FAQ ABOUT HOLY NAME OF MARY

WHAT IS YOUR PARISH MISSION?

​We are the diverse people of God walking in the affirming love of the fruit of Mary's womb, Jesus Christ. 

what is your STATEMENT of inclusion?

​We invite all of Mary's baptized children of goodwill who genuinely seek the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, sacramentally or spiritually, to participate faithfully in our Chapel community; regardless of race, nationality, age, gender or gender expression, sexuality, marital status, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, or other blessed diversities.

ARE YOU A ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH?

No, we are a parish in the Old Roman Catholic tradition under the protection of our Ordinary, Bishop William Myers, of the Society of Mercy. While we are not under papal jurisdiction, we share more in common with the Roman Catholic Church than that which divides us. With Christ, Our Lord, we pray that one day we may all be united (John 17:21). We are grateful for the rich heritage, history, and tradition of Old Roman Catholic tradition and the freedom it offers to our practice of Catholicism.

WHAT IS OLD ROMAN CATHOLICISM?

In 1908, Bishop Arnold Harris Mathew, a Roman Catholic priest, was consecrated as Regional Bishop for Great Britain by Archbishop Gul of the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht. Bishop Matthew set about establishing an Old Catholic community in Great Britain. In 1910, he issued a Declaration of Autonomy in which he declared departure from communion with the Church of Utrecht. The primary reasons included that the Church of Utrecht had ceased commemorating saints in the liturgy, the disuse of daily Mass, and the absence of statutes, relics, holy images, and devotional practices. The autonomous church was named the "Old Roman Catholic Church,” emphasizing the Roman Catholic heritage of the Church while maintaining apostolic succession and descent from the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht. In 1911, the Old Roman Catholic Church became unified with the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, and later the Patriarchate of Alexandria, as an autocephalous church.

WHAT IS THE SOCIETY OF MERCY?

The Priestly Society of Mercy (Societas Sacerdotalis Misericordiae) is a male group of validly ordained Old Roman Catholic clergy not under Papal jurisdiction.

We were established:
-To maintain the essential dogmatic beliefs of the Universal Church.
-To follow the Ultrajectine tradition of local ecclesiastical control.
-To offer the sacraments reverently.
​​-To minister to all who have need while providing mercy to those who feel abandoned.

Click here for frequently asked questions about the Society of Mercy.

DO YOU HONOR THE POPE?

We honor and love the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church as Bishop of Rome and First Among Equals. We pray for the current Pontiff (meaning the bridge builder) at each Holy Mass and sincerely ponder his pastoral admonishment and teachings. However, we do not consider ourselves subject to his universal jurisdiction. Papal supremacy, as currently understood, was adopted in 1870 at the First Vatican Council and is considered foreign to the faith and practice of the early Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Old Catholicism, and Old Roman Catholicism. ​

DO YOU HAVE A CATECHISM?

Throughout two millennia, the Church has often compiled its apostolic teachings, reflecting current theological understanding and interpretation, into catechism books. Old Roman Catholics are grateful to Archbishop Matthew for his pastoral work: “A Catechism of Christian Doctrine” (1914). Holy Name of Mary also makes use of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (1992). As Old Roman Catholics, we believe Christian dogma, necessary for salvation, is best found in the Holy Scripture, Creeds, and Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church. 

HOW DO YOU WORSHIP?

We primarily worship with and broadcast the Third Edition Roman Rite, promulgated by the Holy See in 2011, facilitating common liturgy among all American Catholics. Old Roman Catholics, according to our venerable tradition, also celebrate the Tridentine Liturgy, often called the Latin Mass, in the vernacular according to the Knott Missal (1912). We encourage traditional Catholic devotions and expressions of prayer, such as: novenas, the Holy Rosary, veneration of relics, and Eucharistic Adoration.  We recognize and affirm the holiness of the world's many Christian worship rites: Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, Eastern Catholic, Coptic Christian, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant. ​

DO YOU EXIST TO PROTEST OTHER CHURCHES? 

No. Old Roman Catholicism began because it had the privilege to elect its own bishops according to the heritage of Utrecht, given by Rome in 1145, and in accordance with early Church practice. Our tradition continues for those individuals who, in sincerity of heart, seek the sacraments but are sometimes denied by their local clergy. Holy Name of Mary Catholic Chapel, Old Roman Catholicism, and the Society of Mercy exist to fulfill that need through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Our community is focused on offering the Holy Mass, both online and on the ground, and the sacraments to those who need them for the salvation of soul and health of body. We believe in performing liturgical acts with all due tradition, but we did not form out of protest and do not question the validity and sincerity of our Christian brothers and sisters in other traditions.

DO YOU ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO LEAVE THE ROMAN CHURCH?

No. We are about building the Kingdom of God, not relocating the Kingdom. We are reminded of the words of Our Lord: "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few (Matthew 9:37)." Holy Name of Mary Catholic Chapel and its priests have good relationships with several Roman Catholic priests, religious, and communities. We encourage all individuals to find a local Catholic Eucharistic parish where they are valued, loved, and may receive the Blessed Sacrament without fear or undue burden. As a community, we strive to follow the pastoral guidance of Pope Francis for all Catholics, regardless of jurisdiction, to, "support and encourage one another, especially at the level of parishes and local communities."