Dominus Iesus
Herein we, the United Episcopal Catholic Communion, declare that we fall within the Category outlined in the RC document Dominus Iesus which was issued during the reign of Pope John Paul II, June 16, 2000, and signed by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (now Pope Benedict XVI), August 6, 2000.
The document contains in Section IV: Article 17: "Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the [Roman] Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him. The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the [Roman] 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. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, since they do not accept the [Roman] Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church.
Therefore Churches and Religious Congregations within the United Episcopal Catholic Communion and valid affiliations therein must be considered as near kin churches.
This decree, by the hand of the Patriarch of the United Episcopal Catholic Communion, is hereby declared binding to our canons and rubrics. This decree is effective this day April 25th in the year of our Lord 2021.
Most Reverend Brian K. Putzier
Patriarch – Presiding Archbishop
