Who we Are
COICC
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We are Catholic Christian communities that are committed to the person of Jesus Christ and to His teaching. We accept and believe the testimony of His apostles who were His first disciples and eye witnesses of His life, death, and resurrection from the dead. It was these same disciples that passed on to the church their own testimony about the person of Jesus and the events of His life. Embodied in their testimony are the very teachings of Jesus Himself.
For more information turn to our website: www.coicc.org
Mission & Vision
To express the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Founded in Sacred Scripture, we seek to experience the full nature of the living, historic Catholic Church in its sacramental communion with a personal God; its charismatic joy in the Spirit; and its evangelistic zeal to share our blessed hope with all those who seek a deeper experience of God.
"Each one using whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." Hebrews 13:5
THE COMMUNION OF INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCHES MISSION
The distinctive mission of The Communion of International Catholic Churches is twofold. The brief history of the The Communion of International Catholic Churches serves to explain the particular call of The Communion of International Catholic Churches to bear witness to, and be a living active example of, the essential spiritual unity that exists among all the branches of Catholicism. Therefore, through our archbishop, The Communion of International Catholic Churches is one of the founding denominations of the Communion of Apostolic Sacramental Churches. The C.A.S.C. is an ecclesial communion commissioned to affirm, recognize and pray for all the branches of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and to embrace the clergy and laity of these branches as true brothers and sisters of Christ's One, Holy Church. In this, to be at least a prophetic pointer or prototype of unity in both an attitude of humility and charity, and in our works, worship and mission, that we may bear witness to that divine hope and calling, outwardly.
Secondly, we believe we have been called to draw all Christians into the fullest expression of Christ's church in the convergence of sacramental ministry, charismatic power and evangelistic zeal in order to most fully portray the face of Christ's Church to the world.
Finally, The Communion of International Catholic Churches has a very special heart for those Catholics who for many reasons have felt separated from their Catholic roots and are seeking a valid and authentic way to be Catholic in today's world.
AN AUTHENTIC CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
To be an authentic Catholic community, a group must be able to trace its Apostolic Succession back to the original apostles. That same group must maintain a faithful adherence to the Gospel of Jesus as expressed through Apostolic Tradition. Finally, that group must actively participate in the sacramental ministry of the historic Catholic Church.
DISTINCTIVE OF THE COMMUNION OF INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCHES
How does The Communion of International Catholic Churches differ from a Roman Catholic Church?
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The Catholics of our community do not accept the teaching of papal infallibility and, therefore, are independent of the pope's jurisdiction. As a result, we are not bound by some of the canons and regulations that are formulated and enforced in the Roman Catholic Church.
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Priests and bishops are permitted to marry.
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Women are encouraged to be more fully involved in the ministry of the Church. As Saint Paul writes, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
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Divorced people who remarry are able to be reconciled to the church through the grace of God and, therefore, are not excluded from the sacraments. Therefore, a divorced person may remarry with the blessing of the Church.
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Artificial contraception is an issue of conscience between husband, wife and God.
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Each Catholic is an equal part of the Church. Therefore, lay people are encouraged to play a prominent role in the Church.
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No Christian is excluded from the sacramental ministry. All baptized Christians are invited to participate in the worship and sacraments of the Church.
The Doctrinal Essentials
We affirm decision-making based on the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, and Godly Wisdom inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Scriptures which spring forth from the Living Tradition passed on by the Lord Jesus Christ to his apostles and through them to the Apostolic Church are the primary and essential deposits of Truth requiring our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The Holy Scriptures and Sacred Tradition are the supreme authority in all matters of Faith and Life. The infallible and trustworthy written Word of God is a complete and unified witness to God's redemptive acts, which culminated in the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God, Incarnate and written, provides the foundation for the following which doctrines we affirm along with Apostles' and Nicene Creeds:
1. We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator, sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To Him be all honor, glory and worship forever!
2. Jesus Christ, the Messiah is the Living Word become flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His birth of the Virgin Mary. He who is true God became true man; His two natures are united in one person forever. He lived a sinless life and died on a cross, a perfect sacrifice for our sins, according to the Scriptures. On the third day He rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, seated at the right hand of the Almighty Majesty on High, He mediates as our High Priest and Head of the Church. Jesus Christ is the exclusive Messiah. The only Way to salvation, the only Truth and the only Life in whom people may put their trust and obtain eternal life.
3. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to the hearts of sinful, repentant people. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Jesus baptizes His disciples in the power of the Holy Spirit and empowers them through multiple infillings to do the supernatural work of ministry in His Name. The Holy Spirit illuminates the Holy Scriptures, instructs the hearts of believers, and guides us into all truth.
4. Being alienated from God by our sins and looking forward to judgment with the present world, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God's unmerited favor and graciousness. God imparts His righteousness to those who respond with a living faith to the saving grace offered by Christ alone, thereby justifying them in His Holy Presence. Only those who are born of the Holy Spirit and embrace Jesus Christ, in word and obedient action, as Savior and Lord, become children of God, members of the Body of Christ and heirs of eternal life. Notwithstanding we affirm with our Catholic brothers and sisters throughout the world that those who through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by the grace of Christ in their heart, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience- those too may attain eternal salvation.
5. The one Holy Catholic and apostolic Church, the true Church, is composed of all persons who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, are united together in the Body of Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the Sacraments are administered in their integrity, scriptural discipline is practiced, and loving fellowship is maintained to nurture the believers in the life of Christ. For her perfecting, the Church awaits the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
6. Jesus Christ will come again to the earth - suddenly, personally, visibly, and bodily - to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. We seek to faithfully serve Christ in the world as His ambassadors as we joyfully anticipate His appearing.
7.The Christian's mission is to follow the Messiah's first and principle command, the Great Commandment: "Hear" , "O Israel" separated unto Me and by Me, you who carry and are identified by My Holy Name, "The Lord our God is one" We, individually and corporately, are commanded and therefore choose of our own God-given will, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind, and with all our strength. Our mission is to show that we are Christians by demonstrating our Holy Spirit inspired and empowered nature. Manifesting Almighty God's gracious love compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness through us, individually and corporately, in word and action, by pursuing the highest and best interests of our neighbors, showing the same concern we have for ourselves.
8. As we endeavor to meet the standards of God's love, we are to fulfill the Risen Jesus of Nazareth's Great Commission: "Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in The Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
9. Human beings are created in His likeness and image. The creation serves and is sustained by the Creator. We were created for communion with God and one another in purity and in accordance with the Holy Scriptures. Communion with God and the believers is marked by love, joy, peace , patience , kindness , gentleness and self-control. Self-control includes fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman, and continence outside the bonds of marriage.
10. We affirm the Author of Life, the stewardship of creation, through environmental preservation, and the protection and validation of the irrevocable and inherent sanctity and dignity of all forms of human life, from conception to the grave. We affirm peaceful resolution and reconciliation of conflicts between persons, groups and nations.