MAJOR POINTS OF COMPARISON What is the Independent/Old Catholic Church?
The Independent/Old Catholic Church has its roots in the Catholic Church of the Netherlands where in 1145, Pope Eugene III granted the diocese of Utrecht the right to elect and consecrate its own Bishops and clergy. That right was reconfirmed by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 and again by Pope Leo X in 1520. The Old Catholic Church reiterated its right at the First Vatican Council in 1870, because a good number of the Bishops did not agree with the Roman dogmatic declaration of Papal infallibility. It was at this time that the Roman Catholic Church invoked obedience to Papal Authority and officially replaced all those Bishops who would not agree to the Dogmatic Declaration of Papal Infallibility.
