The Communion
The Communion
A worldwide communion of dioceses, churches, and ministries
Old Catholic Churches International is a communion of dioceses and churches that spans the globe and exists for the spiritual well-being of those within its care. Under the leadership of the Presiding Bishop and the College of Bishops and Vicars, the communion gives visible structure to our common life in faith, sacrament, and mission.
We are catholic in worship, apostolic in continuity, ecumenical in outlook, and pastoral in practice. As a church for our time, we seek to remain faithful to the traditions of Holy Mother Church while ministering with compassion to the needs of the present age.
This page offers a clearer view of how the communion is ordered, how its dioceses and offices serve the Church, and where to continue if you are seeking a parish, clergy, formation, or a deeper understanding of OCCI.
One communion
Though spread across different places and ministries, our dioceses and churches share one sacramental life, one apostolic fellowship, and one common mission in Jesus Christ.
Ordered oversight
The communion is served through bishops, vicars, dioceses, and church offices that provide oversight, guidance, records, formation, and pastoral support.
Shared mission
We carry the gospel, sacraments, and pastoral care to the unchurched, the alienated, the marginalized, and all who seek Christ and His Church.
What we mean by communion
The communion is more than an administrative arrangement. It is the lived fellowship of dioceses, parishes, clergy, religious communities, and ministries joined together in sacramental life and mutual accountability. It is through this ordered life that the Church is able to worship, teach, form clergy, preserve records, and care for souls across many regions.
Within OCCI, this communion is intentionally both catholic and welcoming. We seek to uphold the faith of the Church, the ministry of the sacraments, and the dignity of every person. This gives our communion both structure and heart: structure through episcopal order, and heart through the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our life together is not founded merely on shared preference or convenience, but on a visible ecclesial bond expressed in worship, oversight, formation, and service.
Leadership and ecclesial order
Presiding Bishop and College of Bishops and Vicars
The communion is led by the Presiding Bishop together with the College of Bishops and Vicars. This leadership helps maintain unity, provide spiritual oversight, and ensure that the life of the Church is carried forward in good order.
Dioceses and jurisdictions
The communion is organized through dioceses and related jurisdictions that serve distinct regions and needs. Through them, communities and clergy receive episcopal oversight, pastoral support, and connection to the wider Church.
Churches, clergy, and ministries
Parishes, missions, clergy, chaplaincies, religious orders, and ministry offices all serve within this ordered communion. Together they form a visible and active expression of the Church’s life in worship, witness, and service.
Dioceses and wider jurisdictions
The communion presently includes dioceses and wider jurisdictions serving different places and pastoral contexts. These include the Diocese of the Holy Cross, the Diocese of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the Diocese of Saint Catherine of Siena, the Diocese of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, the Diocese of Saints Francis and Clare, the Diocese of the Epiphany, the Diocese of Saint Michael the Archangel, and the Vicariate of Latin America.
Worldwide offices of the communion
The communion is also served through offices that support leadership, communications, chaplaincy, records, justice work, and vocations. These offices help sustain the practical and pastoral life of OCCI across regions and ministries.
Office of the Presiding Bishop
The office that serves the wider communion in leadership, coordination, and public ecclesial identity.
Office of Chaplains
Supports chaplaincy ministry as part of the communion’s broader pastoral service.
Office of Communications and Media Relations
Helps communicate the life, witness, and public voice of the communion.
Office of Faith, Justice, and Humanitarian Efforts
Reflects the communion’s commitment to mercy, justice, and service to the least, the lost, and the forgotten.
Office of Finance and Records
Supports the ordered life of the Church through stewardship, administration, and records.
Office of Staffing and Vocations
Supports discernment, vocations, and the ordered processes related to ministry. This area also includes the Tribunal and the Commission on Ordained Ministry.
Office of Social Justice
Expresses the communion’s concern for justice, mercy, and the dignity of every human person as part of the Church’s witness in the world.
Apostolic continuity and catholic life
The communion’s life is not merely organizational. It is sacramental and ecclesial. Apostolic succession remains one of the ways sacramental continuity is assured in the catholic tradition: a bishop is consecrated by the laying on of hands in an unbroken line reaching back to the apostles and to Jesus Christ Himself.
For OCCI, this continuity serves both spiritual and ecumenical purposes. It helps locate the communion within the visible life of the Church while supporting the validity of sacramental ministry and the integrity of episcopal order.
Continue Exploring
Find your next connection
If you are looking for a parish, clergy contact, or diocesan structure, continue through the directory pages below.
Questions
Contact us directly
If you are seeking the right office, diocese, or point of contact within the communion, we invite you to reach out directly.
A final word
The communion gives visible shape to the life of Old Catholic Churches International. Through dioceses, bishops, clergy, offices, and ministries, it helps sustain the Church’s worship, mission, and pastoral care across many settings.
We hope this page helps you understand not only how OCCI is organized, but how its common life serves the gospel, the sacraments, and the unity of the Church.