From the Presiding Bishop
Early in 1996 I was introduced to the Liberal Catholic Church International during home discussions in a rural area in Arizona. In December of that year, on Advent Sunday, we celebrated our first Holy Eucharist at St. Michael and All Angels in Casa Grande, Arizona, a town of about 25,000 people at the time.
What I have found in the LCCI is a warm, compassionate, progressive and inclusive community that offers everyone, without barriers, the love of God. We are a community that welcomes all God’s children to its altars and, we believe that either we are ALL God’s children or none of us are.
For me, much has changed in the LCCI since 1996. In 2003, the major orders were opened to women and in 2004 I became the first female to be ordained to the priesthood in the history of the church which began in 1915. In 2007, I was installed as Pastor of St. Michael and All Angels. I am Mexican American with Native American roots. Becoming a spiritual leader was not a goal but became a calling I could not ignore. The leaders in the Church at the time accepted me, encouraged me, supported me, and helped to enhance my spiritual path. In 2019, the esteemed bishops of the Church elected me as Presiding Bishop of the Liberal Catholic Church International, another position never before held by a woman in the history of the church. These decisions only serve to exemplify the progressive and welcoming nature of the Liberal Catholic Church International. It is an honor to be of service in the Liberal Catholic Church International and I will continue to work for continued progress within the church and for its continued growth throughout the world.
Are you already a happy and active member of another faith community? God bless you, and congratulations on having found your path. I recognize the truth and importance of your path for you, as I hope you’ll respect ours, too. We celebrate the blessed company of all faithful people and hope we can all work together to reach out to the “least” of His children. With an ecumenical spirit, we welcome you to our churches, and hope we’ll be welcome in yours.
Are you not a member of a faith community? Are you looking for a new one, one more progressive and inclusive? Do you want to combine the best of Catholic worship with intellectual freedom, spiritual liberty, and an unflinching search for growth and truth? Do you believe that Christ came to take away our sins, not our minds?
If so, welcome – and welcome home.
Archbishop Celia
What I have found in the LCCI is a warm, compassionate, progressive and inclusive community that offers everyone, without barriers, the love of God. We are a community that welcomes all God’s children to its altars and, we believe that either we are ALL God’s children or none of us are.
For me, much has changed in the LCCI since 1996. In 2003, the major orders were opened to women and in 2004 I became the first female to be ordained to the priesthood in the history of the church which began in 1915. In 2007, I was installed as Pastor of St. Michael and All Angels. I am Mexican American with Native American roots. Becoming a spiritual leader was not a goal but became a calling I could not ignore. The leaders in the Church at the time accepted me, encouraged me, supported me, and helped to enhance my spiritual path. In 2019, the esteemed bishops of the Church elected me as Presiding Bishop of the Liberal Catholic Church International, another position never before held by a woman in the history of the church. These decisions only serve to exemplify the progressive and welcoming nature of the Liberal Catholic Church International. It is an honor to be of service in the Liberal Catholic Church International and I will continue to work for continued progress within the church and for its continued growth throughout the world.
Are you already a happy and active member of another faith community? God bless you, and congratulations on having found your path. I recognize the truth and importance of your path for you, as I hope you’ll respect ours, too. We celebrate the blessed company of all faithful people and hope we can all work together to reach out to the “least” of His children. With an ecumenical spirit, we welcome you to our churches, and hope we’ll be welcome in yours.
Are you not a member of a faith community? Are you looking for a new one, one more progressive and inclusive? Do you want to combine the best of Catholic worship with intellectual freedom, spiritual liberty, and an unflinching search for growth and truth? Do you believe that Christ came to take away our sins, not our minds?
If so, welcome – and welcome home.
Archbishop Celia
