What makes the Episcopal Eucharist invalid? A man called the Pope? What makes him infallible? Documents that were created by other men? Hugh, there was only one infallible man — Jesus the Christ. Can you show me in the Bible where Papal Primacy? I have looked and looked but cannot find it. I get apostolic secession from the Bible — “Peter upon this rock”. We of faith need to be focusing on what we have in common. Who cares about the wording on how the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus. Going through Cursillo last fall, I learned that weather you call it ‘transubstantiation’ and ‘consubstantiation’ the actual event is called a mystery. Both concepts really have no Biblical basis, one from the Council of Trent (1545-63) and re-affirmed by the Second Vatican Council (1962). The other out of Martin Luther teaching but rejected by modern Lutheran Scholars. Most Episcopalians would not know either term as they are not taught in our Confirmation Classes.

My core believes include:
1) Jesus the Christ died and was resurrected for all of our sins — past, present and future. There is nothing that I can do to take that away as it is there by the grace of God.

2) Eucharist or Holy Communion was established by Jesus the Christ for all. It is His table not the Roman Catholics, not the Eastern Church, and certainly not the Episcopalians. I believe by some mystery that the bread and wine become the body and blood but do not condemn those that don’t believe this way.

3) No man alive today is infallible. This is probably the main reason that I am not Roman Catholic.

4) That there is a place in the church for ordination of women — The resurrection of the Messiah was discovered by women. Jesus treated women is equals — all in the New Testament.

5) The sacrament of marriage is for all, none must and some should. Multiple wives are a norm in Biblical times. The Bible has at least 3 stories of same sex relationships — look up David and Jonathan for instance…

6)that all Holy Orders are invalid. Before you hang me — The Holy Orders of Today in the Roman Catholic tradition are not much more the denominations within the Roman Catholic Church. All original from the Desert Fathers. The Eastern Church still maintains the monastic life the same way that the desert fathers did, no orders and no rules. That being said right now I am setting in a Benedictine Archabbey right now. I do believe in the work that do but they are invalid by the early church’s definition. Times change and things have to change with them.

7) That the Nicene Creed is significant statement of faith.

Jesus the Christ came to establish “God’s Kingdom” right now and right here on earth. He did not come to give us new information on God and He didn’t come to give us new set of sexual morals. The “Kingdom of God” is the number one thing that Jesus preached about and next and how we treat each other is reflective on how we ultimately treat God.

Jesus prayed for the unity of His People but it seems that we split over minor issues like the mystery of the how the bread and the cup are transformed in the his body and blood or even if they are His body and blood more evidence in the bible to the this — “do this in remembrance of me” doesn’t say anything about change into His body and blood. We have failed in one of Jesus the Christ prayers — that his people remain on body. I have seen churches split over minor issues.

Your statement in you comments to SJ do nothing but drive another wedge into the split church by driving more distance between those that might come back or return or even come to Roman.

1. failure to dialogue (which requires listening)

2. and telling someone ‘We pray that you will come around’.

Chances are that SJ Reidhead will never ‘come around’ now. For as much as we know, SJ may remember your unencouraging words and never want to be a part of the Catholic family because of that. Where was the love and the humility of Christ needed in your response to SJ? As a ‘Catholic author’ I am sure it can become easy to push your own Catholic agenda. However, it is important, especially in this day and age, to ‘RESPOND’ to people rather then to ‘REACT’ to them. You were more quick to address and react to the fallacies of SJ’s faith then you were to patiently and lovingly respond to SJ in a way that SJ may have needed you to respond in order for him/her to grow in their faith and understanding of ours. Mr. McNichol, I say this respectfully as I am sure you feel called to be a writer and I do not want to discount your thoughts, feelings, and/ or personhood… You lack a certain pastoral element in your writings that is absolutely necessary for an unbelieving world to not only listen to you but also hear you. It is your ‘I’m right, you’re wrong’ mentality towards God that an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable. Please take my words into consideration. I only want to see the world begin to dialogue rather then argue or ignore. These are my thoughts. I respect yours. Go in peace

-Br. Phil OSB

The average Episcopalian is just as decent, “Christian” and just as devoted to “Christ” as any other denomination. The worst of it, is most of us are basically treated like illegitimate children of the Catholic Church. We would love to be Catholic, but cannot stomach the fact that your church looks down on women and will not allow them into the priest-hood. If you allowed your priests to marry you might not have such a problem with gay priests. I hate to break it to you but they are all over the place. If the Catholic Church in the US follows the Pope’s edict about ejecting gay priests, you guys are going to come crawling to the Episcopal Church. It might help with the pedophile issue.

Contrary to what you have written, we treasure the Pope (most of us do). We long to be in communion with your church, but we just aren’t good enough. Funny how Christ allowed for imperfection in people, but the “Church” cannot.

We believe in the Holy Eucharist. We embrace the beliefs stated in the Nicean Creed and recite it every time we take HE. We believe in the confession and forgiveness of sin.

I’m a fairly new Episcopalian. I don’t claim to know everything that is going on. I do know that the rank and file, “normal” Episcopalians are just as decent, devout, and “catholic” as the official “Church”. There are a few bad apples in every group. I live about 35 miles from a Catholic parish where pedophile priests were shipped. Since it is New Mexico, we’re considered the end of the earth. The dozens of lives destroyed probably don’t matter, either. In the Episcopal church we are required to maintain a license, go through hours of training, and are subjected to an extensive back-ground check before working with children.

I know this is a cheap shot, but I’m sick and tired of having my church defiled and slandered because of the actions of a handful of people who do not represent the views of the rank and file church.

Maybe it’s time to start looking for the similarities and stop looking for the differences.

SJ Reidhead
The Pink Flamingo