Constitution
The Name of the Church is ‘The Reformed Liberal Catholic Church (Old Catholic), and may be shortened to RLCC or just ‘The Reformed Liberal Catholic Church'. Hereafter it shall be referred to as ‘the church’.
Autonomy:
The Reformed Liberal Catholic Church is autonomous, neither owing allegiance to nor submitting to the authority of any body, whether in matters of faith, government or discipline, save that its assemblies are subject to the laws of the country which the church exists in, that are applicable to it.
Purpose:
The Church exists for the purpose of administering the seven sacraments to those who reverently approach them and for the purpose of promoting by its worship, teaching and otherwise the spiritual welfare of all. The principles and doctrines of the church shall be those in its statement of Principals and summary of Doctrine and Articles of Faith.
Religious Freedom:
The Church allows its members complete freedom of thought, and also freedom in the interpretation of its Liturgy, Summary of Doctrine, of Scriptures, Creeds and ecclesiastical tradition. No restrictions are placed, either on its clergy or members, over personal lifestyles, as these are best left to the conscience and integrity of the individual.
The members of the Church shall be those admitted to its membership according to its rites.
Section II: The Provincial Synod of the USA
Composition and powers:
There shall be a Provincial Synod (hereafter called ‘the Synod’) which shall be composed of elected members, bishops, clergy and laity all will need to be duly elected. Such a Synod shall be charged with and shall control the general government and administration of the affairs of the Church in this Province and without thereby in anyway limiting the scope of its functions, it is hereby expressly declared to have these powers:
A) To elect Bishops for the Province.
B) To approve the establishment of Area or Diocesan Synods at such a time and in such a manner as is desirable.
C) To determine such titles as may be accorded to the bishops and clergy of the church.
D) To add to, vary, or amend this constitution as hereinafter provided.
E) To authorize the use of a liturgy or liturgies and to add to, vary or amend the same as hereinafter provided and to issue the necessary instructions to bishops, clergy and lay members in relation thereto, bearing in mind the position of the Church universally.
F) To add to, vary or amend the Statement of Principals, Summary of Doctrine and Articles of Faith as hereinafter provided.
G) To act as a final ‘Court of Appeal’ on matters touching the welfare of the Church within the Province.
H) To delegate to not fewer than four of its members (of whom the Presiding Bishop shall be one) the exercise of its powers specified in such delegation for such a time and subject to such conditions and restrictions (if any) as may be determined.
I) The administrative officers of the Synod shall consist of a chairperson (called the Moderator of the Synod) who will usually be clerical but could be lay, a Secretary who may also be clerical or lay, and other officers as the members may deem necessary to appoint. The Presiding Bishop shall have the right to preside at Meetings of the Synod (if necessary) and may also be its Chairperson.
Members of the Synod shall be elected bi-annually. Each parish electing two members, one from the laity and one from the clergy.
Exercise of Powers:
The Synod shall exercise its powers, whether expressed or implied or inherent, upon such lines and in such a manner as not less than two-thirds of its members shall determine, or as many as be determined by a two-thirds vote in any regularly convened meeting thereof. It may at any time vary or rescind any previous action, resolution or determination except as provided for previously, so far as is humanly possible.
This Constitution applies to the Province of The USA which, as all provinces are governed by the Bishop of each Province and a Synod. In Larger Church decisions there is a Synod of Bishops representing their Province that willingly submit to The Elected Presiding Bishop.
Action by Proxy:
Any member of the Synod may designate another member to act as their proxy in any Meeting of the Synod and to cast an additional vote on his behalf; but no member shall serve as proxy for more than three members at the same time.
Quorum:
Not less than half of the entire memberships of the Synod present, either in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum.
Abstention:
In any voting by the Synod, abstention from asking a ballot shall constitute a waiver of the right to vote in such voting and shall operate to reduce the number of such abstentions the total number of votes, not less than two-thirds of which is required. Failure to reply within a specified time to a call for a vote by correspondence shall constitute an abstention. The Presiding Bishop may, at his discretion, extend the closing date for a vote by correspondence if he has reason to believe that delivery of letters has been excessively delayed.
Section Three: The Presiding Bishop relating to the Province of Gt Britain and Ireland
The Church is global, but each country will have its own ‘Province’ and may possibly be split up into ‘diocese’. The senior bishop for each ‘region’ will adopt the title ‘Regionary Bishop’. The over arching bishop for the whole Church will be identified by the title ‘Presiding Bishop’ appointed by the Bishops of all the Provinces as they become established.
The officer styled the ‘Regionary Bishop’, will usually preside as executive head for the ‘Meetings of the Synod’ within their region, with the right, should they so desire, to conduct all consecrations of bishops-elect after their approval by the Synod.
The Presiding Bishop shall have powers to take emergency action for the benefit and safe guarding of the whole church.
The Presiding Bishop shall be elected by the Provincial Synods from the number of its members, following the recommendation of both the Episcopal and Clergy Chapters, and by secret ballot. The holder of the office shall continue therein during the pleasure of the Synod; their tenure of office shall be terminated by not less than two-thirds of its members voting in favour of such a termination, or by their death or resignation from office. The manner of conducting elections and the procedure for involuntary termination of tenure shall be established by this document.
The Presiding Bishop shall co-ordinate the work of bishops across all the provinces and will act primus inter pares in relation to each bishop. He will not, however, be permitted to determine the development of each province which remains autocephalous in its own synodical management.
Vicar General:
The Bishops shall have the right to designate a bishop or priest as Vicar General to exercise any specified powers of the Regionary Bishop’s Office for any specified time, occasion or location. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Presiding Bishop the Vicar General or, if there be no Vicar General, an Officer of the Provincial Synod, shall exercise all the executive powers of the Presiding Bishop’s Office until a new Presiding Bishop shall have been elected by the Synod.
Section IV: Bishops within the Province
No person shall be consecrated as a Bishop without the consent of not fewer than two-thirds of the members of the Provincial Synod unless the power to give such consent shall have been delegated by the Synod in the manner provided above in section II. Bishops in post in other Provinces may be asked to advise, but may not determine who should be consecrated to the Episcopate for a particular Province.
Powers of a Diocesan Bishop:
Diocesan Bishops in addition to exercising the spiritual powers and the jurisdiction proper to their office shall in their diocese be charged with the execution of the directions and decisions of the Synod.
Conferring of Holy Orders:
Within their jurisdiction, the ordinary shall have the authority to ordain others to the minor orders, the diaconate and priesthood.
At any time as the Church needs, any person may submit a name of a person to be considered for consecration to the Episcopate to the Provincial Synod. Such persons to be considered shall usually be 30 years of age or over.
Candidates for Ordination to the Diaconate shall usually be at least 23 years of age or over.
Candidates for Ordination to the Priesthood shall usually serve at least 6 months, but preferably a year as a Deacon, and shall usually be at least 24 years of age or over before being ordained as a Priest.
Suitability of Candidates for Ordination:
Only a person who has been baptised and confirmed can validly receive ordination to the minor orders, diaconate and the priesthood. Only those who in the judgement of a bishop are of good faith, properly motivated and possessing the emotional, psychological and spiritual qualities appropriate to the order which they are being called shall be ordained / admitted to Holy Orders.
Candidates for ordination will be required to submit where possible documentation of their baptism and confirmation.
Our church is liberal and as part of being a reform movement we are inevitably flexible in our approach to Holy Orders. Neither the marital state of an individual, academic standing, gender nor sexuality, necessarily present a barrier to ordination.
Besides being an honourable person of moral worth, we especially look for a clear awareness of what it is to be apart of the Liberal Catholic Tradition. We look for a clear understanding of the work and writings of Bishops Wedgwood and Leadbeater in relation to the church and its implications, as well as a general understanding of contemporary religious issues and developments. Also taken into account is whether or not the candidate has a good working knowledge of ritual and ceremonial workings, as our liturgy evidences, we are a church which values ritual and ceremony as a means to distribute Divine Grace and Power in the world.
We are also inclined towards a certain degree of flexibility when it comes to pre and post ordination training, but a candidate must be formed in a knowledge of what constitutes a Liberal Catholic Faith.
To be considered as a candidate for ordination or for incardination into our jurisdiction certain requirements have to be met, generally these requirements are:
There must be no disqualification from working with children or vulnerable adults as evidenced by a satisfactory and appropriate disclosure check preferably a CRB check with enhanced disclosure. This could also include a POVA check.
The candidate must be able to provide a suitable number letters of recommendation from people who know him or her and who can testify as to his / her suitability for ordination, particularly from within a parish, centre or spiritual group.
To be considered for Ordination a clear awareness of what it is to be apart of the Liberal Catholic Tradition must be demonstrated.
To be considered for Ordination a clear understanding of the work and writings of Bishops Wedgwood and Leadbeater, Lois Lang-sims (The Christian Mystery), Evelyn Underhill and Geoffrey Hodson in relation to the church and its implications would need to be demonstrated. The candidate must be aware of the inner mysteries of the christian religion.
To be considered for Ordination a good general understanding of contemporary religious issues and developments would need to be evidenced. A holistic understanding of the mystical tradition and contemporary religious issues would be needed.
The candidate must meet with the ordaining bishop and their advisors and be considered suitable.
Training, as agreed with the ordaining bishop, must be satisfactorily undertaken prior to ordination.
Particularly, in possible ordinands, we look for an awareness of the universality of mystical and spiritual experience in the light of both the Church's tradition and the developments in post-modern theology and across the spiritual spectrum.
All successful applicants for ordination will be non-stipendiary.
Unsuitable Candidates for Ordination:
In the event that the candidate fails to meet the requirements liad down by this constitution, or that it is decided by the ordaining Bishop that the candidate is not a suitable candidate for Holy Orders, that candidate shall be informed expeditiousely in clear terms by letter.
Section V: The Celebration of the Sacraments
The normal minister of all the Sacraments is the Bishop. However, it is through the ordination to the Priesthood, Diaconate and the Minor Orders that the Episcopal Powers are disseminated throughout the world. This being so, it is appropriate that each of the Orders below the episcopate perform its duty in due and ancient form, special faculties, delegations and allowances being accepted.
Therefore, in the absence of a Bishop, Priests will normally celebrate the Holy Eucharist. This will often occur daily as by virtue of their ordination Priests are able to validly administer the sacraments (except confirmation unless they have the faculty to do so) conduct funerals and keep proper registers of baptisms, marriages, funerals and all other services conducted. They must ensure as far as is possible that that entries are accurately made and that the registers are carefully preserved. Certificates can be given to the recipients as required.
It is desirable that Priests should strive by all reasonable means to know those entrusted to their care, and to provide such spiritual and other care as may be suitable and possible. Priests will of course respect the dignity and competence of lay members, and following the pattern laid down by Bishop Wedgwood during his time working in
Deacons may preach, visit the sick, assist during the Holy Eucharist and other Services of the Church, and in the absence of a priest they may baptise. In the absence of a Priest or Bishop, a Deacon may conduct funerals and other services of the church as laid down in the liturgy. Deacons may administer Holy Communion from the Reserved Sacrament in the absence of a priest, in extremis they may give the last rites, and they may anoint if given the faculty to do so. According to St Cyprian, they may in the likelihood of death before a priest can be present grant absolution to the dying.
The clergy of the Church may work in full time ministry or may have suitable secular employment. As already stated they will receive no Church stipend. Clergy are not permitted to charge for the Sacraments, as they belong to God, but may under some circumstances charge for their time or expenses. It is the responsibility of the individual Clergy to keep proper accounts and submit these as required by the taxation laws of the nation in which they reside. Unsolicited gifts may, depending on the laws of the country which the cleric resides, be accepted as personal. If gifts are given for a specific purpose must be used for that purpose. It is good practice that accounts should be kept of such specific gifts.
In the event of a formal written and signed complaint about any cleric being received by a bishop, and in particular by the Presiding Bishop, usually, but at the discretion of the Bishop, the matter shall be placed immediately with the Synod Officers for proper investigation. An officer can be appointed by the Synod to carry out enquiries with due diligence fairness and expedition in accordance with the church constitution.
Section VI: General Matters
Repetition of Baptism, Confirmation or Ordination:
The Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Validly Conferred Orders cannot be repeated because they imprint upon the soul. It is as if a spiritual operation has taken place, and the identity of the recipients is changed forever. If there is any legitimate doubt as to whether these sacraments have been validly conferred they may be conferred sub conditione, as would be the case with former Anglican Clergy.
Location of the Church:
All services of the Church may legitimately be held in any place. Although this will of course be at the discretion of the bishop, the Synod, and or priest or deacon involved in the service.
Anointing:
In administering sacraments such as Extreme Unction or the ‘Service of Healing’ in which Holy Oils are used the minister should only use Holy Oil consecrated by a bishop. Such oils should be kept safely and used correctly. Priests are expected to join with the Bishop for the annual Chrism Mass.
Storing / Caring for the Reserved Sacrament and Holy Oils:
It is right and proper that due respect and care be given to both the Reserved Sacrament and Holy Oils. When storing things which fall under this banner, care should be taken to observe traditional norms. Where one keeps the Reserved Sacrament at home, it should be lovingly secured away from the main body of the house, to ensure the security of the body of Our Lord, and to ensure that no profanities occur in His Presence. The same care and diligence should be extended to other articles which are considered Holy.
Behaviour of the Clergy:
At all times decorum should be observed as much as possible. All clergy should strive to be courteous and measured. In short clergy should always try to interact with all others in a way that they would wish to be interacted with themselves.
