Our Faith
Our Faith
The faith and doctrine of Old Catholic Churches International
The faith of Old Catholic Churches International is rooted in Jesus Christ, the Holy Trinity, the life of the ancient Church, and the sacramental worship of the catholic tradition. We understand ourselves to be part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ, standing within apostolic succession and nourished by the life of grace in Word and Sacrament.
This page provides an overview of the principal theological foundations that shape our life together and points to the core documents by which our faith is publicly expressed.
Faith received from the ancient Church
OCCI looks to the faith of the undivided Church and to the doctrinal inheritance confessed in the ecumenical symbols and the universally received dogmatic decisions of the early ecumenical councils. In this, we stand in continuity with the historic Old Catholic witness expressed in the Declaration of Utrecht.
We therefore understand catholic faith not as novelty or private opinion but as the faith handed down in the worship, doctrine, and sacramental life of the Church across the centuries.
What this means
- We confess the faith of the ancient Church.
- We affirm the Nicene Creed and the Holy Trinity.
- We receive the witness of the early ecumenical councils.
- We seek continuity with the historic Catholic tradition.
Christ, the Creed, and the Church
OCCI is explicitly Christocentric. We believe that Jesus is the Christ and our Savior, that through His death and resurrection we are brought to new life, and that the Church is called to bear faithful witness to Him in every age.
We believe in the Holy Trinity, profess the Nicene Creed, and affirm the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We also affirm apostolic succession, the witness of the early Church Fathers, and the doctrinal inheritance of the seven early ecumenical councils.
Sacramental life
We believe in the seven sacraments of the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Confession and Reconciliation, Marriage, and Holy Orders. These are not secondary signs but living means by which Christ nourishes and sanctifies His people.
The Holy Eucharist stands at the heart of catholic worship and remains the focal point of the Church’s life.
Liturgical worship
OCCI is a liturgical church. Our parishes may celebrate the Novus Ordo as well as Orthodox, Anglican, Eastern Rite, 1928 Book of Common Prayer, Third Roman Missal, and Tridentine forms of worship.
We do not insist upon a single liturgical use in every parish but ask that communities worship in a manner faithful to the Church and pastorally fitting for their congregation.
Apostolic succession and ecclesial continuity
We believe and hold apostolic succession. For OCCI, apostolic succession is the means by which sacramental validity is assured in catholic churches through the laying on of hands in continuity with the apostles and the life of the historic Church.
This continuity is not claimed as a matter of prestige but as a sacred trust. It binds doctrine, sacrament, ministry, and ecclesial order together in service to Christ and His people.
Scripture, tradition, and moral witness
OCCI receives Holy Scripture seriously and reads it within the theological and historical life of the Church. We value Scripture together with Apostolic Tradition, the witness of the Fathers, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church.
In moral theology, we seek to hold together truth, grace, compassion, and pastoral responsibility. OCCI’s public teaching on difficult matters such as abortion, capital punishment, and war emphasizes the sanctity of life, the rejection of retribution for its own sake, and the call to peace, restraint, and moral seriousness.
Principles of our witness
- The sanctity of human life
- Mercy over condemnation
- Peace over needless violence
- Pastoral care in morally difficult circumstances
Welcome, dignity, and the life of grace
OCCI’s public statement of faith affirms that Jesus loves all people unconditionally and that all are welcome at the Table of Christ. We reject doctrines of exclusion and affirm the dignity of those seeking spiritual comfort, sacramental life, and the mercy of God.
Our statement of faith also publicly affirms that Holy Orders are open to both men and women, that celibacy in Holy Orders is a personal decision, and that the Church extends pastoral care across questions of marriage, divorce, commitment, and family life.
In this, we seek to unite Catholic faithfulness with pastoral generosity so that truth may be spoken in charity and grace may be offered without partiality.
Foundational Documents
Read the core texts
The pages below present the principal documents and public statements that define OCCI’s faith and witness.
Continue Exploring
Learn more about OCCI
If you would like to explore the wider life of the Church, the pages below provide the next step.
A final affirmation
Our faith is not a private system of ideas, but a shared life in Christ received in the Church, confessed in the Creed, nourished in the sacraments, guarded in apostolic continuity, and lived in prayer, holiness, mercy, and service.
We invite all who are seeking a deeper sacramental and catholic life to continue exploring these foundations of faith.