INCORRECT STATEMENT ON PURPOSE?
On
the ordination of Fr. David Jones of St Joseph Missouri the Roman Catholic Bishop
of Kansas City – St Joseph, Most Rev. Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr, issued a
misleading statement being published each parish throughout the Dioceses. In this
statement he stated that Fr. Jones was an Old Catholic priest and therefore not
an apostolically valid Priest. This is not
true. The North American Old Roman Catholic Church – Archdiocese of California
and its clergy are recognized by Rome as a true “Particular Church with
verifiable apostolic linage and a valid Eucharist”
An Open letter to Bishop Johnston was published on Facebook and a certified letter
was sent to his office. The open letter is
publish here. The content of the certified letter will be published following a
respectable period awaiting Bishop Johnston’s reply.
.
OPEN LETTER TO THE MOST REV.
JAMES V. JOHNSTON, BISHOP OF KANSAS CITY.
Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr.
The Catholic Center
20 West Ninth Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
September 4, 2017
The Catholic Center
20 West Ninth Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
September 4, 2017
Your Excellency,
I take this opportunity to correspond with you concerning what I consider to be a most blatant Libel of one of our priests and total misconception presented to the public in reference to the North American Old Roman Catholic Church – Archdiocese of California. Your printed statement alluded that Fr. David Jones in a non-valid priest of the Old Catholic Church. I quote from your Cathedral Bulletin of September 3, 2017:
“There has been local news coverage about David Jones, formerly employed at St. James Catholic Church in St. Joseph, who was ordained a minister in the Old Catholic Church. The Old Catholic Church is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Therefore, Roman Catholics are not permitted to receive communion in this denomination.”
First, this jurisdiction in not a part of the Old Catholic church and has never been in communion or correspondence with any other such denomination. The North American Old Roman Catholic Church – Archdiocese of California is an autonomous, apostolically valid Catholic jurisdiction and its priests recognized by Rome as possessing valid apostolic orders. In the Archdioceses history, never has there been a woman ordained nor will this Archdiocese ever ordain such. This same probation extends also to those who serve or assist in the mass.
Second, at no time has Fr. Jones ever been employed by St James Catholic Church. Any work performed at that parish was solely of a volunteer nature and not one penny given him for his services.
Third and most important, The Archdiocese of California is recognized as meeting in the Declaration “Dominus Jesus” issued by the Congregation For The Doctrine Of The Faith” on August 6, 2000 those essential elements of a “True Particular Church”. For your reference, I quote below.
“…[chapter] IV. Unicity and Unity of the Church…[paragraph number] 17. Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him. The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, since they do not accept the [Roman] Catholic doctrine of the Primacy [of the Pope].”
It is universally accepted should a Catholic parishioner be unable to attend mass where they are the requirement for mass is acceptable as having been fulfilled worship at an Archdiocese of California parish.
I would share with you that every one of our priests in the Canon of the Mass pray for the Holy Father in each mass offered. It is our Archdiocese’s continued goal to seek sacramental reconciliation with the Holy See. Only then can we fulfill our Saviors prayer, “That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
I take this opportunity to correspond with you concerning what I consider to be a most blatant Libel of one of our priests and total misconception presented to the public in reference to the North American Old Roman Catholic Church – Archdiocese of California. Your printed statement alluded that Fr. David Jones in a non-valid priest of the Old Catholic Church. I quote from your Cathedral Bulletin of September 3, 2017:
“There has been local news coverage about David Jones, formerly employed at St. James Catholic Church in St. Joseph, who was ordained a minister in the Old Catholic Church. The Old Catholic Church is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Therefore, Roman Catholics are not permitted to receive communion in this denomination.”
First, this jurisdiction in not a part of the Old Catholic church and has never been in communion or correspondence with any other such denomination. The North American Old Roman Catholic Church – Archdiocese of California is an autonomous, apostolically valid Catholic jurisdiction and its priests recognized by Rome as possessing valid apostolic orders. In the Archdioceses history, never has there been a woman ordained nor will this Archdiocese ever ordain such. This same probation extends also to those who serve or assist in the mass.
Second, at no time has Fr. Jones ever been employed by St James Catholic Church. Any work performed at that parish was solely of a volunteer nature and not one penny given him for his services.
Third and most important, The Archdiocese of California is recognized as meeting in the Declaration “Dominus Jesus” issued by the Congregation For The Doctrine Of The Faith” on August 6, 2000 those essential elements of a “True Particular Church”. For your reference, I quote below.
“…[chapter] IV. Unicity and Unity of the Church…[paragraph number] 17. Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him. The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, since they do not accept the [Roman] Catholic doctrine of the Primacy [of the Pope].”
It is universally accepted should a Catholic parishioner be unable to attend mass where they are the requirement for mass is acceptable as having been fulfilled worship at an Archdiocese of California parish.
I would share with you that every one of our priests in the Canon of the Mass pray for the Holy Father in each mass offered. It is our Archdiocese’s continued goal to seek sacramental reconciliation with the Holy See. Only then can we fulfill our Saviors prayer, “That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
It is our sincere hope that you will speedily rectify the invalid information put forth by your Diocese at all levels.
In Christ,
+ Bob
Most Rev. Bobby C. Hall, DD
Auxiliary Bishop
+ Bob
Most Rev. Bobby C. Hall, DD
Auxiliary Bishop
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