Liberal Catholic Church
Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Liberal Catholic Movement sidebar The names Liberal Catholic Church (LCC) and Liberal Catholic movement are used by a number of separate Independent Catholic denominations throughout the world descending from James I. Wedgwood, which combine Catholic sacramental practices with freedom of belief, and in particular openness to theosophical ideas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Whalen, William J., Separated Brethren: A Survey Of Protestant, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox and Other Denominations in the United States, 1979, p. 153</ref>
History
Foundation of the Liberal Catholic Church
The Liberal Catholic Church was founded by J. I. Wedgwood and Charles Webster Leadbeater, two Theosophists. Wedgwood had been consecrated as a bishop in 1916 in England by Frederick Samuel Willoughby; Willoughby had been consecrated as bishop by Arnold Harris Mathew of the Old Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain, but had later been disowned by Mathew. Wedgwood then travelled to Australia and ordained and consecrated Leadbeater.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=tillett>Template:Cite book</ref>
Wedgwood established the Liberal Catholic Church in the USA in 1917.<ref name=":0" /> Wedgwood says that during the existence of the early unified Liberal Catholic Church, he created the Liberal Rite.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Following accusations of sexual misconduct with juveniles, in 1919, Wedgwood resigned from the Theosophical Society and the Liberal Catholic Church.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Liberal Catholic Church International
In 1947, a part of the LCC split due to the controversy over the suspension of an LCC bishop. This independent split is named Liberal Catholic Church International (LCCI), and despite its name it is only present in the USA.<ref name=":0" /> The LCCI claims to adhere to Catholicism "with the widest measure of intellectual liberty and respect for the individual conscience."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Both the LCC and the LCCI "describe themselves as the Liberal Catholic Church or the Liberal Catholic Church in the Province of the United States and both claim 'official' status as the true church. Both the LCCI and the LCC have similarities and differences, but the critical distinction lies in the succession of bishops."<ref name=":0" />
Young Rite
In 2006, former LCC Presiding Bishop Johannes van Alphen consecrated Markus van Alphen. Alphen, in turn, established the Young Rite. Bishop Johannes himself eventually joined the Young Rite, serving there until his death. Among the tenets of the Young Rite was the belief that all possessed a path to the priesthood, and anyone requesting ordination should receive it.<ref name=Bate>Template:Cite book</ref> This practice was abandoned in the United States after Markus van Alphen's retirement and with the establishment of the Community of Saint George, a Young Rite jurisdiction. Young Rite USA now requires a multi-year formation program for its clergy.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>