Order of Saint Paul the Apostle Overview APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION The Order of Saint Paul the Apostle (Old Catholic Tradition) in the United States of America is a branch of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, and along with its former canonical nomenclatures, was originally inaugurated on October 25, 1986 as anautocephalus body, after the death of our Bishop the Order was re-established on October 25, 1996. On June 20, 1997 the Order of Saint Paul the Apostle was offically granted Covenant Affiliation and Intercommunion in the Apostoilic Catholic Church in America (ACCA) under the Espocipal supervision of Bishop Paul David C. Strong, OSJD, allowing us to continue in the Apostolic Succession Tradition. MISSION STATEMENT The Order of St. Paul the Apostle is a religious order. The mission of the Order is to carry the teachings of Christ and His Apostles and the ancient Church to those who seek a spiritual home or may not have come from a Catholic or Orthodox tradition. We seek out, rather than exclude those that other "churches" may not desire with the "good news" of Jesus Christ. Like Christ, who gave His love to the tax collector and the Samaritan woman, we welcome with open hearts and minds all children of God to our ministries and altars. The Order of St. Paul the Apostle is an independent and self-governing religious order in the Old Catholic apostolic traditions; neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant - but Catholic (universal). It aims at combining the traditional sacramental form of worship - with is stately ritual, its deep mysticism and its abiding witness to the reality of sacramental grace - with the widest measure of intellectual liberty and respect for the individual conscience. It therefore permits to its members freedom of interpretation of the scriptures, the creeds and the liturgy. Regarding the mind as one of the great avenues to spiritual apprehension, it encourages among it adherents the freest play of scientific and philosophic though. We welcome to our altars all who reverently and sincerely approach them, erecting no barriers in nature of standards of dogmatic belief. We have no wish to proselytize, in the aggressive sense, from among the adherents of any other church and as an earnest of this welcomes people to regular and full participation in its services without asking or expecting them to leave their original church. We welcome the divorced/remarried. We use both western and eastern rite liturgies. We are not Gnostic, theosophical or new-age. We ordain both men and women to our clergy. We validly celebrate the seven sacraments. We are a religious order committed to building Christian communities and ministries which proclaim the gospel to "all people" regardless of race, color, gender, sexual orientation or preference, nationality, socio-economic status or disability". BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ÿ ÿ We welcome to our altars all who reverently and sincerely approach them, erecting no barriers in nature of standards of dogmatic ÿbelief. We have no wish to proselytize, in the aggressive sense, from among the adherents of any other church and as an earnest of this welcomes people to regular and full participation in its services without asking or expecting them to leave their original church. ÿWe welcome the divorced/remarried. ÿWe use both western and eastern rite liturgies. We are not gnostic, theosophical or new-age. ÿWe ordain both men and women (married or unmarried) to our clergy. We validly celebrate the seven sacraments. ÿWe are committed to building Christian communities and ministries ÿwhich proclaim the gospel to "all people" regardless ÿof race, color, gender, sexual orientation or preference, nationality, ÿsocio-economic status or disability". ÿWe maintain the ancient three-fold ministry of bishop, presbyter ÿ(priest) and deacon. ÿWe acknowledge those decisions of the first seven ecumenical councils ÿwhich do not contradict Scripture or Tradition. ÿWe profess the Apostles' and Nicene creeds as statements of our ÿfaith. ÿWe are currently small in numbers, but growing. THE COUNCILS We accept as Ecumenical the Seven General Councils recognized by all the Catholic Churches, namely: ÿ ÿ First at Nicea, A.D. 353, against Arianism. ÿ Second at Constantinople, 381, against Apolinarians and Macedonians. Third at Ephesus, 431, against Nestorianism. ÿ Fourth at Chalcedon, 451, against Monophysites. ÿ Fifth at Constantinople, 553, against Nestorianisn and Monophysites. Sixth at Constantinople, 680, against Monothelites. ÿ Seventh at Nicea, 787, against Iconclasts. THE CHURCH The visible Church of Christ is a society in which all the faithful are joined together by the profession of the same faith, and forming a body of which Jesus Christ is the Head and Source of all sanctity. MINISTRIES ÿ ÿ Inactive or ex-priests Ministry ÿ ÿCounseling is provided to ex-priest to cope with the decision to ÿleave the priesthood and to function in modern society. ÿFellowship for ex- priest provide a comfort atmosphere to be able ÿto make the necessary adjustment, retreats are provided with group ÿand individual sessions. ÿRetreat Center:--The Order will maintain a retreat center for ÿboth active priest to obtain a spiritual reawakening or just to ÿbe able to recharge their batteries so to speak in an environment ÿof spiritual calm and enrichment. The retreat center will also ÿbe available to the laity for their spiritual enrichment., Christian Bulletin Board Ministry - one can obtain guidance and counseling. ÿÿPeople with disabilities can obtain information and resources. Veterans can obtain information concerning veterans benefits, contact information and resources. ÿOn-line books are available to users and Hotline numbers are available. Blind accessible for those who have programs that will speak what ÿis written on the screen. ÿThe BBS is non-denominational oriented so there is something for ÿeveryone. Counseling Services and Materials: ÿDisabled Counseling--Working with Disabled to find the necessary ÿresources for there particular situations. ÿ Veterans Counseling--Work with Veterans in need a VA Benefits ÿand other information and assistance. ÿ Marriage Counseling--Counseling for couples and for those in ÿa troubled marriages. ÿ Divorce Counseling--coping with the realities of divorce. Family Counseling--counseling and information resources. ÿ Homeless Ministry--coping with homeless counseling sessions, ÿproviding resources. ÿMinistry to the Sick--comfort is provided to the terminally ill ÿand their families. Counseling sessions are provided for growth and reassurance. ÿ Spiritual Growth Ministry--spiritual growth classes that consistÿof fellowship, counseling and bible studies. OSPA Teen Camp Ministry--Troubled Youth Center--Camp environment for troubled youth. ÿTeen Center--Camp environment for teens to obtain a spiritual ÿgrowth in their walk with God. ÿHandicap Center--Camp environment for those with handicaps, both ÿphysical and/or emotional. Abuse and Crisis Ministry--Abuse and Crisis Center--Crisis and abuse victims hot lines. ÿ Street Ministry--OSPA is presently inquiring into the Franciscan Peacemakers Program concerning bring their program to Omaha, NE. ÿ ÿ Lectures/Seminars--Various seminars for day to day living and dealing with lives problems, and will include follow-up sessions with counselors if necessary. ABOUT OUR MASS We basically use two primary western contemporary sources: the Roman Catholic 1974 Mass of Paul VI and the Episcopal 1928 Book of Common Prayer, with certain additions from the east: the ancient Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, and the Christian Catholic Mass (Gul-Mathew Mass). All baptised Christians are welcome to receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord at our altars. ABOUT OUR CLERGY Some of our members hold outside employment, some live in community with others (vow of common life), and some derive income from priestly ministry. Some of our clergy possess formal seminary education and/or other advanced degrees of learning from nationally accredited institutions. Others "read for orders" in a mentored program of study (much like Canon 9 clergy in the Episcopal Church). Many of our members have the Roman Catholic Church as their church of origin; as of this writing. Several of our members (clergy and laity) have served in that church. We do ordain/incardinate qualified women. Some of our members (clergy and laity) are either married or in committed relationships, and some are single/celibate. Our order extends a special welcome to inactive Roman Catholic priests who wish to re-activate their priestly ministries. To learn more about us, contact: Fr. Dennis Mckay, OSPA ph: 402/552-0734 Internet: ospadmin @ rocketmail.com Web Site: http://www.mitec.net/~dmckay/index.htm