The Official Website of
The United Holy Caribbean Apostolic Church
The Patriarchate of The West-Indies

The Holy Synod of Prelates

 

CANON 1 - Based on the Holy Scriptures, the Catechism, the Canon Laws, and the Constitution of this Church, the administration of authority in the Holy Caribbean Patriarchate is given by the Theocratic rule of the All-Holy Spirit through the Synod of Prelates - also known as the College of Prelates - with smaller regional Synods governing the separate departments and regions.

 

CANON 2 - The Holy Synod shall be comprised of all Apostles, Bishops, and Archpriests in charge of a diocese within this Church as voting members. All Clergy and various lay representatives may have full participation in the talk and debates, but voting shall be reserved to the Prelates and Archpriests in charge of a diocese, being ordained heads of the Church of the Lord. All final authority shall be vested within the Holy Synod of this Church, with the Senior Apostle and Patriarch of the West Indies seated as Chairman of the Synod and “Primus Inter Pares”.

 

CANON 3 - Procedures for the conduct of Synod member business shall be as determined by the council.

 

CANON 4 - The Holy Synod is responsible for the administration of the Church under God’s authority and in particular is responsible for the development of the spiritual life of the Church and its members. Collectively, the Holy Synod shall:

-Canonically consecrate the Patriarch

-Share the responsibility to sanction and consecrate all Apostles and Bishops per final decision of the Patriarch, who shall assume the leading and authoritative role.

-Lead in the responsibility to sanction all Full Communion and Inter-Communion agreements per decision of the Patriarch, who shall assume the leading and authoritative role.

-Share the responsibility to ratify all canon laws.

-Be the focal point of full unity for all Churches and Communions under the banner of the United Holy Caribbean Apostolic Church, with the Patriarch as the visible sign of unity, the Chairman of the Synod and First Amongst Equals.

-Define and interpret the doctrines, overall objectives, and aspirations of the Church which, if attained, will produce progress toward fulfilling the Scriptural purposes for its existence.

-Remain aware of the spiritual needs and concerns of those in the Church, and assist in the establishment of goals for the Church based on these concerns.

-Oversee the development of strategies by the various Boards, committees, ministry groups and individuals using available resources to meet the goals of the Church, including all programs, ministries, meetings, and other efforts of the Church. Individual members may be assigned as liaison to various boards for specific periods of time.

-Administer Scriptural forms of Church discipline to members as outlined in Matthew 18:15-17, when a member is found to be flagrantly negligent in living the Christian life and in upholding the Covenant of Discipleship, being the final court of appeals.

-Act on termination of membership of leaders as provided for in these canon laws.

-Obtain nominations from the various dioceses of those willing and qualified to serve as required administrative positions.

-Ensure all candidates for Ministerial and staff positions are fully qualified per the Bible and the Canon Laws.

-Suspend or remove/depose Church Officers. If the vote is in favor of suspension or removal and the church Officer holds a staff position, the Holy Synod may also choose by majority vote to immediately dismiss that Church Officer from their staff position.

-Appoint persons to and dismiss persons from paid and/or unpaid administrative positions. For paid positions, appointment should occur only after budget approval by the Membership. Dismissal of persons from administrative positions requires a majority vote of the Council members. However, hiring and dismissal of the Custodian shall be at the discretion of the local Church and its Pastor.

-Approve expenditures by Councils, Committees, officers, and ministry groups when such expenditures are within the Budget categories previously approved by the Membership, but temporarily exceed the limitations of the Church Budget.

-Review and approve the Annual Budget.

-Keep accurate written minutes of all meetings.

 

CANON 5 - The Holy Synod shall meet as and when necessary to conduct its business. Meetings shall be called by the Patriarch in an orderly fashion. In general, these meetings shall be scheduled to be no less than twice a year. A quorum for the transaction of business shall be a proper and determined majority of the Council membership.

 

CANON 6 - A Provincial Synod shall be comprised of all Apostles and Bishops within the province of the Church. Each Apostle or Bishop shall work within the local Synods governing the separate geographical regions. The Metropolitan Archbishop within a province shall be seated as the Presiding Moderator of the Provincial Synod.

 

CANON 7 – Procedures for the conduct of Council member business shall be as determined by that Council.

 

CANON 8 – It has pleased this Council to decree that if any Bishop be indicted, and the Bishops of the same Metropolitan diocese remove him from his rank by the Metropolitans, and, by way of appeal, he has recourse to the blessed Apostles and Bishops of the Holy Synod, and the latter expresses a desire to hear the matter through and deems that it is right and just for the trial of the case to be reopened, let them write to these Bishops and request those who are close to the province in question to make a searching investigation of the points in the case with due diligence and accuracy, and in accordance with faith in the truth pronounce a decision regarding it. But if any person demands again to have his case heard and sees fit to request that it be tried by the Patriarch of the Church, let the latter send Presbyter(a)s from his own fiank, in order that he may be in the authority of the Bishop himself. If he rules that it is right and decides that judges ought to be sent to try the case together with the Bishops and to exercise authority derived from the one who sent them, then let this too be done. But if he deems the verdict and decision in regard to the Bishop’s case to be sufficient, let him do whatsoever may seem best to his most prudent sense of discretion.

 

 

Administrative Departments

 

CANON 9 – The United Holy Caribbean Apostolic Church shall give oversight to and divide responsibilities amongst several Ministry Departments, developing separate administrative Councils set over each Ministry Department. The Councils within each Department shall include both ordained Clergy and select laity and shall have no less than three (3) members, with the presiding Department leader of said department seated as chairperson (unless specifically stated otherwise). All Charitable Associations, Para-Church ministries, and organizations planted by, and/or coming under the oversight of the Church shall be placed under the jurisdiction of one ministry department per decision of the Holy Synod.

 

CANON 10 - All associations, para-church ministries and organizations that join the communion of the Caribbean Patriarchate shall be required to fill out all required forms/applications (including applications for individual ministers if deemed necessary). These forms/applications shall be logged with the Holy Synod of the Church. All sensitive information (i.e., Social Security numbers, I.D. numbers, etc.), if taken, shall be labeled as classified and restricted to members authorized by the Holy Synod, and shall not be used unless notification of the individuals’ information is provided first.

 

CANON 11 – Prison Missions- The Department of Prison Missions (D.P.M.) is made up of certain Clergy and Lay members, with a Clergyman set as Director the Department reporting directly to the Holy Synod. All Para-church ministries, Ministers, members, and programs working within the prison system of each country and region that this Church shall hold a presence within shall fall under the direct oversight and authority of the D.P.M., made up of certain Clergy and Lay members, set up to have regional leaders with a Clergyman set as director the Department. All ordained Clergy entering prison as an inmate may retain their holy orders depending upon the charge or cause of arrest, the determined length of time of incarceration/exile, and provided that their charges do not call for them to be deposed such as rape, murder, theft, fraud, assault, or other such charges deemed to be shameful for Christians according to the determination of the Holy Synod, and that those keeping said position will not hinder the Church. Clergy who are placed in incarceration are to be placed under the watch-care and authority of the D.P.M. Those imprisoned for persecution of the Christian Faith of the Church may be replaced if needed, but will fully retain the honor and dignity of their position, continuing to work the gospel ministry within the D.M.D. as room is provided for them until the time of their release. Those who are guilty of criminal charges which violate Christian principles shall be deposed by this Church; their excommunication shall be determined if needed.

 

It is the policy and aim of the D.P.M. that the ordination of inmates is allowed with respect to state regulations. All inmate Ministerial candidates will be judged in accordance to the United Holy Caribbean Apostolic Church ordination regulations, with respect to and in light of city/state/government prison regulations and the crime(s) one has committed. Inmate Ministerial candidates may be ordained to the Ministerial positions of Presbyter(a) or Deacon; no inmate shall be consecrated however to the positions of Archdeacon, Archpriest, Bishop, Archbishop, Metropolitan Archbishop, Apostle, or Patriarch, or be elected as a Holy Synod member. The Holy Synod reserves the right to discriminate according to the nature of one’s crime, the number of criminal convictions, and/or behavior during the prisoner’s sentence.

 

CANON 12 – Department of Prophetic & Monastic Orders- The “Department of Prophetic and Monastic Orders” (D.P.M.O.) is made up of certain Clergy and Lay members and shall be answerable to the Holy Synod directly. The D.P.M.O. shall be responsible for the checking of prophecies, collaborate with the Holy Synod in the recognition and canonization of “Honored Saints” of this Church, collaborate in the checking of epistles with the Department of Education, the Canon Law Department, and the Holy Synod, and shall oversee the management of Monastic Orders and Missions with the Apostles, Bishops and Prophets. All Prophets and Orders that join this Church must be handled under the special care of this department.

 

CANON 13 – Department of Social Awareness- The “Department of Social Awareness” (D.S.A.) is made up of certain Clergy and Lay members, with a Clergyman set as director the Department who shall report directly to the Holy Synod. The Director of the D.S.A. shall report to the Holy Synod. The D.S.A. shall share in but not be limited to the oversight of the care for the poor, orphans, the development and running of food pantries programs, the aiding of refugees, retirement programs, etc., in collaboration with the Apostles and Bishops of their own respective jurisdictions.

 

In the event of criminal acts committed by Clergy of this Church, the Department of Social Awareness shall collaborate with the Canon Law Department in the provision of immediate and proper aide to all victims.

 

CANON 14 – Department of Education- The Department of Education (D.O.E.) is made up of certain Clergy and Lay members, with a Clergyman set as director the Department who shall report directly to the Patriarch which presides as “Ecumenical Dean of Eden Kingdom Institute”, and the Holy Synod. The D.O.E. shall hold the responsibilities of the development and oversight of all official educational schools and programs including but not limited to the Eden Kingdom Institute which shall provide scholastic education and/or discipleship to all Ministers and members of the Caribbean Patriarchate, as well as the opening up of other Schools by the Patriarchate within any country that this Church holds a presence. All Clergy must receive their discipleship and/or scholastic education or educational approval from Eden Kingdom Institute in order to be cleared for Ministry within the Church. The D.O.E. shall also oversee the Library of the Caribbean Patriarchate, which holds the epistles, prophecies, recorded history, Apostolic Succession, all ordinations, and various sermons from Clergy of the Caribbean Patriarchate and other Churches and Apostolic Fathers.

 

By virtue of his position as “Ecumenical Dean of Eden Kingdom Institute”, the Patriarch shall also be “Ecumenical Dean” of all schools started by the Church.

 

CANON 15 – Department of Ecumenical Relations- The Department of Ecumenical Relations (D.E.R.) is made up of certain Clergy and Lay members, with a Clergyman set as Director the Department. The D.E.R. shall have the joint responsibility, shared with the Holy Synod to develop, and set the policies of and tone of ecumenism for the Patriarchate. The D.E.R. shall oversee the talks between the Caribbean Patriarchate and all other Christian Churches, Ecclesial Communities, as well as other religious entities and nations/states/governments. The ecumenism policies shall then be carried out by all Clergy and lay members apart of the D.E.R.

 

The D.E.R. shall also share directly in the responsibility of receiving new Churches and Clergy who desire to join the Caribbean Apostolic Church, collaborating with the Metropolitan Archbishop of said Province, If no such province exists within the Church, the D.E.R. shall work hand in hand directly with the Patriarch.

 

CANON 16 – Department of Canon Law- The Department of Canon Law (DoCL) is made up of certain Clergy and Lay members, working as the Canonists/Canon Lawyers for the Caribbean Patriarchate. The Department shall be run by a special tribunal which shall collaborate with the Holy Synod. The DoCL shall hold the responsibility of the organizing and interpreting of canon laws of the Patriarchate and the recognizing of Catholic Church Canon Law as a whole. The Department shall collaborate with other Christian Canon Lawyers, Canon Law educational associations and departments from various denominations at the discretion of the Department’s director.

 

When the need for a tribunal arises, and a Clergyman or layperson is brought up on canonical charges, the DoCL shall take charge collaborating with the local Apostles, Diocesan (Arch)Bishop, and the Metropolitan Archbishop. All cases shall be judged according to the Canonical Tradition of this Church, beginning with the Sacred Text of the Holy Bible, and the Canon Laws of the Church, and the wisdoms of the Apostolic Church Fathers both past and present. The final court of appeal within this Church shall be the chair of the Patriarch; according to Ecumenical Canon Law however, if deemed necessary, an appeal can be made to those Elder Church Leaders deemed to be in the seat of authority equal to that of the Patriarch, such as an Orthodox Pope of Elder Rome, the Archbishop of Constantinople, and/or the Chief Consecrator of the Patriarch being seats of Canonical Appeal. The final authoritative Tribunal validly accepted by the Church will be an Ecumenical Council.

 

 

Regions and Jurisdictions

 

CANON 17 – Each region, named a diocese, archdiocese, or metropolitan archdiocese/metropolitanate, shall be governed by a particular Apostle or Bishop.

 

CANON 18 – According to ancient canonical custom, those dioceses shall be established as the need is shown by the Patriarch in collaboration with the Holy Synod, working hand in hand first and foremost with the Metropolitan Archbishop of said Province. A Bishop shall be set over said diocese when the need is shown, and a candidate arises.

 

CANON 19 – The diocese of one shall not be allowed to cross the jurisdiction of another that we are in full and visible communion with, but all shall respect the canonical boundaries according to Ecumenical Canon Law and the words of the Apostle Paul to the Roman Church. With the exception of cultural and ecumenical relations shall this be allowed and occur, and even still this shall not be the normal practice of this Church, but the exception for ecumenical reasoning and by proper canonical agreement.

 

CANON 20 - At the request of a Provincial Synod to the Holy Synod by means of a synodal letter, and the granting of said written and verbal permission at the hands of the Patriarch, an Apostle or Bishop can be granted by Canonical custom “autonomous status” and shall have the authority to adopt their own liturgical identity. They shall be self-governed yet shall be in full submission to the Patriarch of this Church, remaining within conformity with the Constitution and Canons of this Church. Said jurisdiction shall remain in full and visible union with this Church.

 

CANON 21 - According to the custom of the Treaty of Brest (1595 A.D.), canon 11, “That our Bishops should not send to Rome for the sacrae (permission to consecrate), but, if the King's Grace names someone to a bishopric, that according to the old custom the Archbishop—Metropolitan should have the duty and the right to ordain him. The Metropolitan himself, before entering upon the office of metropolitan, should send the sacrae to the Pope. Then, after he has received the sacrae from Rome, let the bishops ordain him, at least two of them, according to their custom. If a bishop is elected Metropolitan, let him not send for the sacrae, because he already has the episcopal cheirotonia; he may take an oath of obedience to the Supreme Pontiff in the presence of the Archbishop of Gniezno (who on that occasion will not be functioning as Archbishop, but as Primate of Poland).” Likewise, an autonomous Province of this Church shall have the right to consecrate its own Apostles and Bishops and elect their own Presiding Prelate. Said Presider shall be elected and set in place by the Patriarch, or by the Province Synod with the Patriarch’s prior notification. By means of a synodal letter, the synod of bishops of the province notifies the Patriarch and the Holy Synod as soon as possible about the canonical conduct of the election and enthronement and that the new Metropolitan Archbishop professes the faith and the promise to exercise his office with fidelity in the presence of the synod according to the approved formulas.

 

CANON 22 - Synodal letters that an election of a new Metropolitan Archbishop took place within an autonomous jurisdiction planted by the Caribbean Patriarchate are also to be sent to the heads of the other Churches in communion with this Church. The new Metropolitan must declare ecclesiastical communion with the Patriarch of this Church by means of a letter signed in his own hand and the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist. A canonically elected Metropolitan validly exercises his office only after enthronement by which he obtains his office with the full effects of law. The new Metropolitan is not to convoke a synod of bishops of the provincial Church nor ordain any Clergy before he receives ecclesiastical communion from the Patriarch.

 

CANON 23 – At the request of said Provincial Synod to the Holy Synod by means of a synodal letter, and the granting of said written and verbal permission at the hands of the Patriarch after full review, an Apostle or Bishop may be granted by Canon Law and canonical custom autocephalous status and shall have the authority to adopt their own Constitution and Canons in conformity with the Constitution and Canons of this Church. Said jurisdiction shall remain in full and visible communion with this Church. The declaration of autocephaly by any without the permission of the Holy Synod, be it a singular Apostle or Bishop, a Metropolitan of a Province, or an entire Province, shall be noted as an act of schism. In said case, the See shall be viewed as vacant, and the rogue Clergy shall be viewed as deposed and without orders. At said time, they will be called to return to communion with this Church. If a replacement is elevated in their stead even if they return, then those in schism shall assume the post of a layman or shall take the lesser post granted at the discretion of their Metropolitan Archbishop.