All Souls is a member of The Ecumenical Catholic Communion and our  presiding Bishop is The Right Rev. Peter Hickman.  We are an Anglican-rite parish and the bishop overseeing our parish is The Right Rev. Dr. Rick Hollingsworth, the Suffragan Bishop for Anglican Affairs .

The Ecumenical Catholic Communion is a relatively new denomination but its roots go  all the way back to the early church.   We share a common theology and liturgical tradition with the Roman Catholic Church.  Our deacons, priests and bishops participate in the same historic apostolic succession as do the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion, and other apostolic Churches.  We share the same historic developments as Western Christianity.

The ECC traces its apostolic lineage from the Old Catholic Church.  Like all other independent catholic churches in America who claim an Old Catholic heritage, we are not officially recognized by the Union of Utrecht.  Our denomination does however affirm the Declaration of Utrecht as set out in 1889. 

The Old Catholic Church is recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as having valid apostolic succession even though it is not under the jurisdiction of Rome.  The Old Catholic Church separated from Rome over the decision of Vatican 1 and its declaration of the infallibility of the Pope. Since 1931 the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht has been in full communion with the  Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church in the US. 

The Ecumenical Catholic Communion sees itself as a communion rather than a church because it is made up of various strands of independent catholic churches that have been brought together under a spirit of unity and cooperation.  The ECC seeks fuller unity with other catholic denominations  who share a common theology and Old Catholic style of governance and is in full communion with other independent catholic jurisdictions: The Apostolic Catholic Church; The American Catholic Church, Diocese of California and the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America, just to name a few.

The ECC is a member of the Conference of North American Old Catholic Bishops.  It has been working regularly with the Rev. Bjorn Marcusson, a priest in The Episcopal Church and an Old Catholic Church theologian.  Fr. Marcusson has been instrumental in helping the denomination in understanding the importance maintaining the characteristics of a true apostolic church while envisioning its governance and structure for the future.

About our Denomination

All Souls Ecumenical Church

Phone: 610-621-1738; P.O. Box 15020, Reading, PA 19612-5020

Worshipping 1pm Sundays  in the Chapel at Calvary UCC, 640 Centre, Ave., Reading, PA 19601

 

               To contact us:  Info@allsoulsecumenical.org