Precepts of Dominus Iesus
Herein we, the United Episcopal Catholic Communion, declare that we fall within the Category outlined in the RC document Dominus Iesus which was issued during the reign of Pope John Paul II, June 16, 2000, and signed by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (now Pope Benedict XVI), August 6, 2000.
The document contains in Section IV: Article 17: "Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the [Roman] Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him. The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, **by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist**, are true particular Churches. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, since they do not accept the [Roman] Catholic doctrine of the Primacy" .....
Therefore Churches and Religious Congregations such as the United Episcopal Catholic Communion and valid affiliations therein must be considered as near kin churches.
We hereby describe and in all aspects denote the UECC as a ‘Catholic (catholic)’ denomination within the context of not only valid Apostolic Succession in the ‘ancient catholic Line’, but also historic operation of the church previous to the Council of Nicaea. Our Bishops have succession directly from the ‘branch’ of the lines of Barberini, Alexander VII, Rebiba, Ignatius Peter III, Ignatius Jacob II and Nikon.
While this organization fully recognizes the Papal State and pay great respect to the Pontiff, we are autonomous of that stated authority just as the churches of Antioch, Jerusalem, Corinth and Alexandria operated.
As declared in Dominus Iusus, the term ‘Valid Eucharist’ is absolute. We hereby declare that with valid succession as described above and the Declaration of Domunis Iusus we practice a valid Eucharist that will be presented to all in need of the solace of the church, without exception.
We do declare based on the papal dictum of Papal Infallibility set down in council as doctrine in the years 1869 and 1870, that with respect to the Roman Church the dictum know as Dominus Iusus is proper, valid and fully licit within the context of the relationships between the Papal State and ‘particular churches’. We declare this to be beyond contestation.
We do herein state that we, as is stated by many Independent Catholic, Old Catholic or Anglo-Catholic organizations, the actions of Papal Infallibility and Papal Supremacy set down in the council as doctrine in the year of the Lord 1869-1870 are outside the true actions exhibited by the Apostles and early church fathers.
That not withstanding, we hereby respect the position of the Roman Catholic Church to internally hold those doctrines as sacred within their sphere of authority, and not
without.
May the Lord guide us in common mission with all churches.
In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti; Amen.
