In Case You Were Wondering…(FAQ)

Do you celebrate the mass and the other sacraments?
Yes. We celebrate the same seven sacraments as do other churches in the Catholic tradition.

Do you mean it when you say, “All are welcome,” or are you just saying that?
Yes, we mean it. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation. We do not, on the basis of status, exclude any of these persons from any level of activity.

Do you have anything special for children?
Yes. First of all, children are welcome. We usually include a Children’s Liturgy of the Word at each mass. Children are welcome to receive the eucharist as soon as they want to participate. Catechesis (teaching) about the sacraments follows as is age appropriate.

Do you have any service or outreach programs?
Yes. SCF is a “Covenant Church” with Bread for the World. That means…We also have volunteers who choose to work at Karen House, a Catholic Worker facility, on a regular basis. SCF tithes 10% of all its offerings to charities outside of our church. And we maintain a “Matthew 25 Fund” for our own members in need.

Do you really have women priests?
Yes. Of the 24 priests in the ECC nationally, 6 are women. Jessica Rowley, a priest at Sts. Clare & Francis was ordained a priest on September 7th, 2007.

What requirements do you have for being a priest in the ECC?
Candidates for the priesthood (or validly ordained priests joining the ECC) must have a Master’s of Divinity or its equivalent, a background check, a psychological evaluation, and be supported by a community of persons wanting the candidate to serve as their priest.

What do you believe?
Like every church standing in the great Catholic Christian tradition, we accept as normative the decisions and statements of the early ecumenical councils of the Church when the Church was undivided, e.g., the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. Beyond that we reflect theologically upon questions that have arisen since the Church became divided, we may develop opinions and take stands, but we do not claim them to be infallible. Also like Clare and Francis, we would prefer to give our attention to the scriptures themselves than to the formulations that grew out of controversy.

How do I become a member of Sts. Clare & Francis?
If after getting to know us, you would like to sign up as a member, there is a form available at each mass. Ask an usher for one. You will probably want to introduce yourself to the members of the Pastoral Team, i.e., Father Frank Krebs, Deacon Jessica Rowley, and Lisa von Stamwitz. We invite you to discuss with them how you want to participate and put your gifts and talents to use.

What is the Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC)?
The ECC is a community of parish communities in the Old Catholic tradition. Old Catholics separated from Rome after the First Vatican Council of 1870. The issue was the new (at that time) pronouncements of that council about papal infallibility and universal papal jurisdiction. Since these bishops did not agree with these new pronouncements, they were dubbed “Old Catholics.” (Old Catholics in Europe since that time have become quite progressive, e.g., pioneering in Ecumenical relations and ordaining women priests. So they are not “old” in a tradition-bound sense.) For more information on the current Old Catholic Church, known officially as the Union of Utrecht, see http://www.utrechter-union.org/english/start.htm .
The ECC formed around a bishop in the Old Catholic tradition, Bishop Peter Hickman. (See the separate History information.)
The ECC is governed in the Old Catholic way, i.e., by a bi-annual synod or congress, where decisions are worked out by representatives of all the baptized. The constitution calls for a House of Laity, a House of Pastors, and a Council of Bishops—each of which has roles in the formulation of policy. This model is very similar to the Episcopal Church and to the way the Roman Catholic Church functioned in the US until about 1850. (For more information, see the ECC website, www.ecumenical-catholic-communion.org )

Why do you have “co-presiders”?
As our name, Clare & Francis, suggests, we always try to have a balance of both genders in the way we behave and in how we address our God. We usually have a man and a woman co-presiding at our Eucharists. The principal presider, whether male or female, is a priest; the co-presider may not be.

What is the status of lay persons at SCF and in the ECC?
We avoid the term “lay person.” That term perpetuates a view of the church as divided between clerics, who have all the power, and laypersons, who are simply to be docile sheep. The New Testament view of the church was much more integrated. Everyone is baptized; that is the major sacramental identity we have; that gives all of us a unity. Some of us are ordained for special roles; but those persons are not “separated out.” “Lay persons,” that is non-ordained persons, in our church are involved in the work of the church and share in the decision-making of the church at every level. Bishops are elected by the people as in the ancient Church. Pastors are chosen by their congregations.

Why do you say “community” instead of church, as in “Sts. Clare & Francis Community”?
We also use the word “church.” But the word “community” is one of the words used in the New Testament for the church. It emphasizes the relational aspect that is important to us.