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The 31st GENERAL SYNOD
May 4-6, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas

The 31st General Synod of the North American Old Roman Catholic Church gathered in San Antonio, Texas at the Holiday Inn on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, May 4-6, 2022. Clergy and Lay Delegates began to arrive on Tuesday May 3rd. The Infant Jesus of Prague Old Roman Catholic Church in San Antonio, whose pastor is Archbishop John Gabriel, was our host for the Synod. All of the delegates were housed at the hotel, and we were able to secure a spacious Conference Room there for all of our liturgical services, business sessions and several meals. The hotel provided a wonderful Continental Breakfast bar with both hot and cold foods, breads, juices, coffee and tea, as well as fresh fruit. In the evening the management of the hotel also offered a Manager's Reception of complimentary drinks and snacks. Lunch on several days was graciously provided by The Infant Jesus of Prague parishioners. In the evening many of the delegates went out in groups to local restaurants for dinner.

 

Every day began with Morning Prayer (Matins/Lauds) in Spanish or English, Mass was said each day by one of the Bishops, and the day ended with the recitation of the Office of Compline together.

 

Archbishop Ford opened the Synod on Wednesday morning with a Votive Mass of the Holy Ghost celebrated in Latin, followed by the formal Prayers and Ceremonies prescribed by the Sacred Council of Trent and as found in the Pontificale Romanum for the conducting of Synods in the Catholic Church. These ceremonies and prayers have been faithfully followed by all of our ecclesiastical predecessors since our origins in the ancient See of Utrecht. These ceremonies and prayers are prescribed and followed to publicly reaffirm our claim as Old Roman Catholics, to truly possess the ancient Roman Catholic Faith, heritage, lineage, and membership, as well as to proclaim the identity of the North American Old Roman Catholic Church as the historic progenitor of the Old Roman Catholic Communion. All delegates made the Profession of Faith of Pope Pius IV and signed their names to the same, which will be preserved in the Archives of the Church.

 

Bishop Rosas celebrated a Requiem Mass on Thursday for the repose of the souls of all of the clergy and members of the North American Old Roman Catholic Church, and their names were placed upon the altar in commeoration and prayer.

 

Bishop Rindahl on Friday celebrated for us a Votive Mass for Life in English. The North American Old Rman Catholic Church is dedicated and committed to working for the preservation of life and an end to the horrors of abortion. 

 

On the final day of Synod, Bishop Steven Rindahl, Auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Gabriel and Superior of the Society of St James arranged for all of the delegates to make a type of micro-pilgimage to the five historic missions that were significant in the history and establishment of the City of San Antonio. During this micro-pilgrimage to these historic missions, the clergy and delegates recited and sang one decade of the Rosary at each mission and meditated on the particular history and ministry of the respective mission and how it applied to our own North American Old Roman Catholic Church today and to our particular ministry. This special event during our Synod proved to be of great spiritual value to us and also provided us with an opportunity to visibly and audibly share the ministry and identity of the North American Old Roman Catholic Church with other visitors to the missions.

The General Synod provided us with time and opportunity to conduct the business of the Church, to discuss, reaffirm and strengthen the bonds shared by all of the member delegates, and a committment to work together in unity to strengthen and expand the work of our church, but most especially it allowed us to grow in faith and prayer as brothers and sisters in Christ and to revitalize the spiritual identity and life of our beloved church.

 

We encourage you to view and to enjoy the photographs of our Synod which can be found below. Click on any image and it will open and enlarge in a separate window. Thank you for visitng our General Synod page.

Distribution of Holy Communion at the Votice Mass of the Holy Ghost. Archbishop Ford.png

Opening Mass of the Holy Ghost

Archbishop Ford and Bishop Sanchez.jpg

Archbishop Ford
and Bishop Sanchez

Archbishop Ford stressing a point to the delegates.jpg

Archbishop Ford
stresses a point of information

Father Francisco speaks to the Synod.jpg

Father Francisco Zaragoza
addresses the Synod

Maria Mirand Rosas, wife of Bishop Rosas speaks to the Synod.jpg

Maria Miranda, wife of Bishop Rosas, addresses the Synod

outdoor shrine.png

Outdoor Shrine

Welcome sign at the hotel.jpg
Enter by the narrow gate... that leads to Life.png

Enter by the narrow gate...
that leads to Life

Bishop Rosas signs the Profession of Fath of Pope Pius IV.jpg

Bishop Rosas signs the
Profession of Faith

Bishop Finney addresses the Synod.jpg

Bishop Finney addresses the
Synod Delegates

Father Manuelspeaks to the Synod.jpg

Father Manuel Calderon
addresses the Synod

Deacon Audberto Milan and his wife Delcia Saldana Milan.jpg

Deacon Audberto Milan and his wife Delcia Saldana address the Synod

Fathers Manuel and Francisco with Bishop Rosas.jpg
Fr Stephen Lybrand addresses the Synod.jpg

Father Stephen Lybrand
addresses the Synod

Deacon Doughty speaks to the Synod.jpg

Deacon John Doughty
speaks to the Synod

Father Manuel and Father Francisco with Bishop Rosas

Delegates Meeting.jpg

Synod Delegates gathering for a business session

Father Manuel on the plane making hsi way to Synod.jpg

A smiling Father Manuel on the plane making his way to Synod

Archbishop Ford, Primate.jpg

Archbishop Ford
Metropolitan-Primate

Bishop Rosas, Primatial Vicar, San Miguel Arcangel.jpg

Bishop Rosas
Primatial Vicar

Canon Raphael Villareal Falquez, Primatial Chancellor, Mision Santa Cruz.jpg

Canon Raphael Villareal Falquez
Primatial Chancellor & Vocations Director

For more pictures click on any button below.

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