Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch also known with the acronym CCOA is a free and independent sacramental Church in the Catholic tradition, but is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. The church is considered part of the Independent Catholic Churches and was founded in 1958. The church does not believe that the traditional bias against women in the priesthood can be justified any longer. The Church of Antioch has been ordaining female priests, as well as consecrating female bishops for many years. Marrying of priests is allowed and celibacy is optional as the church does not find in the Scripture anything to prevent it.
History and hierarchy
The apostolic succession of the Catholic Church of Antioch comes from the Roman Catholic Church, through the Dutch Old Catholic Church and the Liberal Catholic Church in England. The founder of the Church was Archbishop Herman Adrian Spruit. He was approached by Bishop Hampton of the Liberal Catholic Church, who consecrated him to the episcopate on June 22, 1957. Within a year, Archbishop Spruit founded the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch in 1958 taking the title Archbishop Patriarch of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch. He emphasized that the church founded was an independent branch of the "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church" based on teachings of Jesus Christ. The church titles recognized for church leaders can vary: Patriarch, Matriarch, the Presiding Bishop, the Archbishop, the Prime Bishop. After retirement of church founder Archbishop Spruit, his wife Meri Louise Spruit became responsible for continuation of the church as enthroned Matriarch on February 27, 1986. She continued in that position until her retirement in 2005. Following Patriarch Herman and Matriarch Meri, leadership of the church was assumed by Bishop Richard Alston Gundrey and Bishop Mark Elliott Newman. Bishop Newman is also the Rector of Sophia Divinity School, founded in 1958. The school is the official seminary for priestly formation and for the professional practice of religion pertaining to the church.
Churches
The current churches and organizations belonging to the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch include: ;United States:
Phoenix, Arizona: Christ of the Desert - The Most Rev. Mark Elliott Newman OC, Presiding Bishop of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch
Ashland, Oregon: Pilgrim Chapel of Contemplative Conscience, CCOA - Reverend Father Scott Allan Carter
Austin, Texas: Contemplative Communion CCOA The Reverend Fr. Jeff Genung
Edgefield, South Carolina: Sophia Ministries - The Reverend Mother Mary Altalo
Gallup, New Mexico: Agape Ministries - The Most Reverend Linda Rounds-Nichols, Spiritual Director.
Kapa’a, Hawaii: Spirit Heart Sanctuary The Reverend Mother Maia Nartoomid
Las Cruces, New Mexico: St. John’s Catholic Church of Antioch - Reverend Father Ronald Catherson
;United Kingdom Association with the Nicene Catholic Apostolic Church - an Autocepalous Catholic Church of Antioch - Archbishop Leon Hunt ;Outside the United States
Argentina: Igesia Universal Apostolica de Antioqui - Archbishop Anastasia Voyatijides
Mexico: Iglesia Católica Apostólica de Antioquía ~ Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch - Bishop Daniel Barcenas Arellano
Quebradillas, Puerto Rico - The Reverend John Mullee
Church leaders
Herman Adrian Spruit - Archbishop Patriarch and founder
