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Christian Rosary Beads
Communion

Catholic?

Are you one of the over 2.2 billon Catholics worldwide who do not realize if you were baptized a catholic, you will always be a Catholic?  Did you realize that there are many catholic churches? A catholic church is not defined by its beliefs but rather by the Apostolic Succession of their Bishops. Apostolic succession is the lineage created by Jesus-as it is written in the Bible -starting with the Apostles who Jesus ordained and consecrated as the first Bishops of the church.  The apostles began this line of succession which can be traced historically back to them. We usually think of this only in terms of the Roman Catholic church. However, there are other catholic churches.   ('Roman' Catholic = Oximoron)

These churches are also considered catholic churches because their Bishop's consecration can be traced back to the apostles:  Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Episcopal, Syrian Orthodox as well as some smaller denominations which are strictly ethnic in origin. These various catholic churches practice different rites—such as Latin, Eastern, English and also the American Independent Catholic Rite.  

The majority of Catholics identify themselves as Roman Catholics.  The Pope, the elected head of the Roman Catholic church, is officially known as the Bishop of Rome and can trace his succession back to the apostles. The Roman Catholic church instituted doctrines with the vow of celibacy and at least in its early history the doctrine of papal infallibility.  The latter doctrine has been significantly modified by modern popes and does not carry with it the authority with which it once did. These doctrines of the Roman Catholic church were a prime motivation of Bishops breaking away the traditional Roman church and creating their own.  If for no other reason, all are correct simply read Matthew 18:19 – "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.”.

 

We, at The Universal Light Church, because of our belief that we are all one in spirit are not only interdenominational in the temporal world- having members belonging to various churches, but also in the spiritual world—a catholic church in that we have two in our membership who have been consecrated as Bishops and can trace their lineage back to the apostles.  The Universal Light Church is truly a catholic church in the purest definition of catholic: catholic simply means universal. "The Universal Light" is just that.... universal. All are welcome. We want you to know that you have the 'right' to believe what you believe (not necessarily what someone else said you should)!

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