How are the Roman and Old Catholic churches related?
It is the position of the Roman Catholic Church that Old Catholic Orders are ‘licit but irregular’. That means that according to the Roman church Old Catholic priests are in legitimate and valid Holy Orders, which have been bestowed without the consent of the Pope. The Papal view is that the only ‘regular’ Orders are those bestowed with his consent through his Cardinals and Archbishops. The Church of England does not have a position on the issue, save that churches which are specifically members of the current Utrecht Union are ‘in communion’ with the Church of England. What that means in practice is that a member of the Utrecht Union clergy could take a Church of England stipendiary job. As it is in communion with Old Catholics in Europe, it can hardly say that it is not in ecclesial communion with clergy who hold authentic Old Catholic Orders, notwithstanding that they are not working in Utrecht Union churches.
