|
Reuniting the Body of Christ one Church at a time
|
"We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism
which does not recognize anything as definitive and has as its highest
value one's own ego and one's own desires . . . "
- Pope Benedict XVI
"It is a very common phrase of modern intellectualism to say
that the morality of one age can be entirely different to the morality of another.
And like a great many other phrases of modern intellectualism,
it means literally nothing at all."
- Gilbert K. Chesterton
"The danger when men cease to believe in God is not that they will believe in nothing,
but that they will believe anything."
- Gilbert K. Chesterton
"He who marries the spirit of this age will be a widower in the next."
- William Ralph Inge, Dean, St. Paul's Cathedral, London
ALCC OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN
The ALCC does not have and never has had any female clergy. To learn why, read these documents:
Ordinatio
Sacerdotalis (Pope John Paul II, 1994)
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html
Responsum ad Dubium Concerning the Teaching Contained in
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, 1995)
http://www.cin.org/cdfrad.html
ALCC OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE ORDINATION
OF NON-CELIBATE HOMOSEXUALS
The Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church (ALCC) does not permit the ordination
of non-celibate homosexuals or men who advocate for the so-called "gay
culture."
To learn why, read this document:
Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment
of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders
(Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, 2005)
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20051104_istruzione_en.html
ALCC OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON "SAME-SEX MARRIAGE"
The ALCC does not permit so-called "same-sex marriage." To
learn why, read these documents:
Catechism of the Catholic Church (Edito Typica) Part 3,
Section 2, Article 6-II, paragraphs #2357-2358
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P85.HTM
Some Considerations Concerning the Response to Legislative
Proposals on Non-discrimination of Homosexual Persons
(Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, 1992)
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20030731_homosexual-unions_en.html
Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral
Care of Homosexual Persons
(Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, 1986)
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html
Declaration Persona Humana
(Franjo Cardinal Seper, 1975)
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19751229_persona-humana_en.html
The Manhattan Declaration
November 20, 2009
(Archbishop Gladfelter is among the national religious leaders who have signed this document.)
http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/the-declaration
ALCC OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON PRO-LIFE ISSUES AND BIOETHICS
The ALCC is opposed to abortion and birth control, genetic engineering, euthanasia, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and other similar issues. To learn why, read these
documents:
Encyclical Humanae Vitae
(Pope Paul VI, 1968)
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html
Evangelium Vitae
(Pope John Paul II, 1995)
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae_en.html
THE ANGLO-LUTHERAN CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS FILED A PETITION TO ENTER THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
On May 13, 2009 (the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima) the Anglo-Lutheran Catholic filed a formal petition to enter the Roman Catholic Church with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. It is now before the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The text of the petition follows:
"The
Anglo Lutheran Catholic Church (ALCC) as a unified body, strongly
desires to enter into union with the Roman Catholic Church. Our
Church desires to undo the mistakes of Father Martin Luther, and
return to the One, Holy, and True Catholic Church established by Our
Lord Jesus Christ through the Blessed Saint Peter. We seek your
counsel on how to proceed towards union with the Roman Catholic
Church as a priestly society.
Some
specifics of our Church relevant to this desire follow: Our clergy
have all been ordained (or re-ordained into) the sacrificing
priesthood in historical apostolic succession. The primary lineage of
the ALCC is the Duarte-Costa lineage of the Roman Catholic Rebiban
(Vatican) succession. Our clergy also hold the Gerardus Gul lineage
of the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands, among many others. All
ordinations are performed using the current rites of ordination from
the Pontifical of the Roman Catholic Church set within a celebration
of the Novis Ordo Rite Mass. our two common use liturgies are the
Mass of Pope Paul VI (Novis Ordo Rite) and the Anglican Usage Rite
from the USCCB approved "Book of Divine Worship."
The
ALCC operates, insofar as it is practical, in accordance with the
canon laws of the Roman Catholic Church. In matters of faith and
doctrine the ALCC follows the doctrines and teachings of the Roman
Catholic Church and its Magisterium (all ALCC clergy are required to
sign the Mandatum testifying to their acceptance of this.) The ALCC
follows the early teachings of Martin Luther insofar as they do not
conflict with authentic Catholic faith, traditions, worship, and
spirituality as taught by the Magisterium and the Catholic Catechism;
we reject the “Formula of Concord."
The
ALCC accepts all the dogma and doctrines about the Blessed Virgin
Mary taught by Roman Catholicism.
The
ALCC and all of its clergy and members already accept papal primacy
and papal infallibility. Its polity is episcopal, following the model
of the Roman Catholic Church. The
ALCC has a clear idea of its own identity - it is Roman Catholic. We
are neither Protestant nor Ecumenical. One word denotes protest and
the other fails to recognize the true Church. Clearly', we, wish
to undo the Protestant Reformation. Did not John Cardinal Newman
write, "to be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant?
The
ALCC's priority is reconciliation with that which Jesus Christ
established - His Holy Roman Catholic Church. So, here we stand, in
heart as pure Roman Catholics, awaiting the command from His Holiness
to cross the Tiber, not as barbarians nor as Protestants, but as
Catholics willing to submit to his authority. We pray to the Blessed
Mother for her intercession, that Our Lord's petition in His High
Priestly Prayer (John 17:20-21 ) that all who believe in Him might he
one. His wish is our mandate.
In
Pope John Paul II's encyclical, “Ut Unum Sint,” His Holiness
stated that he desired for the Church to come full circle from the
wounds inflicted in the 16th Century to reunion, to re-enter into the
Roman Catholic Church. To do this we must. again I state, un-do the
Reformation and restore the visible, corporate unity of Christ's One,
Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We in the ALCC have no ambition
but to return to the Holy Mother Church. Your Prodigal Child has
returned and is at your door step. Holy Father, please let us in."
Your in the Fellowship of Our Lady, the Mother of the Church,
+ Robert W. M. Edmondson, C.S.P., D.D., D.Min., M.Div.
Vicar General of the ALCC and Bishop Director of the Office for the Promotion of Christian Unity
THE MANDATUM
The Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church requires all its Bishops, Priests, and Deacons to sign and abide by the terms of the following enhanced version of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's Mandatum:
I
hereby declare my role and responsibility as a Deacon [ ] Priest
[ ] Bishop
[ ] of the Church. Therefore I am committed to teaching Catholic doctrine and to refrain from preaching, teaching, writing, or publishing anything contrary to the Magisterium.
|
|
