News
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” -Luke 4:18-19
July 18, 2010
The Reverend Deacon Bruce Patrick Richard Davison, having shown himself to be of decent learning and ghostly counsel, was welcomed into the Order of the Shepherd’s Heart and ordained to the holy Order of Deacons and is given full and unrestricted faculties to exercise his vocation as a deacon in this Christ’s Catholic Church, Diocese of the Shepherd’s Heart.
June 26, 2010
It is with great joy we announce that on June 26, 2010, on the Feast of Saint Brannock, Abbot of Baunton, Father David Cronan was consecrated by Bishop Brian Ernest Brown to the Holy Order of Bishops. Bishop David has taken his place on the Council of Bishops for Christ’s Catholic Church and has been installed as the Ordinary for the Diocese of the Epiphany.
June 11, 2010
On this special day, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we would like to announce the launch of a new ministry for Shepherd’s Heart Ministries and Christ’s Catholic Church, “Celebrate Love.” This new ministry is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the love that it holds for all people including the LGBTQIAPP (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, questioning, intersexual, asexual, pansexual, polyamorous).
Celebrate Love is dedicated to these people of faith who have been abandoned, thrown away, marginalized, and or abused by the church and her ministers. We stand with open and welcoming arms to welcome you back home to the heart of Christ. Not all Christian churches are full of hate, intolerance, and judgementalness – we certainly are not. We welcome you, and not just some of you but every one of you! Celebrate Love!
May 8, 2010
It is with great joy we announce that on June 26, 2010, on the Feast of Saint Brannock, Abbot of Baunton, we are to consecrate Bishop-Elect David Cronan to the Holy Order of Bishops. Bishop-Elect David will take his place on the Council of Bishops for Christ’s Catholic Church as the Ordinary for the Diocese of the Epiphany.
The Consecration will take place within the greater Chicagoland area. Further details will be made available upon request. All are invited to attend and participate! Clergy to wear red stoles. In lieu of your presence your prayers are coveted.
April 23, 2010
We would like to extend a warm welcome to our friends in the Order of the Friends of Jeshua and to Bishop Lee Allen Petersen and Bishop Linda Marie Nelson! We look forward to sharing this path toward ministry with them and to that end may the Lord bless us in all our endeavors together!
Christ’s Catholic Church would like to welcome Bishop David C. Holdridge and Christ’s Church Fellowship International to the communion! Bishop David has been a personal friend of Bishop Brian Brown’s for some time and they have shared ministry stories, comradery, and fellowship off and on for several years. We’re excited about the wealth of diversity that Christ’s Church Fellowship brings to our communion.
April 22, 2010
Honoring the relationship the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion and Abbot-Bishop Brian E. Brown shared with Archbishop Karl Pruter, the long serving Presiding Archbishop of Christ Catholic Church, now of blessed memory, and in a strong acknowledgement of their very real continuance of his ministry, vision, and legacy, the Ecumenical Synod has unanimously agreed to alter the name of the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion to be that of Christ’s Catholic Church. While altering the name of the communion the Ecumenical Synod wishes to affirm that it has not altered its vision, commitment, or core ministry and will continue to be the ecumenical free catholic communion it was called to be. We do this in celebration of our shared heritage and in the honor of the memory, ministry, vision, and legacy of one of the great bishops of the Old Catholic Movement in North America, Archbishop Karl Pruter.
March 5, 2010
It is with great joy we announce the ministerial alliance between the EFCC and the Progressive Christian Alliance. The PCA has its roots in the autocephalous sacramental movement and while they have focused more on the ecumenical side of the conversation, bringing in ministries far and wide, and we have focused more on the catholic side of the conversation trying to bring some kind of unity to the autocephalous sacramental movement, we are both in the same dialog, saying the same things, and sharing a mutual vision of radical inclusivity.
May God continue to bless the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion and her newest alliance the Progressive Christian Alliance!
February 1, 2010
After a round of retirements, resignations, and appointments the EFCC has finally seated its Council of Convening Bishops until our gathering in April of 2010 where they will be confirmed by the Ecumenical Synod. They are: Bp. Brian Brown, Bp. Mary Ann Croisant, and Bp. Andrew Eugene Kyle.
January 6, 2010
Today in the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion (EFCC) we announce and celebrate the establishment of the Diocese of the Epiphany and the election of its bishop, Fr. David Cronan. We look forward to celebrating the ministry of Fr. David Cronan and the other clergy and people of the Diocese of the Epiphany. We look forward to sharing with them their own “discovery” of how they may serve God in this new and exciting ministry as we look forward to our own such discoveries in our respective and corporate ministries and indeed within our very lives.
May 1, 2009
The little wash-house once known as “The World’s Smallest Cathedral” at 405 Kentling Street in Highlandville Missouri has has ceased to be a cathedral. By virtue of the church and its bishop leaving the property it has been automatically de-consecrated and returned to secular use. It had been used by a bishop in the autocephalous sacramental movement to celebrate a sacramental ministry and offer the Holy Mass for 27 years, first by Bishop Karl Pruter of blessed memory and then by his successor in that place, Bp. Brian E. Brown, OSH.
As a worship group we have been asked to vacate the structure by the current owners as they seek to sell the property on the open market. Neither the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion nor the Diocese of the Shepherd’s Heart has any connection with said property or the contents thereof whatsoever and has vacated it as of May 1, 2009. We wish the current owners well in their endeavor to sell the property and thank them for the use of the wash-house during our short time there.
We will retain, as is our right, the name of the “Cathedral of the Prince of Peace” as an ecclesiastical organization within the Diocese of the Shepherd’s Heart, Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion and some day once again build a place for the people of God to worship with a bishop. Until then…
When a door closes, God often opens another. Worship services will continue at the chapel we’ve built inside the Branson Mill Craft Village and will begin this Sunday May 3, 2009 at 10 am. All are welcomed to attend. 3300 North Gretna Road Branson, MO 65616.
April 18-19, 2009
The 4th Ecumenical Synod of the EFCC was held in Branson Missouri. Much was discussed and a good time was had by all who attended. Bishop Mary Ann Croisant was consecrated to the episcopacy and install as the Ordinary of the Diocese of the Road to Emmaus.
April 17, 2009
Bp. Andrew Eugene Kyle, OSH has been elected to take retiring Bp. Lee Schmidt’s place as a Convening Bishop of the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion He will serve in that capacity together with the other two Convening Bishops. May God especially bless our new Convening Bishop and may God bless the entire EFCC now and always!
March 8, 2009
Be it known that the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion will hold its 4th annual Ecumenical Synod on April the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th in the year of our Lord 2009. Your presence and or prayer is requested. Synod will convene at 6 o’clock in the evening of April 16th in Branson Missouri and will dismiss by 12:00 o’clock noon on Sunday April 19th. All are invited and encouraged to attend. Simply RSVP prior to April 1st by email brian@free-catholic.org or write to us at P.O. Box 1891 Hollister MO 65673.
March 7, 2009
We would like to announce the associate membership of The Episcopal Ministries of Saint John the Evangelist and welcome its shepherd, The Most Reverend Dave Pflueger as a brother bishop to the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion.
February 15, 2009
Bishop Lee V. Schmidt has retired from his position of Convening Bishop of the EFCC. Bp. Lee took a medical retirement earlier this last year from his job and plans on spending more time with friends and family. We will miss him and wish him well!
The subsequent vacant seat of one of the three Convening Bishops will be filled at the 2009 Ecumenical Synod scheduled for April 16, 17, 18, 19 and is open to all members in good standing within the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion.
August 30, 2008
A wonderful article about the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace and our attempt to preserve it was written by Linda Leicht in the Springfield News-Leader.
July 12, 2008
Radio Free Catholic is officially launched on Blog Talk Radio. Starting on Friday August 1st one hour talkshows will be broadcast via the internet every Friday evening at 10 pm. central time. Radio Free Catholic hosted on Live365 will continue its broadcast through a playlist rotation of talks, sermons, prayers, and music. These two different media platforms are offered as a source of continued outreach and evangelization for the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion.
July 5, 2008
We try to allow prospective members to lead the charge in announcing their own association with the EFCC, which seems to have happened with Bishop-Elect MaryAnn Croisant and her ministry.
We are happy indeed to welcome her and her ministry into the EFCC. She brings with Her to the Communion a wealth of experience in the ASM, a fresh spirit and creative mind, and an active real world ministry. It’s voices such as her’s that we are seeking to add to our own as we attempt to provide a new paradigm for unity within the autocephalous sacramental movement.
We look forward to working with her shoulder to shoulder in the fields and offer, as we are able, to support her ministries and her own God given calling. We celebrate the work she’s done thus far and look forward to a future together bound in the service of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the unity we can bring together to the autocephalous sacramental movement.
May 24, 2008
The new website of the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion is launched.
April 22, 2008
The Reverend Father Robert Christopher Howard, having shown himself to be of decent learning and ghostly counsel, is given full and unrestricted faculties to exercise his vocation as a priest in this Church.
April 3, 4, 5, 6, 2008
The Ecumenical Synod of the EFCC was held in Eureka Springs Arkansas. We had a splendid, if tiring time this year, but as always it was worth it. It was so good to be with everyone, breaking bread together, sharing stories, laughing, crying, worshiping, planning, eating and what have you. It was great to welcome a new member Sr. Virginia, into the Order of the Shepherd’s Heart.
March 31, 2008
The 2008 Directory of Autocephalous Bishops, published by St. Columba Press, is available for ordering for $14.95 plus shipping. Some of the changes you’ll notice in this year’s directory are: a more inclusive listing of bishops which include female bishops among others, international listings, and internet contact information. You may order copies of the 2008 Directory of Autocephalous Bishops by visiting: Shepherd’s Heart Books and Gifts
March 25, 2008
Radio Free Catholic is launched on Live365.
February 24, 2008
Whithorn School of Theology was listed on Missouri’s Department of Higher Education on their “Welcome to Missouri” pages.
http://www.dhe.mo.gov/mdhe/boardbook2content.jsp?id=509
December 16, 2007
A memorial service was held for Bishop Karl Hugo Pruter in Highlandville Missouri.
November 20, 2007
It is with great joy that we announce that the application for the exepmtion of Whithorn School of Theology by the Missouri Department of Higher Education’s Coordinating Board for Higher Education has officially been approved. This means that legally WST is now at liberty to grant various undergraduate and graduate degrees and operate as a bona fide institution for high education (religious seminary) by the State of Missouri.
November 18, 2007
Bishop Karl Prüter went home to be with the Lord Sunday evening November 18, 2007 around 8 pm. His wife Teresa was with him and he was most assuredly surrounded by a great cloud of angels and saints. He fought the good fight and finished the race. Teresa was reading Psalm 23 and holding his hand and as she came to the end of the Psalm, he let go and flew to the arms of his Lord and Saviour. His death was peaceful and gentle, one we would all hope to be blessed with when our time comes. While he will be missed greatly, not one of us would rob him of a single second with his Lord Christ whom he loved so much. We give thanks for many things in his life but particularly we give thanks for his Christian witness and his dedication to the Old Catholic Movement.
October 22, 2007
Bishop Eugene Kyle accepts an offer to Chair the Department of Orthodox Studies at Whithorn School of Theology.
September 20, 2007
Bishop Karl Pruter and his wife Teresa have officially moved to Colorado to be near family.
September 9, 2007
Abbot-Bishop Brian E. Brown, OSH was consecrated sub-conditionally by Bishop Karl Püter, Archbishop of Christ Catholic Church, on the Feast of St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, September 9, 2007 at the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace in Highlandville Missouri. Bp. Prüter was consecrated by Bp. Peter Zurawetsky on the Feast of St. Willibrord, Novemeber 7, 1967. Abbot-Bishop Brian is encouraged to take over services at the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace as Bishop Pruter prepares to relocate to Colorado.
August 19, 2007
A new chapter begins in the worship life of our local community of the EFCC as Bp. Brian Brown humbly accepts Bp. Karl Pruter’s offer to celebrate Holy Mass at the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace in an ongoing joint service with Christ Catholic Church.
