18 Confirmed in Kearny, New Jersey

18 people were confirmed this year at Sacred Heart of Jesus American National Catholic Church, in Kearny, New Jersey. Quite a remarkable number, showing the vibrancy and health of this parish. 

The Freedom of the Local Church

Churches in the United States have a tendency toward congregationalism as their form of government. That is, property is owned by the local congregation, and all decisions reside with that body. It's a form of democratic governance that has not always been the case. Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and United Methodist churches are different, in that the local property belongs to the larger denomination. In United Methodist Churches in particular it's said that local property is held "in trust" for the denomination. The congregation can leave the denomination if they want, for example, but the property stays with the denomination. The American National Catholic Church (ANCC), by contrast, practices congregational autonomy. 

Most evangelical and Pentecostal churches in our times seem to be congregational. This is especially the case with "non-denominational" churches. It grants a certain freedom to the local church, although it can also remove accountability. People in a local church have no higher recourse than their own board to intervene when something goes wrong, like when a pastor is abusive. 

While the ANCC practices congregational polity, the clergy are still hierarchical. All the priests share in the ministry of the head bishop, wherever they may be serving locally. So while a congregation can join or leave the ANCC at any time, they won't necessarily have their same priest if they do so. Priests joining the ANCC have to be incardinated, while a congregation leaving the ANCC might not be able to persuade its priest to go along. And besides, who would be the priest's bishop in this situation?

General Absolution and Open Communion in the American National Catholic Church

Two practices that stand out as different in American National Catholic Church (ANCC) parishes when compared to those of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) is that the former offers general absolution and open communion during mass. But what does this mean?

In the RCC absolution is offered through private confession. This is when the church member goes to the priest in private and shares their sins. In response the priest offers absolution and generally instructs the believer on how to show penitence. This could be through a number of "Hail Marys" and/or "Our Fathers," or through some other means the priest thinks appropriate. In the ANCC this is available to members who want it. However, each week at the beginning of mass the priest or bishop offers a general absolution for the entire congregation. This is at the point in the mass where the people confess their sins in a general sense, with the words "I confess to almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters...." I have not found a written explanation for why absolution is offered to the gathered parish as a whole rather than strictly individually, but it does take down one of the barriers to participation that people can feel. Again, though, private confession is available by prior arrangement with the bishop or priest that is available. 

The Eucharist is the high point of the mass, and in ANCC parishes everyone is welcome to participate. The thought is that the sacraments are the gifts of God, not rewards. While we say that everyone is welcome to the table, and I have never seen someone turned away, I do believe that in theory it's meant for all baptized Christians in particular. The ANCC does hold to the Real Presence in the Eucharist, but on a Sunday morning no one is grilled about their beliefs regarding the sacrament.

These two sacraments, while practiced differently in the ANCC from the RCC, are deeply meaningful and contribute to sustaining the faith and spirituality of the parish. 

The Familiar Mass of the American National Catholic Church

Something nice about the American National Catholic Church is that it uses the familiar 2nd edition Novus Ordo mass. This is a descendent of the original Novus Ordo mass that came as a result of the 2nd Vatican Council, and is familiar to everyone from Boomers to Gen X. Even for Millennials and Gen Z it is close enough to the 3rd edition for them to adapt, though they might stumble here or there with some wording. 

Other jurisdictions of the Independent Sacramental Movement use a wide variety of liturgies, depending on what they've adopted and adapted for use in their churches. Some lean East, using St. John Chrysostom's Divine Liturgy, or a variation on it. Others lean West and draw from the Roman Church's liturgy. It is also true that some ISM jurisdictions are quite conservative and may use the old Latin mass of the Roman Catholic Church. 

By using the Novus Ordo 2nd edition, Roman Catholics who are familiar with the liturgy have little or no trouble following along and participating. I can only wonder how churches using another form of liturgy manage. Perhaps they print out the full service each week, as the Episcopal and ELCA churches tend to do. 

In the end, the ANCC's consistent use of the familiar Novus Ordo 2nd edition mass builds a bridge for Roman Catholics to join in, and puts everyone on the same page (literally) regarding the liturgy. This emphasizes the truth that mass isn't just about rules and rubrics, but more so about belonging. 

Reasons Non-Catholics Choose the American National Catholic Church

It makes sense that Roman Catholics seek out the American National Catholic Church (ANCC). It offers communities of faith that are not as rigid as Roman Catholicism, admitting remarried people to communion and both women and lgbtqia+ people to the full life and ministry of the church. This makes for a welcoming alternative for Catholics to the Roman Catholic Church. But what about non-Catholics who find their way into an ANCC parish? There can be a few reasons for their interest.

First, the ANCC offers sacramental spirituality without Roman constraints. People can enjoy the full depth of sacramental worship (eucharist, baptism, confirmation, etc.) with less institutional control and more inclusivity.

Second, that inclusivity I've already mentioned is a draw. The ANCC welcomes divorced and remarried people, lgbtqia+ folks, women clergy, and others who might feel marginalized elsewhere. For someone who wants both sacramental life and a progressive community, the ANCC can feel like a "home."

Third, ANCC parishes tend to be small, tight-knit communities. For someone seeking personal pastoral care and real community, the intimacy can be a strong draw compared to large, impersonal churches.  

Fourth, people from Protestant traditions may miss the sense of sacred ritual and historical continuity that ISM churches preserve. Others who are “exvangelicals” may find healing in a sacramental setting that doesn’t demand rigid adherence to conservative theology.

Fifth and finally, some non-Catholics are called to ministry but feel blocked in their own traditions. For example, women may not be permitted in ordained ministry, or lgbtqia+ folks can likewise be denied ordination. The ANCC offers recognition and a place to live out that calling, with a clear path to the diaconate or priesthood. 

It might be more common for Roman Catholics to seek out the ANCC than for non-Catholics, but the latter can have their reasons to do so as well. In this jurisdiction of the Independent Sacramental Movement, all are welcome.

Easy Theism or an Examined Faith

Before I spent 10 years among Humanists and freethinkers I thought everyone had an implicit understanding of God's reality, and that some simply denied it. I now understand what a terribly misguided and misinformed take that was. I have met many people over the past decade who told me that they never believed. Some said that they were told about God as a child and simply didn't accept the notion, while others believed until it dawned on them that it didn't all make complete sense. All this in childhood. Whereas my experience was one of always believing and only coming to break with that faith after I faced certain realities about life. Mine was an easy theism, one that I don't think holds much merit without testing. 

Easy theism is when people simply accept that God exists and generally believe there is a life hereafter. They don't question it, and more often than not criticize those who do. It can be expressed in the most banal of ways, such as when someone comes through a surgery successfully and people thank God rather than the doctors. I had my gall bladder removed in emergency surgery several years ago, and I made absolutely certain to let the surgeon know my gratitude to him. 

When someone recites the creed by rote memory at a mass without thinking about it, that's easy theism. Simply going along with it because that's what we've always done. 

When someone says "God needed an angel" when a child dies, or "Grandma's watching over us," these are expressions of easy theism.

Hard theism, by contrast, is an examined faith. It is faith in the face of suffering, not shrugging it off but wrestling with its reality while holding on to belief. It can be a philosophical theism, one born out of difficult study of arguments for an against (cosmological, moral, teleological, etc). This is a deliberate faith, not one that is reflexive. It is a faith willing to live with unresolved tensions. Hard theism is one that calls us to radical acceptance of the ethical demands of faith, such as living among the poor, renouncing wealth, or dedicating one's life to service. It isn't about comfort, but rather costly discipleship.

With hard theism, the questions are valid, considered, and dealt with either by turning away from theism or by persevering on while bearing the questions. 

Saints: Faith and Doubts

Saints are people whose testimony of faith extends beyond their lifetime. They are those whose exemplary lives continue to inspire. In Catholic thought, they are also understood to be companions to the living on their journey of faith. Through prayer to the saints, their intercession is requested in much the same way that living Christians might ask one another for intercessory prayer. 

There is, so far as I know, no process for recognizing someone as a saint in the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM). Generally the ISM churches simply recognize any saints from the Western or Eastern traditions. 

As I've said, these are to be companions on our journey of faith, people to whom we pray, who then in turn pray for us. This is not the same thing as what Jesus does as our one mediator between the Father and humanity. While God the Son relates directly to God the Father, saints intercede for us through Jesus. At least, that's how I understand it. Mind you, I'm no expert on Catholic theology. 

Here's where my Humanist skepticism kicks in. There are questions, such as: how do our prayers reach the saints? They are not omniscient, so how could they be aware of our prayers? The Church answers that God ensures that our petitions reach them, however that occurs. Then I wonder: how do they keep track of all the petitions? Some saints, like Saint Jude, are quite popular. They would have to be hearing hundreds of requests at a time, at least. They are not omnipotent. Finally, how would they even understand our prayers? Languages have changed over the centuries, and I suppose we can fall back on the notion that God translates for them. But then, how do they understand the content of our prayers, given how much the world has changed with technology and scientific progress?

So there you have the faith, and the doubts, around the saints.

Why Some Choose the Independent Sacramental Movement

Given that the Independent Sacramental Movement is so small and scattered, why do some choose to be part of it rather than turning to Rome or Canterbury?

For many, the ISM is precisely where they've turned after being rejected by Roman Catholicism. People who are divorced and remarried, lgbtqia+, or women with a calling to ministry are not truly welcome as they are, and affirmed in their identities, by the Roman Catholic Church. Within the ISM there are many very welcoming jurisdictions where they can be true to their Catholic faith and true to themselves. Now, mind you, not all ISM jurisdictions are so welcoming. Many are, but some few are ultra-conservative. Care must be taken in choosing an ISM jurisdiction that aligns with what you are seeking. This is usually resolved with a careful review of the jurisdiction's website. In any case, an ISM parish will typically have a mass that is familiar to a lifelong Roman Catholic, with some variation possible, but where everyone can take part fully.

The Episcopal Church is certainly a valid alternative for Roman Catholics, given its liturgy and progressive nature. However, as similar as the service may be to the mass, there have been hundreds of years of evolution in the Episcopal liturgy. This has given it a different feel from the Catholic mass that some might not find to their liking. Also, the Episcopal Church generally doesn't offer the sacrament of reconciliation or consider other rites to be sacraments as such either. 

The ISM often offers a familiar liturgy, set of sacraments, and theology that former Roman Catholics find appealing. Given that, it's not surprising that many Catholics opt for the ISM when presented with the options. 

When I Miss Mass

 As I've already written here, I have an ingrained tendency to always attend church on Sunday. Over recent years I've gotten "better" about not feeling guilt when I don't make it. However, there are two things I miss when I don't get to mass at my local American National Catholic Church (ANCC) parish.

First, the people. Christians call it fellowship. There is a group of people I've gotten to know who sit around me in the pews every Sunday. Creatures of habit, we have our customary seats, and we talk before and after the mass. One Saturday evening I attended a special 5pm mass rather than attend the following day. I didn't have any of my people. In fact, the seats around me were all empty. It was a strange sensation going through the liturgy without those familiar voices surrounding me. 

Second, the liturgy. The mass itself can be very satisfying, with the songs, readings, prayers, and Eucharist. Even when I started attending and felt much more Humanist, I still felt at the end of mass that I had participated in something meaningful. The liturgy is something that for years as a low-church Protestant I didn't really appreciate. Now, it feels as through what Catholics do is much more "worshipful" than the simple songs, prayers, and preaching I participated in for years. 

None of this is meant as a judgement. There can be strong fellowship in any church, and many Protestant churches offer immersive worship in their own way. This has just been my experience as I journey with my ANCC siblings. 

What is the Independent Sacramental Movement?

The Independent Sacramental Movement is a loose collection of jurisdictions, parishes, clergy, and lay people who value the sacramental life of the church, expressed through apostolic succession, 7 sacraments, and the trifold ministry of bishops, priests/presbyters, and deacons. This movement exists outside of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox communions, although it generally adopts much from them and the other ancient, historic expressions of Christianity.

The ISM is made up of jurisdictions. These are usually led by a single bishop, although in some cases there may be a council of bishops. Parishes and their priests make up the jurisdiction. Typically, the parishes run their own affairs and are congregational in polity. Thus parishes can leave a jurisdiction if they so choose. Priests as well are known to sometimes leave one jurisdiction and move to another, in a process called "incardination."

There are currently hundreds of jurisdictions, most of which are quite small and none of which reach the size of a mainline Protestant denomination. The thing about these jurisdictions is that they come and go. ISM bishops generally aren't paid for their role, and their ability to keep up with things and maintain (let alone grow) their jurisdictions can vary. Also, frankly, some ISM bishops are simply unprepared for their role.

A clever way that these jurisdictions have of being able to endorse priests for military chaplaincy is through affiliation with the International Council of Community Churches (ICCC). Since the ICCC is recognized by the US military for endorsing chaplains, ISM churches that are part of the ICCC are able to endorse chaplains for service. Right now, for example, the top listing in the ICCC directory for New Jersey is the American National Catholic Church, an ISM jurisdiction. 

While ISM churches seek to maintain historic apostolic succession and celebrate the same sacraments as the Roman Catholic and Orthodox communions, these tend to contest the validity of their lineages and therefore sacraments. These concerns may lead to some jurisdictions being overly defensive about their succession and sacraments, but on the whole participants in the ISM simply disagree with their critics and carry on.

For a listing of many ISM jurisdictions, check out this link. 

Looking for a Church While Traveling

Some years ago I realized that I'm something of an anomaly. Having been raised Roman Catholic, I had the habit of always attending church ingrained in me. This included when on vacation. Once when my parents and I were traveling in South Dakota we stopped at a Roman Catholic parish in Sturgis to worship. This was memorable because despite it being cattle country, the priest preached against raising cattle in his homily. We were glad that my father, a farmer, opted to stay in the car that day. 

In any case, what made me stand out for years as a Protestant was my insistence on always attending church on Sunday, even when traveling. Before I was married this was easy to do, and when traveling I always found a place to attend. After I was wed, my wife thought I was a little nuts looking for a church to attend when I planned trips. To her, and to many Protestants, time away meant time away from church.

Now, I know this isn't universal. You'll find plenty of folks like me, looking for a church on Sunday. I'm just saying it's not that common among Protestants as it is among Catholics. The latter, you see, are compelled by an actual mandate to attend mass at least once a week. So, what can a person who is part of an ISM jurisdiction do when traveling?

First, they can look for a parish using an online directory like this one. It's best if using such a directory that the prospective attendee reaches out to the parish in question to confirm that mass will take place and at what time. Information on the internet can become outdated relatively quickly.

Second, an easier option is to look for an Episcopal Church. A parish that's part of the ECUSA will be welcoming, offering what has been described as a "Catholic Lite" experience, and is a place where everyone is welcome to the table. There have been questions about their apostolic succession from some, but it's my understanding they resolved these issues many years ago. When I was recently visiting my mother in Missouri I attended a friendly Episcopal parish and found it quite satisfying. Below is an example of their worship.

What an ANCC Mass is Like

You might be curious what a mass looks like at an American National Catholic Church parish. If you are looking for something edgy or different, you will be disappointed. We follow the 2nd edition of the Novus Ordo mass. This is the contemporary mass that has been celebrated since Vatican II in the 1960s within the Roman Catholic Church. Except that we are not using the most recent edition, which is the 3rd edition that was released this century. In other words, we use a form of the mass that Gen X Roman Catholics would be very familiar with, having grown up with in. As an example of a difference, in the current missal the Nicene Creed says Jesus is "consubstantial with the Father," whereas the 2nd edition which we use says he is "one in being with the Father."

If you're really curious, here's a recent mass at one of our parishes for you to view. Like I said, it's a pretty standard mass. One difference you'll notice is the general absolution near the beginning. For us, private confession is optional. 

Considering the Call

No, I am not contemplating a religious vocation. Yes, I have long had a sense of calling. 

When I was a teenager, before I left the Roman Catholic Church, we had a "Vocation Sunday." This was probably an annual event, for all I can remember. It was one year in particular that stuck with me. I was high school age at the time, and we had a guest speaking give a homily about the need for priests, monks, and nuns, but priests in particular. I sat there looking down uncomfortably, feeling as though he was talking directly to me. In the months after I wrestled with the idea, and felt at some point that I'd come to terms with it. I would be a priest.

Except of course, that's not what happened.

Through my teens I struggled with undiagnosed depression, and a way I had of attempting to resolve it (thinking it were a matter of lacking purpose) was to explore religion. I took a course in Roman Catholicism, but also in Wicca. I studied New Age and Hindu texts, along with the Tao Te Ching and other writings. Then, in the Bible and through religious TV programming, I found faith in Jesus. One thing led to another and I became a Protestant. As such I found a more welcoming way to get into ministry, since as an evangelical clergyperson I would not be expected to remain celibate. 

There was another Sunday that was quite potent for me. I was a college student doing a mission internship in Brazil. It was my second Sunday in the country, and as I heard a song during worship about Brazil, I had a strong sense of renewed calling. This time, it was to be a missionary in Brazil. I would go from that point and align my entire life around going to Brazil as a missionary. 

Once there I lasted only a few years, though I loved the country. Financial support for the mission didn't seem strong enough. We moved to the United States (by this point I was married with kids) with the intention of raising more support. One year led to another, though, and it never happened. By the time we actually moved as a family back to Brazil, I was a Humanist. 

Even as a Humanist I had a sense of calling. I attributed it to a combination of old habits and an innate desire to be of service. Some people are just like this, I guessed. I tried for a time to find my way into Humanist leadership, and despite serving on some boards I never quite felt it was the right fit for me. 

Now here I am, between reason and faith, with no desire to forsake the former in favor of the latter. I still have that old sense of calling, but I don't see myself in the priesthood. Frankly, the thought of keeping track of everything I'd have to do in celebrating the mass terrifies me. What does draw me, however, is the possibility of serving others. As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been asked to help lead a youth group. If that comes together, I'll certainly feel as though my calling is being answered with action. 

Introducing a Faith on the Margins

Welcome to a new blog. 

Fides in Marginibus — Faith on the Margins — is for now a place where I can put down my thoughts as I slowly find my way into the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM) in general, and the American National Catholic Church (ANCC) in particular. The early posts here may be quite rough, as I'm still putting this all together. 

"Faith on the margins" reflects a few different realities for me:

First, my personal reality of coming into this as a fairly convinced Humanist. My heart still beats Humanist, even as I explore the possibility of a sacramental Christianity. I won't likely pull many punches in my critique of the easy theism I once held, many years ago, and which is so prevalent still in our times (and politics). Faith is on the margins for me, working its way in.

Second, the ISM itself is statistically a faith on the margins, in the sense that such a small fraction of people find their home in jurisdictions of this movement. Bishops set up jurisdictions, priests call together churches, and those who come to participate are often few in number. Of course there are exceptions.

Third, those who participate in ISM parishes are frequently people who have been marginalized by society and the church. Certainly in many jurisdictions lgbtq+ folks find a welcoming and affirming home, and women are able to answer the call to ministry. Remarried people who are shut out from communion in Roman Catholicism will find parishes that welcome them to the table. There are also ministries to the undocumented, the homeless, and the addicted. This is all faith on the margins. 

As I indicated above, I'm presently journeying in a tentative faith with the American National Catholic Church. This jurisdiction welcomes everyone, and is one of the jurisdictions in the ISM that can be counted on to affirm the role of lgbtq+ folks and women in all aspects of ministry. This was a non-negotiable for me.

Now, why am I pursuing this route when I still feel a baseline of Humanism at my core? Well, you see, there's a woman. She's Roman Catholic and lives in another country. I felt that my Unitarian Universalist congregation would ill-suit her, and Roman Catholicism is closed to me since I'm divorced and planning to get married. Besides, as I've said, full inclusion is not something I'm willing to give ground on. 

I started attending a parish of the ANCC thinking only that I would form a connection and have a place to attend with her once she moves here. What has happened, though, is a slow binding of myself to these people and this faith. This was wholly unexpected and has changed my outlook. Now most Sundays I attend the ANCC parish rather than the UU congregation. I miss it when I don't make it. 

Where this will lead, I don't know. I've even been asked to lead the youth group for the parish, and I'm waiting to see if another volunteer can be found to help facilitate the group. Can I, with a marginal faith, lead such an endeavor? I'm certainly going to try.