No. There is only one Catholic Church, but there are a fair number of Catholic denominations. The Roman Catholic Church is only one of those denominations, albeit overwhelmingly the largest of them all. The Old Templar Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is affiliated with the others which, while genuinely Catholic, are not under the control or governance of Rome. As a group, these denominations are referred to as the “independent movement” within greater Catholicism.

A denomination is an organization “that is a group of fallible human beings” who gather in worship, pool funds, construct church buildings, file for nonprofit status, operate ministries, hold rummage sales, and do all the other things people associate with the word “church.” Many---actually nearly all---Catholic denominations believe the same tenets of faith, which were laid down in complete form prior to the year 1000. However, each denomination is separately organized and managed. So there’s unity in faith, but diversity in practice and governance. (It’s important not to confuse matters of faith with matters of church practice and governance!)

Each denomination is run by its bishops. The Pope is a bishop who his fellow bishops have elected to be, in effect, the Roman Catholic Church’s CEO. There are variations among other Catholic denominations, but each generally has a governing council of bishops. That council elects a Patriarch from among themselves to act as the denomination's Presiding Bishop. The current Patriarch and Presiding Bishop of the Old Templar Church is the Most Rev. Phillip A. Garver, (T. Vincent II). He is assisted in the governance of the Church by the Council of Bishops.

In the Roman Church, yes. However, every bishop, once consecrated, is invested with the fullness of the priesthood, which includes the power to consecrate new bishops. The process involves a “laying on of hands” in an unbroken sequence that extends back to the original twelve apostles, Christianity’s first bishops. This is referred to as apostolic succession. A religion is considered apostolic when it can trace the consecrations of its bishops back to the original Church established by Christ Himself. The Old Templar Church can demonstrate this unbroken sequence and thus we rightfully consider ourselves a true apostolic church. For the episcopacy, this includes having a bull of election ratified by three (recognized) bishops. The consecration must have been performed by at least two (recognized) bishops, although the preference is for three.

Catholic history is much more complicated than most people realize — and the Roman Catholic Church sees no benefit in emphasizing all of the various complications. The greater Catholic Church has split a fair number of times, generally over matters of discipline and governance, much more rarely over matters of faith. The two largest splits — usually called schisms — are those with the Eastern Orthodox in 1054 and with the Anglican Communion in 1534. Both the Orthodox and the Anglicans can properly be called Catholics, even though the Roman Church does so with some hesitation. And there have been a couple of instances down through history where Rome has permitted dioceses to elect their own bishops, for reasons that today sound quaint or obscure. Bishops independent of Rome have come about through both of these mechanisms.

Right. Each denomination establishes its own code of canon law, and virtually every single one has ruled that contraception is a matter of conscience; a decision that a couple makes, ideally after some prayer and consultation with their parish priest. There is no prohibition against contraception in the Old Templar Church.

Exactly. The Roman Catholic Church is the only major religious group in all Christendom with a celibate clergy. The historical reasons for that might surprise you, though they’re complex to cover here. Mandatory celibacy has been a requirement of the Roman Catholic Church only since the year 1100 or so. For the first thousand years of Catholic history, priests, bishops and even popes were married. There’s nothing inherently wrong with celibacy, for those who feel called to it. But requiring celibacy of all ordained priests prevents many worthy individuals from serving Christ in the priesthood. The independent movement has long since treated celibacy as a special calling, not as a requirement. We feel that the Catholic denominations of the independent movement are much richer for it. In the Old Templar Church, celibacy is completely optional.

Divorce is never easy. Frequently, human beings marry too young, or without sufficient preparation or in the heat of a passion that masks a deeper problem. Most of the independent Catholic denominations take that into account and recognize that Christ’s message is of love and forgiveness. The majority of the independent Catholic denominations feels that divorce should not be an unscalable wall standing between two unhappy human beings and the sacraments that can begin to comfort and heal them. Most independent Catholic denominations offer special counseling to the divorced, both to welcome them back to Catholicism and to help them find, if they so choose, the wisdom to make marriage work for them again. The Old Templar Church welcomes divorced and/or remarried men and women into full participation in the life of the Church.

Although there is no consensus yet in the independent Catholic movement about women’s ordination, more and more independent denominations are granting women ordination, and are even consecrating them as bishops. The various contending threads of the debate are complex and can’t be explained in just a few words without being fair to one side or the other. Since its founding the Old Templar Church has been ordaining and consecrating women. Women share equally in the life and governance of the Old Templar Church.

The independent Catholic movement exhibits a spectrum of views regarding LGBTQ+ individuals. Some denominations uphold traditional teachings, considering same-sex attraction as a challenge that requires celibacy and barring the ordination of LGBTQ+ individuals in committed relationships. Other denominations embrace a more inclusive approach, recognizing homosexuality as a natural variation of human sexuality. These denominations may ordain LGBTQ+ individuals, including those in committed relationships, and may offer blessings for same-sex unions. The independent Catholic movement, like many Christian denominations, is navigating these issues with ongoing dialogue and a diversity of theological and pastoral approaches.

It’s still small, and between World War II and 1990 or so it had lost critical mass and seemed in danger of extinction. The Internet has brought new life and energy to the movement, and new ways of letting people know that we exist. Most denominations of the independent Catholic movement have their own Websites, and many conduct list server lists and chat rooms. As yet, it hasn’t gotten a lot of national publicity, and as you might expect, the Roman Catholic Church has little or nothing to say about it.