American Catholic Church in the United States

{{for|the denomination founded by Joseph René Vilatte|American Catholic Church (1915)}}

{{Infobox religion

|name = American Catholic Church in the United States

|image = American Catholic Church in the United States logo.jpg

|caption =

|main_classification = Independent Catholic

|governance = Mixture of episcopal and congregational polity

|leader_title = |leader_name =

|fellowships_type =

|fellowships =

|website_title1 = Website

|website1 = {{URL|http://accus.us}}

|founder = Lawrence J. Harms

|founded_date = 1999

|founded_place = Frederick, Maryland

|separated_from =

|ministers_type = Clergy

|ministers = 20

| congregations =

| members =

}}

The American Catholic Church in the United States (ACCUS) is an Independent Catholic church primarily in the United States, founded in 1999 by Lawrence J. Harms in Frederick, Maryland.{{cite news|url = http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/fredericknewspost/obituary.aspx?n=lawrence-j-harms&pid=168597062&fhid=9956

|title=Obituary of Archbishop Lawrence J. Harms|location=Frederick, Maryland |date= April 28, 2012|accessdate=April 11, 2018}} The ACCUS claims apostolic succession through Carlos Duarte Costa.{{cite news|url = https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/critical-mass/ |title=Critical Mass: An Austin church remakes Catholicism without the Pope, celibate priests, or most of the other rules. |newspaper=Texas Monthly |location=Austin, Texas |date= June 2017|accessdate=April 11, 2018|first=Robyn|last=Ross}} As of 2018, the ACCUS was composed of 1 bishop, 15 priests, and 3 deacons in 13 U.S. states.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-15 |title=Individual State Locations of the ACCUS |url=http://accus.us/?page_id=15448 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615224403/http://accus.us/?page_id=15448 |archive-date=2018-06-15 |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=American Catholic Church in the United States}}

Doctrine

The American Catholic Church in the United States states that it adheres to the doctrine of Second Vatican Council.{{cite web|title=What is the American Catholic Church in the United States?|url=http://www.accus.us/aboutus.htm|publisher=American Catholic Church in the United States|accessdate=29 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707223706/http://www.accus.us/aboutus.htm|archive-date=7 July 2015|url-status=dead}}. It celebrates the seven sacraments of baptism, confirmation, communion, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, holy orders and matrimony; and believes the sacrament of marriage can be celebrated for same-sex couples.{{cite news|url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=DSNB&d_place=DSNB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F369E4A11BAFD06&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

|title='Gay unions OK:' Local cleric officiated at many |newspaper=The Frederick News-Post |location=Frederick, Maryland |date= April 5, 2004|accessdate=April 11, 2018}}{{Cite web |title=The American Catholic Church in the U.S. |url=http://www.holyfamilyacc.org/the-american-catholic-church-in-the-us.html |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Holy Family American Catholic Church |language=en}}

References

Category:Christian organizations established in 1999

Category:Christian denominations established in the 20th century

Category:Old Catholic denominations in the United States

Category:Independent Catholic denominations

Category:1999 establishments in the United States