The Mission joins the Federation of Free Catholic Communities
· Joined the Bund
The Apostolic Old Catholic Mission joined the Bund freier katholischer Gemeinden on 2 August 2026. We shared the news in our September newsletter, published on 29 September 2026.
For a small Mission whose people live in several countries, it matters to have neighbours in the faith. Through the Bund we have fellow Christians with whom we can pray, seek counsel and share the work of ministry.
In welcoming us, the Bund placed our Mission under the episcopal protectorate of Archbishop Karl-Michael Soemer. This means that within the Bund we come under his jurisdiction as Presiding Bishop. Here in the Mission, Bishop Ashley R. Deutschmann (Mar Theophilos) continues to lead our pastoral life as Bishop-Rector.
Meet the Mission in the Bund’s directory · Archbishop Karl’s role in the Mission · Read our September newsletter
Since our September letter
That fellowship found a practical expression on 10 October 2026, when Archbishop Karl ordained Colin de Pelsmaker to the diaconate in Paderborn on behalf of Bishop Ashley and the Mission. Read about Colin’s ordination.
A visit to the Good Shepherd community
In February 2025 Archbishop Karl spent a weekend with the Good Shepherd community in Germany’s Spessart region. On Saturday he joined the order in Lohr am Main to celebrate St Thomas Aquinas. On Candlemas, 2 February, he confirmed two adults in Esselbach and gave the blessing of St Blaise with crossed candles.
