Stfrancisocministries.org
Title
St Francis Apostolic Christian Ministries - Welcome! - Bay Minette, AL
Description
About Our Church
Our branch of Christ's Church is small, presently concentrated in the southeastern United States. It was founded by the late Archbishop Leonard T. Polomski, of Niceville, Florida, where the Cathedral Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi was located. The Ministry's worker-priests, who serve without salaries, often hold services in community centers, nursing facilities, or private homes. As Bishop Karl Pruter has observed, "For many, the celebration of the Liturgy in the house has revealed with striking force that God does indeed wish to enter into our homes and lives." (The House Church Movement, St. Willibrord's Press, Highlandville, MO, 1989, p.2.) Our clergy have a special interest in bringing the Sacrament of Healing (Holy Unction) to those who need it, and in reaching the unchurched, or those who have become estranged from the institutional church. We actively participate in the healing ministry of the Order of Saint Luke. You may read about this interdenominational Christian organization in the LINKS section We feel especially led to pray for ALL of those who have been affected by abortion, including those who work in abortion clinics. GOD LOVES LIFE! A shortwave broadcast on WWRB is now under way. Please check that station's webpage in the LINKS section for dates and times. We also hope to assist men who wish to become worker-priests. To that end, Bishop Frank has joined the faculty of St. Paul Theological Seminary and College of Chaplains, a well-respected, online school. Read about this program on their website, which may be found on our LINKS page.
Church History
"...we take great care to hold that which has been believed everywhere, always, and by all." - St. Vincent of Lerins While the last twenty-five years have seen a tremendous growth in independent Anglican, Old Catholic, and even Orthodox jurisdictions, but such groups, usually small, have a long history. In the Western Church they may trace their roots to the Church of Utrecht, the Netherlands, which, in 1145, was granted the right of autonomous succession by the Holy Father, Pope Eugene III. In 1724, asserting its ancient rights, an independent Archbishop, Cornelius Steenoven, was consecrated for that See by a Roman Catholic bishop, Dominique Marie Varlet. This consecration was not recognized by authorities in Rome. Vatican Council I, called by Pope Pius IX in 1869, proclaimed the doctrine of papal infallibility, despite opposition from a sizable minority. (Some 451 bishops voted for, while 62 voted for it, with reservations, and 88 voted against.) Opponents of infallibility met in Council at Munich, Germany, in 1871: by the end of the year 23 parishes had been organized. Josef Hubert Reinkens was consecrated bishop in 1873 by a bishop of the continuing Dutch church, assuring the Apostolic Succession for the Movement. Old Catholicism came to the United States in the late 19th century. Joseph Rene Vilatte, consecrated in 1892, worked among European immigrants in the Midwest. A number of jurisdictions have developed in the U.S. since that time, the largest being the Polish National Catholic Church. The first independent Anglican body in the United States was the Reformed Episcopal Church, founded in New York City in 1873 by eight clergy and twenty laymen, in response to the increasing influence of the Oxford (High Church) Movement. This church continues to grow, both in the United States and abroad. A number of bodies have spun off from the Episcopal Church since the 1970's, some High Church, some Low Church, while others are charismatic in their practices. Most are conservatives who object to changes in the church, such as the ordination of women and homosexuals, the new Book of Common Prayer (1979), and related issues. There are other groups who are liberal and "inclusive," who think that the Episcopal Church has not gone far enough in its changes. The new groups are generally small in number. The Anglicans Online website, (see Links) does a good job in keeping up with the changing landscape of independent Anglicanism. (see Not in the Communion)
Contact
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