 1994, women have had equal
legal status with men in the Old-Catholic Church in Germany. They
have the same access to clerical office as men. The first two
women priests were ordained in 1996.
Our clergy are not obliged to celibacy. There is no rule
concerning the sequence of marriage and ordination.
With us remarried divorcees are not
excommunicated. For a new marriage in our church, the agreement
both of the parish priest and of the bishop is required.
We have a natural relation to sexuality. There are no regulations
regarding contraception.
Alone decisive is the decision of conscience before God.
On the international level, the Old-catholic
dioceses created the "Utrecht Union" in 1889. The
bishops meet regularly in the international Old-catholic bishops
conference (IBC). President of the bishops conference, without
jurisdictional authority, is always the archbishop of Utrecht.
Good ecumenical relations with all churches are a special concern
for us.
We have been in full ecclesial communion with the Anglican
community since 1931.
We could reach extensive accord with the orthodox churches in
matters of dogma.
There were ecumenical discussions with the Roman Catholic Church
during and after the Second Vatican Council. In spite of
extensive agreement in dogmatic questions, an arrangement
concerning pastoral aid failed, due to lack of papal approval in
1972.
The Old-Catholic Churches have been members of the ecumenical
Council of churches (ECC) since its foundation in 1948. At the
lower level, we are everywhere represented as members of the
regional ACK ("Arbeitsgemeinschaft christlicher
Kirchen" = working community of Christian churches).