Simply Catholic and Welcoming You
St.Brigit's is a Parish of the
Old Catholic Apostolic Church in Canada
Welcoming you to be part of our community, not just to fill a pew. We gladly call you to be an important part of our community were all are called to love Christ, love one another and promote authentic self love.
At St. Brigit's we are called to be a diverse,inclusive faith community on fire with the love of Jesus Christ, passionate about what happens to each other and the communities we live in. St. Brigit's Community Catholic Church is a Federally Registered Not for Profit Church.
So why is our name different from the O.C.A.C.? Well I'm from Ireland so St. Brigit's is no stretch for me, lol. Community to indicate that we are a pastoral ministry intent upon building and growing a community of people who's goal is to love our Saviour, our neighbours and yes, ourselves as He has commanded.
Catholic because we are indeed, specifically Old Catholic and because catholic literally means universal. Church because church is not about denomination. The real church is the body of Christ, those people He gathers unto Himself in Love and faith regardless of denomination.
We are happy and privileged to have the O.C.A.C. as our parent church. They embrace a wide spectrum of ministries from street ministry, Evangelist, Chaplains, solitary and, like us pastoral or congregational ministry. Thus our choice of name was made to reflect our choice of ministry styles.
As a ‘mission parish’ our home is in Boat Harbour West on the Burin Peninsula, Newfoundland however, we will do our utmost best to make ourselves available to welcoming venues on the Burin and throughout Newfoundland.
We have valid Apostolic Succession through the O.C.A.C. Apostolic Succession is the means by which sacramental validity is assured in all Catholic churches: it means that a valid bishop is one who is consecrated by the laying on of hands in an unbroken tactile line that stretches back to the twelve Apostles and to Jesus Christ Himself. The Apostolic Succession is as important spiritually as it is historically. We hold valid priesthood orders.
We are not part of the Roman Catholic Church. We are part of the "other" Catholic Churches, like the Eastern Orthodox Churches, through whom we also share Apostolic Succession.
We adhere to the teachings of the First Seven Ecumenical Councils and trace our Apostolic Succession through the following lines:
-Succession from the Chaldean Catholic Church
-Succession from the Syrian-Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
-The Coptic Orthodox Succession
-Succession from the Russian Orthodox Church
-Succession from the Melkite Greek Patriarchate of Antioch and all East
-Duarte Costa Succession - Roman Catholic Succession
-Succession from Anglican Communion
-Succession from the Liberal Catholic Church
-Succession from the Ancient Catholic Church
Co-celebrating the Eucharist
From l-r: Fr Plib (Philip) Bradley, Bishop Joel Dooley and Amma Charlene BradleySt. Brigit's is a Sacramental Church
St.Brigit's CrossWe Believe
In the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the necessity of the 7 Scriptural Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders) as conduits of grace.
We believe Sacred Scriptures are the inspired and inerrant Word of God, but that it is properly interpreted, not by individual Christians, but within the Sacred Tradition of the Church as handed down by the Apostles.
We believe in the Veneration of Our Blessed Lady and the Saints. We claim and honour the Communion of Saints and the use of sacramentals for pious devotion (the rosary, icons,medals, relics, etc.).
St.Brigit's Community Catholic is not Roman Catholic
Old Celtic CrossWe state that clearly, not to offend, simply to avoid any possible confusion. In many ways, visiting Roman Catholics will immediately recognise in us the faith they, themselves, have come to know. However, those who were raised Roman Catholic will be struck by some distinct differences when coming to St Brigit’s or any other parish in the O.C.A.C.(Old Catholic Apostolic Church).
The first is that they may see a female priest at the altar or a married priest with a spouse and children in the pews (sometimes both!). Even, as in our case, a married couple who are both priests and have kids in the congregation.
The second is that at St. Brigit's members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community may express themselves freely while availing themselves of the Sacraments without restriction or exclusion.
The third difference between us and the Roman Church is that those who have gone through the pain of a divorce may be remarried immediately without concerning themselves with the paperwork and grief of an annulment of any kind.
These differences flow from the radical idea that we embrace to its' fullest extent: that God loves everybody, no exceptions. Christ came that we might all have eternal life. He never taught us to use bible verses like weapons nor restrict the church's ministry to those whom we deem "usual", "customary", and "fit" for the image of God we have created for ourselves. God is greater, more mysterious, and more loving than we will ever comprehend.
We continue to adhere to the teachings of the Apostles and their successors, but we reject the doctrine of Papal Infallibility. Indeed it was the declaration of Papal Infallibility, in 1870, at Vatican I, that caused those who did not embrace this new concept to be termed Old Catholics while those who agreed with it thereafter became known as Roman Catholics. Prior to this we were literally all the same church.
Our Lord gave the gift of infallibility in faith and morals to all of the apostles together (Eph. 2:19-20; Mt. 16-19's rock = apostles).
Jesus then later gave the gift of ‘binding and loosing’ to all of his disciples together when they act on behalf of the church (Mt. 18:17-19). Peter was not singled out as the sole recipient of that gift.
Therefore, like the ancient church that met at the First Council of Jerusalem portrayed in the Book of Acts, at St. Brigit’s, other churches of Old Catholic origins and throughout the Old Catholic Apostolic Church we are a "conciliar church" (meaning led by a council/college of bishops rather than one man being indisputably 'in charge'). This means that we may accept a doctrine that is promoted by the Bishop of Rome, the Patriarch of the West, so long as it is voted upon and promulgated ex cathedra (meaning with the full authority of office) from a council of bishops and endorsed by our Archbishop/Patriarch and the council of bishops of the Old Catholic Apostolic Church.
To avoid further confusion we would also like to point out that we are not associated with the Community Catholic Church of Canada (provincially registered in Ontario) nor, at this time, with any other church which happens to have the term 'Community Catholic' in their registered name.
The Community Catholic Church of Canada was, formerly the Old Catholic Church of Canada until it was renamed in 2007 and is now provincially registered as a not for profit organisation. They are good people doing good work and seeing steady growth.
We also state for clarity that St. Brigit's Community Catholic Church is our federally registered name with stbrigits.ca being simply our website name. St. Brigit's has an online presence but we are not an online church.
We trust that this clears up any misunderstandings for those who have enquired as to these matters.
At St.Brigit’s we will reject anything that is exclusionary of any group.
