The Old Catholic Church of Texas   

Who We Are

The Old Catholic Church of Texas, Diocese of Saint Gabriel the Archangel, is a missionary diocese of the Old Catholic Church of North America with National Church Headquarters in Tampa, Florida. As Old Catholics, our sacraments, including Communion, are open to all baptized Christians. It is our utmost desire to provide a place where all can come to worship God, say their prayers, receive the Sacraments, and be fed with the Word. Of particular concern to us is the offering of valid sacraments to those who have left Roman Catholicism, or other Christians seeking forms of worship and beliefs founded in the traditions and beliefs of the early church. The Old Catholic Church is part of the ancient Church, becoming active and relevant once again in the modern world.
 

What Old Catholics Believe

The faith of Old Catholics is simply that of the Catholic Church as taught by the Church from apostolic times to the present day. The ecumenical Councils clearly express what Old Catholics believe without the need for apology or excuse. In 1823,
Archbishop Willibrord van Os of Utrecht reiterated adherence to the unchanging doctrine of Catholicism in the following words:” We accept without any exception whatever, all the Articles of the Holy Catholic Faith. We will never hold nor teach, now or afterwards, any other opinions than those that have been decreed, determined and published by Holy Church..." Thus, Old Catholics, tracing their Apostolic Succession through the Roman Catholic Church to the Apostles, participate in the full sacramental ministry of the Church. The Rule of Faith of Old Catholics is faithful adherence to Sacred Scripture and the Apostolic Tradition.

Old Catholic Ministry

By developing new methods and ideas with an emphasis on community, and embracing true Catholicism, which expresses a warmth and interest in the total person, Old Catholic communities are able to address the needs of today's society in the Twenty-First Century. For the contemporary Catholic searching to maintain his/her faith but desiring to do so without excessive institutionalism that often loses contact with the individual; for those with a Catholic background who feel impeded from full participation in the life and Sacraments of the Church; for the many unchurched who desire the joy and peace of Our Lord's Word and His Holy Sacraments, Old Catholic communities provide an available alternative and allow a person to be a part of Christ's Church, and be at peace with his/her conscience. Old Catholic communities, because of their size, can give individual attention to the individual spiritual needs of the faithful and, where necessary, develop unique ministries to meet those needs.

Saint Ignatius of Antioch

How Do We Differ?

In matters of discipline, administration and procedure, Old Catholics differ from the Roman Catholic Church. For example, clerical celibacy (which is a matter of discipline) is optional among Old Catholics. Married men and women may be ordained and in many of our dioceses clergy may, with prior Episcopal consent, enter into Holy Matrimony after ordination. Liturgical expression is also a matter of discipline determined by the local bishop. Consequently, many Old Catholic communities have adopted the liturgical renewal promulgated following the Second Vatican Council while still maintaining Tridentine liturgy, in Latin or direct translation into classical or modern English, in those parishes that desire it. Eastern rite Old Catholic parishes exist as well, which follow the ancient liturgies of that rich tradition. Because Old Catholic communities are small, they are able to successfully implement the Ignatian model of the Church. Saint Ignatius of Antioch's concept of the Church was a communion of self-governing communities, each laboring together to proclaim the message of the Gospel. This concept views the faithful with their clergy and bishop as a community or family in loving concern for each other and each working together to live the Scriptural commands in their daily lives as Christians bringing the love of Christ to others. Old Catholic communities utilize their size and lack of highly detailed structure to the very best advantage organizationally by their ability to expedite decisions affecting the sacramental and community life of the faithful, within the revelation and authority of Holy Scripture and Apostolic Tradition.

Other Distinctions

There are other distinctions by which Old Catholic communities are differentiated from Roman Catholic parishes. The matter of papal infallibility defined by Vatican Council I is a non-issue for Old Catholics, since we are independent of papal jurisdiction. All Old Catholic communities accord the Holy Father that respect due him as Successor of St. Peter, Prince of
the Apostles and Patriarch of the West. Old Catholics adhere to the teaching from apostolic times that the Church in General Council is infallible. Another difference is that divorced people who remarry are treated in a pastoral manner and not excluded from the sacramental life of the Church. Further, the matter of contraception is treated as a matter of personal conscience between husband and wife. Old Catholic theology recognizes that the Church's teaching magisterium (authority) has two primary objects: the formation of conscience, in which case authority is instructive; and the nurturing of an informed conscience to full maturity, in which case authority is guiding but not directive.

We are a church for thinking Christians who desire to be true to the faith once delivered by Jesus Christ Himself and taught by the Apostles.