Catholic Apostolic Church - Number of Congregations and Members

Number of Congregations and Members

The existence of apparently separate congregations is understood by the community not as in any sense being a schism or separation from the one Catholic Church, but a separation to a special work of restoration, blessing and intercession on behalf of it on the one hand, and the results of the rejection of the Testimony on the other. In the early days those who accepted the Apostles were told to remain in their congregations and explain their adherence to their ministers. As the nuclei of the first congregations sprang out of the rejection of certain ministers by the churches to which they belonged, so many churches were set up to take care of those who were similarly cast out. Such congregations were established as patterns of the restored worship.

Indeed, sectarianism is wholly rejected: the basic principle is that all who are baptized in the name of the Trinity are Christian and form part of one church. The name was taken directly from the Apostles' Creed as belonging to all Christians and not designating something new.

Inspired by outbreaks of agalliasis (manifestations of the Spirit), and miraculous healing, the numbers of those who accepted the Apostles throughout the world grew at an amazing rate. The majority, after the rejection of the Apostles by the other churches, were cared for in separated congregations with ordained ministries. However, when the last apostle died in 1901 without an appearance of the 'Light of the World', the Catholic Apostolic Church declined; since ordination was only possible with Apostolic consent, no further consecrations to the ministry could be made. External evangelism, common since the beginning in 1835, ceased at the same time, and all services were reduced to a shorter form, even in congregations where the full Ministry was operating.

Estimated membership at the beginning of the 20th century was 200,000, in almost 1000 congregations worldwide, spread as follows: England: 315, Scotland 28, Ireland: 6, Germany: 348, Netherlands: 17, Austria/Hungary: 8, Switzerland: 41, Norway: 10, Sweden: 15, Denmark: 59, Russia, Finland, Poland and the Baltic States: 18, France: 7, Belgium: 3, Italy: 2, USA: 29, Canada: 13, Australia: 15, New Zealand: 5, South Africa: 1.

The last Angel died in 1960 in Siegen, Germany; the last Priest in 1971 in London, England; the last Deacon in 1972 in Melbourne, Australia.