The Church is the presence of Christ among us in a visible organizational structure through which the authority to teach, rule and sanctify according to the heavenly Father's will, through Jesus Christ is realized, and that Our Lord gave this authority to the Apostles, who in turn gave it to their successors, whom we recognize today as bishops of the church through the lines of apostolic succession.

In Vatican II's Decree on Ecumenism, Rome acknowledges that Western Catholicism transcends the church of Rome¹. With this decree, Rome concedes the equality of Eastern and Western traditions within the Universal Church.

The American Orthodox Catholic Church acknowledges the pope as "primus interpares," that is, the first among equals.

God does not determine His Church by its size, affluence, large imposing gothic buildings and money, buy by its love and service to His people.

Besides the Roman Church, there are other independent churches with valid orders not under the jurisdiction of the Roman See.

That some independent chapels are located in Rectories, rather than in a separate gothic structure, does not mean they are not real churches, for the church is people, not a building. As Jesus said, "Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them"².

In some of these parishes, there can be found traditional liturgies and devotions, such as novenas, the rosary, stations of the cross, benediction, etc, which have been lost or replaced by larger institutional churches.

The word "orthodox" means true and correct teaching, and not necessarily "Eastern Rite" variations.  Western Orthodox churches also exis 

Many of the clergy in these churches are part of the Worker-Priest system; this is, they work for a living [secularly], rather than depend on the congregation for support - thus giving their share of support to the church also.

There are still people who believe that outside Rome there is no salvation, thus they sit at home on Sundays because they cannot identify with what their church is doing but lack the courage to find a church to identify with.

Many of the independent churches use the Baltimore Catechism, devoid of errors, for teaching of sound doctrine, than that of simpler forms today leaving gaps concerning the historic faith.

No one attending Mass in an American Orthodox Catholic Church is denied the Sacrament because they are divorced.

Although the Church teaches that Marriage is forever, there are those exceptions, that even after attempts at reconciliation have failed, and divorce results, the divorcee may still have a chance to remarry within the church.

Priests are permitted to be married or shall freely embrace celibacy as they choose. The AOCC also welcomes women to all roles of ordination (deacon, priest and bishop). Ordination is not limited on the basis of denominational background, gender, gender identity, affectional orientation, marital status. There are certain age limitations. For more information see our vocations page or contact us at info@aoccw.org.

On December 18, 1966, agents of the American Orthodox Catholic Church in New York City, under the leadership of Archbishop Propheta, jointly celebrated an ecumenical service in St. Raymond's Church together with the then Bishop Terrence Cooke, Vicar General to Cardinal Spellman of the Roman Church.

The American Orthodox Catholic Church is Orthodox, but not Eastern in teaching the Faith, Catholic but not Papal in liturgy and government.