NOTE: We do not intend to or defame any individual or group intentionally. We offer herein the truth as we know it about our canonically established Church and those who make false claims that they are us in some way or that they have our lines, which we deny generally esp. when the lines are traced back to our Church from Ignatius Nichols and from non-orthodox lines.

Note: Our short name "American Orthodox Catholic Church" is being used by numerous independent groups who claim to be us. By using our name either directly or indirectly they are claiming to be this Church. These individuals are not associated with this Church and are part of what is called the independent movement. We have also found some Antiochian Churches using our short name or part of it claiming to be the American Orthodox (Catholic) Church. They are not and none have any sacramental authority from this Church.

Due to all the false and misleading claims by members of the independent movement who state they are us, are us under a different name, claim our history and lines of Apostolic succession in an unorthodox manner or just use our name but admit directly or indirectly to being old catholic we have had to put together a list of as many as we have located who make these claims.

You might also note that in these independent groups some are homosexual, some ordain women while others are accused or convicted of sexual abuse (registered sexual offenders). You must be very careful in dealing with these groups.

I feel that any group who:
a. Claims to be us under a different name
b. Uses one of our names to claim they are us
c. or infringes any of our Service Marks or Copyrights
are unchristian and not Christian clergy.
Their claims of our lines are old catholic
since in orthodoxy they could not obtain our lines in any manner.

The groups named herein make numerous false claims and/or use one of our names which are the legal property (Service Marks) of this Church. This is Service Mark infringement.

The law says we can legally claim our corporate and short name's and logo as our service mark and we do. As of 1932, after 5 years of ownership, our name and logo were ours under common law in the United States. Under 15 USC 1065 we claim our Legal and statutory right to our name and logo as it was our Registered Service Mark over 7 years and the law states once its owned 5 years it is legally yours. The law does not require us to maintain an active registration to claim our name and logo.

We do not state that any one group is not who or what they claim except when they claim to be us or use one of our names and history. We state that;

1. they are not in any way canonical Orthodox (to the best of our knowledge),
2. their lines do not trace to us - The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America (inc.), and many use our short name since 1927 - "American Orthodox Catholic Church" and

3. they have no canonical sacramental authority from THEOCACNA.

The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America [our registered service mark and legal name] A/K/A THEOCACNA received in 1927 as our short name "The American Orthodox Catholic Church" [our common law service mark]. The link below shows that our corporate name is a Registered Service Mark. Clerks Secular of Saint Basil is a former Registerd Service Mark or this Church, and still in use by us. Our Short name - American Orthodox Catholic Church is a common law service mark of this Church and still in use.

We are the one and only canonically established American Orthodox Catholic Church (THEOCACNA) and all those not part of this Church who use this name are misleading the public.

None of the following are associated with THEOCACNA in any way. They have used our name and in some cases our logo and church history to falsely claim they are us. They have no sacramental authority from this canonically established Orthodox Church and as far as we know they are not associated with any canonically established Orthodox Church.

Following is a list of groups who have claimed in the past or still claim to be us by using one of our names, either the corporate name of THEOCACNA, the short name (American Orthodox Catholic Church) or both. You should understand that the name"American Orthodox Catholic Church" was canonically granted to THEOCACNA as our "short name" in 1927. It has been adopted by a number of groups in the independent movement who are not part of any canonical or canonically established Church. We have found that all independent groups claim they have valid lines of Apostolic Succession but none to the best of our knowledge have "recognized" lines and they are not in communion with any canonical (ethnic or SCOBA) Church or any other old established Church. Some will also claim that our Charter was issued to them.

For the most part these groups are part of the Independent Movement.

Many claim to have lines of Apostolic Succession from Bishop Ignatius Nichols. This is a false claim. Click on the link for the truth. The same Orthodox canons apply to claims of succession from Christian I who also was not the presiding bishop of THEOCACNA at any time. Any acts with non-orthodox do not transfer orthodox lines.

From our Church Constitution dated December 1, 1927.

The religious body organized hereunder shall be known both ecclesiastically and in civil law (by incorporation) as "THE HOLY EASTERN ORTHODOX CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA" ("THE AMERICAN ORTHODOX CATHOLIC CHURCH"). Either the first part of this legal title or the shorter second part exclosed in parentheses shall be deemed sufficient designation to point out this body to the exclusion of any other in all cases except where the full corporate title is required for purposes of civil legal documents.

Since US Code states that use of a trade name for 5 years makes it the owners name and ownership is incontestable. We declare that based on Article 1 shown above from our 1927 Constitution that this is proof of our ownership. All who use either name are infringing this Chuch and that is a violation of the law. We clearly own our names shown above.

We, the lawful owners of the name, "The American Orthodox Catholic Church" state as follows;

Any group using our name and not part of The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America (chartered 1927) and (bishops) not shown on the Synod Directory on our website are not part of the True American Orthodox Catholic Church - THEOCACNA and have no sacramental authority from this Church.

The 2 links below go to the pages listing those claiming to be us using our legal name or claiming they changed our name, those claiming our lines of Apostolic Succession, Church Charter or history.

Claims made are documented in our files, from their own statements and claims as well as from independent sources.