By: Rev. Fr. Jerome Salvador, SSW
Many prominent Roman Catholic theologians—including Yves Congar, Hans Küng, and Francis A. Sullivan—have argued that Christian communities like the North American Old Roman Catholic Church, Utrecht Succession, Archdiocese of California (NAORCC, US, AoC), though not in full communion with the Roman Pontiff, can be theologically recognized as bearing the essential marks of a true particular Church—namely valid apostolic succession, sacramental life, and apostolic faith—based on principles articulated in post-Vatican II ecclesiology.
1. Yves Congar – Communion Ecclesiology and “Total Ecclesiology”
Yves Congar, O.P., a key contributor to Lumen Gentium (Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church), emphasized the Church as communion (communio) rather than merely a juridical institution. In his total ecclesiology, he recognized that although the fullness of the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church, ecclesial elements (such as Scripture, sacraments, and apostolic ministry) are present outside her visible boundaries.
“The Church of Christ is broader than the Roman Catholic Church, even though the fullness of means of salvation is found in her.” [Yves Congar, “Diversités et communion,” in Chrétiens désunis (Paris: Cerf, 1937), cited in Gabriel Flynn and Paul D. Murray, Ressourcement: A Movement for Renewal in Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology (Oxford: OUP, 2012).]
Congar’s theology found magisterial resonance in Lumen Gentium 8, which famously stated:
“This Church [of Christ] constituted and organized in the world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church… Nevertheless, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside its visible structure.” [Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, §8.]
This ecclesiological inclusivity provides a theological foundation for recognizing the NAORCC, US, AoC’s apostolic faith and valid sacraments as real signs of ecclesial identity, even though they remain outside full communion with the Roman Pontiff.
2. Hans Küng – Ecclesial Plurality and Gospel-Centered Identity
Hans Küng, in his seminal work “The Church”, took a biblically grounded approach to ecclesiology, arguing that the essence of the Church consists in the proclamation of the Gospel, the celebration of the sacraments, and living the Christian community in charity. He questioned the exclusivist claims of ecclesial legitimacy based solely on institutional communion with the Roman See.
“Wherever the essential elements of the Church are present—Word, sacrament, community—there is the Church of Jesus Christ.” [Hans Küng, The Church (New York: Sheed and Ward, 1967), pp. 167–170.]
Küng recognized Old Catholic Churches, including the Old Roman Catholic lineages, as authentic Christian communities, noting their retention of apostolic succession and valid sacraments. His view resonates with Unitatis Redintegratio, which affirms:
“Many of the most significant elements and endowments which together go to build up and give life to the Church herself can exist outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church.” [Second Vatican Council, Unitatis Redintegratio, §3.]
3. Francis A. Sullivan – Particular Churches and Sacramental Validity
Francis A. Sullivan, SJ, refined Vatican II ecclesiology by focusing on the definition of a true particular Church. For Sullivan, the criteria were clear: any community possessing a valid episcopate, valid Eucharist, and continuity in apostolic faith could rightly be considered a true particular church, even if it exists outside full communion.
“The presence of a valid episcopate and Eucharist implies the reality of a particular Church, though separated.” [Francis A. Sullivan, The Church We Believe In: One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic (New York: Paulist Press, 1988), pp. 70–74.]
Sullivan’s framework rests on sacramental realism: valid sacraments establish real ecclesial life, irrespective of canonical separation. This principle is supported by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Dominus Iesus:
“The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches.” [Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Dominus Iesus (2000), §17.]
4. Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, emphasized that ecclesial communities with valid sacraments and apostolic succession can be said to possess real ecclesiality:
“Wherever apostolic succession and the Eucharist are present, there is the Church in a real though incomplete sense.” [Walter Kasper, That They May All Be One: The Call to Unity Today (London: Burns & Oates, 2004), pp. 87–89.]
5. Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), in his theological reflections, affirmed that Churches of the East, and by implication, churches like the Old Roman Catholics with valid sacraments and hierarchy, are truly Churches, though lacking the full communion with Rome:
“Where there is the Eucharist, there is the Church. Thus, the Orthodox Churches are true particular Churches.” [Joseph Ratzinger, Called to Communion (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1996), pp. 136–137.]
This reasoning applies analogously to the NAORCC, US, AoC, which maintains apostolic succession from Utrecht, orthodox sacramental theology, and liturgical continuity.
Conclusion
Drawing from Congar’s communion ecclesiology, Küng’s Gospel-centered framework, and Sullivan’s sacramental criteria, along with the affirmations of Vatican II and subsequent magisterial documents, it is theologically justifiable to recognize the North American Old Roman Catholic Church, Utrecht Succession, Archdiocese of California as a true particular Church. Though not in juridical communion with the Bishop of Rome, it retains valid orders, a sacramental life, and the apostolic faith—the essential markers of ecclesial authenticity. Such recognition reflects the dynamic, inclusive, and sacramentally grounded ecclesiology emerging from Vatican II and its theological legacy.