Liturgies of the Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church

The Church has approved the following Liturgies for use in its worship:

  • Services of Love and Blessing of the Ancient Catholic Churches
  • All Liturgies of the Liberal Catholic Church and Liberal Catholic Church International
  • The Old Catholic Missal and Ritual (+Gul/+Mathew)
  • The Roman Catholic Mass according to the form prescribed by the Council of Trent, in Latin or in English
  • The Liturgies of the Catholic Apostolic Church, commonly called Irvingites
  • The Glastonbury Rite
  • The 1549 and 1928 Books of Common Prayer of the Church of England (only)
  • (In cases of necessity only) The Roman Catholic "Novus Ordo" Mass

The Church permits the use of other liturgies, including experimental liturgies, on a case by case basis by approval of a Primate.

Services of Love and Blessing

Services of Love and Blessing was prepared under the supervision of Mar Joannes I and privately published by him in 1950. It became, and remains, the standard liturgy of the Ancient Catholic Church.

Mar Joannes I drew particularly on the Liturgy of the Liberal Catholic Church in compiling Services of Love and Blessing, but added a number of notable individual touches to produce a very beautiful and effective means of worship. He also compiled a musical setting of the relevant parts which used the works of existing composers. This remains unpublished and the only manuscript copy known to exist was housed at the Cathedral.

We are grateful to Leslie Grout for providing his copy of this work for reproduction.

The Mass according to Services of Love and Blessing

Following the order of the Liberal Catholic Church for the first part, we find the Lord's Prayer displaced to introduce the Liturgy of the Word and the usage of familiar hymns at moments such as the Gradual and the Act of Consecration. The Apostles' Creed replaces the Nicene Creed usual in the LCC (a reflection of Mar Joannes I's greater liberalism) and the Cherubikon is inserted at the Offertory. 

The identification of the Body and Blood of Christ is made explicit by the words at the Administration: the "Bread of Heaven" and the "Wine of Life". This identification serves to establish the Christ-force as a direct link between this world and the next; Mar Joannes I of course emphasised this link in his theology, declaring that death itself did not exist.

Other services, Solemn Benediction, Complin and Divine Healing, follow.

Text of Services of Love and Blessing

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pages 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17

The Eucharist according to the Liturgy of the Catholic Apostolic Church, commonly called Irvingites

This liturgy is given here in a form set by Mar Alexei.

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Memberships

The Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church is a member of the International Council of Community Churches (ICCC).
The ICCC is a member of:
The World Council of Churches
Churches Uniting in Christ
The National Council of Churches (USA)
Christian Churches Together in the USA

The Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church is a denominational member of the Independent Liberal Catholic Fellowship.
The members of the College of Bishops of the LCAC are each members of the Sophia Circle, a non prescriptive gathering of free bishops in the esoteric tradition.