Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches

Dom Luis Fernando Castillo Méndez, patriarch of ICAN 1964-2009

The Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches (WCCAC) is a communion of several Independent Catholic bodies. The communion was born at the VI Worldwide Council held in Guatemala in 2008 by Bishop Dom Luis Castillo Mendez. The Communion is now headquartered in the United States and Archbishop Jerry King is the President of the communion. Bishop Dom Luis Castillo Mendez gave documents to the Mexican National Catholic Church prior to his death placing them as the administrative body since they are conservative Catholics as he was. the MNCC holds United States patents and copyrights over the WCCAC, CICAM, and ICAB name and logos and anyone who uses the Copyrighted insignia, symbol or name will be sued. United States computer servers and European Union servers will enforce any misuse of these emblems.

Beliefs

Catholic faith in general

(WCCAC Const. Art.2) WCCAC professes steadfastly and wholly the Catholic faith as it is witnessed in the Holy Scriptures, in the Apostles, the Nicene and Athanasius Creed and in the first seven Ecumenical Councils and in the Tradition of the Undivided Church. For that reason, with Vincent of Lérins, we affirm and embrace "that which has been believed everywhere, always, and by all people; it is truly and properly Catholic."[1] All other doctrinal postulates, beliefs and practices, so long as they are not contrary to Catholic faith can be accepted by local churches and by the faithful on the understanding that these are not binding for anyone and for that reason should be considered as matters of private belief and devotions.

Church

(WCCAC Const.Art.3) We recognize that the Local Church is the visible and sacramental reality in which is made present the totality of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, established by Jesus Christ. By "Local Church" we understand the people of God organized as a communion of communities that: Professes the faith in accordance with the witness of the Holy Scriptures and the Ecumenical Creeds and Confessions. Observes the liturgy through prayer and the sacramental life, reaching its culmination in the celebration of the Eucharist. Gives evidence of the reality of the Gospel such as fruit of the experience of the gifts of the Spirit that give new life and the capacity to love. Recognizes, as the visible sign of its unity, the bishop who in synodical form presides over it, with the participation of the presbytery and of all the people of God. The bishop is in communion with other local churches.

Sacraments

(WCCAC Const.Art. 4) We accept and administer the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, the Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders and of Extreme Unction (Last Rites). We believe, consonant with the tradition of the undivided Church, that the validity and efficacy of each of the sacraments participates in and expresses the sacramentality of the whole Church. Given that the Local Church is where this sacramentality is expressed, the sacraments find their true significance and efficacy solely when they are administered within and for the edification of the Local Church. Each Ecclesiastical Province is able to determine its own ritual for the celebration of the sacraments in accordance with the situation and cultural context in which it lives, provided that: All the elements believed to be essential for the valid celebration of the same are maintained in their entirety, in accord with the Catholic tradition, Orthodox as well as Latin. The introduction of ambiguous elements is carefully avoided in order not to fall into any form of syncretism and to maintain the Christian tradition in its purity. The following are recognized as ministers who may validly administer the sacraments: For the Sacrament of Baptism: the bishop, the priest and the deacon are the ordinary ministers; the extraordinary minister, in case of grave necessity, is any baptized Christian. For the Sacrament of Confirmation: ordinarily the minister is the bishop. By exception, it can be delegated to a priest so that it may be carried out. For the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance: only the bishop and priest are the authorized and competent ministers. For the Sacrament of the Eucharist: only the bishop and priest are the authorized and competent ministers. For the Sacrament of Extreme Unction: only the bishop and priest are the authorized and competent ministers. For the Sacrament of Ordination: only the bishop is the authorized and competent minister. For the Sacrament of Marriage: the ministers are the Deacon, Priest or Bishop who administer the Sacrament in the name of the Church. We follow the Orthodox model of sacramental understanding of the Marriage Bond. This understanding allows the Bishop to grant a dispensation to dissolve a union when it has become a fiction. Roman theology is that the couple marries themselves. This understanding does not allow for divorce or remarriage. We consider the Roman understanding to be faulty in that it is the Church from whom all sacramental graces flow.

Eucharist

(WCCAC Const. Art. 5) We acknowledge the Eucharist to be the center and culmination of the Church's worship. In celebrating it, the local church becomes actual and concrete as the sacramental presence of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We steadfastly believe that by the action of the Holy Spirit within the Eucharistic Sacrifice, celebrated by the bishop or a priest, the bread and wine are, through the Offertory, Words of Institution and the Epiclesis, are sacramentally transformed, into the reality of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We confess that although Christ was offered once for all time as the expiatory sacrifice for all humanity on the altar of the cross, nevertheless the Eucharist is a true sacrifice because in it the one sacrifice of Christ not only is renewed, and, by the action of the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom of God is made present, and the new creation of love and communion continues to manifest itself in the history and the life of our communities.

Ordination

(WCCAC Const. Art. 6) The sacrament of Holy Orders has three levels: deacon, priest, bishop. It is indispensable that one be ordained on the lower level in order to be able validly to receive a higher level of the sacrament of Holy Orders. In compliance with the Ancient Tradition of the Undivided Church, WCCAC acknowledges that only Christians of the male gender can be validly ordained as deacons, priests and bishops.

Marriage

(WCCAC Const. Art. 8) WCCAC acknowledges that the sacrament of marriage is the public and solemn covenant that is brought about by the Church to form the bond between a man and a woman. The matrimonial covenant has the purpose of establishing the exclusive and permanent communion of life for the spouses, with the view of forming a family. Like the Orthodox, the Church recognizes that the Sacrament of Marriage is administered by the Priest and not the couple. The sacrament of marriage takes place established by the Church through the mutual consent of the couple, lawfully manifested and confirmed by the pouring out of the Holy Spirit with the Church ministering the Sacrament as expressed in a more Orthodox theology.

Organization

The Communion 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 met at San Lucas Sacatepequez, Guatemala on August 12–18, 2008. In the WCCAC, all the Churches are recognized as equal. Every Ecclesiastical Body is formed by several local Churches, presided by a Bishop. The WCCAC member bodies are:

References