From our post yesterday: We are NOT a church; the first line, “We (EMMI) are Independent Catholics (ISM) and Clerics devoted to the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching authority,” is ambiguous to our readers.

Let me explain the differences.

1: We view Vatican II as a valid ecumenical council intended to renew the Church for the modern world. We think, as studies such as a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) paper note, that Catholic Mass attendance and religious vocations declined measurably worldwide in the decades following the 1960s implementation of Vatican II.

2: We follow the mainstream Old Catholic churches in Europe (the Union of Utrecht), which actually moved in a progressive theological direction: 3: allowing married priests, 4: abolishing mandatory clerical celibacy, 5: ordaining women, and entering full communion with the Anglican Communion.

6: We agree with the Novus Ordo of the Mass, but the Roman reforms went too far; 7: they removed too much of the sacred (Britannica: diminished reverence, sacredness, and the sacrificial nature of the Mass), especially that lay people do not receive communion at Mass but have the host in a pyx and have communion later outside the church; I think that is worse than 8: open communion during the celebration of the Eucharist. As my friend, the Right Reverend Ashley Deutschmann, stated on his website: Christ at the Center. Everyone at the Table.

9: Open to LGBTQ members being part of the clergy.

10: We apply a strict ritual discipline, whereas Rome is more liberal

11: We agree with Local languages, even if the Archbishop (Me) is a member of the Confraternity of Saint Peter.

12: We agree with Active lay participation.

13: We agree with the universal call to holiness.

14: We agree with the Permanent diaconate: allowing qualified married men or women to be ordained as deacons.

15: We reject the collective blame of Jews for Christ’s death, condemn antisemitism, and recognize elements of truth in other world religions.

16: We affirm religious freedom as a fundamental human right, asserting that individuals should follow their conscience in matters of faith without coercion.

17: We position ourselves as a partner in addressing global concerns like poverty, war, and human dignity. Also involved in Mental Health Ministry and Prison Ministry, including drug abuse.

18. As Rome, we are open to Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue (IAoC Ministry and URI)

19: Brother Eric Michel Roman Catholic Ecclesial Affiliations 

20:.We apply Roman Canon 2335 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law

Like the Facebook group name is:

Not All Catholics Are Roman, But All Catholics Are One