Our Community
St. Pete Pride Street Fair
We are Catholic! Holy Spirit Ecumenical Catholic Church was founded in June 2003 by a group of concerned Catholics. They discerned that there was great need for an expression of authentic Catholic spirituality and community life, strengthened by commitment to justice, compassion and full inclusion of all people of faith. They sought to provide a necessary alternative for the many people who are being excluded from the life and ministry of the Church.
Our parish community identifies itself as “Old Catholic” because through our Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC) we share in a Trinitarian-Eucharistic understanding of what and how Church should be. The Old Catholic Church is an ecclesial body that descends from the Roman Communion of the Catholic Church. Becoming independent of the Roman Communion over conflicts with ever-expanding church authority, the Old Catholic Church (See of Utrecht, Netherlands), maintains an authentic Catholic identity and apostolic ministry since the early eighteenth century. When the doctrine of papal infallibility was proclaimed in 1870, Old Catholic Churches were formed in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland. These Catholic Churches opposed, in conscience, what they regarded as an inauthentic and “new” Catholic teaching. Old Catholic Churches continue to thrive to this day.
We are Catholics vigorously defending and joyfully celebrating these distinctive characteristics
as a Catholic Church:
Our parish community identifies itself as “Old Catholic” because through our Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC) we share in a Trinitarian-Eucharistic understanding of what and how Church should be. The Old Catholic Church is an ecclesial body that descends from the Roman Communion of the Catholic Church. Becoming independent of the Roman Communion over conflicts with ever-expanding church authority, the Old Catholic Church (See of Utrecht, Netherlands), maintains an authentic Catholic identity and apostolic ministry since the early eighteenth century. When the doctrine of papal infallibility was proclaimed in 1870, Old Catholic Churches were formed in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland. These Catholic Churches opposed, in conscience, what they regarded as an inauthentic and “new” Catholic teaching. Old Catholic Churches continue to thrive to this day.
We are Catholics vigorously defending and joyfully celebrating these distinctive characteristics
as a Catholic Church:
- Giving priests the freedom to embrace healthy, intimate relationships through holy union in marriage and the opportunity to establish families of their own.
- Giving women the opportunity to serve God’s people as ordained deacons, priests and bishops.
- Inviting the divorced and remarried back to the Sacraments and full life of the Church without need for ecclesiastical annulments.
- Entrusting couples with the responsibility of following their own consciences in regard to the use of artificial contraception.
- Celebrating the value of collegial decision-making and servant leadership honoring the distinct voices of laity, clergy, and bishop.
- Including all the baptized, whether Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant in the celebration of the Sacraments.
- Recognizing the dignity and beauty of all human beings regardless of their race, origin, gender, sexual orientation, or economic status.
- Striving for Gospel justice and compassion within the Church as well as throughout the world.
| Parish Community Membership Info.pdf |
| Parishioner Households.pdf |
