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It is important to distinguish these groups from the [[Eastern Catholic]] churches which—while they follow Eastern rather than Roman traditions—do so as part of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]; from groups such as [[Anglo-Catholics]] who remain part of the [[Anglican]] Churches but see Anglicanism as closer to Catholicism than Protestantism; and from a similar movement among the [[Lutheran]] churches known as [[Evangelical Catholicism]]. It also is important to keep separate the original sense of ''catholic'' (such as in the Nicene creed), meaning universal, and the concept of all Christian churches being deemed to be part of the universal, i.e. catholic, church.<br>

It is important to distinguish these groups from the [[Eastern Catholic]] churches which—while they follow Eastern rather than Roman traditions—do so as part of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]; from groups such as [[Anglo-Catholics]] who remain part of the [[Anglican]] Churches but see Anglicanism as closer to Catholicism than Protestantism; and from a similar movement among the [[Lutheran]] churches known as [[Evangelical Catholicism]]. It also is important to keep separate the original sense of ''catholic'' (such as in the Nicene creed), meaning universal, and the concept of all Christian churches being deemed to be part of the universal, i.e. catholic, church.<br>

'''These churches consider their bishops & priests valid Catholic ones because''' Valid [[ordination]] according to the St Augustinian theory requires only that a man be ordained a [[priest]] by a [[Bishop]] in the line of apostolic succession originating from one who has been licitly and validly ordained to [[Holy Orders]] and who was licitly and validly consecrated a Bishop in the unbroken line of apostolic succession descended from the original Apostles. A licitly consecrated Bishop who later becomes a schismatic, even a heretic, does not lose the authoritative '''''potestas''''' (power) of the fullness of Holy Orders, even without the '''''ius''''' (lawful authority) to licitly exercise it. And those he ordains according to the ''proper form''<ref>[https://augustinianvocations.org/blog-archive/s0q6/12/27/the-postures-and-gestures-of-ordination The Postures and Gestures of Ordination (aughustinianvocations.org)]</ref><ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/23960143</ref> of the sacrament of Holy Orders. '''In laymen's terms a bishop retains his power to ordain Priests and consecrate other bishops, even if excommunicated by the [[Roman_Catholic_Church | Roman Catholic Church]] or another church. The men he ordains priests still can preform valid Sacraments and the men he consecrates as bishops can ordain valid priests and consecrate valid bishops'''<br>

'''These churches consider their bishops & priests valid Catholic ones because''' Valid [[ordination]] according to the [[[[Saint Augustine | St Augustinian]]  theory requires only that a man be ordained a [[priest]] by a [[Bishop]] in the line of apostolic succession originating from one who has been licitly and validly ordained to [[Holy Orders]] and who was licitly and validly consecrated a Bishop in the unbroken line of apostolic succession descended from the original Apostles. A licitly consecrated Bishop who later becomes a schismatic, even a heretic, does not lose the authoritative '''''potestas''''' (power) of the fullness of Holy Orders, even without the '''''ius''''' (lawful authority) to licitly exercise it. And those he ordains according to the ''proper form''<ref>[https://augustinianvocations.org/blog-archive/s0q6/12/27/the-postures-and-gestures-of-ordination The Postures and Gestures of Ordination (aughustinianvocations.org)]</ref><ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/23960143</ref> of the sacrament of Holy Orders. '''In laymen's terms a bishop retains his power to ordain Priests and consecrate other bishops, even if excommunicated by the [[Roman_Catholic_Church | Roman Catholic Church]] or another church. The men he ordains priests still can preform valid Sacraments and the men he consecrates as bishops can ordain valid priests and consecrate valid bishops'''<br>

There is no single Independent Catholic church. There are many such churches, with completely contrary beliefs to each other. Several of these hold the belief that they are the true Roman Catholic Church, and that the mainstream Roman Catholic Church has fallen into heresy or apostasy. We can group them into a few categories:

There is no single Independent Catholic church. There are many such churches, with completely contrary beliefs to each other. Several of these hold the belief that they are the true Roman Catholic Church, and that the mainstream Roman Catholic Church has fallen into heresy or apostasy. We can group them into a few categories: