Laying All the Cards on the Table: A History of Independent/Old/Old Roman Catholic Pastoral Accomodation

One of the hallmarks of so-called Independent Catholicism is its emphasis on pastoral practice. It offers a place where people who could not be ordained or receive the sacraments in other traditions are able to do so in the context of Catholic tradition. This venerable history began, in my estimation, under Bishop Dominique Marie Varlet. Varlet confirmed candidates for the Church of Utrecht when it was under interdict from Rome because he understood that it was the right thing to do. 

This tradition continued with Archbishop Arnold Harris Mathew. Mathew was baptized both an Anglican and a Roman Catholic, and flirted with both traditions throughout his life. He even at one point was involved with Unitarianism. When he was elected to the episcopacy, he was married and the Church of Utrecht had not approved married bishops. Ultimately, they proceeded with the consecration. Mathew also separated from his wife, which was a novel thing in the 1900s. He continued to ordain and consecrate married men, and this became part of the Old Roman Catholic tradition. Carmel Henry Carfora, the progenitor of Old Roman Catholicism in America, was married to a former nun (Stella) and he also continued calling married men to orders. Bishop Hodur for the Polish National Catholic Church also opened up his church to married men, as did Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa.

In addition to married men, Carfora was innovative in how he treated women. He appointed Sister Elizabeth Theresa, OSF as his chancellor--something unheard of at the time. Two of Carfora's bishops in the NAORCC, Archbishops Verostek and Pyman, recognized and utilized deaconesses in California. This was taken a step further in some traditions, with the Mariavites consecrating and ordaining women. Bishop Dorian Herbert of the Orthodox-Keltic Church of the British Commonwealth of Nations (say that 5 times fast) began the same in 1943 and other Independent Catholic churches followed suit. However, the practice of admitting women to orders is not universal and depends on the jurisdiction.  

 

Of note is that Independent Catholicism is one of the first traditions to promote and accept people of color. Vilatte consecrated Archbishop George Alexander McGuire (pictured below) after he was stymied in the Episcopal Church due to the color of his skin. Archbishop Carmel Henry Carfora no doubt also understood racism and prejudice due to his being an Italian during a time of anti-immigration. Carfora conditionally consecrated Rogers and consecrated Marchenna, both black men, as well as set up a hierarchy for the Mexican National Catholic Church. 

 

The Independent Catholic tradition was also innovative on the acceptance of LGBT individuals. This began with George Augustine Hyde (pictured at top), who began the first LGBT focused church in 1946 with Bishop John Augustine Kazantks, a former Greek Orthodox bishop who left Greece because he was gay. Hyde was consecrated in 1957 for the American Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Eastern Church and continued his ministry to the LGBT community until his death in 2010. Archbishop Marchenna of the Old Roman Catholic Church ordained the first openly gay and partnered man, Archbishop Robert Mary Clement, who also championed the term holy unions and began the first gay-focused Catholic church. It was said that Marchenna acted unilaterally without the permission of his superior, but Clement was nominated by Archbishop George Gerard Shelley in 1958 as bishop. Doubtless he had to react when the press became too much. Again, the practice of admitting LGBT people to ministry is not universal among Independent Catholic traditions.

 

Mathew's progeny included members of the Liberal Catholic Church and all branches of independent apostolic succession (Vilatte in particular) include people who adhere to esotericism. Bishops descending from Carfora (using the name Old Roman Catholic) have included a drag queen, a former female impersonator, partnered clergy, married bishops, divorced and remarried bishops, divorced bishops, etc. Bishops descending from Archbishop Vilatte and Bishop Duarte Costa also have clergy with personal backgrounds which would limit them from ministry in a mainstream church, including being gay and partnered, remarried, divorced, etc. This highlights the differences of Independent Catholicism--that different branches have different views on sensitive topics.

 

Besides the personal lives of the clergy, Independent Catholic clergy have ministered in places or ways which were outside the norm. One of Mathew's original bishops served a congregational church while a bishop in the ORCC (and several later functioned in Anglican churches), as did several of Carfora's bishops. Archbishop H. A. Rogers functioned in a Methodist church when he died. Vilatte functioned in the Episcopal Church and Archbishop Thuc called on greater ecumenism--despite being the source of orders for traditionalists. Clergy have buried suicide victims when it was not acceptable, performed holy unions and blessings for same-sex couples, remarried couples after divorce, accepted children called illegitimate, and acted when the other members of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church couldn’t or wouldn’t. Previously, these situations could be hidden and not discussed but with the advent of the internet there is more access to information and people are in better connection with each other.

My reason for this post is not to scandalize people, although I have no doubt that it will scandalize some. But these escapades are easily read in Anson, Brandreth, Jarvis, and a number of other sources. It is also no more scandalous than the coverup of child abuse and large-scale financial theft which happens in other traditions (and to my estimation it is far less scandalous than those things). In fact, all of the things mentioned here happen in all traditions. The purpose of writing this article is to emphasize that there is no perfect church which matches all your requirements, because churches are made of people. Extreme traditionalists also have cases of same-sex scandals, esoteric beliefs, and other issues mentioned here--so no one is immune even among the most guarded. The purpose of this article is also not to emphasize that you must accept women's ordination, gay marriage, etc. if it is against your conscience. 

My point is to emphasize that Independent Catholicism (even among the churches which profess to be the most traditional) has always been divergent and tolerant--a tradition which is built on primacy of conscience and second chances. It is a venerable tradition, and one which I love deeply. But we cannot ignore the fact that we have had people of all backgrounds in this tradition and we will continue to attract people who have no other home. Traditionalists have a plethora of options inside and outside of Rome, and progressives have significant options in Christianity as a whole now. Yet, those who attempt to hold some sort of via media are often limited to taking the path less trodden. No church is homogeneous and every one is full of people from all walks of life. And because people have foibles or peccadilloes, it does not mean that they are bad people. They are people, like us all, in need of God’s grace and second chances. And that’s what I believe is our future, too.

Diversity Within the Independent Movement

One of the issues which I’ve written about frequently is diversity in jurisdictions. But I think that even more can be discussed about it. Autocephalous Catholicism is unique among church traditions because it offers a type of menu for people who have specific religious requirements. Depending on your conscience, there will likely be a jurisdiction for you. If you want women and LGBT persons ordained, there is a jurisdiction for you or there is a jurisdiction that does not. If you are attached to the Latin Mass there is a jurisdiction and there are also jurisdictions that allow you to make up a liturgy. This diversity is both beneficial as well as challenging.

I will give examples in the Carfora-descendent churches. Archbishop Richard Arthur Marchenna of the Old Roman Catholic Church wrote an article on the Sacred Heart. In his article, he stated “’Sacred Heart’ devotions and novelties are not the practice of Old Roman Catholics, nor should such be maintained or taught within this church. It is both sacrilegious and blasphemous and a manifest heresy… Old Roman Catholics repudiate such novelties which reduces our Lord’s person to ‘bits and pieces’ for the adoration of the faithful.”  While he held these views, Archbishop Schweikert (of the same church in Chicago) was pastor of a church named Sacred Heart! Similarly, under Marchenna, Archbishop Robert Mary Clement was elected as a bishop in 1958. He left the Old Roman Catholic Church but returned and was finally consecrated on October 6, 1974. He made national news because of his consecration as being openly gay and offering holy unions to lesbian and gay individuals. He later founded the Eucharistic Catholic Church. 

Several Old Roman Catholic jurisdictions have had married bishops while others have not—Archbishops Mathew, Carfora, Rogers, and others were married. Some of the historic Old Roman Catholic bishops were remarried after divorces or separated. Other Carfora-line churches view themselves as Roman Catholic except for jurisdiction and hold to the dogmas of Papal Infallibility, the Immaculate Conception, and the Assumption—while others do not. On doctrine, Carfora allowed at least one of his bishops to utilize the Augsburg Confession—a Lutheran document of faith (where it did not conflict with Catholic belief). A final difference is on liturgy where some Carfora-descendant churches offer the Tridentine Mass while others offer the Novus Ordo.

These differences are not unique to Carfora churches. The Liberal Catholics, perhaps, have the most diverse beliefs with some holding to Theosophy while others hold a more orthodox position. Still other Liberal Catholics ordain women while others do not. The same is true of the Vilatte-descent churches where one can find varying views on LGBT issues, women in ministry, etc. Some Vilatte churches, it seems, also have a strong esoteric connection which is unique among Autocephalous Catholics. On the other end of the spectrum is the Thuc succession, which ranges to the Palmarians who elected their own pope to sedevacantists to also-ran traditionalists who are not easily distinguishable from other traditionalist groups. Each distinct tradition has people who fall everywhere within issues of discipline and morality.

While we often think of this as part of the chaos of the Independent Sacramental Movement, it is similar in mainstream churches. There are Orthodox churches which have women deaconesses while others do not. There have been instances within Orthodoxy in America where a priest’s wife has died or abandoned him and he was been allowed to remarry, despite being verboten among the Orthodox generally (except within the Ecumenical Patriarchate). Similarly, the Eastern Orthodox churches take a much laxer view of divorce than the Oriental Orthodox.  Yet they are still united by a common history and, importantly for many Orthodox, a common liturgy.

Diversity is also present within Papal Catholicism. The Ordinariate, the Eastern Catholic Churches, and some Latin dioceses ordain married men to the priesthood while the Roman Catholic Church does not. I use Roman Catholic in the form of a proper church distinguishing it from the Ukrainian Catholic, Russian Catholic, Greek Catholic, etc. churches. Similarly, the Eastern Catholic Churches have their own Code of Canon Law separate from that of the Roman Catholic Church. Formally there are different liturgies and liturgical traditions. Finally, there are also informal differences which exist in every church. This is how from parish to parish there can be differences in how divorce, homosexuality, the involvement of women, etc. are handled.

While this may seem overwhelming, there is no homogeneous church. Because were humans, there will always be differences what we believe and how we express our faith. This can be dogmatic, moral (as with divorce and remarriage), liturgical, etc. Differences in practice result because the church is universal and cannot possibly be the same in every nook and cranny of the world. So we should allow ourselves a bit more grace as members of this Movement.

The key is determining what is essential and what is not for you and for your jurisdiction. For me, it is belief in the Creeds, at least seven grace-giving sacraments utilizing proper matter, form, and intent, and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Without these, I believe there could be the legitimate issue of the passing of apostolic tradition. Another "line in the sand" for me is dangerous individuals in ministry, such as sexual predators and other unsuitable candidates. Generally, however, I tend to hold the view of Archbishop Marco Antonio de Dominis who said, “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity” (although often incorrectly attributed to Saint Augustine). For each person this may be different regarding what is essential according to their conscience.

What I would caution, however, is becoming too strict in your understanding of what is essential. There have been several attempts to bring together groups which held different traditions but came together in goodwill and prayer. This included the Council of Old Roman Catholic Bishops, the Sursum Corda Gathering of the American Catholic Union in the 2000s, FOCUS (the Federation of Orthodox Catholic Churches International), and others. While this may not be the answer for everyone (or may not be the answer at all), it may be a path forward to working together. Each group had to do the hard work of determining what was and was not essential and how they would interact with other groups who held the same, similar, or few common beliefs.

I do hope that despite our differences we can find some common ground. The final realization is that despite our claims of lofty histories and auspicious lineages, to Rome, Canterbury, and Moscow we are just schismatics. Unfortunately, we have seen in Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism how rigid both the right and the left can be when it comes to certain issues. Both sides have absolutes which must be adhered to for any commonality. The better path for us, given or relatively small numbers, poverty, and independence  may be to work together (at least informally) to build each other up. This may mean striking a moderate path where we may disagree with others but allow some flexibility as much as possible (and where our consciences permit). 

God desires from you the least degree of purity of conscience more than all the works you can perform. - St. John of the Cross

Photo: Archbishop Peter Martin Ngo Dinh Thuc.