Bishop Francis E. Krebs

The Reverend Frank Krebs, Pastor of Sts. Clare & Francis Church in Webster Groves, Missouri, has been elected Presiding Bishop of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC). The commissioning ceremony will take place on Friday, September 18, in a 6:30 pm ceremony at Eden Theological Seminary. All are welcome to attend.

The Rev. Krebs is a St. Louis native. He was educated at Kenrick Seminary, Cardinal Glennon College and St. Louis University High School. Ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1972, he served three parishes in St. Louis, St. Ann, Pius the Fifth and Sts. Peter & Paul. In 1993 the Rev. Krebs left the Roman Catholic priesthood to pursue a career as a management consultant. He joined the ECC as a priest in 2003 and founded Sts. Clare & Francis in 2005. The Rev. Krebs was chosen as national leader of the ECC at their Synod held in Denver, Colorado in October 2014. After the Rev. Krebs is commissioned, the ECC will move its national headquarters to St. Louis.

The ECC, formed in the United States in 2003, identifies itself as Catholic but not Roman Catholic. Rev. Krebs explains the ECC is "similar to the Roman Catholic Church in matters of both creeds and sacraments," but it is a separate religious body.

The ECC traces its origins to the first Vatican Council in 1870 when a group of European bishops called the "Old Catholic Church" met in Utrecht. They refused to accept the idea that the Pope was infallible in matters of church, doctrine, and rejected allegiance to Rome. The ECC believes in the autonomy of local churches as did their predecessors. Other points of difference with the Roman Catholic Church include the belief that all are called to serve regardless of gender, marital status, or sexual orientation. Each parish is financially independent and ordination of priests is open to both women and men.

Among those scheduled to attend the commissioning is Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, a group to which the ECC was recently admitted.

The public is invited to attend the commissioning ceremony on September 18 at Eden Seminary, 475 East Lockwood Ave, Webster Groves, Missouri 63119. A reception will follow the ceremony. Please RSVP to Jennifer Reyes Lay at 314.918.2767 or opbadministrator@ecumenical-catholic-communion.org.

The accompanying photo of the Rev. Krebs was taken by John Kerans.
From the Eden Theological Seminary Website