The Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht were gathered together in 1889. However, their origins are in the earlier separation of the Catholic diocese of Utrecht in the Netherlands from the Roman Catholic Church in 1724. The originating dispute was over the freedom in Utrecht to elect their archbishop. Subsequent divisions occurred following the First Vatican Council in 1870. Churches in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland protested the doctrine of papal infallibility. These were gathered under the leadership of Ignatz von Döllinger in 1871. These came together with the Church of the Utrecht to form the Union of Utrecht in 1889. The Polish National Catholic Church was established in North America in the late 19th century in protest of the Irish dominance of the Catholic hierarchy. The PNCC established missions in Poland after the First World War. The PNCC broke communion with the Union of Utrecht in 2003, although continuing ties are maintained with the Polish Catholic Church, which remains a member of the Union of Utrecht.

Documents

Member churches of the Union of Utrecht

Dependent churches of the Union of Utrecht

In addition, the Polish National Catholic Church was formerly a member of the Union of Utrecht, until 2003. The separation occurred over the decision in the Union of Utrecht to ordain women.

There are a number of other churches that use the name "Old catholic" that are listed on our Independent episcopal churches page. Some of these have historic ties to the European churches, although these ties have since been severed.