The Western Orthodox Church in America Here you will find information specific to WOCA, her history, and Orthodox Faith and Practice..

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Who We Are:

The Western Orthodox Church in America is a Missionary Church of Orthodox Catholic Christians that seeks to bring the good news of Jesus to a world that is sick and dying; of sin, suffering and ignorance. In the midst of a world filled with violence, degradation, and countless human tragedies, we seek to offer the comfortable words and healing touch of Jesus, the Lord, "Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will refresh you."

To accomplish this we must communicate in forms and manners that can be understood by the part of this world we find ourselves in. Therefore we worship according to a Western Rite Liturgy, approved by the Moscow Patriarchate for use in America. We do not mean that eastern expressions are not suitable for the west. Only that for those accustomed to and wishing to live their faith in  the form most common to the Americas, Orthodoxy should seek to provide a home for them as well. We are simple Christians; men and women; lay people, Deacons, Priests, and Bishops who have accepted and embraced Christ's commission to go and make disciples and teach them all that He commanded.

None of us are wealthy by secular standards. Many of our clergy, follow the example of St Paul, and work to support ourselves and our ministries. We come from various walks of life. Some of us are professional people, some are blue collar. What unites, sustains, and inspires us is the Ancient Faith of the Orthodox Church established by Christ upon the foundation of the Apostles, the active working of the Holy Spirit and the sincere desire that Jesus Christ be proclaimed and praised.

Under the Headship of Jesus Christ, we are governed by a Synod of Bishops who stand in unbroken Succession to the Apostles. This Succession dating back to our Lord ordaining the Twelve, and our "right belief" and "right worship" of God, ensure that we are not just another denomination, but full and true members of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

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Our Identity & Purpose:

The Western Orthodox Church in America is a contemporary expression of the historic Holy Orthodox Catholic Faith, established and founded by Jesus Christ, Himself,  presented in forms both familiar and accessible to Christians of Western cultures and languages and that link it to that time when all Christians were Orthodox and Catholic in East and West.

The Western Orthodox Church in America shall be ever subject to the Ancient and Apostolic Canons and Traditions of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Faith in unity with Christian believers and communities of like heritage and purpose.

The purpose of each worshiping assembly shall be the uniting of all believers in the ancient faith and practice of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church, as manifest in the particular forms and uses of the Western Orthodox Church in America; for the satisfaction of the religious and spiritual needs and for the moral benefit of its members.

This faith and practice shall ever conform to the substance and intent of the Holy Tradition of Orthodox Christianity as found in the Sacred Scriptures, the ancient Canons and the writings of the Fathers of the Church.

The Western Orthodox Church in America shall ever preserve and present the message and meaning of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ through the Sacred Scriptures within the body of Sacred Apostolic Tradition, through the Sacramental Life of faith and worship and through the unbroken succession of faithfulness manifest within history.

The life of the Western Orthodox Church in America and its individual members shall be made manifest in prayer, celebration of the Holy Mysteries, works of charity, authentic Christian teaching and church discipline; in order that the individual member may achieve spiritual transformation and the non-believers and unchurched of the surrounding community may be drawn to a commitment to the life of faith and grace in Jesus Christ.

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Our Statement Of Faith:

The Western Orthodox Church in America affirms that the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the substance of the true faith, is to be found within the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Catholic Church, which contains and proclaims the body of Sacred Scripture and which holds as her primary Symbol of Faith, the Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan Creed in its original form, without interpretation, accretion, or attrition.

The other Symbols of Faith accepted as normative for public proclamation and edification are those known as the Apostles' Creed and the Orthodox form of the Trinitarian Symbol known as the Quicunque Vult or the Athanasian Creed, which in turn forms the basis of the Ordination Affirmation of True Faith and Practice.

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A Concise History of the Western Orthodox Church in America (WOCA):

Compiled by The Most Rev. Randolph A. Brown

Introduction:

It is often said that history is written by the victors. In the case of the WOCA, it might be more accurate to say that it is being written by those who have come through so very many of the fires of testing and survived. What follows is not always going to be pleasant, or pretty. As a necessity of trying to report developments in multiple jurisdictions each claiming to be WOCA, it may sometimes be difficult to follow along. For this the author sincerely apologizes, but in an attempt to be fair and accurate concerning timelines and events, it must be done this way. It is painful to recall much of the history, but it is also a testament to the good men and women of WOCA, who, inspired by the vision of helping to build a truly American Orthodox Church, have continued to struggle, even when common sense might seem to suggest that giving up the dream would be far easier.

The Complier of this history is not a disinterested party. He currently serves as the Archbishop Ordinary of the Diocese of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. In this work he has attempted to be fair and to not mischaracterize the actions and statements of others. He has not overlooked, or ignored, the flaws and mistakes made within his own jurisdiction. At times, he has had to make editorial choices regarding which of multiple versions of the history is the most accurate. When this has happened he has attempted to base these decisions on the preponderance of the evidence available. When dates or details are not definitively known, he has attempted to always state what is unclear or indeterminate, and to only report as fact only that which is firmly established as fact. He would welcome additional comments and input into the history of WOCA. He will not however involve himself or the jurisdiction in a war of words. When presented with documentary evidence, he will make additions or corrections, as needed. He may be contacted at: bpbrown@comcast.net
 

Part One: Orthodoxy Comes to America

The Orthodox Church first came to North America in the late 18th Century, through the ministry of St Herman, an early missionary from the Russian Orthodox Church to Alaska, and later in life the first Orthodox Bishop for the New World. For years, the Russian Church administered the fledgling Church in North America, but less than a hundred years later, the Holy Synod of Moscow, impressed with the growth of Orthodoxy in the New World approved a separate North American Church and decided that what was needed was a truly American Orthodox Church, and the seed of the dream was planted.

The seed was fed and watered by the appointment in 1898 of Archbishop Tikhon Belavin, (later Patriarch of Moscow and canonized as a Martyr-Saint), to serve as the Metropolitan Archbishop of the United States. Six years later he completed a revision of the American Book of Common Prayer and successfully petitioned the Holy Synod in Moscow for the approval of a Western Rite Liturgy which could be used by and for American converts to the Orthodox Church. This Liturgy remains in canonical Use to this day, and is known as the Rite of St. Tikhon. Tikhon served faithfully as Metropolitan of the United States, but events back in Russia would profoundly affect him and the young Church in America. The Russian Revolution began in 1917, and with the end of the Czarist government, he was recalled to Russia where he was eventually elected to serve as the first Patriarch of the restored Patriarchate of Moscow, which for political reasons had been suppressed by Czar Peter the Great.

The victory of the Communists in Russia dealt a severe blow to the Church, and communication with the Mother Church became increasingly difficult. The Church in North America meanwhile was not left completely orphaned by the departure of the Patriarch. In 1919 the North American Russian Church held its first Sobor (Synod), and in 1922 Patriarch Tikhon was able to appoint Metropolitan Platon to head the North American Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. For some time, Tikhon tried to live in peace with the Communists, but when it became obvious that the atheistic government was intent on nothing less than the annihilation of the Church, he set into motion several related, but independent initiatives. He secretly ordered the consecration of Bishop Maximus, the first catacomb bishop in Russia, and while imprisoned, Tikhon secreted a letter out of Russia to the North American Bishops. In this letter, Tikhon bespoke of the infiltration of the Church in Russia by agents of the Communist regime, and directed the Church in North America to have nothing to do with the now compromised Russian Mother Church, until the situation was resolved. At the second Sobor, in 1924, the North American Russian Church took Tikhon’s directive seriously and declared its autonomy, under Metropolitan Platon. On the 25th of March, 1925, Patriarch Tikhon’s spirit returned to the God who created him. There is testimony existent that his death was actually an assassination and that he died of poisoning. In any event, in 1989, with the impending collapse of the Soviet Union nearly assured, he was canonized as a Saint, and styled, “The Enlightener of America”

In 1927, Metropolitan Platon commissioned Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh to gather the disparate ethnic jurisdictions which had sprung up in the United States and Canada, due to mass immigration, into a single, American Orthodox Church. As The Russian Church had first begun missionary activities in the New World, canonically, it should have had the authority to do this. It soon became obvious however that for cultural, financial, and political reasons, Archbishop Ofiesh’ mission was doomed to fail, but significantly not before he consecrated other bishops to assist in the mission. These men included Bishop Sophronius Bishara, Joseph Zuk, and Ignatius (William Albert) Nichols. In 1933, Archbishop Aftimios was excommunicated by the Patriarch of Constantinople for marrying, in violation of the canons. Although the excommunication did not follow canonical process, Abp Aftimios did remove himself to semi-retirement, and Bishop Sophronius assumed leadership the American Orthodox Mission.

 

Part Two: The Brazilian Church

Unrelated to the Orthodox Mission to North America, a reform movement of sorts began in Brazil, with the consecration of Dom Carlos Duarte Costa, as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Botucato, in 1924. Dom Carlos became something of a thorn in the flesh to the Roman Catholic hierarchy. In an era characterized by its conservatism, he was something of a liberal. He questioned the necessity of clerical celibacy. He questioned the necessity of Latin as the universal language of the Church. He advocated the reconciliation of divorced persons with the Church. He was critical of the Church’s identification with the ruling oligarchy. His criticism of the Roman Church’s hierarchy became intense, during World War II. He viewed Rome as having done little to stop the spread of Nazism’s evil, and accused the Vatican itself of collaboration. He claimed that many rich and high-standing Nazis were being given Vatican diplomatic passports to facilitate their escape from a deteriorating situation in Germany and Europe to the relative safety and anonymity of South America, specifically Brazil.

He did not only incur the wrath of Rome, however. The Brazilian government was less than enamored with this dissident and noisy bishop. In July 1944, some say at the insistence of the Vatican, he was imprisoned. Two months later he was released, after the United States, Great Britain, and Mexico pressured the Brazilian government. The die however had been cast. Less than a year later, Dom Carlos, unwilling and unable to blunt his criticism of the Vatican administration, was officially excommunicated. Even this did not silence Dom Carlos, however. Within weeks, he arranged for the formation of the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira, (I.C.A.B.) and registered it as a Church with the Brazilian government. In August of that year, he guaranteed the continuation and viability of the Church by consecrating Salomeo Ferraz, as a bishop for the new Church. In all, before his death in 1961, Dom Carlos consecrated or co-consecrated eight bishops for ICAB. In addition to Bishop Ferraz, who later reconciled with the Roman Church, and was accepted in Order, as a Bishop, some of these men included, Dom Luis Fernando Castillo-Mendez, Stephen Corradi-Scarella, and Milton Cunha.

With the formation of ICAB, a number of reforms of what Dom Carlos saw as problems in the Roman Communion were put into effect. Clerical celibacy was abolished. Rules for the reconciliation of divorced persons were implemented. The Liturgy was translated into the vernacular, and in emulation of a short-lived experiment in France, clergy were expected to live and work amongst the people, and support themselves and their ministries, by holding secular employment. Within a short time ICAB began to be identified as “The Church of the Poor”, and by the time of Dom Carlos’ death, the Church is said to have grown to 60,000 souls. Today, the Church reportedly has 10 million Communicants.

 

Part Three: Convergence and the Birth of WOCA

Bishop Stephen Corradi-Scarella was consecrated Bishop in 1949, and was given the mission to build an Exarchate of ICAB in the United States. He began his missionary work in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and there established the first Diocese in America of what later would develop into the WOCA and a related jurisdiction, the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America, (CACINA). During the 1950’s and ‘60’s communication with ICAB in Brazil broke down, and the American Diocese underwent several fluctuations in focus. Variously it identified itself with the Old Catholic Movement, and with the Western Orthodoxy advocated by hierarchs such as St. Tikhon and Archbishop Aftimios. While ministering in New Mexico, Bishop Stephen became acquainted with a priest, Francis Jerome Joachim-Ladd, who stood in the line of the Orthodox Archbishop Aftimios. A relationship developed between the two, and Fr. Jerome transferred to the jurisdiction of Bishop Stephen. For years they worked together and slowly began to build the jurisdiction.
The work continued to grow, and in 1973, one of the clergy under Bishop Stephen, Fr, C. David Luther, together with 3 other men founded a religious order within the jurisdiction, which took the name the Community of the Good Shepherd. That same year, the Church was officially incorporated as the “Holy Catholic Apostolic Church”. The next year, with a Mandate of Election from Bishop Stephen, Fr. Francis Jerome Joachim-Ladd was consecrated as Bishop, with right of succession to Bishop Stephen. +Jerome’s consecration consummated the convergence of the ministries of Archbishop Aftimios and +Dom Carlos of Brazil, as his consecrators stood in apostolic succession to both of these men. The now Bishop Jerome assumed leadership of the jurisdiction in December of 1974, when Bishop Stephen retired from active ministry. Bishop Stephen reposed in Christ in 1979.

Several years later, Bishop Jerome incorporated the National Catholic Apostolic Church of America in the state of Pennsylvania. That same year, the Community of the Good Shepherd officially changed its name to the Servants of the Good Shepherd, (SGS) and Fr. C. David Luther was consecrated as Titular Bishop of Emesa, and Superior General of the Order. The relationship between Bishops Joachim-Ladd and Luther was often stormy. Numerous times the two men would vehemently argue with one another, and the seeds of division and schism were sown early on. In May, 1980, the Church officially adopted the corporate name of the Western Orthodox Church in America.

(N.B.: This is a most important point to keep in mind, and has had a profound impact on the future development of the Church. +Joachim-Ladd was Bishop Stephen’s Successor in leadership of the jurisdiction. +Luther’s election and consecration were as a titular bishop and his only jurisdiction was as the Religious Superior of the Servants of the Good Shepherd, “the training and ordaining arm of WOCA”.)

Not content with slow and steady growth of the jurisdiction, sometime before the middle of 1980, the Servants of the Good Shepherd, under the Omophore of the WOCA, began advertising in the classified section of “The National Enquirer”. The catch phrases of the regularly placed advertisements were, “…become a catholic priest… celibacy optional”. Apparently numerous men wanted to become catholic priests, because the SGS and the WOCA experienced a huge explosion in vocations, and the mail drop “seminary program”, the "Duarte Costa University", incorporated in the state of Missouri in 1979, by +Luther, experienced a huge increase in the number of students.

These men, ‘prepared for the priesthood’ by taking a series of approximately 50 lessons, at a cost of $20 per lesson. These lessons consisted of reading numerous short booklets concerning Orthodox Faith and Practice, published under the name “ O Logos “, and by taking short, fill in the blank and multiple choice tests, which were then graded by one of the leadership, and returned with short comments. The norms established at this time were that when one had completed ten or twelve lessons, one could be placed into Minor Orders, at twenty one could be ordained to the deaconate, and priested upon completion. Although provision was made for those who had received a real theological education to be exempted from this program, it evidently was rarely used, and most of those ordained, “Studied” at DCU. The natural result of this was the ordination of many as Deacons, Priests, even Bishops, who were unqualified and woefully unprepared for anything resembling real ministries in The Church of Jesus Christ.

The growth continued, as did the advertising for Vocations in “The National Enquirer” throughout the early 1980’s. But this growth became most problematic. The Church was not prepared to assimilate this growth, and communications between the leadership and the men in the field, became increasingly difficult. This growth was so amazing that by the time of the first Synod, in February, 1983, it was necessary to consecrate two additional Bishops, and establish a chain of Regional Directors to assist with the administration of the Church. Consequently, Bishop Martin J. Hill was consecrated by Bishops Joachim-Ladd, Luther, and Archbishop Wallace D. Ortega Maxey on 5 February, 1983. The following day, Bishop Raymond E. Hefner was consecrated by +Joachim-Ladd, +Maxey, and +Hill.

 

Part Four: Schism and the Beginnings of Healing

As previously stated, the relationship between Bishops Joachim-Ladd and Luther was often strained, at best. It is reported that often the two would engage in “screaming matches” with one another, and matters would only settle down when an outside mediator would impose a bit of discipline on them both. Within a matter of months of the first Synod in San Francisco, and the consecration of the two new bishops, the rift became irreparable. In June of 1983, Bishops Joachim-Ladd, Hill and Hefner officially separated from Bishop Luther. It is reported that, as Bishop Stephen’s canonical successor, +Joachim-Ladd was to retain leadership of the Church, and +Luther, the leadership of his apostolate, the Servants of the Good Shepherd. This remains a point of contention however, to this day, but there is evidence to help the independent and non-partisan observer make a determination of what is the likeliest scenario.

Although +Luther’s jurisdiction was using the style SGS/WOCA, and although +Luther is credited by some as being a co-founder of WOCA, +Joachim-Ladd, not +Luther, was the canonical successor to Bishop Stephen Corradi-Scarella. +Luther was a only titular bishop, and his only jurisdiction was as Superior General of the SGS. +Joachim-Ladd founded the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America, (CACINA), and Bishop Hill, who remained in Communion with Joachim-Ladd, incorporated the Church in California, as The Western Orthodox Catholic Church in America. On its website, www.cacina.org  CACINA describes the apostolic succession of all of her Bishops as deriving, in part, from the consecration of Bishop Justo Roque Gonzalez Trimino, originally consecrated 26 June, 1983, by “Francis Jerome Joachim-Ladd, Archbishop of Albuquerque, and Primate of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America, assisted by Martin J. Hill of the Western Orthodox Church in America.” From the evidence, on the CACINA website, it seems very likely that +Luther's claim to leadership of the WOCA was spurious, but the net result was to create two independent Synods each claiming the heritage of the Western Orthodox Church in America. This was all to become further muddled in short order.

(N.B.  CACINA also states on her website that the separation between herself and WOCA was amicable and that they recognize that a strong familial relationship still exists between the jurisdictions. It is indeed sad that CACINA has since departed from Orthodox Catholic Faith and Praxis by accepting and authorizing the ordination of women to the priesthood.)

+Luther’s jurisdiction retained the majority of clergy and seminarians, and it continued the advertising campaign, reaching its zenith in the publication in 1984 of a vanity press book by +Luther entitled, “You Can Be a Priest Serving Jesus Christ in the Servants of the Good Shepherd, Religious Order of the Western Orthodox Church in America”. The book sold for $10, and summarized how men could become validly ordained “catholic priests”. The jurisdiction though, deprived of three of its bishops was again faced with the difficulties of administering a growing group without an effective leadership. No explanation for the departure of the other bishops was given. Communications became less and less frequent, and eventually it was again decided that new bishops for +Luther’s jurisdiction needed to be consecrated to relieve the pressure.

Richard Ingram and James F. Mondok were elected to fill the void, and were consecrated in June, 1984, by +Luther, assisted by +Peter Paul Brennan and +Alan Maxwell Bain, of England. But this did not settle the problems. Communications did not improve. Bishop Luther did not make Episcopal Visitations, not even appearing at Provincial and Regional Meetings.  Candidates for ordination had to travel to him for the sacrament, with only Bishop Mondok actively functioning as a Bishop.   In October, 1984, one Regional Director actually had to convene a Provincial Meeting in Florida, to facilitate the ordinations of candidates from New York, Maryland, etc, presided over by Bishop Mondok.

Besides the lack of Episcopal oversight and the dearth of communications, there were other rumblings shallowly under the surface within +Luther’s jurisdiction. It was known that many men were undertaking the training program at DCU, and that Bishop Luther was now running Bingo at the Cathedral Church and many questions were being raised about financial accountabilities. More questions were also being asked about the departure of the three former WOCA bishops and sufficient answers were not forthcoming from Bishop Luther, and the SGS. Outright rebellion was fomenting.

On Christmas Eve, 1984, a special meeting of the Mid Atlantic Region of +Luther’s jurisdiction was convened. The Regional Director, The Very Rev. Denis Garrison presided. After much discussion of the apparent neglect of this region, which had experienced phenomenal growth in the early 1980’s, the clergy and seminarians gathered decided that further attempts at conversation with Bishop Luther were futile and voted to elect Fr, Garrison as their Bishop, and he was advised to seek Episcopal consecration at the earliest possible convenience. In April of 1985 +Garrison was consecrated by Archbishop Francis Ryan, assisted by Bishop Carey Presson, and Bishop Joseph Ofton. Bishop Luther would later respond to this by "excommunicating" +Garrison.

Meanwhile, Bishop Luther was taking a step which would scandalize many both within and outside his jurisdiction. During this same week before Christmas, 1984, +Luther placed advertisements in the local Altoona, PA newspaper announcing that on Christmas Day, the Cathedral Church would be hosting Bingo. As the news of this spread, many members of the SGS denounced this as a failure to provide good order in the Church and believed that it was demonstrative of much of what was wrong in +Luther’s jurisdiction. A provincial meeting was called for the first weekend of February, 1985, to be held in Euclid, Ohio. At this Provincial Meeting, it was decided that a dramatic step must be taken to demonstrate the dissatisfaction that so many were feeling. During a solemn Divine Liturgy, February 3, 1985, it was announced that all members present at the Provincial Meeting, by unanimous action, along with a number of other clergy and seminarians unable to be in attendance, were effective immediately, withdrawing and resigning from the Servants of the Good Shepherd. The papers to this effect specifically stated that none of the signatories were leaving the WOCA, but that henceforth they would no longer be part of the SGS. +Luther’s jurisdiction would later report on their website that on February 4, 1985 Bishop Mondok resigned from the WOCA, but this is, and always has been, categorically untrue. At this Provincial Synod, the further step of electing The Very Rev. James C. Bryan of Des Plaines, IL, as Bishop was taken. This action was deemed to be canonical, because as the only Bishop within the SGS / WOCA with a functioning Diocese, Bishop Mondok ceded part of his geographic Diocese to the newly formed Diocese of Bishop-Elect Bryan, and with the consent of the Provincial Synod issued a Mandate of Election. Bishop-Elect Bryan’s consecration was scheduled to take place in June, 1985, at a Synod to be held in Des Plaines, IL. Bishop Luther was advised in writing of all of these actions. Effectively there were now three Synods claiming to be WOCA; the California jurisdiction of (the now) Archbishop-Metropolitan Martin J. Hill, the Pennsylvania Corporation under Bishop C. David Luther, and the “new” Synod under the leadership of Bishop James F. Mondok and bishop-Elect James C. Bryan, which was incorporated in the states of Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota.

The election of Bryan had a profound effect on WOCA. In the person of the new Bishop-Elect, WOCA had elevated a man who actually possessed an earned ATS accredited Theological Degree and the reforms were swift and wide-ranging. (+Bryan went on to earn a Doctor of Ministry degree from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN.) Because Duarte Costa University was owned and operated by +Luther’s jurisdiction, all affiliation with it was immediately terminated, and a new, study program was developed. Before any more men would be ordained they would have to complete a series of subject challenges in the fields of Scripture, Church, History, Sacramental Theology, Liturgical Practice, and Pastoral Care and Counseling. Fees for the study program were eliminated, and a draft set of Canons were created for the jurisdiction. All of these changes were approved at the June Synod. During the Synod, a Concordat of Intercommunion was signed with the Ecumenical Orthodox Church, under the leadership of Bishop Denis Garrison. On 16 June, 1985, James C. Bryan was consecrated by +James F. Mondok, Charles Voelker, and Rob St. Emeris King.

While these events were playing out in the SGS / WOCA, Metropolitan Hill was moving in a different direction with his California based jurisdiction. +Hill’s jurisdiction subsumed another small group which stood in succession to both Archbishop Aftimios and Bishop Corradi-Scarella, the American Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church, then under the leadership of Bishop Martin de Porres, and contacts were established between +Hill and Patriarch Andre Barbeau of the Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada, which led to a Concordat of Intercommunion. As a part of this Intercommunion, Bishops of the Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada participated in Episcopal consecrations along with Metropolitan Hill and Bishop de Porres, for both jurisdictions. One such consecration which would have future ramifications was that of Archbishop Robert J. Ostlie, who was consecrated in September, 1984 by Met. Hill, Bishop de Porres and four bishops of the Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada, (CCCC).

Serendipitously perhaps, one of +Ostlie’s co-consecrators (Bishop King) was also an old friend of Bishop-Elect Bryan, and he was invited to serve as one of the co-consecrators for Bryan. This contact placed the “new” Synod back into communication with Metropolitan’s Hill’s jurisdiction and through a series of Concordats, Intercommunion was established between +Hill’s jurisdiction, the CCCC, and the WOCA Synod under the leadership of Mondok and Bryan. Several Bishops of these three jurisdictions held seats on each other’s Synods, and a short-lived period of healing, reconciliation, and stability began.

Over the course of the next several months, the reforms were implemented, and each of the Dioceses of the Mondok-Bryan Synod of WOCA held Diocesan Conventions and established Diocesan Canons. In Bishop Bryan’s Diocese, and at the instigation of +Bryan, the first draft of the Canons was undertaken by Deacon Randolph Brown, who also hosted the Diocesan Convention in Minneapolis, MN, 4-6 October, 1985. During the Convention, Deacon Brown was ordained priest by Bishop Bryan, assisted by Bishop Alan Bain of England. (Fr. Brown was the first priest in this Synod of WOCA to have to complete the newly imposed Study Program.) After the Diocesan Canons were approved, the major work of the Convention was to impose financial accountabilities, prohibit any form of gambling by clergy and missions of the Diocese, impose a requirement for quarterly activity reports on the clergy, and simply to get to know one another better and establish better lines of communication. The actions of this Diocesan Convention were to have unexpected results in the near future.

The second national Synod was held in Euclid, OH, in June, 1986, and it was not so harmonious as the first. At the beginning of the Synod, Bishop Mondok announced that for personal reasons, he needed to take a year long sabbatical from active ministry, and that he was placing himself under the spiritual direction of Bishop Bryan for this time period. It was further announced that Bishops Voelker and King were removing themselves from the Synod of Bishops, and that several priests who had affiliated with this Synod had returned to the SGS, as a result of the agreement that had been signed with ICAB. Although the Concordats of Intercommunion approved the preceding year were not affected by any of these actions, this effectively left Bishop Bryan as the only active Bishop of the Synod. Ultimately these events would prove to be most troublesome.

Over the next months Bishop Bryan began dealing more monarchically with the clergy of the Synod. In April, 1987, during Holy Week, he suspended of a priest of his Diocese for failure to submit the required quarterly report on a timely basis. The terms of the suspension specifically prohibited the priest from celebrating Holy Week Services for his Mission Parish. There were two serious canonical defects with this suspension, however. The first was that the Diocesan Canons specified precisely when these reports were due. Bishop Bryan, in a sidebar in the Diocesan Newsletter, arbitrarily moved the date up a week so that the reporting requirement "would not interfere with Holy Week activities". The second defect was that the suspension failed to follow due process for canonical suspension that the Diocesan Canons required. The priest in question, standing firmly on the Canons, rejected the suspension as canonically null and void, and celebrated all the Liturgies of Holy Week and Pascha with his congregation, after first notifying Bishop Bryan by Certified Mail of his actions.

On Pascha Monday, Bishop Bryan phoned this priest and admitted that the priest had indeed complied with the Canons. His quarterly Report was received by the canonical deadline. He further admitted that the suspension failed to follow canonical process, apologized, and stated that the suspension was indeed null and void. It was however, according to the testimony of the priest, obvious that Bishop Bryan was angry about this “disobedience” and that he was further angered by being held accountable to the very Canons which he had insisted were necessary for the Good Faith and Order of the Diocese. All was not well. (This episode is reported from the personal knowledge of the author, who was, and is, privy to both sides of the dispute.)

During this same time period, a problem developed in the relationship between Bishops Mondok and Bryan. While voluntarily under the spiritual direction of +Bryan, +Mondok married, without the knowledge or consent of +Bryan. Bishop Bryan felt this was a violation of trust and a failure to follow the agreement in place between the two of them, and heated arguments between the two men ensued. This resulted in a mutual decision to dissolve all ties between them. Approximately ten days after Pascha, 1987 it was announced that the Synod of Bishops would be dissolved and that all clergy were thereby released from all canonical obedience and free to choose where to go and with whom to seek affiliation. Some clergy remained with +Bryan. Several returned to the SGS, and a number of clergy stayed with +Mondok. The people and clergy of WOCA of Minnesota however, took a different course. Having witnessed so much of what went on, WOCA of Minnesota made the informed decision to continue to function, as is, under the existent Canons and Constitutions, Fr. Randolph Brown, acting as locum tenens.

Effectively there were now five Synods which claimed the heritage of WOCA, although Bishop Bryan made the decision to drop the “in America” and simply refer to his jurisdiction as the Western Orthodox Church. Truly this was a sad situation, but it was not destined to last for long. Following the death of three of his clergy, and the resignations of at least two others, Bishop Bryan dissolved his jurisdiction, and effected a personal reconciliation with Bishop Luther. Although the precise date is unknown, sometime before 25 November, 1989, Bishop Bryan was accepted back into +Luther’s jurisdiction and styled as the “Bishop in Des Plaines”.

The casual observer might think that +Luther’s jurisdiction was achieving something close to “victory” in this competition, but such was not to be the case. +Bryan’s reconciliation with the SGS lasted a very short time indeed; perhaps only long enough to enable him to serve as the chief consecrator in November, 1989, for another new bishop for +Luther's jurisdiction, Bishop Paul Diederich. In any event, from the author’s personal knowledge, +Bryan eventually renounced his Episcopal Orders, and was re-ordained (de novo) to the priesthood in the now defunct, “Mercian Orthodox Church”. At last report, +Bryan had officially renounced his Orders completely and is now a lay communicant of ECUSA.

 

Part Five: Troubled Waters

1985 dawned with an interesting development for Bishop Luther and the SGS. On 1 January, a Concordat between Bishop Luther and Dom Luis Fernando Castillo-Mendez (now the direct successor of Dom Duarte Costa as Patriarch of ICAB) was signed in Brazil, bringing the SGS / WOCA jurisdiction into Communion with, and under the Omophore of ICAB. The relationship with ICAB lasted for several years and in June, 1988, Dom Luis, together with several other bishops of ICAB traveled to the United States to attend a Synod Meeting in Altoona, PA and during this Synod, Dom Luis and the Bishops of ICAB consecrated Patrick Cronin, Claude Baron, (both de novo) and Bishop Richard Ingram was re-consecrated sub-conditione, to assure the direct succession to Dom Carlos. Somewhat interestingly, Bishop Luther himself was not so consecrated.

While it might be thought that this new affiliation with ICAB would bring peace and stability to the SGS / WOCA, such was not the case. Before the end of November, 1988, both of the newly consecrated Bishops, Cronin and Baron, resigned from WOCA and went into schism. No explanation for their resignations has ever been published, but private conversations with some of the principles involved and developments that would take place over the next several years (from the time of these events) would shed some light on the matter. The resignations of Bishops Cronin and Baron were not the only difficulties to beset +Luther’s jurisdiction however. Additional shockwaves were to follow closely behind the preceding events.

An archived web page from +Luther’s jurisdiction reports that on10 September, 1989, “Paul W. Seese, Donald W. Saint Peters and Charles Ingram were consecrated without the knowledge of the Synod by Bishop Richard Ingram in Hobart, Indiana.” This does not quite tell the entire story of what transpired, however. +Richard Ingram did indeed consecrate Seese, Saint Peters, and his brother, Charles (Gorazd) Ingram as bishops on this date, but he was assisted by Bishop Patrick Cronin, (who had resigned from +Luther’s jurisdiction the previous year), and by Bishop Timothy Browning. The archived website from +Luther’s jurisdiction further reports that within at most, three weeks, Bishops Seese and Saint Peters were reconciled with Luther, but that the two +Ingram brothers resigned and founded what was until recently known as the “Apostolic Orthodox Catholic Church” (AOCC), headquartered in Glendale, California.

In personal discussions and from written correspondence with several former clergy of the AOCC, the author has surmised that the reason for +Ingram’s action was part of a protest to what was perceived as the growing problem of +Luther’s jurisdiction ordaining and consecrating openly gay priests and bishops. Bishops Seese and Saint Peters were apparently never meant to be consecrated for +Luther’s jurisdiction, but rather for the AOCC. When the two newly consecrated Bishops reconciled with +Luther, this arrangement was voided, and several months later (January, 1990) they assisted Bishop Diederich in consecrating yet another Bishop, Michael Coburn, for +Luther’s jurisdiction. This consecration did not put matters to rest though.

Although the precise details remain unclear, the relationship between ICAB and +Luther’s SGS / WOCA was short-lived. Sometime before Holy Cross Day, 14 September, 1990, Patriarch Dom Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez, the immediate and direct successor of +Carlos Duarte Costa, as Patriarch of ICAB, withdrew from the Concordats that had been signed with +Luther.

There is a report that much more than this happened however. It is said that in his Office as Patriarch, Dom Luis initiated a formal investigation into what had transpired within the SGS / WOCA jurisdiction during the years 1983-85. If this report is accurate, then the conclusions were quite remarkable. It is said that he determined, with the assent of the Holy Synod of ICAB, that +Luther’s lack of communication with the members, and refusal to make Episcopal Visitations were sufficient grounds to declare that +Luther had abandoned his jurisdiction and had effectively deposed himself from the clerical estate. Consequently, the election and consecration of +Denis Garrison (and by logical extension, the election and consecration of +James Bryan) were both valid and canonical. Further, the report states that +Luther’s "excommunication" of +Garrison was declared null and void from the outset, and the Corcordats between ICAB and +Luther’s jurisdiction were abrogated for cause.

Some former members of SGS / WOCA are wont to dispute the veracity of the above report. But, +Luther’s jurisdiction has apparently, never published an explanation, of what happened between them and ICAB, and there is considerable circumstantial evidence that the above is true:

• the Concordats between the SGS / WOCA and ICAB were abrogated
• In the year 1990, ICAB signed Concordats with the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America (CACINA), under their Primate, +Jerome Joachim-Ladd, and CACINA became the officially recognized arm of ICAB in the United States
• Archbishop Denis Garrison, along with two other bishops from his Synod, on 22 September, 1990, served as co-consecrators for Donald Jeremiah Buttenbusch, as Auxiliary Bishop of New York and Vicar to Metropolitan Justo Roque Gonzalez Trimino, of CACINA
• In December 1990, Archbishop Denis Garrison concelebrated Pontifical Divine Liturgy, in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit and of Our Lady of Charity in New York City, with Brazilian Patriarch Dom Luis Fernando Castillo-Mendez, Abp. Francis Jerome Joachim-Ladd (then retiring as Primate of CACINA) , Abp. Justo Roque Gonzalez-Trimino (then the incoming Primate of CACINA), and Bishop Donald J. Buttenbusch

If +Garrison’s election and consecration remained in dispute, or if his excommunication by +Luther had not been declared null and void, he and the members of his Synod, could not have participated in the consecration of Buttenbusch. Nor could +Garrison and the bishops of CACINA and ICAB concelebrate the Liturgy together. Therefore something extraordinary happened concerning the relationship between +Luther and ICAB, and the above story would certainly fit all of the known facts.

In any event, the turmoil in +Luther’s jurisdiction did not end with the repudiation by ICAB. At an SGS / WOCA Synod held in Minneapolis, in August, 1990, Fr. George Bussman was consecrated Bishop. Sometime that same year, Bishop Saint Peters resigned. His resignation was soon followed in 1991 by the death of Bishop Coburn, the resignation of Bishop Seese, and the forced expulsion of +Bussman from the Synod of Bishops. Until 1995, +Luther and +Diederich were all that was left of the Synod of Bishops. 

Part Six: Like A Bridge, Sort of…

The departure of Bishop Bryan did not signal the end of the Mondok-Bryan Synod of WOCA. Metropolitan Martin Hill’s California based jurisdiction, the Western Orthodox Catholic Church in America, and the Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada continued to recognize Bishop Mondok as a true representative of WOCA, and based on the Intercommunions that were signed, aided him in rebuilding the Synod of Bishops. By decree, Bishop Mondok was raised to the Archiepiscopal dignity, and in January, 1988, two Archbishops of the CCCC, +Walter Allard, Archbishop of Vancouver and +Ray Renville, Primate of the United States, assisted in the consecration of Michael Hembree. In February of that same year, +Allard, and +Hembree assisted Mondok in consecrating Frank (Vandy) Vandeventer. Later in 1988, Archbishop Robert J. Ostlie, (previously mentioned) was translated to Cleveland, OH, and named Archbishop of the Midwest. In May of the following year, Archbishops Mondok and Ostlie, together with Bishops Vandeventer and Hembree consecrated Marc Keplar, and the Synod entered a period of quiet and continued slow and steady growth. Over the next several years, the Synod was to see the composition of a new Sacramentary, and a revised study program. Relations with the CCCC remained good and there was much interchange between them. There were, of course, several small “buts…” to this time of peace in +Mondok’s jurisdiction. One of these occurred at a Synod in 1989, where it was decided to change the name of the jurisdiction from the WOCA to Christ Catholic Orthodox Church (CCOC). Both the Ohio and Michigan corporations filed for, and were granted legal name changes.

The second small difficulty occurred as a result of a problem within Metropolitan Hill’s jurisdiction. A schism rent the jurisdiction and Archbishop Martin de Porres withdrew his jurisdiction from Communion with +Hill, in 1990. This schism created “a bit of a sticky wicket” for +Mondok’s jurisdiction, because while +de Porres broke Communion with +Hill, he remained in Communion with the CCCC. Not wanting to take sides in the dispute however, seemingly had the effect of siding with +de Porres. All contacts with +Hill and his jurisdiction ceased, though the Concordats were apparently never officially dissolved. Over the years, repeated attempts have been initiated to reestablish these ties, but nothing has yet come of this. There have been reports that Metropolitan Hill has since reposed in Christ, but they remain unconfirmed, and there is no known apostolic ministry from the jurisdiction. All that is known for certain is that the California corporation which +Hill began in 1983, remains active and in good standing in the State of California, and the recorded agent of service is the man who once served as the Metropolitan’s Chancellor.

Nevertheless, in spite of these “small hiccups”, WOCA of Minnesota, which had remained out of the fray, (yet maintained contact with +Mondok’s jurisdiction), began to reevaluate her position. Over the years, Fr. Randolph Brown, the locum tenens, had received multiple offers of consecration, but had repeatedly refused because of the instability of so many jurisdictions. Seeing the relative peacefulness of the situation in +Mondok’s jurisdiction however, the clergy and people of WOCA of Minnesota felt sufficiently secure to reenter Communion and in 1992 joined as a constituent member of the CCOC. In acknowledgement of his years of service as a priest and as locum tenens, Fr. Randolph Brown was elevated to the dignity of a Mitered Archpriest. Further, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by St. Seraphim’s Institute, the training arm of the CCOC, and was appointed as Assistant (Chancellor) to the Archbishop of the Midwest, +Robert J. Ostlie. These two men were to become fast friends and brothers; a relationship which continues to this day.

Not quite all was well, however. While attending a Synod in Cleveland, OH, in August, 1994, a discussion arose between Archbishop Ostlie, Bishop Keplar, Fr, Brown, and a seminarian present for the Synod. The subject matter was the correct formulation of Christology concerning the Deity of Christ. It soon turned into a heated exchange between Bishop Keplar and Fr. Brown. +Keplar was unwilling to state that the person of Jesus of Nazareth was God. He would only admit that Jesus was the Son of God. Fr. Brown corrected the Bishop by stating that the Apostle Thomas quoted in St. John’s Gospel, the Ecumenical Councils and the Creed had settled the matter, by declaring that Jesus was “True God from True God”, and that anything short of total acceptance of the formulary of Nicea-Constantinople was heterodox. The conversation was continued at great length, with no resolution. Afterwards and privately Fr. Brown spoke with Archbishop Ostlie and expressed grave doubts concerning +Keplar’s Orthodoxy. +Ostlie promised that he would investigate the matter further.

Nothing more was said about the matter during the Synod. On 17 September, 1994, Fr. Brown received a conference call from Archbishops Mondok and Ostlie, however. He was informed that Bishops Keplar and Hembree had been removed from the Synod, for cause, and that the Holy Synod had voted that day to elect him as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of the Midwest, and had elected The Very Rev. Ronald Feister of Columbus, OH, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of the South. Knowing full well the ramifications of being an Auxiliary Bishop however, Fr. Brown informed the Synod, that he could not and would not accept election unless he was given jurisdiction. The Synod considered this and voted to elect Fr. Brown as Bishop of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, a Suffragan Diocese of the Midwest Archdiocese and he accepted. Bishop-Elect Brown’s refusal to accept election without jurisdiction would prove to be quite fortuitous, perhaps even prophetic of what was to come.

It was decided that since Archbishop Ostlie was making a Visitation to Minneapolis the next month to preside at an Ordination Liturgy, that the Mandate of Election would be delivered then. The Mandate of Election was signed and sealed by Archbishops James Mondok and Robert Ostlie, and was officially published and proclaimed on 15 October, at the conclusion of the Ordination Liturgy that day. After discussions regarding the consecrations of Bishops-Elect Brown and Feister, it was decided that they would take place in September, 1995, at the regularly scheduled Synod to be held in Columbus, OH.

The Synod convened 1-3 September, 1995. Discussions centered on vocation development, ministry building, fund-raising, and whether it was advisable for the CCOC to follow the lead of jurisdictions such as CACINA and accept the ordination of women to the priesthood. Several alternatives for increasing vocations and building new ministries were discussed, and a unanimous vote of the Synod affirmed traditional Orthodox Praxis concerning the ordination of women; only an Ecumenical Council of the Church could open the priesthood to women. On Saturday, 2 September, 1995 Ronald Feister was consecrated as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of the South, by +Mondok, +Vandeventer, and +Ostlie. He then joined those three Hierarchs in consecrating Randolph Brown as Bishop of the Diocese of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest Following an Ordination Liturgy the next day, presided over by the two new Bishops, the remainder of the Synod was devoted to fellowship and further discussion of ministry building. The Synod officially adjourned late that afternoon and the participants went their own ways, in more ways than simply returning home… 

Part Seven: Yet Again…

Exact dates are unknown, but sometime in October, 1995, in defiance of the Synod, Archbishops Mondok and Vandeventer surreptitiously ordained each other’s wives as priests. Nothing was said concerning this to +Ostlie, +Feister, and +Brown, and until Holy Week, 1996, none of these members of the Synod were aware that this breach of Faith and Praxis has occurred. Archbishop Ostlie discovered the truth concerning the illicit (and invalid) ordinations when +Vandeventer’s wife appeared at and attempted to participate according to order at the Chrism Mass on 4 April, 1996. As the Metropolitan, Archbishop Ostlie had been invited to travel to Minneapolis on 7 April for the celebration of Holy Pascha and the Ordination of a new Deacon. So as to not diminish the festivities of the Day, Archbishop Ostlie did not say anything until the celebration was complete, and he and Bishop Brown had time and the ability to confer at length, privately. He then revealed what he had learned.

The next day, Bishop Feister was apprised of what had happened, and over the next several days Archbishop Ostlie, and Bishops Brown and Feister apprised all clergy and Missions of the Synod of what has transpired. Reaction was unanimous in opposition to what +Mondok and +Vandeventer had done. At this time, Archbishop Ostlie rented his home in Cleveland from +Mondok, and was quite concerned for the safety of his home and property. For practical reasons, nothing was said to Archbishops Mondok and Vandeventer until +Ostlie could locate a new residence.

By 15 April +Ostlie had moved into a new residence, and via a conference call, Archbishop Mondok was confronted about the ordinations by +Brown and +Ostlie. This was coordinated with +Feister, who made an in person visit to confront +Vandeventer, while the conference call was being made. Both +Mondok and +Vandeventer reacted angrily to being questioned. +Mondok refused to acknowledge that the Canons were applicable to him and is quoted as saying, “I’m the Patriarch and the Canons say what I say they mean.” He further stated that the Synod had no authority to question any of his decisions. +Vandeventer, when confronted by +Feister told his Auxiliary Bishop that he was trespassing and told him to leave his property immediately and never return. Over the next several days, with the certain knowledge of official deposition and excommunication hanging over them, +Mondok, and +Vandeventer relented a bit. During a follow-up conference call, with the other three Bishops, +Mondok speaking for himself and +Vandeventer, made the following offer: “You three give up all right, claim, and title, in perpetuity, to Christ Catholic Orthodox Church, and we will canonically release all clergy, except for ourselves and our wives, to Bishop Brown.”

(+Brown was not only a Bishop with jurisdiction, but also held an active corporate charter, “The Western Orthodox Church in America, of Minnesota, Inc.”, with a Constitution and Canons already in place. By initially refusing Election as an Auxiliary Bishop and by maintaining the active corporate charter of WOCA of Minnesota, +Brown had effectively insured himself and his people against the possibility [inevitability?] of just such a situation. +Mondok would later compliment +Brown for having been prudent.)

After a short private discussion +Ostlie, +Feister, and +Brown, agreed to the terms +Mondok offered. They believed that there was no need to officially depose and excommunicate the other two, since by their actions they had already, in fact, done so to themselves. In an exchange of faxes, signed and sealed, by all concerned, (and followed up by original documents delivered by post), the terms of the agreement were put into effect. WOCA of Minnesota formally withdrew from the CCOC, and all of the clergy of the CCOC, (except for +Mondok, +Vandeventer and their wives) were excardinated to the jurisdiction of Bishop Brown and the Diocese of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, Western Orthodox Church in America, of Minnesota, Inc. Having lost all credibility as Orthodox Hierarchs, +Mondok and +Vandeventer effectively retired from all activities. The CCOC Corporation was cancelled by the State of Ohio for failure to file the required Statement of Continued Existence, in August, 2003.  

Part Eight: The Beginning of the End

The published history of the SGS / WOCA jurisdiction says very little of what transpired after the traumatic events of 1990-91. A Synodal Meeting was held in Seattle, in 1992, but no further Synods were held until 1997. Two Bishops were consecrated for the jurisdiction, +Christopher Fitzpatrick in November, 1995, and Nickolas Careone in October, 1996, but it is unknown who issued the Mandates of Election. (It is interesting to note that +Careone incorporated “The Western Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of California” on 29 June, 1995, more than fifteen months before his consecration.) Although there was something of a mild resurgence within the jurisdiction in 1997, characterized by the birth of a Monastic Community, the formation of a well composed and widely publicized website, and the last Synodal Meeting of the jurisdiction, this was a period of extensive decline. The advertising campaign was discontinued, vocations dwindled, and the number of clergy and ministries within the jurisdiction shrank dramatically. In 1999 Bishop Fitzpatrick resigned.

Sometime in 1997 or 1998, due to increasingly poor health, Bishop Luther turned over administration of the jurisdiction to the other members of his Synod of Bishops, but remained as Superior General of the SGS. He retired to a monastery and died in January of 2000. It appears that no successor as Superior General of the SGS was ever appointed. +Luther’s death all but sealed the demise of the jurisdiction. +Diederich and +Careone reportedly consecrated another Bishop, but no solid evidence of any such consecration has been unearthed. What is known is that +Diederich eventually resigned and moved to another jurisdiction, leaving +Careone as the only remaining Bishop, and that he effectively shut down the jurisdiction. Clergy who remained were abandoned and many of them have reported that there has been no contact with him since 2001. The website owned by the Diocese of California has not been updated since September, 2001, and nothing of it remains, except in Archive, and as a parked site with an “Under Construction” notice posted for visitors. The corporation itself has been suspended by the California Franchise Tax Board, and +Luther’s own Pennsylvania Corporation has not filed an Annual Report with the state since March, 2000. 

Part Nine: Peace at the Last

When WOCA of Minnesota withdrew as a member jurisdiction of the CCOC, it finally entered into a period of peace and stability. The three remaining Bishops agreed that the jurisdiction would continue under the name, corporate charter, and Canons of WOCA of Minnesota, and in May of 1996, WOCA was re-incorporated in the State of Ohio by Bishop Feister. A Synod of Bishops meeting was held in Minneapolis in October. Present were Archbishops Ostlie and Walter Allard of the Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada, (assuring that the Concordats of Intercommunion were still recognized as operative), and Bishops Feister and Brown. During this Synod, a number of actions were taken. The Canons of WOCA of Minnesota (the same canons originally approved at the first Synod of the Mondok-Bryan WOCA Synod in 1985) were determined to be operative for the entire jurisdiction. Archbishop Allard was appointed by the Synod to be the temporary representative of WOCA in Western Canada, and +Allard and +Ostlie (for the sake of equality) raised Bishops Feister and Brown to the Archiepiscopal dignity. Several new Dioceses were erected; +Ostlie being made Archbishop of the North (including Canada), +Feister was made Archbishop of the Mideast, and +Brown was confirmed as Archbishop of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. +Brown excardinated those clergy not originally part of his Diocese to the appropriate Bishops Ordinary, and a moratorium on consecrations was initiated within the jurisdiction, which holds to the present day.

The jurisdiction began the process of maturation, and focused primarily on improving the credentials and skills of her clergy. A completely revised study program for the Church has been initiated, with the additional requirement for continuing clerical education having been implemented. A full revision of the Sacramentary has been completed, and an official web presence was begun in late 2003. As they have been located, former clergy of the other WOCA Synods have been contacted and some, but not all, have been brought under the omophore of WOCA, of Minnesota and Ohio. New clergy and ministries have come into the jurisdiction and it continues on a pattern of slow and manageable growth. The most recent developments within the jurisdiction have been the acceptance of a new set of administrative canons, and the opening of fraternal relations with Metropolitan Karl Barwin and the Evangelical Catholic Church which he leads.

WOCA, the Western Orthodox Church in America, is still a work in progress. She has not yet reached the Promised Land, but she has come out of bondage. Although she is far smaller than she once was, she has also managed to shed much of the chaff which diminished her and disillusioned so many in the past. There is but one Synod which remains active, that of Minnesota-Ohio. Her people and clergy are dedicated to building real ministries and Missions and to work for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. She is firmly committed to the vision of, and is struggling to become, that which Patriarch Tikhon and Archbishop Aftimios dreamed of so many years ago; a truly American Orthodox Church. She is now firmly established on a solid foundation of the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, the chief cornerstone being Jesus Christ, Himself, and she extends her heart and the right hand of fellowship to all who would join her in proclaiming the fullness of the Gospel to the world.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Can a church be both Orthodox and Catholic?

Put simply, the answer is, "Yes." In order to achieve a greater understanding of this response, let us first examine the word catholic:

As a common adjective, its dictionary meaning is, "universal - as in having broad application, interest, and value." In this sense, our church is certainly catholic because our mission is to bring the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ to all people.

It is used with a capital "C" to distinguish churches of traditional Christian practices and beliefs from "reformed" or Protestant churches. In this sense, also, our church is Catholic, as it is able to bring God and mankind together within the traditional contexts of priestly ministry, the sacraments, use of holy images (icons), reverence for the saints and a rich liturgical heritage.

As many non-Catholics use the word, it suggests such things as people who say, "Go to Mass or Divine Liturgy" instead of, "Go to church," fasting or abstaining from meat at certain times, highly developed liturgical garments, going to church regularly, having religious pictures (icons), statues, candles, or crucifixes around one’s home, etc. That is us! If this seems unusual to some, it is just that they are unacquainted with the breadth of Christian tradition, because this is nothing more than very "old-fashioned" Christianity in modern day practice.

In the way that Catholics use the word, it means the church which was instituted by Christ through the instructions He gave to His apostles- that same church which was guided by the Holy Spirit, and through which the presence of Christ on earth is made manifest and revealed to mankind. In short they mean the church which is described in the Nicene Creed as, "the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church." In the East it is usual to apply the word Catholic to the Church, as such. In the West however, it is also commonly used to indicate the people who belong to that Church. We definitely mean these same things when we describe ourselves and our church as Catholic.

 

Is it not confusing to say Orthodox also?
Why not just call yourselves Catholic and leave it at that?

Such a question reveals a common misconception that the words Orthodox and Catholic are mutually exclusive. Originally, at least part of the confusion stemmed from the fact that, in traditional usage, the word catholic (universal) was used to describe the Church of the true faith, and the word orthodox (correct worship or belief) was used to designate the People of the true faith.

Looking at it this way, one can see readily that the two words do indeed go together beautifully. Over the centuries, however, as the church came to be divided by unfortunate differences in language and art, by geographic and political factors, and by the evolution and growth of different liturgical practices and ecclesiastical disciplines; those Christians who resisted the innovations of the western or Roman pattern (mandatory celibacy of clergy, additions to the Nicene Creed, etc.) came to be referred to as Eastern or Orthodox.

Eventually, it became customary to refer to the churches and Christians who looked directly to the patriarch of Rome (the Pope) as their exclusive religious leader as being Catholic, and to refer to the churches and Christians who looked for leadership from the other four original Patriarchates as being Orthodox.

In modern usage, the term commonly denotes the predominant Christian Churches of Eastern Europe, Western Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa. These Churches conform to the traditional Christian Faith as formulated by the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the "Undivided Church." This usage of the word Orthodox includes all those who recognize the leadership and teaching of the Patriarchs of Constantinople (in Istanbul), Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem- as well as the independent churches of Greece, Russia, etc., which agree in essential matters of doctrine and tradition.

In all these senses, we, also, are Orthodox. Note however, that most Orthodox Christians may be correctly referred to as Eastern. By contrast, we are not Eastern. We are Western.

 

What are your beliefs regarding the Bible?

Our Church is a Scriptural Church. We hold the Bible to be, after the Incarnation itself, the pre-eminent expression of God’s revelation to humanity, given by Him to the church for the benefit of all. We also recognize that, to a certain degree, the Bible has been influenced and shaped by the life of the Church. The people of God (the Church) wrote the scriptures under divine inspiration and the Church, under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit,  decided which writings were so inspired and thus constitute genuine scripture.

The Sacred Scriptures are used in all our expressions of public worship, and the faithful read and study the Bible as a means of edification and sanctification.

 

What is Sacred Tradition?

As guidance in those matters not explicitly and definitively detailed in the Bible, we revere and follow the dictates of the fullness of Sacred Tradition, which contains and surrounds the Bible itself. These teachings are presented to us in the decrees and pronouncements of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, especially in our Creed, in the writings of the orthodox Fathers of the Church, in the lives of the Saints, in the pious practices of our spiritual forbearers, and in our whole system of doctrine, governance, discipline, worship, and art. We believe Sacred Tradition to be a living, continuing encounter with Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Despite a tendency for some to view it as a stoic, unresponsive kind of cultural monolith, Sacred Tradition is actually and factually dynamic. It is a divinely-inspired articulation of human understandings of God’s wishes for the conduct and function of the Church. Inasmuch as development, language, and intelligence in human experience are dynamic, Sacred Tradition is constantly reactive and responsive to God’s guidance as best we understand it. Accordingly, the Sacred Tradition is often expressed in forms which may seem new, but are in fact only continuations of growth and expression which serve the always present needs of humanity, and derive from the same divine instructions. We have confidence in this source of teaching because Christ has promised us this guidance:

"When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13)

 

What is Liturgy?

The literal meaning of liturgy is, "The action of the people." Liturgies are the church’s prescribed forms of worship, within which the people of God may give witness to their faith and the Church may present formal teaching to the people. Certainly all the Sacraments have liturgical aspects, but what most Catholics first think of when they hear the word "liturgy" is the Divine (Holy) Liturgy- the Mass. the Mass is the central prayer of the Church. It is through the celebration of the Mass that we may most readily unite ourselves to, and achieve vital contact with the Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross... intentionally through our desire and actually through receiving the Holy Eucharist.

Through the Mass and Holy Communion, we experience the ultimate unity which is meant by the expression, "The Body of Christ." This expression has been used throughout all of Christendom both to describe the real presence of Christ in the elements of the Eucharist and to describe the Church itself. As one of the Fathers of the Church most especially revered by Orthodox Christians puts it:

"We are that very Body. For what is this ‘bread?’ The Body of Christ. What therefore do those communicating become? The Body of Christ... not many bodies, but one Body.
For as one bread is formed from many grains... so we are joined together with one another and with Christ." - St. John Chrysostom (Homily on I Corinthians 24:2)

We celebrate the other sacraments also: Baptism, Confirmation (Chrismation), Confession (Reconciliation), Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. At each of these occasions Scripture is proclaimed, outward signs give witness to the way we live our faith, and we encounter the Risen Christ in the midst of His Church..

The Mass, which is the usual setting for the Holy Eucharist, is celebrated on Sundays and designated Holy days. It may be celebrated more often, even daily, if the opportunity and pastoral considerations so dictate. The other sacraments are celebrated in accordance with the needs of the people, usually also within the celebration of the Mass.

 

What do you mean when you say that you are Western?

The word Western, as used in a cultural sense, refers generally to that which is derived from contact with speakers of the Teutonic or Romance language families. In the ecclesiastical sense, the word refers to the predominant and distinctive features of the religious practices and traditions of these same people.

We are, in both senses, Westerners. We speak Western Languages, we live in the Americas, and the predominant religious influences which surround us are inherited from the "western" Catholic Church - either directly, or through the reformation traditions of Protestantism. Our literature, drama, art, food, laws, and social institutions all proclaim it. It matters little that our parents or grandparents were Lebanese, Russian, or Chinese. We, here and now, are Westerners.

As such, we feel as special affinity for Western forms of liturgical expression, music, vestments, vocabulary, and church art. We exhibit this in our liturgical practices.

The seemingly "new" element in our church is indicated by the combination of the words Western and Orthodox. Our church energetically preserves the principles and teachings of historical Orthodox Christianity, while presenting itself in forms familiar to Western culture, as was true in the early Undivided Church.

In summary, when we say that we are Western Orthodox Catholic Christians, we mean that we are members of the historical Catholic church instituted by Christ, that we profess and follow the fullness of the tenets of the ancient Christian faith as presented in Holy Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Seven Ecumenical Councils, and the expression of our faith is in Western languages and Western liturgical forms.

Thus, visitors who may expect, because we are Orthodox, to experience exotic art, language, or forms of liturgy, may be surprised. Roman Catholics may feel they are visiting a traditional Roman Catholic Parish. High-Church Episcopalians, Anglican-Catholics, Lutherans of traditional orientation, and many others will find our liturgical expression quite familiar.

Persons raised in Eastern Orthodoxy who have adopted Western ways will find the comfort of true Orthodox teaching and practice within an expression consonant with their cultural adaptation. This can be particularly welcome to their children, who may be uncomfortable with Eastern Church forms.

 

Where do you fit in as far as Protestants are concerned?

Protestants are the spiritual descendants of Roman Catholics who sought to reform the Roman church, to change its doctrines in many cases, and to rid it of many of the same innovations which played an important part in the split between Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church. Orthodoxy, which was largely confined to the East, retained its traditional practices and has little need for and limited knowledge of the reformation of Protestantism.

As early as 1573, however, some high-level contact was made between the leaders of the Orthodox and the Lutherans. To this day, the letters of Jeremias II, the then-Patriarch of Constantinople are revered as clear evidence of our Church’s adherence to traditional teachings with respect to such subjects as Free Will and Grace, Scripture and Tradition, the Seven Sacraments, Prayers for the Dead, and Prayers for the Intercession of Saints.

Over the centuries, relations between Orthodox Catholics and Protestants have been, and remain, courteous. We admire them for their courage, witness of Christ, and biblical scholarship, but we are Catholics not Protestants. We are not able to limit or abolish the Sacraments, reject the concept of an historically continuous ordained priesthood, or abandon our liturgical heritage.

 

What are the various roles in your church of the Bible, Sacraments, Mass, Priests, Bishops, and so on?

If we were to present our church using the analogy of a school, we would identify Tradition as our Curriculum, the Bible as our textbook, the Liturgy (Mass) our classroom, Priests as our teachers, and the Bishop as our Dean of Studies and Principal.

The "proper" minister of all these sacramental liturgies is the Bishop, although in practical application, an ordained priest, (or a deacon) may act on his behalf.

 

Are your priests just like Roman Catholic priests?

In all essential matters, "Yes." They are men who wish to bring God’s love to others in the message and love of Jesus Christ. They have received the sacrament of Holy Orders and the responsibilities and authority of priestly office. Specifically, they were ordained by a bishop who stands in an unbroken line of succession back to the first bishops of the church- the Apostles- who, in turn, received their Holy Orders from Christ Himself at the Last Supper.

Acting with the permission and authority of his particular Bishop, a priest may administer all of the sacraments except Holy Orders, and he proclaims Scripture and teaches. A deacon is also ordained by a bishop- sometimes with the intention of remaining as a deacon, sometimes as a step toward the priesthood- and he serves by helping in or performing certain liturgical functions. In theses respects, our priests are just like Roman Catholic priests. Beyond that, however, there are some external differences.

One difference that is sure to come to your attention is that we have never changed the ancient Catholic practice of the option of a married clergy. So, you needn’t be shocked or scandalized if the lady standing next to the priest at the parish picnic turns out to be his wife and the mother of his children. Several centuries ago, Rome disallowed marriage as an option for most of its priests, although this prohibition has never been so general as most North Americans tend to imagine. In our church however, married men may be ordained.

Another difference you may notice is that many of our priests also have secular jobs. Accordingly, you may find that your local priest is a doctor, teacher, retail clerk, restaurant operator, accountant, plumber, or laborer. Usually they do this, not only because it helps them relate to some people better, but because they really must- to support themselves. To a certain extent, this goes hand in hand with having a married clergy. It is a simple economic reality that it is expensive to support a family.

Our priests are involved in almost every possible ministry: parishes, hospitals, military or prison chaplaincies, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, youth ministries, urban street ministries, counseling and guidance, mission work in our own country, hospices and ministry to the elderly, and ministries to the disabled to name some of the most common. As you may see, our priests work with all types of people in day-to-day, one-on-one ministries. Because most earn their own living through non-religious jobs and work as "priests in the marketplace," it is not uncommon for a priest to combine his ministry with some aspect of his secular employment, as is the case of a chaplain or social worker. This provides a flexibility which encourages small, responsive parishes and invites priestly vocations among men who might be unable or reluctant to abandon other careers, or are called to minister in less traditional settings.

 

When do you celebrate Easter and Christmas ?

We agree that the fact that the Church cannot agree on such basic things as the date for these Holiest of Holy Days is a serious scandal. We pray that some day soon, the discussions for determining one system of dating will be fruitful, and we can attain a semblance of unity at least in this regard. As Western Christians, however, we seek to place as few stumbling blocks in the way of those who may join with us. Therefore as the one Orthodox Church state Church of the West, The Finnish Church, does,  we celebrate the Seasons and Holy Days according to the Gregorian Calendar of the Western Church and world. 

 

Do you ordain female Priests ?

No, we do not ordain women either as Priests or Bishops, and we never have. In fact, we believe quite strongly that those who have done so have placed themselves completely outside of the authentic Orthodox or Catholic Traditions. However, there is overwhelming evidence that the Early Church raised up women to the ministry of "gyne diakonos"; literally, "female Deacon", or "Deaconesses". The Canons of the First Ecumenical Council, Nicea, spoke of female deacons. Both the Apostolic Canons and the Didascalia attest to the fact that the Church in the East ordained women to this ministry. Historical records suggest that the Order fell into disuse in the East only after it was suppressed in the Western Church.

On Pentecost Sunday, 1911, Archbishop, (now Saint) Nektarios of Greece ordained a nun to the diaconate, for ministry within her cloister. This was reported as being done, "...during the Divine Liturgy with the laying on of hands, following the same order of prayers as the ordination of the deacon, including the prayer of the bishop saying aloud, "the Divine Grace..."

The Inter-Orthodox Consultation on Women in the Church held at Rhodes, stated, "The apostolic order of deaconesses should be revived. It was never altogether abandoned in the Orthodox Church though it has tended to fall into disuse...Such a revival would represent a positive response to many of the needs and demands of the contemporary world in many spheres...The revival of women deacons in the Orthodox Church would emphasize in a special way, the dignity of woman and give recognition to her contribution to the work of the church as a whole" (Rhodes, 2989, 403)

Following such wise counsels and holy examples, we have re-established this Ancient Order and Praxis. Women raised to this Order teach, Baptize, visit the sick and bring Communion to those unable to attend the Divine Liturgy. They also have the special charism of demonstrating Christ, as Servant, to the Church, and the world.

(Much of the information in this section is derived from: "The Female Diaconate:An Historical Perspective by Gvosdev 1991 Light and Life Publishing, Minneapolis)

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Vocations:

When he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." Mt 9:35-38 RSV

We do indeed ask that all would pray for our Lord to send out the harvesters, but there is more needed than just prayer. If you'll excuse us quoting Martin Luther for a moment, "Pray as if everything depends upon God, and work as if everything depended upon you." There is a great deal of truth to be found in this statement. The sad, simple truth is, that without men and women, filled with the Holy Spirit, led and called to a passion, a NEED to serve Christ, His Church, and the world, the Scriptures, the Sacraments, indeed, the Church herself, is for naught. In Isaiah 6, we read, "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

We don't have massive cathedrals. We don't have large stipends. What we have is a nation, indeed a world, that is in serious need. We have homeless people, elderly locked away and forgotten in nursing homes, we have prisoners, drug addicts, those who have been denied the Church because of marital status, all manner of needs. But, we also have that same Holy Spirit, that same Scripture, those same Sacraments, that same Church, and the one Risen Christ's promise that He would be with us "always, even to the end of the age." Of course we always encourage church planting and parish ministries, but we also have new and exciting paradigms for reaching those that have been left behind, or believe they have been left behind by the big Churches. What we need is YOU!

Those already ordained to Sacramental Orders in another apostolic Church may need as little as the Bishop's approval to again take up the Yoke of Christ. We actively seek for and encourage laicized, and married priests to again offer their time, effort and experience. You may have been told you weren't wanted or needed before, but you definitely are now!

Clergy ordained in non-sacramental Churches, but with a substantial background in theological studies and ministry, would require a moderate amount of additional study. We will be happy to recommend an appropriate, and personalized curriculum for you.

For those without a ministerial background, or the requisite theological studies, we have created a Study Program that will train leaders and clergy to work with real people, facing real needs. There are also a number of fully accredited Residential or Distance Learning Degree programs which can fulfill our study requirements.

Many of us are bi-vocational. We work in secular jobs to earn our livings and we work for God, because that is what our world needs and what we NEED to do, in response to what God has done for us. What say you? Are you up to this challenge? In your heart of hearts, can you really say, "no"?
 

To discuss vocations, contact our Director of Vocations who will be happy to assist in any way possible.

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