The Affiliation Process of the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church and the Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church

The Holy Nicholean Catholic Church processes all affiliations for itself and for the Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church. One of the paramount missions of the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church (HNCC) along with the Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church (HIROC) is to bring all Christian Churches together and to promote a spirit of religious tolerance (through love and acceptance) toward all religions. Part of this goal is realized through our affiliate program. Having one of the only authentic historical patriarchates in the Independent Sacrament Movement places us in a unique position to be at service to any small independent congregations or solitary independent priests and/or bishops. We welcome any church or cleric to apply to become a congregation of the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church or the Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church and thus enjoy the benefits of coming into union with our patriarchate. If you lead an independent church or find yourself to be a disenfranchised clergyman with no establishment in which to be of service, we invite you to apply for affiliation.

We consider the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church to be a non-dogmatic protector of sacred traditions. While the primary expression of Nicholean Catholicism materializes as high, liturgical, apostolic Christianity (nearly identical in form to Roman Catholicism with some eastern Orthodox influences) we strongly recognize that Christianity is a diversified and dynamic theological entity. Through this recognition, we understand that Christian unity requires an ecumenical approach that supports and encourages philosophical variation. Each unique tradition that affiliates with our patriarchate will NOT be assimilated into our existing rites, but rather, will be preserved according to the customs of the population it serves. The only exception to this involves a few certain universal and uncompromising doctrines of Christian sacramental theology that valid Apostolic Succession requires of any minister, ministry, or church. Please note that these requirements are only applicable to ministers, ministries, or churches that hold or desire to hold Apostolic Succession with us. Ministers, ministries, or churches that maintain a tradition that does not require Apostolic Succession, but wish to affiliate with us through a spirit of Christian unity, may disregard any requirements that are not applicable to their own specific tradition (numbers 1 through 23). These are as follows:

1. Sacramental Christian Baptism must be conferred “in name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” while either pouring (affusion) actual water over the head of the recipient or through full immersion (our preferred method) in order to be considered valid.
2. Valid Sacramental Baptism is only to be conferred once in a recipient’s lifetime.
3. Sacramental Confirmation must be conferred by a bishop or a priest with delegated authority by his bishop using the laying on of hands, a proper invocation of the Holy Spirit, and the anointing of the recipient’s body with validly consecrated holy oils.
4. Holy Eucharist may only include the elements of bread (leavened or unleavened) made from pure wheat flower and water. The wine must be made from only the grape and be fermented. Kosher wine for Passover or specifically designated sacramental wines may be used.
5. Holy Eucharist may only be consecrated by a validly ordained priest or bishop using valid rites of liturgy (along with correct use of the associated rubric) approved by the Patriarch directly. Currently our Patriarch Nicholas III has approved the following liturgies: The Novus Ordo (the official Mass of Nicholean Catholicism), The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, The Liturgy of St Basil, The Divine Liturgy of St. Mark, The Liturgy of Sts. Adaeus and Maris, The Liturgy of St. James, The Tridentine Mass, The Sarum Mass, The Liturgy of St. Tikhon, The Liturgy of St. Gregory, The Ambrosian Mass.
   
6. Modifications to any approved liturgy may only be done with the written consent of the Patriarch. Affiliates must make note of what modifications they feel their tradition requires and receive approval for the change by the Patriarch prior to affiliation.
7. While the doctrine of transubstantiation is not required of our affiliates, acceptance of the True Presence of Jesus Christ within the Eucharistic elements is unavoidably mandatory.
8. The Sacrament of Reconciliation may only be conferred by a validly ordained priest or bishop.
9. The words “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” along with the appropriate gesture of blessing must be used.
10. The confessor is bound to a strict protocol of secrecy when hearing confessions. He must never reveal, under any circumstances and to anyone (even to his own confessor, bishop, or wife), what is revealed to him through the natural course of this Sacrament.
11. The Sacrament of the Sick may be only conferred by a validly ordained deacon, priest or bishop. Deacons should only be commissioned to confer this Sacrament in the case of extreme emergency.
12. Only validly consecrated Oils of the Sick are to be used.
13. The Sacrament can be conferred on anyone who may need it, not only just upon the terminally ill or dying.
14. The Sacrament of Matrimony may be conferred by any validly ordained deacon, priest, or bishop.
15. At the present time and for reasons discussed in the ‘Our Convictions’ section of this website , no affiliate minister, ministry, or church may validly confer this Sacrament upon members of the same gender.
16. All ministers must also abide by the jurisdictional laws under which they reside.
17. The Sacrament of Holy Orders may only be conferred by a validly consecrated Bishop with valid Apostolic Succession.
18. At the present time and for reasons discussed in the ‘Our Convictions’ section of the website, the priesthood and the episcopacy may only be validly conferred upon men.
19. Affiliate bishops may, however, ordain females to the diaconate with full ministerial powers of that rank.
20. Affiliate bishops may confer this Sacrament upon a homosexual recipient provided that the recipient takes a vow of chastity (see ‘Our Convictions' for more information).
21. Affiliate bishops may also confer Holy Orders upon either a single person (provided the recipient is chaste) or upon a married individual.
22. Validly ordained affiliate single priests and bishops may marry after Holy Orders is conferred.
23. All ordination rites used must include a validly recognized form in order to confer the powers of Apostolic Succession.
24. Outside of the sacramental theological requirements, our affiliates must publish their affiliation with us on their website and/or primary source material, indicating that they are an affiliate of the Holy Nicholean Catholic Church or Holy Imperial Russian Orthodox Church.
25. Failure to maintain these rules of affiliation may result in discontinuation of affiliation. Any objections to these points should be discussed during the affiliation process. If a particular tradition requires a certain exception to a rule, Patriarch Nicholas III is usually more than accommodating, often finding any way possible to reconcile incompatible doctrines.
26. The prospective affiliate should understand that these requirements exist to protect the integrity of Apostolic Succession, which is, in effect, a tradition in its own right that deserves to be protected and defended against abuses.

Those interested in affiliating with our patriarchate may do so by applying here: http://nicholean.webs.com/affiliation.htm