The Ecumenical Catholic Church () (ECC/ICE) is an

Independent Catholic church Independent Catholicism is an independent sacramental movement of clergy and laity who self-identify as Catholic (most often as Old Catholic or as Independent Catholic) and form "micro-churches claiming apostolic succession and valid sacrament ...

established in Santa Ana,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

by Mark Steven Shirilau and Jeffrey Michael Lau, in 1987., California Secretary of State Website, Corporation number C1581615. Adhering to conventional

Latin Catholic The Latin Church () is the largest autonomous () particular church within the Catholic Church, whose members constitute the vast majority of the 1.3 billion Catholics. The Latin Church is one of 24 ''sui iuris'' churches in full communion w ...

Trinitarian The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three ...

theology and professing the

Nicene Creed The Nicene Creed, also called the Creed of Constantinople, is the defining statement of belief of Nicene Christianity and in those Christian denominations that adhere to it. The original Nicene Creed was first adopted at the First Council of N ...

, the Ecumenical Catholic Church practices a liturgy similar to the Pauline Mass. Also considered an offshoot of the

Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church The Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church (, ; ICAB) is an Independent Catholicism, Independent Catholic Christian denomination, Christian church established in 1945 by Excommunication in the Catholic Church, excommunicated Catholic Church in Brazi ...

, the ECC differentiates from

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

and independent Brazilian Catholicism through affirming and ordaining persons within the

LGBTQ+ community The LGBTQ community (also known as the LGBT, LGBT+, LGBTQ+, LGBTQIA, LGBTQIA+, or queer community) comprises LGBTQ individuals united by a common culture and social movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individua ...

History

The Ecumenical Catholic Church was founded in

Santa Ana, California Santa Ana (Spanish language, Spanish for ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, California, United States. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census. As ...

, in 1987 by Mark Steven Shirilau—a former member of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. As of December 31, 2023, it ...

and the

Metropolitan Community Church The Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), also known as the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), is an international LGBT-affirming Christian denominations, LGBT-affirming mainline Protestant Christian denomination. The ...

—and Jeffrey Michael Lau, a former member of the Episcopal Church and the Metropolitan Community Church; Edward Jarvis, ''God, Land & Freedom: the true story of ICAB'', Apocryphile Press, Berkeley CA, p. 170. the first edition of its canon law was completed and ratified on January 11, 1987.Shirilau, Mark, ''History and Overview of the Ecumenical Catholic Church: The First Ten Years'' (1995. Riverside, CA: Healing Spirit Press, ) Shirilau was ordained a priest for the Ecumenical Catholic Church within the chapel of the

Claremont School of Theology Claremont School of Theology (CST) is a private graduate school focused on religion and theology and located in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the thirteen official theological schools of the United Methodist Church, and also has close r ...

on December 27, 1987, by an

Independent Catholic Independent Catholicism is an independent sacramental movement of clergy and laity who Independent Catholicism#Appeal of Independent Catholicism to Catholic and Christian tradition, self-identify as Catholic (most often as Old Catholic or as Ind ...

bishop. The first public service—at St. John Ecumenical Catholic Church—was held on September 4, 1988, at the home chapel of Mark Shirilau and Jeffery Shirilau in Santa Ana. Robert Oscar Simpson became the first person baptized in the Ecumenical Catholic Church on July 10, 1989, at his house in Los Angeles. Simpson died of AIDS a few days later. Mark Shirilau was consecrated into the episcopacy by Bishop Donald Lawrence Jolly of the Independent Catholic Church International in

San Bernardino, California San Bernardino ( ) is a city in and the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 census, making it the List of ...

, on May 19, 1991. At the service, Jeffery Shirilau—a non-ordained deacon of the Metropolitan Community Church—was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Jolly. Bruce David LeBlanc—a community college professor and former Roman Catholic—became the first priest ordained by Bishop Shirilau. The ordination took place at an Episcopal Church parish in

Pocatello, Idaho Pocatello () is the county seat of and the largest city in Bannock County, Idaho, Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, Idaho, Power County, containing the city's airport. It is t ...

, although between 1993-1995, LeBlanc and other clergy resigned. During the 1990s, the Ecumenical Catholic Church expanded into Africa, with a parish in

Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a reference to the Nairobi Riv ...

numbering an estimated 25 parishioners. By 2011, it expanded with missions and parish churches throughout

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

, and Italy. Following the death of Bishop Shirilau from complications with

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

on January 12, 2014 while traveling in

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

, Bishop David John Kalke of Mexico was elected as new primate archbishop for the Ecumenical Catholic Church. Some parishes rejected the new primate and moved to the similarly-named

Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ The Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ (ECCC) is an Independent Catholicism, Independent Catholic List of Independent Catholic denominations, denomination founded by Archbishop Karl Rodig as The Reformed Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church. Headq ...

under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Karl Rodig. As of 2024, the membership of the Ecumenical Catholic Church has been governed by five bishops in Mexico, Costa Rica, the United States, and Kenya.

Doctrine

Ecumenical Catholic doctrine and worship is very similar to

Roman Catholic doctrine Catholic theology is the understanding of Catholic doctrine or teachings, and results from the studies of theologians. It is based on canonical scripture, and sacred tradition, as interpreted authoritatively by the magisterium of the Catholic ...

; within the Ecumenical Catholic Church, however, the

is affirmed and allowed ordination. While affirming and ordaining lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clergy, the Ecumenical Catholic Church—claiming to uphold conventional

Catholicity Catholicity (from , via ) is a concept pertaining to beliefs and practices that are widely accepted by numerous Christian denominations, most notably by those Christian denominations that describe themselves as ''catholic'' in accordance with t ...

—rejects

Gnosticism Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek language, Ancient Greek: , Romanization of Ancient Greek, romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: Help:IPA/Greek, �nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced ...

New Age New Age is a range of Spirituality, spiritual or Religion, religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western world, Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclecticism, eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise d ...

and

Theosophy Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neop ...

, and

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

worship practices found among other Independent Catholic churches.

References

{{reflist

External links

Official website
Independent Catholic denominations Christian organizations established in 1987 1987 establishments in California Christian denominations founded in the United States