INSIDE OLD CATHOLIC

  By Dr. h.c. Miracle Gabriel-Ooc When people hear the word Catholic , their minds always go straight to Roman Catholic . But Catholicity has never been limited to one jurisdiction. For centuries, the Catholic Church has been expressed in many sees—Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and yes, Rome. Old Catholicism is one of those expressions. So, what’s the difference between Old Catholicism and Roman Catholicism? Let’s break it down: 1. Shared Foundations Both Old Catholics and Roman Catholics believe in the same essentials of the Christian faith: The Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. The seven sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick). Apostolic Succession refers to the continuous transmission of episcopal authority, passed down through generations of bishops, reaching back to the apostles themselves. They profess the same Creed. 2. Where T...

 By Bishop Gabriel Obiano, D.D. The life of the Church is built on mysteries—what we call Sacraments. They are not man-made rituals but divine encounters where Christ Himself touches us through visible signs and invisible grace. Each sacrament is a channel of God’s love, instituted by Christ and entrusted to His Church, that we might share in His life.  Sacraments is what we can't deny as a Church.  The word sacrament comes from the Latin sacramentum, meaning a sacred pledge or oath. In the early Church, it was often used to describe the mystery of God’s saving work in Christ. St. Augustine once called the sacraments “visible signs of invisible grace.” In them, heaven bends down to meet earth. 1. Baptism – Our New Birth in Christ Baptism is the door to all the sacraments. It's the first step we take before taking the next step. It is where we are washed from sin, born anew, and sealed with the identity of Christ. In baptism, we die with Him and rise to new life (Romans 6:...