The Universal Catholic Church is not a new sect; it is a constituent part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church-that historical Church which is truly One, despite its many outward divisions both in East and West, because the One Life of Christ animates and sustains it through the Sacraments He instituted. The Universal Catholic Church has preserved these Sacraments in their integrity and plenitude, and believes its doctrine to be in conformity with the teaching of Christ and freed from the corruption of later ages. Moreover, it regards the Catholic Church of Christ as consisting of "the blessed company of all faithful people," that is of "all those who profess and call themselves Christians," the different Churches (no matter whether they be "historical" or new) receiving His blessing in proportion to the earnestness of their members, and the extent to which they retain the sacramental channels of His grace and reflect what He intended His Church to be.
The Universal Catholic Church therefore seeks to work in amity with all other Christian denominations. It has no wish to proselytise from among the adherents of any other Church, and as an earnest of this welcomes all to regular and full participation in its Services without asking or expecting them to leave their original Church. On the other hand, if members of other Churches are attracted by the distinctive features of its work, no obstacle is placed in the way of their uniting with itself, so long as they are clearly animated by a sincere and worthy aim. But its chief appeal is addressed to the thousands who in these days of materialism and religious ineptitude stand outside the existing Church organisations and religious societies, and are bereft of the help they could otherwise receive. Its congregations are mainly composed of men and women who had ceased to attend Church.
It is at all times ready to establish relations of intercommunion between itself and other Churches upon the friendliest possible basis, so far as those principles are concerned upon which both parties are agreed. For example, it would be far from denying to the non-episcopal bodies the charismatic ministry, or prophetic ministry of preaching and inspiration, while at the same time not conceding to them the Catholic priesthood, which they themselves do not claim, and which, in the Catholic view, depends for its efficacy and validity upon the transmission of the episcopal succession. Accordingly, where both parties are willing, it permits its clergy to exchange pulpits with ministers of non-episcopal Churches, but does not invite the latter to officiate at its altars.
The Church finds no adequate reason to deny the validity of Anglican Orders and its clergy-free to think as they please on the matter-almost without exception recognise their validity, some upon historical grounds, some upon the pragmatic basis of their own spiritual experience of Anglican ministrations. They appreciate the powerful aid rendered to the religious life of many countries by the Anglican Church, even though some may feel that by the excision of the distinctively sacrificial marks of the Eucharist, as well as the anointings, the signing of the cross, and other characteristics of the ancient Catholic rites, its liturgy has been shorn of much of its efficacy as a vehicle of spiritual power.
Priests of the Anglican Church who may desire to enter the Universal Catholic Ministry are required to pass through a form of conditional re-ordination to the Priesthood, preceded by Baptism, Confirmation and the earlier grades of the ministry, namely, Cleric, Doorkeeper, Reader, Exorcist, Acolyte, Sub- deacon and Deacon, such rites being also administered sub conditione.
