Eastern Orthodox churches known as "Apostolic Succession." According to this belief, as taught by
the Roman and Orthodox churches, all bishops can trace their lines of succession back to one of the
apostles. This is to say that a bishop is only a valid bishop if he (the masculine gender is used here
because neither of these churches accepts the ordination of women) has been consecrated by
another bishop.
Present Roman and Orthodox Teaching. Following from this is the obvious: only a validly
consecrated bishop (one having been consecrated by another validly consecrated bishop) can
ordain valid priests and deacons. And only valid bishops, priests and deacons can celebrate valid
sacraments. If the bishop is not validly consecrated (in apostolic succession) then the priests and
deacons he ordains are not valid priests and deacons and the sacraments they celebrate are not
really sacraments.
churches recognize the validity of each others' priesthood and sacraments
even though these two churches are not in union with each other. In
addition, they recognize the validity of the priesthood and sacraments of
the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht (which split from the Roman Catholic
Church in the late 1800s). This is because the Old Catholic Church has
carried on the tradition of apostolic succession. Roman Catholic doctrine
is as follows: a Roman Catholic bishop may not consecrate another bishop
without the permission of the Vatican (the pope in particular). However, if a
Roman Catholic bishop does consecrate another bishop without the pope's
permission, the new bishop is a validly consecrated bishop even though
the consecration is considered illicit (illegal according to Roman Canon
Law) by the Roman Catholic Church.
Roman Catholic Church, even if they are outside the jurisdiction of the pope. These bishops can
consecrate valid priests and deacons and the sacraments they celebrate are considered valid by the
Roman Catholic Church.
of the Americas. In the mid-1900s Bishop
Carlos Duarte Costa, the Roman Catholic bishop
of Batucatu, Brazil, was excommunicated by the
pope. This was due to political reasons. He was
not accused of heretical teaching. Bishop Costa
was a validly consecrated Roman Catholic
bishop. Following his excommunication he
consecrated other bishops (illegal but valid
according to Roman Catholic doctrine). It is
through this line of succession that Bishops
Denis Martel and Filipe Teixeira trace their
apostolic succession. According to Roman
Catholic doctrine, Bishops
priests and deacons who celebrate valid sacraments.
Conclusion. The Catholic Church of the Americas continues the tradition of apostolic succession. It
is not our belief that the ministries of the Protestant churches are invalid. However, in order to
maintain our Catholic identity, we believe it important that our church maintain its apostolic
succession. We recognize the importance of this to many of our present and future members.
