The Anglo-Catholic Union

Saint Jerome, Confessor and Doctor

29 September, A.D. 2025

Practices

 This document will not be exhaustive. These are the first steps towards the organisation of a system mirroring that which has been long-absent ~ one aimed exclusively at a form of Holy Church devoted only to the praise and worship of our Lord, Jesus, the Christ. The Movement is not a Church, but rather a gathering of Churches, seeking to make a more perfect Union. Thus, we call ourselves The Movement. We pray that, through simplicity, profundity may be restored, and that we shall take our cues from The Way.

I

Churches Seeking Admission to the Anglo-Catholic Union

 The Movement has been established to eliminate structures beyond that of individual Dioceses. As-such, should a Church composed of multiple Dioceses apply for admission, said application could be considered as a whole, but it would seem best for that Church to separate into its constituent Dioceses, prior to making application, each of them in-turn applying for admission.

 In either case, once the application(s) have been approved, any titles or offices generally considered superior to that of Bishop Ordinary shall be immediately vacated, and their honorifics never used again, so-long as membership in The Movement is maintained. Each of the Dioceses, from that point forward, shall be considered to be independent, the Church of origin regarded as having been dissolved upon the approval of the application.

II

Dioceses seeking Admission to the Anglo-Catholic Union

 Such applications will be made in-writing to The Council (all of the Bishops Ordinary of The Movement convened). The request must signify that over one-half of the laity of the requesting Diocese (51% or more), and over two-thirds (67% or more) of the Clergy of the requesting Diocese, have voted in-favour of making the request. The application must further signify that The Principles of The Movement have been considered, and that the requesting Diocese will joyfully submit to them.

III

Diocesan Borders

 Should the case arise wherein a newly-joined Diocese overlaps the territory of an existing Diocese within The Movement, it is left to the respective ‘Ordinaries to resolve the Parishes in-question. If they cannot reach an amicable solution, the matter will be referred-to The Council. However, it should be noted that the incoming Diocese is seeking membership with us, and not vice-versa, such that the perogatives of that Diocese already in membership will be given some weight.

IV

Individual Parishes seeking Admission to the Anglo-Catholic Union

 All such applications will be made to the Bishop Ordinary in whose Diocese the applying Parish is physically located. He will oversee the entire process of acceptance into The Movement. He must report the final disposition of the application to The Council.

The investigation of the validity of the Holy Orders of all Clergy attached to the Parish will be conducted by The Council, acting in their capacity as the guarantors of the Faith. A copy of their finding will be transmitted, as soon as possible, to the Bishop Ordinary holding the application.

V

Individual Bishops seeking Admission to the Anglo-Catholic Union

 Bishops without Diocese are welcome to apply for membership in The Movement. Inasmuch as they are considered to carry the Apostolic Succession, their requests for membership must be submitted to The Council, not to their local Bishop Ordinary. Once their Application is approved, they will become canonically resident in the Diocese in which they physically reside, and will serve at the pleasure of the Bishop of that Diocese, being from that point forward strictly under his authority.

VI

Individual Clergy seeking Admission to the Anglo-Catholic Union

 Clergy without Parish are welcome to apply for membership in The Movement. Their process for joining shall be that described in Section IV, above, concerning Clergy who are attached to a Parish.