The Roman Catholic Society of Pope Leo XIII (RCSPLXIII) is a community of Christians which was in full communion with the Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil, (ICAB) until late 2007. RCSPLXIII is one of more than 100 Catholic CHURCHES worldwide, but it is the only one which is United in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Scotland with churches in Pakistan, Australia, Central West Africa, Uganda, India and USA.

RCSPLXIII is headed by the Most Illustrious & Most Reverend David Bell former Secretary for Doctrine of the Faith of the World-wide Patriarchate of the Catholic Apostolic Church’s of Brazil  and Worldwide known as ICAB / ICAN.   

Autocephaleous Catholicism

Originally, during the first generations of Christianity, all local churches were independent and there was no central governing organisation. These local communities were ministered to by what we would today call Bishops and Deacons.

The rank of Priest only began to emerge and differentiate from that of bishop later, during the mid-second century, as the church expanded from the cities to the rural areas. Beginning in the second Century, with the spread of Christianity into the rural areas outside the cities, and particular after the devolution of the priest from the Order of Bishop, local Churches began to be grouped together to permit better organisation and supervision of orthodoxy, Parishes began to be led by priests.

Bishops became heads of regions called diocese and bishops of cities, called a Metropolitan, or an Archbishop, supervised but did not rule over or govern the nearby rural diocese.

Diocesan Bishops were completely autonomous in their own diocese, so long as they remained true to the Faith.All were organised under the leadership of some principal Bishop called a Patriarch who headed the most important diocese in the world.

In ancient times the Patriarch’s were the Bishops of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Rome and Constantinople. Each were equal in rank, prestige and authority; although the particular honour was given to the Patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople as there sees were the seats of imperial Roman government. Today the Patriarch of Rome also known as the Patriarch of the West is also called the Pope. The Patriarch of Constantinople, called the Ecumenical Patriarch is the leader of all Eastern Orthodox Churches, a title of honour not of governance, except within his own Greek Orthodox Church. The Eastern Orthodox Churches, perhaps better known as the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church etc, continue to follow the model of the Patriarch leader as a “first among equals”.

Today local Bishops and Metropolitans have autonomy and are answerable to their “Synod of Bishops” rather than to the Patriarch in matters of orthodoxy and discipline. Though they employ a liturgy which is very different from that used in the West, They are none the less Catholic, and of ancient and Apostolic origin. As that of RCSPLXIII Primate the Most illustrious and Most Reverend David Bell’s Apostolic Succession and Historic continuity can not be questioned. There are many Catholic Churches, which, today belong to the Orthodox family. Many have a national or ethnic character. All are completely self-governing. Some such as the Russian Orthodox Church have their own Patriarch. Each shares a communion with the other Churches of Orthodoxy. Though formed at different times, all are said to have entered schism, i.e., severed relations with Rome in 1054 in response to claims of un-historical assertions of Papal Authority.     

Western Catholic Christianity experienced an authoritarian approach to leadership under the control of the Patriarch / Bishop of Rome, The Pope.  Propelled by a vacuum of civil leadership after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and fuelled by medieval political intrigues, the Popes soon asserted greater and greater authority. Through the years, assertions of Papal power and authority have frequently led to conflict and scandal.

The Great Schism of 1054 in which Roman Catholicism split Christianity by breaking ties with Eastern Orthodoxy, the scandalous conduct of the Renaissance Church, the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, and numerous smaller schisms which have occurred since, can be traced to this authoritarian approach. Western Independent Catholic Churches i.e., those whose roots are through the Roman Catholic Church include the Old Catholic Church, the Catholic Apostolic Church and the Independent Catholic Church, RCSPLXIII to name a few, Each has maintained a Catholic identity, Apostolic Succession and continue Sacramental and liturgical worship, and follow the Traditions of the Historic Church. 

What is RCSPLXIII Place? 

Like the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches; RCSPLXIII is an autocephalous part of the “ One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church”. Autocephalous literally means, “having its own head” and is best defined as “Self- Governing”.The Church is one because it is one with its founder, Jesus Christ and in His Mystical Body, is one with all believers. The Church is holy because Christ is Holy and sanctifies the Church by his continuing Presence in the Sacraments and His Word, The Church is Catholic both because, as a member of Christ’s Mystical Body, it is Universal; and because it consciously links itself to the Traditions and practices of the Historic Church, The Church is Apostolic because it is linked to the Faith, Teachings and Authority of the Apostles, both Sacramentally and Historically, through the Apostolic Succession of the Bishops and Clergy. RCSPLXIII’s foundations can be traced from Simon Petrus through Chiesa Cattolica in Italia & Igreja Catolica No Brasil, where on the July 6^th 1945, as a result of claimed ecclesiastical and civil persecutions, a new community, which still exists today is called Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (ICAB-the Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil). 

Its first Archbishop, was the late H.E. Archbishop Carlos Duarte-Costa, Who was a former Roman Catholic Diocesan Bishop of the Brazilian City of Botucatu, and later Bishop of Maura, before separating from the Roman Catholic Church by his resignation to the Holy Father in 1937, H.H. Pope Pius XI, he brought Apostolic Succession to the Catholic Apostolic Church.   RCSPLXIII itself was founded with the Consecration of the Most Illustrious and Most Reverend. Dr David Bell by the Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez, Principal Consecrator;  ‘Patriarch of Brazil and Diocesan Bishop of Brasilia assisted by co consecrators Diocesan Bishop Olinto Filho Pinto, Primate and Co adjutor Bishop Josivaldo Pereira de Oliveria then Chancellor of Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira. The Most Illustrious and Most Reverend. David Bell was installed as the first Primate of RCSPLXIII and is assisted by Several Metropolitan Archbishops worldwide and Bishops. RCSPLXIII roots is purely from the Roman Catholic Church Vatican I.   

RCSPLXIII is legislated nationally by the Provincial Synod, which meets triennially and is governed by the College of Bishops. The Church is led by the Primate who acts as the Administrative head of the Church. The local Dioceses’ is headed by Diocesan Bishops’ who enjoys legislative and judicial autonomy within and for his own Diocese. Though its roots are Latin American and Roman, RCSPLXIII today is a thoroughly a Latin Rite Church, which seeks to integrate the uniquely cultural experience with the ancient traditions of the Catholic Faith. 

 What do we believe? 

Please read the Published Statements of Belief of RCSPLXIII.  

Liturgy

Liturgical Worship, especially the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist i.e., The Holy Mass, is celebrated in the officially adopted rite within RCSPLXIII.

The Liturgy will be the Tridentine Rite of the Roman Church in Latin or the Vernacular which is only permitted by special dispensation from the Diocesan Bishop. Only use of the Rite of the Roman Council of Trent (Tridentine) in Latin is permitted. If the Diocesan bishop concurs, Other Eastern Rites, are permitted as well with the approval of the local Diocesan Bishop. 

Infallibility

RCSPLXIII believes that Christ calls each of us as a free gift of grace to be equal members of His Mystical Body. The Clergy are ordained as leaders and teachers of the Gospel. It is the duty of each person, under the teaching guidance of the church, to inform themselves through prayer and study and arrive at an understanding of the Truth revealed to our world by Jesus Christ and to apply their individual gifts to the building of God’s Kingdom. Nevertheless, Christ committed to his Apostles a ministry of teaching which they, in turn, passed to their successors, the Bishops, It is therefore the Sacramental Charisma of the Bishops of the Church, acting in a moral consensus, to define the beliefs of the church and to regulate Sacraments.To be accepted as defined matters of Faith and inerrant Truth,  

RCSPLXIII holds that the Pope of Rome, Bishop of Rome, is the Successor of St Peter and Chief Bishop and first amongst his equals, of the Bishops of the Catholic Churches. And the Patriarch of Brazil is Chief Bishop amongst his equals of the Bishops of the Catholic Apostolic Churches