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D ECLARATION OF UNITY AGREEMENTBETWEEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF AMERICA (formerly known as THE OLD ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DIOCESE OF SAN DIEGO and hereinafter may be referred to as “CCA”) AND THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DIOCESE OF CALIFORNIA (“ACC”) (collectively referred to as the “Parties”)
The Parties acknowledge each other derives and has preserved its catholicity and apostolic succession through the Old Catholic, Roman, and Orthodox Churches and that such apostolic succession is essential for the transmittal of the catholic faith and valid sacraments. The Parties agree that the Old Catholic Declaration of Utrecht, its amendments and additions over time, as well as the Roman Catholic Vatican II documents, while not authoritative, are historical foundational documents as far as those documents are in conformity with the Gospel message of Jesus, the Christ, who is our Lord and Savior and the Head of the Church. The Parties agree that all members of the Church are free to believe as they so feel compelled by faith to agree or disagree with the teaching of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Our Lady, Mary the Mother of God. The Parties agree with the Declaration of Utrecht with regard to this matter only to the extent that the rejection of the dogma is based on the improper exercise of papal authority but clarify herein that we do not reject the doctrine in and of itself and further clarify herein that our communities are free as a matter of personal conviction to exercise their faith in these matters. The Parties mutually adhere to the principal “in essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, and in all things charity.” The Parties accept the Nicene and Apostle’s creeds as the true and faithful statements of the essentials of the Christian faith and both confess the basic Trinitarian and Christological Dogmas to which these creeds testify. That is, we believe that Jesus of Nazareth is true God and true Man, and that God is authentically identified as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Parties agree that the apocryphal or deutero-canonical books of the Old Testament are included in the Canon of Holy Scripture. The Parties agree that no translation of Holy Scripture can claim an authority superior to that of the original text and that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired Word of God. The Parties agree that the reading of Holy Scripture in the vulgar tongue cannot be lawfully forbidden. The Parties agree that, in general, it is more fitting, and in accordance with the spirit of the Church, that the Liturgy should be in the tongue understood by the people and in the form that the community may best participate. Therefore, both agree to recognize that the other may utilize the Roman rite, Orthodox, Anglican, Old Catholic or other catholic rites as are necessary to attend to the community. The Parties agree that Faith and Works of Love, not Faith or Works without Love, is the means and condition of Man's justification before God. The Parties agree that salvation cannot be merited by "merit of condignity," because there is no proportion between the infinite worth of salvation promised by God and the finite worth of man's works. The Parties agree that Baptism and the Eucharist are "principalia, praecipus, eximia salutis nostrae sacramenta.” Even so, the Parties agree, accepts, believes and acknowledges that the number of sacraments are fixed at seven, first in the twelfth century, and that thereafter was received into the general teaching of the Church, not as a tradition coming down from the Apostles or from the earliest of times, but as the result of theological principles. Nevertheless, the Parties hereby agree, affirm and believe in the imparted grace of the Seven Sacraments of the Church The Parties agree that both the Holy Scriptures and genuine Tradition are recognized as the primary rule of Faith. Nevertheless, we agree that the genuine Tradition of the Church is to be interpreted as the unbroken transmission that is partly oral and partly in writing of the doctrine delivered by Christ and the Apostles. This Tradition is an authoritative source of teaching for all successive generations of Christians, principally enunciated in the creeds, but also partly to be found in the consensus of the great ecclesiastical bodies standing in historical continuity with the primitive Church, and partly to be gathered by scientific method from the written documents of all centuries. The Parties agree that the Eucharistic celebration is in its sacrificial character consists in this, that it is the permanent memorial of it, and a representation and presentation on earth of that one oblation of Christ for the salvation of redeemed mankind, which according to the Epistle to the Hebrews (9:11,12), is continuously presented in heaven by Christ, who now appears in the presence of God for us (9:24). Further, while this is the character of the Eucharist in reference to the sacrifice of Christ, it is also a sacred feast, wherein the faithful, receiving the Real Presence of Christ, that is the Body and Blood of our Lord, have communion one with another (I Cor. 10:17). Further it is agreed and acknowledged that all baptized Christians are welcome to receive Holy Communion, including those who have been divorced and remarried. The Parties agree that family planning through the practice of birth control is a personal and private decision; that both women and men are called to ordained ministry, and that all made in the image of God, and loved by God equally without regard to gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. The Parties agree that the Church is the People of God and that it is constituted and sustained by the Triune God through God's saving action in Word and Sacraments. We believe that the Church is sent into the world as sign, instrument, and foretaste of the Kingdom of God, but we also recognize that the church stands in constant need of reform and renewal. B. Mutual Agreements on Ministerial Mission and Merger Terms and Conditions: The Catholic Church of America (formerly known as the Old Roman Catholic Church Diocese of San Diego), by virtue of this Declaration of Unity Agreement shall immediately upon assent, merge and become part of the American Catholic Church Diocese of California subject to the mutually agreed to and accepted Constitution and Code of Canons of the American Catholic Church Diocese of California (“Constitution and Canons”) as well as become the Southern California Jurisdiction of the American Catholic Church Diocese of California. As a result of this Declaration of Unity Agreement and merger, the CCA, in becoming the Southern California Jurisdiction of the American Catholic Church Diocese of California, shall within six (6) months change its name from “Catholic Church of America” to the “American Catholic Church-Diocese of California, Southern Jurisdiction.” The Southern Jurisdiction of the ACC shall encompass the geographical areas of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego Counties. The Presiding Bishop of the CCA shall immediately become a voting member of the College of Bishops and shall become the Auxiliary Bishop of the ACC and Diocesan Bishop in charge of the Southern California Jurisdiction and shall exercise pastoral oversight, responsibility and authority over all members, clergy and parishes or congregations within the geographical areas set forth herein, in collegial consultation with the other Ordinaries, the Presiding Bishop of the American Catholic Church Diocese of California, and the representative Houses of Clergy and Laity, respectively as set forth in the Constitution and the Canons. All current voting rights and responsibilities and authorities, in particular those of the Presiding Bishop of the ACC shall remain the same as set forth in the Constitution and the Canons. The current Director of Vocations of the ACC, shall become the Vicar of Vocations for all jurisdictions within ACC until such time a new Vicar of Vocations is assigned in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Constitution and the Canons. The current Vicar General of the CCA, shall become the Vicar General for all jurisdictions within ACC until such time a new Vicar General is assigned in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Constitution and the Canons. The Clergy of both Parties shall immediately be entitled to voting rights in the House of Clergy. All current Candidates and Seminarians shall be immediately matriculated into the current Candidacy process established by the Vicar of Vocations and the Vicar of Vocations shall take immediate charge of such Candidates’ and Seminarians’ formation process. Both agree to admit members of the other Party to participate in the sacraments fully.
Both agree that each shall
immediately acknowledge recognize, accept, and receive each
other’s currently ordained clergy (episcopate, presbyterate and
deaconate). Both agree to participate in the laying-on-of-hands at the ordinations and in the consecration of the other’s bishops as a sign of the unity and apostolic continuity of the whole church. Each Party agrees that the other Party will continue to live in communion with all the churches with who the latter is now in communion. A list of the current intercommunion agreements are set forth in Appendix A, attached hereto and incorporated herein through this reference.
This Declaration of Unity Agreement is entered between the CCA and the ACC and is an expression of their mutual responsibility and interdependence in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Date: ________________ Date: __________________
Date: _______________
APPENDIX A · CACINA · Independent Catholic Church International · United Catholic Church · National Catholic Church of America · Independent Catholic Christian Church
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