About Christ Anglican Catholic Church

We are glad that you are interested in Christ Church and we welcome you to our web page. We offer this brief self-introduction to answer some questions you may have. Please feel free to contact us at any time for more information.

What is the Anglican Catholic Church?

The Anglican Catholic Church (or "ACC" as we tend to call it) was constituted in 1978 in order to continue the faith and order preserved for centuries in the Episcopal Church in this country and the Church of England and the Anglican Communion throughout the world. The action of the Episcopal Church in 1976 to permit the ordination of women was a major step away from this tradition of faith and order and demanded that some vehicle for its continuation be established. Apostolic consecration of our bishops was obtained from faithful Episcopalian bishops, the Philippine Independent Church and the Anglican Church of Seoul, Korea. And we began the task of living the faith in the continuing tradition of our forbearers. As you might expect, we would be termed "conservative" or "traditional" by most observers of the religious scene and we firmly reject the liberal innovations in theology and morals which have pervaded so much of "mainstream" Christianity. We feel that the surest guides through an uncertain future are reference points of the past.

Are you Catholic?

St. Vincent of Lerins, in the 5th Century defined catholicity as "what has been believed everywhere, always and by all," it is by this test that Anglicans consider ourselves to be catholic, together with the great churches of Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism and the Union of Utrecht ("Old Catholics"). The seal of that is the Apostolic Succession, the consecration of bishops at the hands of other
bishops tracing their consecrations back to the Apostles themselves. The faith is that expressed in the Apostles and Nicene creeds; it was clarified and applied by the first seven Ecumenical Councils meeting in the first seven centuries of Christendom. Well before the great schism of the Church into East and West. We stress the underlying unity of faith and order with this early Church and judge contemporary issues in the light of Holy Scriptures and that Holy Tradition.

Are you Protestant?

The Church of England arose as a separate catholic body out of the English version of the Reformation in the 16th century, but never intended the type of dramatic separation advocated by protestants in Europe. It took great care to preserve the Apostolic Succession and with it the sacramental life of the Church, but at the same time participated fully in the re-discovery of Holy Scripture and the ministry of
the Word so dear to protestants. Are we catholic or protestant? In truth, the answer has to be both"!

What is your worship like?

Anglicans throughout the world owe a tremendous debt to the Book of Common Prayer, a creation of 16th century England which has been periodically revised through the centuries. The liturgical form or ritual of our worship may seem strange to those who have experienced a freer, less structured form elsewhere. But we find that although the Prayer Book shapes and directs our worship, it frees it to be particularly ours. No one who worships for long in an Anglican Catholic Church will fail to know what is happening nor will they be surprised at an unexpected twist or turn. Knowing the liturgy means being able to pray as though it were your own personal prayer, as well as the united and corporate worship of the community. The Prayer Book contains some of the finest English ever written, stemming from that apex of English literature, the Elizabethan period. This elevated and "churchy" language reminds us that God reigns above the trendy and contemporary fads of current society. You will also note that the principal service of the Anglican Catholic Church is the Holy Eucharist, or Mass. This celebration of Christ's sacrifice for us on the Cross stands at the heart of all that we are and do. In it, Our Lord is made truly present to each of us and is received by each in Holy Communion. But for all, young or old, communicant or not, Christ is uniquely present in the Eucharist and that presence is continued as the Body of Christ is reserved on the altar at all times.

How do I become a member of Christ Church?

If you wish to join us in our worship of God and witness to Jesus Christ, we are delighted to welcome you. The first step is to make your desire known to one of the priests. In order to be a Christian, the Church holds that you must be baptized with water in the name of the Holy Trinity (most churches practice this baptism). An adult will be asked to attend instruction in the Christian faith before being baptized. Baptism is your entrance into the Church. No more is required than this with regular attendance at Sunday Worship and the offering of alms for the support of the Church. The natural completion of baptism, however, and the prerequisite for receiving Communion is the Sacrament of Confirmation in which, by the laying on of hands by the bishop, the Holy Spirit is conferred for the mature life of the Christian. Confirmation is normally administered after one has reached the "years of discretion," although our Eastern brethren chrismate infants. Confirmation is proceeded by instruction in the faith and order of the Church. While all this may seem to take a bit of time, it is a time of growth into the fellowship of Christ and of the congregation. From the very first moment you worship at Christ Church, we want you to feel a part, a very important part of us and assure you that God is well pleased with your worship and devotion.

A word about the history of Christ Church.

Christ Anglican Catholic Church was founded in 1978 by members of several Episcopal parishes in the Greater New Orleans area. During the years following, the parish met for worship in living rooms, a warehouse, other churches and a funeral home chapel. During that time, the members worked sacrificially to purchase our present site and to acquire the finances to build our present building. Our church,
completed in 1996 is a source of joy to all of us because it allowed us to finally enjoy the normal life of a parish. We are more anxious than ever to have people join with us for an exciting and adventuresome future. Far from being a group of dissatisfied Episcopalians, we have incorporated members from many religious backgrounds or none at all. But all of us today share the love of Jesus and each other which opens to embrace you as well.