Bishop Gabriel Obiano

Who are the COCC-AFRICA?

Charismatic Old Catholic Church - Africa is an Independent Catholic Church not affiliated to the Roman Catholic Church or answerable to the See of Rome. We’re part of the Catholics that solidified in 1870 after a group of catholic Bishops left the Roman Church (also known as the Roman Catholic) due to changes in doctrines. We’re independent of Rome and do not submit to the jurisdiction of the See of Rome (Pope). We’re not subject to the Canons of the church in Rome or her catechisms. Therefore, our validity does not depend on the See of Rome or defined by any other Bishops, Priests, Deacons or Religious of the church in Rome or any Sui Juris churches. In as much we respect the See of Rome as primus inter pares, we won’t allow him or other Bishops to determine for us matters of theology, worship, faith, practices or beliefs. We’re unique in our own way of worship, beliefs and practices. Of course, we still hold fast to the apostolic traditions not the recent ones that were promulgated which are against the Holy Scripture.

We are Catholic but not Roman or Orthodox. We are not Lutheran either nor are we Anglican. We are Old Catholic of Utrecht Succession. However, in the spirit of Ecumenism, we would love to share fellowship with other Catholic Rites and all other Denominations across the Globe.

The Catholic in our name maintains that we share in a valid apostolic succession that could be traced back to St. Peter. We are Catholic because we maintain the original teachings of one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church prior to Vatican l & ll. We are Catholic because we uphold that faith that was professed and preached by the early Apostles and the 7 Sacraments that solidifies our faith in Christ Jesus. We are Catholic because we are a part of the Universal Body of Christ.

Just like every other Catholic Rites with valid apostolic succession, we administer the 7 Sacraments, Namely:
1. Baptism (setting aside for God’s service)
2. Reconciliation/Confession (for confession and absolution of sin)
3. Holy Communion/Eucharist (for the impartation of the body and blood of Christ),
4. Confirmation/Chrismation (baptism of the Holy Spirit),
5. Holy Matrimony (the Godly bonding of one man and one women),
6. Ordination/Holy Orders (the Godly bonding and setting aside of one person for God’s ministry)
7. Extreme Unction (the evangelical healing grace of God).

We hold fast that celebrating the Holy Eucharist is our heritage as one, holy catholic and apostolic Church.
Just as there were many Apostles, our various Bishops could trace back their apostolic succession to the various Apostles. The See of Africa could trace his apostolic succession to St. Paul. The reasons our founding Patriarchs separated from the church in Rome is because of some doctrines like: immaculate conception, assumption of Mary into Heaven, papa’s infallibility, use of images during solemn and non-solemn worship, praying of rosary, doctrine of purgatory, seeking the assistance of the dead saints instead of the Holy Spirit and other unbiblical promulgated dogmas. Bishops who hold valid apostolic succession left the church in Rome as a result of some changes in the universal beliefs. These Roman Bishops left the church in Rome and started a new movement in Netherlands known as the ‘Old Catholic.’

The ‘Old Catholic’ in our name doesn’t mean we are old but it simply mean we still uphold that old universal traditions and teachings of the early Apostles of the early Church and not the ones later issued by the church in Rome; that we believe are contradictory to the original teachings of the early Apostles and that of the Holy Scripture.

NB: Old Catholic simply means ‘True Catholic.’ When you refer us as the ‘True Catholic’, you are not wrong.
One more thing about us is that we are Charismatic in our practices, beliefs, worship and liturgy. The Charismatic in our name reminds us as a church that we can’t operate without the Holy Spirit—a reminder that our clergies and faithful are free to manifest and operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The church (COCC) is always conscious to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit that was released to the Universal Church on the day of Pentecost.

Our Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Nuns/Religious are at the liberty of choosing a celibate life or non-celibate life. However, we do not encourage or endorse same s*x marriage and won’t ordain into the Holy Orders a gay.

The Lamb’s (Lord’s) Table is always open for all to approach and receive His Body and Blood. And no one who approaches the Lamb’s Table will be driven away. We maintain that the Body of Christ is meant for those willing to receive Him.

NOTE: Since we have defined who we are, any cleric with us or that joins us and still pretends to be roman priest won’t be spared from disciplinary acts. For such action is considered an act of impersonation and against the law of the land and the canons of the COCC-AFRICA.

Photo credit: COCCNA WEBSITE
Courtesy of His Lordship, Carmel Henry Carfora (of blessed memory).

©Charismatic Old Catholic Church - Africa

Jesus is the way! If you follow any other way you will miss road.

+ Gabriel Ooc

Epistle of +Gabriel Ooc to those who wish to learn:

Any particular rite/denomination that said "Christ founded only them and others were founded by whom they don’t know" are in heresy. Christ never founded any particular rite/denomination. Christ founded His Church but men founded rites/denominations. That name you call your church per se, was it Christ that gave Peter that name, or did He simply say to Peter, “On you I will build my Church?” You want to have a monopoly of what Christ never said but you presumed he said so. That’s you dividing the Body of Christ. Now they want to exclude you from Christ by saying Christ did not find your rite/denomination. Ask them these questions:
1. Can a hand make up a body without other parts of the body?
2. Can a leg make up a body without other parts of the body?
3. How can the hand exclude the leg and say the leg isn’t part of the body?

Who dares exclude you from the Body of Christ? The Body he paid for with His Blood. Those with an illicit monopoly of a particular rite/denomination they claimed was founded by Christ, did they buy the Church with their Blood as did Christ? Even Christ as the Head of the Body (Church) wants us because of His love that “while we were still sinners, He died for us.” See it this way, we are the Bride of Christ and He paid our bride price with His Blood.

Perhaps we are excluded because we are out with the truth. But that’s by the way. No particular rite/denomination has what it takes to say the other rite/denomination is fake! Except Christ! If you call others fake that means you are fake and the originator of fake. Let Christ be the judge. The Church of Christ must be united lest we keep delaying His coming. Being united doesn’t mean we must bear a particular name but for the fact we are His Church and bear the name Church and as far as we work in harmony with one another, the Unity Christ prayed for is achievable.

We have diversities but the Church of Christ can be united when we overlook our diversities and embrace peace in the Body of Christ.

The Catholics against the Catholics.
The Anglicans against the Anglicans.
The Pentecostals against the Pentecostals.
The Catholics against the Pentecostals.
The Pentecostals against the Catholics.
The Anglicans against the Catholics.
The Catholics against the Anglicans, the list continues.

When we come together even in our diversities, the gate of hell will not prevail over the Church. Because we are divided, even Islam mocks us, traditionalists ridicules us. May we receive Grace to embrace one another!

NB: I use the term ‘rite/denomination’ for differential purposes. We all are members of one Church (the Body of Christ).

+Gabriel Ooc

Why should the Promulgated Dogmas of the Roman Church Define the Old Catholic Churches? by Bishop Gabriel O. Obiano
A call for the Old Catholic Churches to return to the Biblical Teachings of the Early Church!
Are we going back to those practices our Predecessors abandoned? Are we following promulgated dogmas with no Biblical backing?
The majority of Roman Catholic Bishops left the Roman Catholic Church due to some promulgated dogmas of the past Popes. The chief amongst these dogmas is the “Papal Infallibility.” This isn’t the only reason these Bishops separated formally from the Roman Catholic in 1870 to form the Old Catholic Church. Other significant doctrinal differences caused the departure of these Roman Bishops from the Roman Catholic and this began in the 1600s before they took a final step to leave formally after the Vatican l Council in 1870.
These Doctrines include:
1. Papal Infallibility proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1870
2. Immaculate Conception (INEFFABILIS DEUS) promulgated by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854
3. Assumption of Mary promulgated by Pope Pius XII in 1950
4. Purgatory defined at the Second Council of Lyon in 1274
5. Doctrine of Celibacy enforced by Pope Gregory VII in the eleventh century, etcetera.
The list of doctrinal differences continues including but is not limited to the praying of the rosary (yes, there are Old Catholics who don’t pray the rosary), the use of images in solemn and non-solemn worship (yes, there are Old Catholics who forbids the use of images), and referring to Mary as the Mother of God (yes, they are Old Catholic who don’t teach or refer Mary as the Mother of God). This doctrine is traced back to the Council of Ephesus in 431.
These are what define the Roman Church and reasons why there are other Independent Catholics (also known as the Old Catholics) who do not concur with the above doctrines or some of these doctrines. As time goes by, some Old Catholic Bishops prayerfully forbid all the above-named doctrines and many more. However, some still uphold them as they believe that’s what makes them Catholic. This is why in a drafted document for intercommunion the churches involved state they respect their various doctrines and acknowledge the validity of their various sacraments. Doctrines may not hinder intercommunion as the churches involved desire to work with each other no matter their doctrinal differences. However, when will the Independent Old Catholics return the Church to its original practices like in the era of the early Apostles?
The term ‘Old Catholic’ does not denote ancient or outdated. However, it denotes Old Traditions of the early Church or Old Practices of the early Apostles. The term ‘Old Catholic’ simply means ‘True Catholic.’ In other words, the Old Catholic believes in the practices handed down by Christ to the early Apostles. Looking at the above-promulgated doctrines, that’s why a majority of Roman Catholic Bishops left the Roman Church to start up the Old Catholic movement in the Netherlands formally in 1870. For those who don’t know the meaning of the term ‘Catholic,’ it simply means ‘Universal.’ Since Old Catholic means ‘True Catholic,’ hence the term ‘True Universal Church’ is also appropriate. This does not justify the claim that Jesus founded the Catholic Church. I solely believe in the Scripture and therefore, Jesus founded His Church, no name of a particular denomination was mentioned when He spoke to Apostle Peter about building His Church.
If the Old Catholic Patriarchs left the Roman Church for many doctrinal reasons, why do the modern-day Old Catholic Churches get defined by these same doctrines that their Predecessors abandoned? The sole aim of the Old Catholic movement is to return the Catholic Church to the practices of the early Church by teaching the Bible as it is and not enforcing promulgated unbiblical dogmas. Sadly, many Old Catholic Churches still uphold doctrines considered unbiblical by the Predecessors.
If we must return the Catholic Church to the practices of the early Church, we must learn from the early Apostles who never let the Roman Empire of their time compromise the Church of Christ that He bought with His Blood. These teachings and doctrines were not so at first but the Church was compromised by politicians lusting for power during the Roman era and afterwards. The compromise didn’t happen during the era of the chief Apostle, Peter, if not he would have cut someone’s ear for the sake of the True Gospel of Christ.
As far as I draw breath, the early teachings of the Church of Christ won’t die in my hands. For those who are of Old Catholic descent, the Roman Dogma does not define us. If you are confused, go back to the Old Catholic tenets of faith but it will be preferable to go back to the Holy Bible. We are defined by the early teachings of the Church handed down to us by the early Apostles who never stopped following Christ even when He was taken up to Heaven.
The Charismatic Old Catholic Church - Africais a Biblical-based Church. We are Charismatic, Evangelical, and Liturgical in our beliefs and practices. With this said we will not accept into Holy Orders any candidate or priests who still want to carry over some doctrines our Predecessors abandoned.
This isn’t a write-up to make anyone feel bad but a call for us to wake up from our slumber and bring the truth to light. We are here to transform the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit to its originality and we mean business. You can apply if you have the same zeal or mandate no matter your denomination, come let's revive the Universal Church. You can reach the office of the vocation director via [email protected]
For those who practice celibacy, it isn’t bad but it’s wrong to discredit those who are not celibate. Those who are not celibate, it is also wrong to discredit those who are celibate. If they go against their oath of celibacy, pray for them that they will be restored.
Many will call us fake or false prophets but still, we are defined by the Holy Word of God and by the teachings of the early Apostles.
Keep upholding the true message and practices of Christ handed down to us by the early Apostles.
If you want to argue/debate because you oppose this article, the comment section is open for you. Come argue/debate with yourself!
Blessings +++
© Most Rev. Gabriel Ooc,
BISHOP, COCC-AFRICA

Charismatic Old Catholic Church is rooted in a history of Catholicism outside the control of Rome. We are independent of Rome, but dependent upon Jesus. We are a member of The Independent Old Catholic Church, and have a valid line of Apostolic Succession. Therefore, we incorporate a valid priesthood with valid sacraments. We are committed to the Person and Teachings of Jesus Christ, Our King and Head of our Church. We are under the New Covenant (Grace), and we believe The Bible is the true inspired Word of God.

During the 1700's, Catholics in the Netherlands demanded the right to continue to elect their own bishops. Catholics have been utilizing their prophetic voices outside of the Confines of the institutional church. You can disagree with church practices and still remain a faithful Catholic.

Most Catholics are aware of The Second Vatican Council in 1963. This swept away the Latin Mass. There are Pre-Vatican II Catholics who are not under Rome.

Many modern-day Catholics are not aware of The First Vatican Council of 1879. In Vatican I, "Papal Infallibility" was adopted. Catholics who did not accept Papal Infallibility are known as "Old Catholics." We are Old Catholics, and a historic part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

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Charismatic Old Catholic Church - Africa

And it sure pleased the GOOD GOD that I should be raised to the Episcopate under Charismatic Old Catholic Church to the Glory of His name. Continue to lead me O God!!!

Charismatic Old Catholic Church - Africa

God is a Commander that cannot be commanded.

Msgr Ooc

We have direct access to God through Jesus. Why look for another mediator besides Christ?

Msgr Gabriel Ooc

We receive in the place of prayer. Be it Rhema, what you asked for or Knowledge of God's word. Prayer is a time of open atmosphere to connect to the Throne Room of the Almighty. A place where the impossible is declared possible. A place of great communion with the Father of all.

Msgr Gabriel Ooc

https://www.ewtnvatican.com/articles/vatican-official-says-church-should-allow-married-priests-2056?fbclid=IwAR0kLPzYzqC4P1QTDABKmfhAfjTf9JVJsvGWTHsxPGJifOly2wJL_eMYo6w

Vatican Official Says Church Should Allow Married Priests A Vatican official has said that he thinks the Catholic Church’s priestly celibacy requirement in the Latin rite should be revised.

Episcopal Nomination of Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Obiano, COCC

With great joy in our hearts and through the mercies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we announce the nomination of Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Obiano to the episcopate.

Charismatic Old Catholic Church Worldwide and Charismatic Old Catholic Church Nigeria will continue to foster the Gospel of our Lord and work toward preaching the good news to the poor in Nigeria and to the uttermost part of the world.

Congratulations Bishop-Elect Obiano.

Signed:
Archbishop Maurice McCormick, COCC

Pope Francis did not authorize the blessing for same-s*x couples in the Catholic Church by Msgr. Gabriel O. Obiano, COCC
I wanted to let this slide but honestly, I can’t! I hate the lies spreading like wildfire.
So, before you start burning with ire, take a soft breath and continue reading...
Many bloggers and individuals have been passing false information about Pope Francis authorizing the blessing for same-s*x couples in the Catholic Church. In ignorance, they wail and pass the wrong news.
This post won’t be long and I will try as much as possible to make it brief.
Firstly let us understand the term ‘catholic.’ The term simply means ‘universal.’ When you say ‘catholic’, you are referring not only to Roman Catholic but to other Catholic Rites/Denominations like Old Catholic, Brazilian Catholic, Coptic Catholic (and in most cases, the Anglican denominations), etc.
Most of these Rites/Denominations are not even under the control of the Pope let alone for the Pope to decide their affairs. So when you ignorantly say that Pope Francis authorized the blessing for same-s*x couples in the Catholic Church, you bring the entire Catholic Rites to this subjection whereas in the real sense Pope meant the Roman Catholic because he’s aware he holds no jurisdiction in other Catholic Rites, neither does he control the affairs of the Independent Catholics. You can’t say that the Protestant Churches endorse gay marriage instead you name that particular protestant denomination.
I pick offense when I see people generalizing this news and new developments in the Vatican (and in the entire Roman Church) that have left the Christian world in shock. However, did Pope Francis authorize the blessing for same-s*x couples in the Roman Catholic Church? Yes, he did.
The reason I am writing this is to correct this wrong impression that the edict was for the Catholic Church. No! It’s not! It’s just for the Roman Catholic.
Article 5 of the Belief Statements of Charismatic Old Catholic Church states that: “We do not ordain homos*xuals and do not officiate same-s*x weddings.” So, whether it be blessing a gay couple or not, you will not get it in COCC. However, we can tell you about the Saviour that could save you from that demonic grip.
Food for thought:
Did God send his Angels to S***m and Gomorrah to bless them or destroy them?
Which is better: to bless a sinner (wherefore endorsing that act of sin) or telling the sinner to repent and accept Jesus?
What blessing according to the Holy Scripture is meant for sinners?

Conclusion: "Do not have s*xual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable," Lev 18:22, NLT.
Anyone supporting contrary to Lev 18:22 is a gay and needs Jesus!

God Bless You.
© Msgr. Gabriel O. Obiano, COCC

credit: getty images

Disunity is our major problem in the Body of Christ-- hence we forget we are all members of the same Body.

Msgr Ooc

If we don't preach the Truth, it won't stop the existence of the Truth. Christ is Life!

Msgr Gabriel Ooc

2 Timothy 2:13 NLT
If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is.

Be a Bishop or Archbishop. No matter what your title is, we are all children before God!
Let's be humble!
Msgr Gabriel Ooc

If the Body (Church) of Christ continue to be disjointed, we'll continue to lose focus of the Cross (Finished work)!

Msgr Gabriel Ooc

credit: St Michael Independent Old Catholic Church, USA

https://youtube.com/shorts/NTQntHSdcSw?feature=shared

The Crucified Lamb Only the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus Christ can set us free. Don't despise His presence in the Holy Eucharist.

When Christ died, He died for all not for a specific denomination.

Msgr Gabriel Ooc

May your breakthrough not pass you by in Jesus' Name!!!