The Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church

The Independent Liberal Catholic Fellowship

The Independent Liberal Catholic Fellowship is a unique gathering of clergy and communities in the liberal catholic tradition administered by the Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church.

About the Independent Liberal Catholic Fellowship

"The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit is a Mystery "which from all ages hath been hid in God." Eph.3.9 The Independent Liberal Catholic Fellowship came into being in early 2007 as a result of contacts between clergy in the liberal Catholic tradition. It is an ecumenical clergy and community fellowship, and acts as an umbrella body for independent Catholics in the liberal tradition worldwide. It is autonomous, and has no connection with any of the churches currently using a formulation of the name "Liberal Catholic" save the LCAC.

The ILCF is not a fellowship of dogma; rather, it is a fellowship of support and freedom. It does not seek to control what its members believe or their approach to worship and devotions, but is an informal union of hearts and minds, joining together individual clergy and their jurisdictions for mutual edification and the greater glory of God. In this sense it fulfils more than a merely organisational role, and is a spiritual bond across boundaries.

Membership of the ILCF is open to clergy and communities only; there is no provision for individual lay membership. Clergy who have been ordained in the Apostolic Succession may become members even if their community is not, provided their Ordinary consents to their joining the ILCF. Arrangements can be made for those who have been ordained non-Apostolically to receive the blessing of Apostolic ordination on joining, again provided the consent of their Ordinary is given if they are within another jurisdiction. Members may belong to other associations or none at their choice. There are no membership dues, although all are expected to support the ILCF in its work as their gifts and resources permit. The ILCF is organised directly by the Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church.

We have community and clergy members currently in many countries, embracing a following of several thousand souls.

Mission

The ILCF offers to God and His people a witness to a distinct and historical tradition of Catholicism that is different from that of the contemporary Roman Catholic church. Because it is non-dogmatic in nature, it welcomes those who are drawn to a liberal interpretation of Catholicism equally with those who come from within the traditions of the Liberal Catholic movement. It welcomes those clergy and denominations who recognise the essentials of Catholic sacramental worship but are stifled by teachings that are at variance with the love of God. The ILCF will not turn you away if you have been divorced, or if you are in civil partnership. It will not turn you away if your faith is mystic or shaped by individual conscience rather than Church dogma. It will not turn you away because of your sexuality.

The ILCF is Catholic but independent of the existing Roman Catholic and Liberal Catholic churches. It is free from the control and influence of national governments, and does not seek to impose upon the consciences of its members. It seeks to regain that relationship with God through Jesus Christ that was the blessing of the earliest Christians. It teaches that Christianity and liberty are indelibly united; "if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed!" (John 8:36)

Why join?

The ILCF has grown considerably since its inception. We believe it fulfils an important role as a fellowship of those who stand against the dangers of fundamentalism, intolerance and selective literalism currently sweeping the Church. Our independence gives us an unique voice for tolerance and freedom of conscience. We acknowledge that our members may be very different from one another and may believe very different things. What unites us is firstly a commitment to the essential truths of the Christian tradition and secondly a desire to turn the concept of the "broad church" into reality, seeking strength in our diversity.

If you join us, we do not ask you to change the name of your community or your ministry. All we ask is that you say that your community or ministry is now part of the Independent Liberal Catholic Fellowship and that you adhere to a liberal interpretation of the Catholic faith in theology and practice. We will not seek to change the way you worship or the way your church is run. You retain full control, but benefit from the support and prayers of a widespread and strong fellowship of like-minded clergy.

To begin discussions concerning membership, please contact us via email.

Denominational or Religious Order Member	Countries where located	Clergy/Members of Religious Orders
Independent Liberal Catholic	Suffolk, UK	Bishop Charles Mugleston
Independent	Texas, USA	Bishop Richard Saint John
Order of Ecumenical Franciscans	Liverpool, UK/Texas, USA	Bishop-elect Colin Stebbing  (Br. Thomas+ OEF)
	Texas, USA	Bishop-elect Alyssa Stebbing, (Sr. Magdalena+ OEF)
The Companions in Spirit Community	Washington, DC, USA	Fr. Dennis Donlon CSC
The Free Apostolic Communion	Texas, USA	Bishop Lee Allen Petersen OFJ
The Liberal Catholic Church - Theosophia Synod	Florida, USA	Fr. William Delahunt
Ecclesia Apostolica Divinorum Mysteriorum	London, UK	Bishop Andrew Linley OCR, DD
The Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church	Pennsylvania, USA	Fr. Dan Edmunds Thomas Gayley (Cleric)
	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Mariano Salguero
	California, USA	Fr. Anthony Scuderi
	Dumfries, UK	Sr. Ann of the Child Jesus (deacon Carol Ann Searle)
	Connecticut, USA	Very Revd. Dorothy Shugrue VG
	Newcastle, UK	Revd. Amma Bridget Wilson-Hall
	Quebec, Canada	Fr. Francois Lepine
	Colorado, USA	Fr. Scott Shubert
(Companions of the Cross and Passion)	Brazil	Bishop Isaac Pellizari OCR
	Edinburgh, UK	Bishop Alistair Bate CCP (Mar Alexei)
	New Jersey, USA	Revd. Fr. Salvatore Scuderi
	Edinburgh, UK	Br. Barry Jones
	Arizona, USA	Revd. Fr. Robert Pieper CCP
	Paris, France	Revd. Fr. Francois Poublan CCP
	Texas, USA	Br. James Yelvington
	Belgium	Br Bram Heidendal CCP
(Cross-Denominational Mission)	Bournemouth, UK	Bishop Adrian Glover OCR OAM (Mar Trimlett)
	Portsmouth, UK	Mike Young RSStS (PrayerTree leader)
	California, USA	Revd. Pastor Will Pritchard
Spiritual Gnostic Church (Ekklesia Gnostica Pneumatica)	Belgrade, Serbia	Bishop Emir Salihovic Bojana Miladinovic (subdeaconess) Nebojsa Mircetovic (subdeacon) Sasa Miladinovic (subdeacon)
(Sodalitas Sacerdotalis Mariae Vitae)	Texas, USA	Fr. Charles Reynolds SSMV OAM
(Religious Society of St Simon)	Chichester, UK	Dr. Michael Walsh, OblateOSB (Church of England)
Aquarian Catholic Spiritual Community	Arkansas, USA	Bishop Tom Simota
		Revd. John Levezow
	Minnesota, USA	Revd. Rebecca Sweeney
United Free Catholic Church	Tennesee, USA	Bishop Jack Stafford
	Virginia, USA	Bishop Mark Leavell
	Virginia, USA	Bishop Lou Johnson (Military Chaplain)
Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch	Kettering, UK	Bishop-elect Leon Hunt
Order of St Lucy	Texas, USA	Br. Lawrence Saylor+ OSL
The Young Rite	Netherlands	Bishop Markus van Alphen (retired) Revd. Frans Kalse Revd. Brigitte Klein Bog Bishop Louise Lombard Revd. Arie Rozendaal
	Cameroun	Sr Christine Bana Revd. Joseph Elouga Revd. Hubert Fouda Revd. Michael Mbila Revd. Pierre Amougou (deacon) Remy Landry Amougou (subdeacon)
	Nigeria	Revd. Ibiso Igani
	Slovenia	Bishop Aristid Havlicek Revd. Francek Dobovisek Revd. Domen Kocevar Revd.Tatjana Ruzic Revd. Darka Sever Revd Duska Obermajer Revd Tina Trstenjak Revd. Vesna Markotic Revd. Jurij Engelsberger Revd. Polona Kocevar Revd. Brigita Lajkovic - Tiara Revd. Tomaz Perkovic Revd. Srecko Konec Revd. Vasilij Simek Revd. Tanja Kaslik
	South Africa	Revd. Antonie Harthoorn Revd. Jannie Hofkamp
	Cornwall, UK	Revd. William Ireland
	United States	Revd. Dr Edward Parkinson

The Sophia Circle

Members who are bishops in the Apostolic Succession and whose view of Christianity is in the esoteric tradition may also be interested to join the Sophia Circle. A number of bishops who are members of the ILCF are currently also members of the Sophia Circle.

Find out more...

Memberships