Non-Vatican Catholics and the Roman Church

Relations between the Roman Catholic Church and Old Catholic churches varies from diocese to diocese. In some places, they are warmly welcomed and assist one another in social justice works. In others, the Roman Bishops attempt to interfere with the valid ministries of Old Catholics. Here are two references that indicate officially, that the Roman Catholic church recognizes Old Catholics are a valid part of the church universal:

The Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church:

Canon 844 §1: Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the sacraments only to catholic members of Christ’s faithful, who equally may lawfully receive them only from catholic ministers, except as provided in ß2, 3 and 4 of this canon and in can. 861 ß2.

§2: Whenever necessity requires or a genuine spiritual advantage commends it, and provided the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, Christ’s faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a catholic minister, may lawfully receive the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

§3: Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the eastern Churches not in full communion with the Catholic Church, if they spontaneously ask for them and are properly disposed. The same applies to members of other Churches which the Apostolic See judges to be in the same position as the aforesaid eastern Churches so far as the sacraments are concerned.

<<go back