CANONS OF THE INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH
I. THE INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH
The Independent Catholic Christian Church is an independent sacramental Christian jurisdiction which is a part of Christ’s One Holy Catholic and
II. GENERAL GOVERNANCE
A. PRESIDING BISHOP
The general life of the jurisdiction as a whole shall be overseen by the Presiding Bishop, who shall serve until death or resignation. The Presiding Bishop shall be elected by the Episcopal Council, if one exists. In the absence of any bishops, the active priests in good standing shall elect one of their number to be consecrated a bishop by bishops of other jurisdictions to serve as Presiding Bishop.
The Presiding Bishop is a servant to all the members of the jurisdiction, and especially the clergy. He or she shall have the responsibility for making certain that the doctrine of the Church in accord with the Statement of Faith is upheld. He or she shall make certain that the liturgy of word and sacraments is reverently and validly celebrated in all congregations. He or she shall strive to see that members and communities of the jurisdiction, and especially the clergy, work toward the healthiest Christian behavior and relate to one another and the world in healthy ways. He or she shall be devoted to prayer, Eucharist, scripture, and balanced, healthy life and spiritual disciplines so that his or her service to the jurisdiction may always be exercised in the healthiest and godliest way possible. He or she shall be available to the bishops, clergy, and laity of the jurisdiction to support their faith journeys.
The Presiding Bishop is the only person authorized to speak for the entire jurisdiction.
B. EPISCOPAL COUNCIL
This article shall only come into force when there are two or more Member Episcopates of the jurisdiction.
The Episcopal Council shall consist of all the Ordinaries of the Member Episcopates of this jurisdiction, who shall have both voice and vote, and the any Assistant Bishops who have been admitted as Bishops of the jurisdiction by the Episcopal Council as well as the Ordinaries of Episcopates received as Probationary Member Episcopates, who shall have voice only. The Episcopal Council shall serve as the highest court of appeal in any case appealed from a Member Episcopate. The Episcopal Council shall assist the Presiding Bishop in overseeing the jurisdiction. In the absence of an Episcopal Council, its functions shall fall to the Presiding Bishop, and all references to it shall be interpreted as referring to the Presiding Bishop alone.
An Episcopate which wishes to join shall apply to the Episcopal Council. If the Council votes to accept the Episcopate into membership, it shall become a probationary member for the period of one year, during which time its Ordinary shall serve as a non-voting member of the Episcopal Council. At the conclusion of the probationary period, the Episcopal Council may vote to accept the Episcopate into full membership, continue the probationary period for a time it shall specify with any recommendations, or vote to terminate the relationship.
The Episcopal Council may amend Canons by a three-fourths vote, provided it is ratified by the Presiding Bishop.
II. MEMBER EPISCOPATES
Each Episcopate shall be self-governing in internal matters, provided that no action is taken contrary to the Statement of Faith or these Canons, and provided further, that in case of a Bishop’s incapacity or abusive behavior, the clergy and laity of the Episcopate may appeal to the Episcopal Council for oversight. Any decisions of the Episcopal Council regarding either the compliance with the Statement of Faith or the Canons or problem behavior by the bishop shall be considered final.
The Bishop is a servant to all the members of the jurisdiction, and especially the clergy. He or she shall have the responsibility for making certain that the doctrine of the Church in accord with the Statement of Faith is upheld. He or she shall make certain that the liturgy of word and sacraments is reverently and validly celebrated in all congregations. He or she shall strive to see that members and communities of the jurisdiction, and especially the clergy, work toward the healthiest Christian behavior and relate to one another and the world in healthy ways. He or she shall be devoted to prayer, Eucharist, scripture, and balanced, healthy life and spiritual disciplines so that his or her service to the jurisdiction may always be exercised in the healthiest and godliest way possible. He or she shall be available to the bishops, clergy, and laity of the jurisdiction to support their faith journeys. He or she shall be responsible for selection and training of clergy.
When the Ordinary of a member Episcopate dies or resigns, his or her replacement, selected in accordance with the policies of the Member Episcopate, must be ratified by the Episcopal Council.
III. CLERGY
The major clergy of the Independent Catholic Christian Church consists of those persons who have been ordained to the diaconate, priesthood, or episcopate by a validly consecrated Bishop (of this church or another) and who hold current public faculties from the Ordinary of a member Episcopate as active clergy of this church. While other clergypersons may join the Church as members, they are not clergy of the Independent Catholic Christian Church unless and until they have such faculties from the Ordinary of the Episcopate.
The clergy are to remember that they are servants of God and the people of God and are to remain available to the people of God to provide ministry, taking care to lead balanced and healthy lives to enable them to provide the highest level of service possible.
All major clergy of this Church are required to participate in the Eucharist each Sunday and to recite morning and evening prayer in a form approved by the Ordinary and to regularly read Scripture. All major clergy shall communicate with their Ordinary a minimum of once a month, unless the Ordinary requires more frequent communication. The Ordinaries shall also maintain regular communication with one another.
A. BISHOPS
Only those persons who have been received as Ordinaries of member Episcopates or who have been admitted to membership in the Episcopal Council as non-Ordinary Bishops shall be considered Bishops of this Church. No Bishop shall exercise episcopal functions in any Episcopate without the permission of the Ordinary. Bishops of this Church, Bishops of churches in full communion with our Church, and other Bishops in the apostolic succession who are in full accord with the Statement of Faith may be invited to exercise episcopal functions at the invitation of the Ordinary. A Bishop who has been admitted to non-Ordinary membership in the Episcopal Council may be appointed as an Auxiliary Bishop at the discretion of the Ordinary, serving at his or her pleasure. A Bishop who has not been admitted to the Episcopal Council who joins this Church may be given faculties to function as a priest by the Ordinary at his or her discretion.
B. PRIESTS
Priests who have been given faculties by the Ordinary of an Episcopate as active clergy of this Church shall have the authority to preach, to celebrate the Eucharist, to administer Holy Communion from the reserved Sacrament, to anoint the sick (and bless oil for the sacrament of anointing in case of necessity), and to baptize after instruction is given to the person being baptized, or their parents or godparents if a child (the instruction may be omitted in danger of death, being given if the person baptized recovers). Priests may solemnize marriages, but the Ordinary may at his or her discretion require prior approval. If the priest signs a marriage license, he or she shall make certain all legal requirements are followed, and if a priest administers sacramental marriage without civil marriage, he or she shall counsel the couple to take all possible steps to protect themselves. Priests may offer general absolution at Mass or, under the direction of the Ordinary, other occasions. Only priests who are specifically given faculties by the Ordinary may hear private confessions and offer absolution, except in serious danger of death, and the Ordinary shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that priests given faculties are properly trained before receiving such faculties. Bishops are the ordinary ministers of confirmation in this Church, but for sufficient cause, the Ordinary may give faculties to a priest to administer confirmation with chrism consecrated by a Bishop if there is sufficient cause. Priests may be given very limited faculties as inactive or probationary clergy if deemed appropriate to the Ordinary.
C. DEACONS
Deacons who have been given faculties by the Ordinary as major clergy shall have authority to preach, to baptize under the direction of the Ordinary, and to administer Holy Communion from the reserved Sacrament. The Ordinary may give faculties to solemnize marriages if deemed appropriate.
D. CLERGY IN MINOR ORDERS
The Ordinary of each Episcopate may establish rules governing clergy in minor orders. Such clergy are not major clergy of this Church, and may not celebrate or officiate at any of the Sacraments except for Communion from the reserved Sacrament, if authorized by the Ordinary, or, in cases of danger of death, baptism.
E. PREPARATION FOR ORDINATION
The Episcopal Council shall establish Ordination Standards to provide for the preparation of Christians for ordination.
F. REMOVAL OF FACULTIES
For sufficient cause, the Ordinary may revoke the faculties of any clergyperson under his or her care. The clergyperson may appeal to the Episcopal Council, whose decision shall be final.
IV. LAITY
Any Christian who has been baptized with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and who agrees with the Statement of Faith may join the Independent Catholic Christian Church. Lay members of the Church are entitled to pastoral care and participation in the sacraments. They are responsible for weekly participation in the Holy Eucharist (if they are able), for regular prayer, for continuing study and growth in the Christian life, and for bearing witness to Christ in their daily lives.
V. ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
All persons are welcome to worship with us and to receive pastoral care from our clergy. All baptized Christians, without regard to denominational affiliation, are welcome to receive sacraments of communion, anointing, reconciliation, confirmation, and marriage in our church. We are happy to administer baptism to those wishing to receive it and to children whose parents or godparents ask us to baptize them.
The Council of Bishops may enter into agreements of full communion with other jurisdictions whose beliefs and policies are fully compatible with our Statement of Faith. In particular, these criteria shall apply:
The jurisdiction must adhere to the Nicene Creed (with or without the filioque), holding to the full divinity and full humanity of Jesus Christ as God Incarnate and Christ’s salvation of humankind through his death and physical resurrection.
The jurisdiction must maintain the apostolic succession of bishops, priests, and deacons and practice the seven sacraments.
The jurisdiction must be fully inclusive of both women and men, and of heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Christians, offering the sacraments without discrimination on these bases, including ordination and marriage.
Clergy from full communion partner churches are welcome to preach and officiate at liturgical celebrations under the direction of the Ordinary of the Episcopate.
At his or her discretion, the Ordinary of the Episcopate may license individual clergy from other jurisdictions to preach and officiate at liturgical celebrations provided that the clergy fulfill the requirements listed above.
The jurisdiction and member episcopates, congregations, and other entities may enter into other cooperative endeavors with other Christian bodies and other communities of faith, even where a relationship of full communion is not possible.
VI. CHURCH PROPERTY
The jurisdiction shall only own or be responsible for any property the jurisdiction obtains as a whole. Any property owned by an episcopate or congregation or any other entity shall remain the sole property and sole responsibility of the episcopate or congregation or any other entity that owns it, and the jurisdiction shall not be held responsible or liable for it.
