The Old Catholic Church in Europe is a Christian Church dedicated to the proclamation of the "Good News" (Gospel) of Jesus Christ. It is a worshipping community, a family of believers and a fellowship of persons living in charity and the love of Christ.

The Old Catholic Church in Europe is a Catholic Church of the Western tradition and Latin rite. The OCCE is a recognised Church enjoying fellowship with the Universal Church internationally through the World Council of Churches and various other international ecumenical bodies and is related through Apostolic Succession to the Catholic Churches of the East and West (Orthodox and Roman Catholic).

The OCCE as part of its mission exists...

1. to provide for Old/Independent Catholics unable in conscience to accept the new practices and faith of the Utrecht Union in Europe and
2. to provide a point of reference for those individuals and Churches wishing to know more about or communicate with orthodox Old Catholics.

The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. The Declaration of Utrecht solidified this movement in 1889. The Union of Utrecht is in full communion with the Anglican Communion, as per the Bonn Agreement of 1931, and with the Philippine Independent Church.

The OCCE is not a member of the Utrecht Union though it and other orthodox Old Catholic jurisdictions remain faithful to our tradition's historic stance on Papal Infallibility and the Declaration of Utrecht.

In 1996 the first "Old Catholic" woman priest (Dr Angela Bergis) was ordained in the Utrecht Union of Churches and since then the majority of member Churches of the federation have followed suit and ordained women into the Sacred Ministry (there are some member Churches that do not ordain women but are in communion with and recognise the Orders of those who do). Many member Churches of the Utrecht Union also bless same-sex partnerships regarding them as equivalent to the Sacrament of Marriage between a man and a woman.

The OCCE and orthodox Old Catholicism in Europe

Two orthodox (retaining traditional teaching and practise) Old Catholic Churches retired from the Utrecht Union (Polish National Catholic Church USA and the Old Catholic Church of Slovakia) in 2004 regarding the new teachings and practise of the Union but neither have an English language organisation in Europe. The English Catholic Church, formally itself an implant of orthodox Old Catholicism from the USA (originally a missionary province of the Old Catholic Church of the USA) decided, in consultation with other orthodox Bishops, to re-name itself the Old Catholic Church in Europe to become not just an English language representative for orthodox Old Catholicism in Europe but also to provide an organisation for orthodox Old Catholics to relate to and be cared for on the Western side of the European Continent (the Old Catholic Church of Slovakia similarly for the East). It must be stressed that these provisions for orthodox Old Catholics have not yet been finalised between the Churches concerned, however the OCCE and the OCCS share Apostolic lineage and formal relations with orthodox independent Catholic Churches internationally.

On a daily basis the OCCE Chancellery receives enquiries from individuals and groups on the Continent requiring pastoral and sacramental ministrations but as yet the ability to locate, license and provide appropriate language-speaking priests is difficult. It is hoped this situation will be addressed as more people become aware of our mission and that Sacred Ministers and vocations will be forthcoming.

The OCCE and other orthodox Catholics

The OCCE does not regard itself as the sole expression or protector of traditional Old Catholicism in Western Europe but is already regarded as a representative body through its membership of various ecumencial and interdenominational bodies and relationships with orthodox Old/Independent Catholic Churches internationally. Certainly the OCCE would welcome and has sought collaboration from other similar jurisdictions locally to share in this important work and discussions are ongoing.

The Old Catholic Church in Europe has already been approached by traditional Anglicans both within and without the Canterbury Communion seeking cordial relations and which the OCCE hopes may eventually lead to a similar agreement comparable to the Bonn Agreement (1931) currently existing between the Church of England and the Utrecht Union of Churches. Certainly the OCCE sees no immediate objections to the formulation of relations with orthodox Anglo-Catholics in this way.

There is great concern generally by Western and Eastern Catholics for reunion with the Holy See and the successor of Peter at Rome. Remaining true to the stance of the Declaration of Utrecht, the OCCE feels that any such reunion would require discussion and agreement on the understanding and practice of the Petrine Ministry necessarily different from that promulgated as doctrine by the Roman Church in 1870. The OCCE prays for the day when such discussion and agreement can be made that Christ's Church may be united once more on earth.