Christ Catholic Church - History

History

The church was founded in 1937 when several independent Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches joined together to create the Polish Old Catholic Church. Most of these churches were within the state of New Jersey, such as New Brunswick, South River, Dover, and Dunellen, although individual churches as far away as Tampa, Florida were included as well. They elected Joseph Zielonka to be their first bishop. In 1959, the church changed its name to Christ Catholic Church of the Americas and Europe to more clearly indicate that individuals and churches of all nationalities would be welcome in the church. The following year, 1960, the church consisted of 22 parishes with about 7,200 members.

In 1961, Bishop Zielonka died and his suffragan bishop, Peter A. Zurawetzky, was elected as his successor. Bishop Zurawetzky started a new mission program within the church and oversaw rapid growth. Among the developments were the founding of the Church of the Transfiguration in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1965 and, two years later, the creation of the Diocese of Boston under Karl Pruter, who was consecrated at the diocese's first bishop. The following year the Christ Catholic Church, Diocese of Boston was formally recognized as an independent entity and became known as the Christ Catholic Church. It was for many years headquartered at the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace, in Highlandville, Missouri. At a later date, the Liberal Catholic Church of Ontario (Canada), formerly part of the Liberal Catholic Church International, merged with the Christ Catholic Church, but eventually the original church reformed under Bishop Pruter's jurisdiction. Bishop Karl Pruter died on November 18, 2007. Prior to his death Pruter entrusted his ministry at the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace to Bishop Brian E. Brown, a bishop of Christ's Catholic Church: An Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion, whom he had consecrated sub-conditionally on September 9, 2007 and installed him as the Bishop of the patriarchal cathedral of the church.

There are several remnants of Christ Catholic Church of the Americas and Europe throughout the world and each of them in their own distinct way are connected with Archbishop Karl Hugo Rehling Pruter’s lifelong ministry within the Old Catholic Movement, but perhaps the most closely related is that of Christ's Catholic Church: An Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion.

Christ’s Catholic Church is a continuing ministry that was formed by the Cathedral Chapter of the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace in Highlandville, Missouri. It continues to carry on much of Pruter's actual work and ministry through the establishment of the Diocese of the Prince of Peace by Bishop Brian E. Brown. This diocese also serves as the caretaker of much of the physical historicity of the church as well as Bp. Pruter's personal journals, writings, artifacts, vestments, and relics.

Upon his installment to the patriarchal cathedral, Bp. Brown was given the original antimension gifted to Bp. Pruter himself by Bp. Peter A. Zurawetzky upon his own consecration to the episcopacy. Bp. Brown, at Bp. Pruter's request, also assumed day to day operation and leadership of St. Willibrord Press which continues to hold the rights to publish Pruter's numerous books and pamphlets related to mysticism, Old Catholicism, Congregationalism, and theology, as well as other selected works on religious topics.

Christ's Catholic Church is currently composed of six dioceses and two religious orders with clergy and ministries throughout North America. It operates St. Willibrord Press, Whithorn School of Theology and the World Peace Academy (a seminary and program Karl Pruter helped to found and form), and Radio Free Catholic Broadcasting along with parishes, prison ministries, chaplaincies, and various other outreach programs. Christ's Catholic Church also continues to faithfully support Karl Pruter's clarion call to non-violence and peace through its work in the greater peace movement and social justice causes.

The jurisdiction known as Christ Catholic Church Diocese of Boston ultimately became a diocese of the Southern Episcopal Church, being received as the Christ Catholic Diocese of Boston, Southern Episcopal Church.

Another group connected with Pruter reorganized and formed a new diocese; Christ Catholic Church Archdiocese of the Eastern United States. The diocese is another representation, among several, in the United States of Christ Catholic Church of the Americas and Europe.