What is the difference between a catholic and episcopal priest?

Answer 1

Yes and No. The Roman Catholic Church is not the Episcopal Church, However the Roman Catholic Church is an "episcopal" church. This means that it is a church that is governed by bishops. The term "episcopal" or "episkopos" is simply Greek for Bishop. The Episcopal Church is the American Branch of the Anglican Communion whose mother Church is the Church of England. The Church of England broke ties with the Roman Catholic Church in 1539 under the reign of King Henry VIII. It was later realigned with Rome under the reign of his daughter Mary (AkA Bloody Mary). After Mary's Death Elizabeth the Great took reign in England and the Church in England once again became independent of Rome, this time for good. This became known as The Church of England or The Anglican Church. After the American Revolution the Anglican Church in the United States became independent of the Church of England for obvious political reasons and changed the name to The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, aKa The Episcopal Church. Although the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion as a whole are no longer under the leadership of Rome, they retain apostolic succession through the 3 fold ministry of deacons priests and bishops. They also hold strong to the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Eucharist as being the central Sacraments of the Christian faith, necessary for all Christians to participate in. Those other Sacramental rites of the church inspired by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Ordination and Unction are also Sacramental but not necessary for all Christians in the same way that Baptism and Eucharist are.

Answer 2

The Episcopal Church is a more Protestant version of the Church of England from which it derived. Other than the fact that the Anglicans divorced themselves from the Catholic Church in the 16th century, they are not related. They do share some beliefs with the Catholic Church, some more than others, but they are not in union with Rome so are, thus, not Catholics.

Answer 3

The Episcopal Church is Catholic but not Roman Catholic. "Catholic," in this case, refers to the belief that the church is in part of the universal church of Jesus Christ, with a line of succession among the clergy that goes all the way back to the apostles.

The Episcopal Church is part of the Anglican Communion, and is not under the authority of the pope, who is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. The Episcopal Church in the United States began in 1787. Prior to that it was part of the Church of England, which began in 1534 under Henry VIII.

The Roman Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church have similar liturgies, and both denominations believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They differ quite a bit politically, however, as the Episcopal Church allows women to be deacons, priests, and bishops and is more liberal on most social issues, including homosexuality and Birth Control.

Answer 4

No, the Episcopal Church is the U.S. part of the Anglican Communion.

So, while it can be described as having a catholic character, being part of the church catholic, or some of its members being more Anglo-catholic than evangelical, it is not a part of the Catholic Church.

Answer 5

The highest clergy in the Episcopalian church are the archbishops. Episcopalian priests do not answer to the Roman Catholic papacy.

Answer 6

A Catholic priest has been mandated by the pope to celebrate mass, hear confessions, and grant absolution. The protestants do not have this ability.