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Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches

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Abbreviation
  
WCCAC

Headquarters
  
United States

Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches

Formation
  
17 August 2008 (2008-08-17)

Founder
  
Luis Fernando Castillo Méndez

Founded at
  
San Lucas Sacatepéquez, Guatemala

Type
  
Union of Independent Catholic Churches

The Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches (WCCAC) – Spanish: Comunión de Iglesias Católicas Apostólicas Mundiales (CICAM) is an association of several independent Catholic Churches founded in Guatemala in 2008. The Communion is now headquartered in the United States and Archbishop Jerry King is the President of the communion. The Communion is estimated to have a worldwide population of around four million members.

Contents

Beliefs

‹See Tfd›

Catholic faith in general

The WCCAC defines Catholic faith as that as expressed in Bible, along with the professions in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds and results of in the first seven Ecumenical Councils. It also believes that all other beliefs and practices that are not contrary to Catholic faith can be accepted by local churches and by the faithful.

Church structure

Local Churches are defined as followers organized to observe liturgy and sacraments and are grouped into Ecclesiastical Bodies. All the local churches are recognized as equal.

A bishop presides over the local church with the participation of the presbytery. The bishop is in communion with other local churches.

Sacraments

The WCCAC administers the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, the Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders and of Extreme Unction (Last Rites). Each Ecclesiastical Province determines its own ritual for the celebration of the sacraments in accordance with the situation and local cultural context.

  • Eucharist – The WCCAC believes in the transubstantiation of the bread and wine during the sacrament.
  • Ordination – There are three levels of clergy in the WCCAC: deacon, priest, bishop. Only men can be ordained.
  • Marriage – The WCCAC sees marriage as a sacred bond between a man and a woman. Similarly to Orthodox Catholic Church, the WCCAC believes the Sacrament of Marriage is administered by the Priest and not the couple. The WCCAC allows for dissolution of marriage by a bishop.

    • Organization

    The WCCAC is governed by the International Bishops Council. For organizational purposes, the Communion has a Board of Directors, an Honorary Advisory Committee, and an Executive Secretariat. The International Bishops Council meets every two years.

    The council of the communion formed at San Lucas Sacatepequez, Guatemala on August 12–18, 2008.

    Ecclesiastical Bodies are formed by several local Churches in different nations and are presided over by a Bishop. The WCCAC member bodies are:

  • Argentina: Iglesia Católica Apostólica Argentina
  • Australia: Catholic Apostolic Church of Australia
  • Brazil: Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasileira
  • Egypt: The Holys Synod of St. Athanasious for the Christian in the Middle East and USA
  • France: Église Catholique, Apostolique et Française|Église Catholique Apostolique du France - Archbishop Pierre Pascal
  • Guatemala: Iglesia Católica Ecuménica Renovada en Guatemala
  • Mexico: Iglesia Católica Apostólica Mexicana
  • México: Provincia Eclesial Santa María de Guadalupe
  • Spain: Iglesia Católica Apostólica - Diócesis de Tarsis
  • Venezuela: Iglesia Católica Apostólica Venezolana

    • References

    Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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