"Catholic" means whatever one wishes it to mean, right?

A story in the Post about a "priest" who is also a cop...

Founded by former Roman Catholic priest the Rev. Carl Swaringim in 2001, ECC is one of a few hundred independent Catholic churches in the U.S. and has no connection to the Roman Catholic Church or the St. Louis Archdiocese.

But it calls itself the "Ecumenical Catholic Church USA" (ECC), nonetheless. Can you say, "truth in advertising"? Sure, I knew you could!

The independent Catholic churches run the spectrum from very conservative to very liberal," said Swaringim, of O'Fallon, Mo., who is diocesan bishop of ECC. "We tend to be in the middle someplace."

In the middle of the bondage of slavery - in Satan's grasp?

The church's belief statements are similar to those of the Roman Catholic Church, with a few differences: celibacy for priests is a personal decision; all holy orders are open to men and women; those who have been divorced and/or remarried are entitled to the sacraments; and contraception is not a sin but a personal decision of a married couple.

Let's see...so a "personal decision" is not sinful if it's a "personal" decision? Right? And unholy orders for all? Gather round! The buffet is open - please select what you like and ignore what you find unpleasant...

"We're similar to other Christian churches that say we're not here to judge. Let God be the judge, not us," Swaringim said. "We're basically here to facilitate the individual person's relationship with God through word and sacrament in the Catholic faith tradition."

"Catholic" faith tradition? The one received from Apostolic times and handed down by the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit? Oh, it's not that Catholic faith tradition but a new, "different" one...how lovely! And Yes - it's all made up as they go along.

Like St. Stanislaus parish, Sts. Peter and Paul is governed by a lay board and the priests are the agents, subject to dismissal, Swaringim said. But the comparison ends there.

Why does the comparison end there? Because Swaringim says so? Actually, the comparison does not end there as can be seen thoughout the entire article.

"He (Archbishop Raymond Burke) really can't excommunicate us, because we don't belong to his church," Catlett said.

The Archbishop's Church? The real question is, "Do they belong to Christ's Church, the one, holy catholic, and apostolic Church?" The answer is "No"...the "church" they have started is certainly not Catholic...and it's a misrepresentation to use the term "Catholic" in this manner. But then, heretics and schismatics have never really been too concerned with truth. But as the self-appointed 'bishop/pope' has stated, they'll let God be the judge...

Article here.