Dear Catholic Exchange:
I noticed in our local newspaper that a couple got married in a Liberal Catholic Church. I looked up the particular church, but it didn't give me much information on the religion as a whole, other than they don't follow the Pope.
I know there must be some other differences, can you possibly give an explanation?
Dear Sir or Madam,
Peace in Christ!
We would need more information, such as a name and address, to be able to identify this particular sect. In the meantime, however, we can give you some general ideas.
The word “catholic” means universal. Today, many ecclesial communities are adopting the word to describe their openness or inclusivity. The name is not necessarily used to signify any relationship to the Roman Catholic Church. The community to which you refer specifically states that it doesn’t “follow the pope” as you say. Unfortunately, this community has separated itself from full catholic unity.
The first recorded, non-biblical use of the term was by St. Ignatius of Antioch in his Letter to the Smyrneans, written circa 110 A.D. (chapter 8, verse 2). From this time until the Protestant Reformation, the term catholic referred to the universal Church founded by Jesus Christ. This Church was identified by her bishops, who were true successors of the apostles. This Church is the one that received the deposit of faith from Jesus and the apostles and preserved and expounded that deposit throughout the ages. Today, this Church subsists in the Roman Catholic Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, no. 8).
For further information, please follow the link to our faith fact One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic: The Marks of Christ's Church.
United in the Faith,
Peter Balbirnie
Information Specialist
Catholics United for the Faith
827 North Fourth Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
800-MY-FAITH (800-693-2484)
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