Archbishop Rainer Laufers

Our branch of the Old Catholic Church tradition is under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Rainer Laufers of Canada. We have parishes in Denver, Arizona, Los Angeles as well as Canada and Germany. We are a "Pilgrim Church" that is part of a world-wide synod of bishops.

Brief Introduction to The Old Holy Catholic Church

The Old Holy Catholic Church worldwide professes and practices the fullness of the Christian Faith, revealed by the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, and given by Him to His apostles and, likewise, to His Body the Church, that the Gospel may be carried forth to all nations and peoples, and that this faith may be kept whole and intact.

The faith that this Church professes is that of the Church Catholic throughout the world and throughout history, as found in both Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and as witnessed to and proclaimed by the action of the Holy Spirit through the seven Great Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church, that has always been accepted as a norm of faith by Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Old Catholic and many Anglican Churches.

Our Mission & Beliefs

This Church professes the doctrine universally considered essential to Catholic Faith and Order, in accordance with the Great Ecumenical Councils. Some specific points are:

  1. The Real Presence: The Real Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
  2. Holy Orders: The necessity of the three Orders of sacramental ministers in the Church: Bishop, Priest and Deacon; and that these orders, both for theological reasons and in accordance with the norms of Sacred Scripture and Tradition, are restricted to males.
  3. Apostolic Succession: The necessity of Apostolic Succession, wherein each bishop may trace a direct line from the bishop(s) who consecrated him a bishop to the bishop(s) who consecrated the former, and so on, back to one of the Apostles. This succession must be unbroken in order to preserve the validity of Holy Orders.
  4. The Mass: The sacrificial nature of the Mass. In its celebration, we are truly joined to our Lord's one Sacrifice of Himself to the Father, and to His entire redemptive action: His Incarnation, Life, Passion, Death and Resurrection.
  5. The Sacraments: The necessity of the administration of the seven Sacraments of the Church, and that these sacraments are effective channels of divine grace by their very nature, independent of the worthiness of the minister.