An Alternative Way to Be Catholic — and LGBT

[rug]

Churches in the Old Catholic and Independent Catholic traditions offer services that will be familiar to Roman Catholics, along with unqualified affirmation of LGBT people.

BY Trudy Ring.
October 03 2013 6:00 AM ET

The liturgy and rituals are those familiar to Roman Catholics. The pageantry is beautiful. But there’s no doctrine condemning same-sex relationships — and the priest offering communion may be a man or a woman, married or not, straight or LGBT.

Welcome to the world of many Old Catholic and Independent Catholic churches, which offer a Catholic style of worship, sometimes with elements drawn from other traditions, but are not Roman Catholic — not under the Vatican’s authority — and affirm the equality of LGBT people and women.

“It’s a more open and accepting environment,” says Rev. Chris Carpenter, pastor of the Community of the Resurrection in Long Beach, Calif., and bishop of the Diocese of St. George in the Reformed Catholic Church. “You can be yourself and you don’t have to cover up if you’re in a same-sex relationship.”

A similar sentiment comes from Father Shannon Kearns, pastor of House of the Transfiguration, a fairly new Old Catholic congregation in Minneapolis. “It’s a place where you don’t have to check any part of yourself when you walk through the door,” he says. “The world needs more places like that.”

http://www.advocate.com/politics/religion/2013/10/03/alternative-way-be-catholic-and-lgbt

[hedgehog]

1. There's probably an alternative right nearby - my Episcopal Church pastor commented to me

that it is the English Catholic Church ( I told him that as an Irish Catholic, I wouldn't be telling my family that!

Mass on Sunday is like the best of Vatican II combined with old style hymns.

Women serve as equals with men - my married daughter is preparing to be an Episcopal priest.

Last Sunday we were urged to contact Congress regarding the cutbacks in the SNAP.

And we serve a free meal to all comers every Tuesday!

I should add - it's not all hearts and roses - the Anglican communion has its own infighting - but I feel I've come home.

[TommyCelt]

2. I've been doing some research about this confederation of churches...

...most are thoroughly Christian and take great care demonstrating apostolic succession (through Old Catholic, Roman Catholic, and sometimes Orthodox lineage) with their clergy.

Although I am Roman Catholic and a professed Secular Franciscan, my spiritual director is clergy in the Celtic Christian Church, an independent sacramental Church...and SHE is amazing!

http://www.celticchristianchurch.org/