The story of the Old Roman Catholic Church

The statement that "the Old Roman Catholic Church separated from the Catholic Church in the 17th century" (July 12) is misleading, because it did not appear in any of its branches until 1915. It never "separated from the Catholic Church" at any time, being one of the numerous small sects which can claim Arnold Harris Mathew (11353-1919), Count Poloveri de Vicenza, de jure Earl of Landaff, of Thomastown, Co Tipperary, as 'their progenitor.
This colourful and never stable personality was educated for the Anglican ministry, but ordained priest in the Roman Catholic Church at Glasgow in 1878. Very soon after this he joined the Dominican Order made his simple profession, but WEN dispensed from his vows within a few months.
Then he served as a secular priest in four or five English dioceses, never able to take root anywhere. He lost his faith in 1889, and threw in his lot with the Unitarians, but not for long. The next stage of his pilgrim's progress was to become the honorary curate of an Anglican church in London, where he was married in 1892. ;
Same years after this he returned to the Catholic Church, but having a wife and children to support, there was no choice but to live as a layman.
In 1907 he tried and failed to persuade Dr Randall Davidson. Archbishop of Canterbury, to give him the cure of souls. On April 18, 1908, he was raised to the episcopate in Holland by the Archbishop of' Utrecht, and the Bishops of Haarlem, Deventer, and Berne; returning to England as "Regionary Bishop" of the Dutch Old Catholic Church, whose founders had cast off the yoke of Rome in 1724.
In 1911 Bishop Mathew published a "Declaration of Autonomy and Independence," at the same time assuming the style of "Old Catholic Archbishop of London," though he had no suffragan sees.
His handful of followers were named "The English Catholic Church." During the next eight years, they were renamed successively Western Orthodox Church, Catholic Church in Great Britain and Ireland, Anglo-Catholic Church, Catholic Church (Latin and Orthodox United), Ancient Catholic Church, Western Catholic Uniate Church and Old Roman Catholic Church.
After the Archbishop's death in 1919, when almost all his flock had abandoned him, and he had been deserted by his wife, many sects came into being, among which are the following: Independent Episcopal Church, Independent ,Old Roman Catholic Church, Liberal Catholic Church (with two North American schisms). Mexican Old Roman Catholic Church, North American Old Roman Catholic Church, Old Catholic Church in America (Catholic Church of North America), Old Catholic Church in Ireland, English (Old Catholic) Rite, The Church Catholic, Old Catholic Orthodox Church (Apostolic Service Church, Old Catholic Evangelical Church of God, One Holy Catholic Church (Church of the One Life), Eglise catholique evangelique, Old Roman Catholic Church in France, Old Roman Catholic Church in England (Pro-Uniate, Integrated. and Primatial See of Caer Glow Rites).
;_The Mathew line of succession has indeed been prolific, but not all the above churches have survived.
None are recognised by the Utrecht Union of Old Catholic Churches (Netherlands. Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Poland and Switzerland) which since the 1931 Bonn Agreement have been in full communion with the Church of England and its overseas Provinces.
So it is difficult to see how the Steenoven House Old Roman Catholics, who have just moved their London headquarters, can claim to be the successors of the Dutch Catholics who in 1724 (not the 17th century) fell into schism, largely due to mishandling by the Roman authorities.
Full details of these modern so-called "autocephalous churches" will be found in H. R. T. Brandreth's "Episcopi Vagantes and the Anglican Church" (2nd edition, 1961), C. B. Moss's "The Old Catholic Movement, its Origins and History" (2nd edition, 1964), and P. F. Anson's "Bishops at Large" (1964).
(Br) Peter Anson The Abbey, Caldey Island, off Te n by, Dyfed
Future of the colleges
In view of the many inaccurate and damaging reports currently circulating about the future of Endsleigh College of Education we should be grateful if' you would make the following facts clear: Endsleigh College of Education has NOT been asked by the Department of Education and Science to close.
Endsleigh's intake of students for 1974' is NOT in jeopardy.
Endsleigh is already welcoming applications for 1975.
Further applications (including late applications for 1974) will be welcomed.
it is true that Endsleigh's long-term future is less certain. Humberside has legitimate aspirations for a Polytechnictype institution which could come from a "merger" of all the colleges in the city. There are difficulties for a voluntary college in such a situation. The difficulties are being currently discussed.
Meanwhile, however, we want to make it very clear that we are proceeding with our regular work of teacher training and already have new courses validated by Hull University for 1975. During the past year, Endsleigh's traditional work has been considerably enriched by new facilities available. Adjacent to the older buildings are new premises housing the main teaching areas, complete with radio studio, computer and video tape service, a student social centre, staff-student bar, and a large sports hall. Today Endsleigh has more to offer than ever before.
(Sister) Joan McNamara, MA (Oxon), Principal Endsleigh College of Education, I nglemire Avenue,
Hull.