St. Faustina Catholic Community both celebrates and draws nourishment from the experience of community. Neither large nor alienating, St. Faustina Catholic Community has established an intimate community experience where its members are at once accepted, affirmed and challenged to further their commitment as the body of Christ. We seek depth of relationship with God and with one another that is demanding as well as liberating. St. Faustina Catholic Community maintains rich sacramental and liturgical traditions which reflect centuries of practice and evolution. Our liturgies, rooted in the early church, express commitments to ritual, narrative and spirituality that demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of a Church that is inclusive in image, word and action. We, St. Faustina Catholic Community, as a member of the Orthodox Catholic Church of America, proclaim our mission as rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We offer a sacramental and affirming presence to all in their diversity. We, as an autonomous Catholic community, strive for the work of fostering unity while celebrating the various faith traditions among Christians in accord with Jesus' prayer "that all may be one." As the people of God, we are called to ministries that are loving, inclusive and promoting of justice to further the reign of God. St. Faustina Catholic Community is the legal corporation title of a 'not for profit' independent Catholic Church in the State of Florida and in compliance with Chapter 617, F.S., Articles of Incorporation as filed with the Secretary of State in Tallahassee, Fl. St. Faustina Orthodox-Catholic Community adheres to the catholic deposit of faith as revealed by God the Father, taught by Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit through tradition and scripture down through the centuries. We are a church charged with bringing the good news of Divine love to everyone. Our mandate from Jesus is to make the gospel message vibrant in the lives of our people, whatever walk they come from. The Orthodox-Catholic Church of America The Orthodox-Catholic Church of America, with its roots in the America of the 1880's, is one of a number of churches seeking to blend the genius of Orthodoxy in an American setting. Rene Joseph Villate, our first archbishop, served as a missionary priest (ordained in Berne, Switzerland, 1885), establishing parishes in the upper midwest. Ordained a bishop, Villate then returned to the United States, ordaining priests and bishops for the midwest, east coast, and south. What can be said about a man who traveled worldwide, who was influenced by Gallican, Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Old Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox traditions? Some think Villate to be a saint, others a church rogue. He may have been a bit of both, doing both well! When it's all said, let history be the best judge. Villate's community was declared a self-governing branch of Orthodoxy nearly a century ago, becoming the first to give status to a western way of worship in Orthodoxy. The first Orthodox church in the U.S.A. to consecrate a native born and African-American as bishops. Our Synod of Bishops traces its heritage from Villate, Sherwood, Hyde, Lankenau and other bishops in what has come to be called "apostolic succession". We hold to the ancient understanding that the ultimate and final authority in the Church is a true Ecumenical Council. We honor the patriarchs of both East and West. OCCA recognizes that these patriarchs are "first among equals" and have an important role in nurturing both unity and diversity in the Church. The patriarch of the West, the bishop of Rome, could be recognized by OCCA in the ancient role given to that office: mediating disputes and facilitating communication between the churches within the Church, remembering that the head of the Church is Jesus. OCCA church authority rests in the Synod of Bishops whose chief executive is the metropolitan archbishop of the Archdiocese of North America. This Archdiocese is divided presently into constituent dioceses, each headed by a bishop who is a synod member. The Synod of Bishops is charged with encouraging and heartening the People of God and especially our brothers and sisters in the ordained ministry of deacon and presbyter. All the clergy gather in a National Synod every four years for the purpose of fellowship and discerning God's will for OCCA. Our clergy are in the tradition of Apostle Paul the Tentmaker, not depending on the church for financial support. This is a difficult tradition, an important one if we are to be close to people's experience yet a frustrating one if we long to spend larger blocks of time doing church work. If you would like to speak to someone about St. Faustina Catholic Community you can contact Fr. Michael Pierson, pastor of St. Faustina Catholic Community located in Deerfield Beach and the Director of Divine Mercy Outreach Ministry in Florida and Rhode Island. |
