FAITH
As indispensable elements of this faith, we have
inherited essentially the same Scriptures, Creeds,Sacraments and Apostolic
Ministry which the Catholic Churches of both East and West possess. This
bears witness to our historic continuity with the Church of Jesus Christ and the
Apostles, the orthodoxy of our doctrine and worship, and our fundamental unity
with the wider CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Such continuity is crucial, since it is upon this
Faith that the assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ depends.
In obedience to the example of Christ and the
Apostles, the teaching of Scripture and the faithful tradition of the Church
over 2000 years, the ANGLICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH is governed by bishops in the
Apostolic Succession, and maintains the male three-fold Order of bishops,
priests and deacons.
From the very first Christian century, the visible
Church has been defined in terms of a communion of mutually recognized regional
"dioceses", each consisting of a Bishop surrounded by his clergy and the
faithful in that place.
In each local parish there is a priest, who exercises
the Church's ministry of the Word and Sacraments (including pastoral care of his
people) as the delegate of the Bishop. In aspects of this ministry he may be
assisted by a deacon; and in some (especially administrative, pastoral care,
teaching and counseling) he may be assisted by a deaconess or other authorized
lay person.
These are aspects of the Church's formal ministry.
"Ministry", however, means "helping people". In an informal sense, all baptized
Christians are called in daily life to minister to others. We are all endowed
with certain gifts and grace for that purpose. Scripture itself teaches, "Bear
ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians
6:2)
The official standards of worship in the ANGLICAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH is the seminal (1549) edition of the famous Book of Common
Prayer and certain authorized revisions recognized as conforming to that
standard: viz., the American revision of 1928, the Canadian revision of
1962 and the Indian revision of 1963. The traditional eucharistic rites of the
Missal, which conform to that standard, are fully authorized by the canons.
Briefly banned in
the 17th century by the Puritans in their attempts to destroy the CHURCH OF
ENGLAND, the Book of Common Prayer is deeply Biblical in character (some
80% of its contents are drawn directly from Scripture) and its liturgical forms
are based on those of the early, undivided Church. It is also a guide to the
pastoral work of the clergy and the common life of the Church. Preserving all
the essentials of the Catholic Faith and its worship, it is expressed in
majestic language and has had a profound impact on the culture and spiritually
of all English-speaking peoples to the present day.
The Church's
central act of worship is, of course, the one appointed by our Lord Himself, the
sacrament of the Holy Eucharist or the Lord's Supper, commonly called the Mass.
In each parish (unless no priest is available) the Eucharist is celebrated every
Sunday and Holy Day, if not daily.
Clergy are also required daily to say the offices of
Morning and Evening Prayer, which include reading aloud through the entire Bible
in the course of each year, reciting all of the Psalter each month, and each day
offering prayers for the general and particular needs of the Church, her people
and the wider community.
Whenever possible these offices are said in the
parish church, and lay people are welcome to join the clergy in this worship.
Initiation
into membership of the Church is by the rites of Baptism and Confirmation. Other
Sacraments are for those in particular conditions of life, namely Marriage,
Penance (often called "Confession"), Holy Unction (anointing of the sick) and
Ordination.
In addition to
regular Sunday worship, clergy and lay people alike are encouraged to develop a
disciplined personal devotional life including daily prayer, regular Bible study
and meditation, fasting and abstinence on Fridays and during Lent (unless
medically inadvisable), occasional retreats, and a pledge of weekly financial
support to the Church.
n the ANGLICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH the whole Catholic Faith is maintained,
without any Roman additions or Protestant subtractions, as received by and from
the CHURCH OF ENGLAND in the days of its orthodoxy.