Christ Catholic Church (Pruter)
The Christ Catholic Church (Pruter) is a Christian religious denomination founded by Karl Pruter. Pruter died on November 18, 2007. There are several remnants of Christ Catholic Church of the Americas and Europe throughout the world and each of them in their own distinct way are connected with Archbishop Karl Hugo Rehling Pruter’s lifelong ministry within the Old Catholic Movement, but perhaps the most closely related is that of Christ Catholic Church Archdiocese of the Prince of Peace.
| Christ Catholic Church (Pruter) | |
|---|---|
| Region | United States |
| Founder | Karl Pruter |
| Origin | 1968 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Congregations | 6 |
| Members | 165 |
The church formally began in 1968 after Pruter, who had been consecrated a bishop the previous year, had his new church formally recognized and designated an independent body by Archbishop Peter A. Zurawetsky.[1]
The church holds the principles of the Old Catholic churches. It embraces the Christian Holy Scriptures, the creeds of the seven ecumenical councils, and the Confession of Utrecht. It recognizes that the right of private judgement on matters of doctrine lies both with the laity and clergy. However, it retains the right to deprive any of its clergy who adhere to heterodox beliefs of clerical recognition by the church's Presiding Bishop. Liturgically, it uses a vernacular Mass, The Christ Catholic Mass. In his position as bishop, Pruter regularly spoke out for peace and against abortion.[1]
The headquarters of the church moved over time, from Boston to New Hampshire, where it has a mission, to Scottsdale, Arizona and finally to Highlandville, Missouri. There, Pruter served as the pastor of the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace, a chapel which has been described as being the smallest cathedral in the world.[1] While in Missouri, Pruter helped establish a small monastic religious community (Good Shepherd Monastery) dedicated to a quiet life of prayer and work, and consecrated its abbot (E.W. Blain) a bishop. <In 2008,after Bishop Pruter appointed Bishop Block (in 2007) of the Southern Episcopal Church to take his place; William Martin Sloane was consecrated a bishop of the "Christ Catholic Church, Diocese of Boston". He had previously been a priest and pastor in the Southern Episcopal Church. The consecrating bishops were the SEC's Huron Manning, Charles George Fry of the SEC, Robert W. Hotes of the SEC (and also of the Lutheran Church - International), and several bishops of the Christ Catholic Church. The board of directors of the Christ Catholic Church, Diocese of Boston then voted for Sloane to be the CCC/DoB's archbishop and for the "CCC/DoB to function as a diocese of the SEC/USA". The Christ Catholic Church considers itself to be "Orthodox-Catholic" in belief. It affirms the Real Presence and the Seven Sacraments. Worship is conducted according to any of the historic liturgies, including the traditional Roman Catholic Mass, the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox churches, or a Roman Catholic version of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. The liturgy can be in either English or Latin.> Prior to his death in 2007, Pruter entrusted his ministry at the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace to Bishop Brian E. Brown, a bishop of Christ Catholic Church Archdiocese of the Prince of Peace, whom he had consecrated sub-conditionally on September 9 of that same year.
At one time the Christ Catholic Church claimed 165 members in six parishes, located in Biddeford, Maine, Kingston, Rhode Island, Chicago, Aurora, Illinois, and Scottsdale, Arizona.
References
- Melton, J. Gordon (1987). The Encyclopedia of American Religions (2nd ed.). Detroit: Gale Research Company. ISBN 0-8103-2133-5.