Welcome to
FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(click to expand answer)
St. Marguerite Faith Community is part of the Reformed Catholic Church's (the RCC)
Western Dioceses of Sts. George & Joseph with Bishop Leonard Walker.
(click to expand answer)
St. Marguerite Faith Community is part of the Reformed Catholic Church's (the RCC)
Western Dioceses of Sts. George & Joseph with Bishop Leonard Walker.
1. What is a Jurisdiction?
In the RCC, a jurisdiction is a territory of two or more dioceses (which are communities within a geographical area) are served by a Prime Bishop. Everyone is called to participate in the life and leadership of the Church. The RCC has a Council composed of bishops, priests and lay people who meet regularly to make decisions about how the church is run.
2. What does "Apostolic Succession" mean?
The consecration of bishops involves anointing with holy oil and a "laying on of hands" by a bishop in an unbroken sequence that extends back to the original 12 apostles who were Christianity's first bishops. This unbroken sequence is called "Apostolic Succession". The RCC is an apostolic church because it can trace the consecrations of its bishops back to the 12 Apostles.
3. When/How did the lines of succession break from the original Catholic Church?
The greater Catholic Church has split a number of times, generally over matters of discipline and governance, more rarely over matters of faith. The two largest splits (schisms) are those with the Eastern Orthodox in 1054 and with the Anglican Communion in 1534. Both of these Churches can properly be called Catholic. Other Independent Catholic Churches were formed after some European bishops broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1870.
4. I haven't been to Church for years and really miss it.
Why haven't I heard about the Independent Catholic movement before?
Why haven't I heard about the Independent Catholic movement before?
It's still small, having lost some critical mass between World War II and the 1990s. The internet has brought new energy to the movement with new ways of letting people know that we exist. Most Independent Catholic groups have their own social media. The Independent Catholic movement hasn't gotten much national publicity as yet and, as you might expect, the Roman Catholic Church has little or nothing to say about it. But that doesn't mean we're not out there.
5. What about married priests?
The Roman Catholic Church is the only major religious group in all Christendom with a celibate clergy. Celibacy has been an absolute requirement of the Roman Church only since the 12th century. For the first 1000 years of Catholic history, priests, bishops, and even popes were married. There’s nothing inherently wrong with celibacy for those called to it. But requiring celibacy of all ordained priests prevents many worthy individuals from serving Christ in the priesthood. The Independent Catholic Movement has treated celibacy as a special calling, not a requirement.
6. What about women priests?
More Independent Catholic jurisdictions are granting ordination to the priesthood and consecration as bishops to women. The RCC strongly supports the ordination of women to the diaconate and priesthood. If you are a woman who feels called to the priesthood, we can provide advisement and refer you to programs of study leading to ordination for members of both sexes. Even within Roman Catholicism there is a growing movement to ordain women despite Vatican resistance. For example, Roman Catholic Womenpriests has validly ordained women priests and bishops whose ministry is valid, but not lawful according to Vatican rules.
7. Are the divorced welcome?
Everyone, without exception, is welcome! This is, perhaps, the most significant difference between Roman Catholicism and Independent Catholicism. The bishops and clergy of the RCC believe that divorce should not be an unscalable wall stand in between two unhappy human beings and the sacraments that can comfort and heal them. We offer special counseling to the divorced to welcome them back to Catholicism.
8. What is the position of the Independent Catholic movement on birth control?
Virtually every jurisdiction has ruled that contraception is a matter of conscience, a decision that a married couple makes, ideally after some reflection, prayer, and consultation with their parish priest.
9. What makes St. Marguerite different?
We are a Christian people that still like some traditional ritual, and want to connect with the early home churches. Our table mass removes the alter of sacrifice and changes it to the table of community (although for special masses we many time go to a simple alter for mass). We are small but look forward to expanding the table. We also believe that everything is connected like particle entanglement or the butterfly effect.
10. What outreach do you do?
We currently have been reducing inventory by finding those in need, such as stuff for ex-cons and homeless youth. We have Skype that we use for those who can not always make it to church, especially the home bound. We also take up collections, money or goods, for various other benefits. Our patroness St. Marguerite and her universal charity stance we take to mean that we are always open to needs we can fill as they happen.