The Apostolic Succession
In the following gathered material the various lines of succession will be quoted by which Bishop Hugh George DeWillmott-Newman, Patriarch of Glastonbury in Great Britian, is supported. Therein is also confirmed that these successions were conferred on Archbishop Maria Josef Thiesen of Cologne through Alois Stumpfl. A further consecration, which Thiesen had conditionally received from the Old Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tollenaar of Arnhem on 4 November 1951, gives him indisputable confirmation of the possession of the apostolic succession of the Armenian-United and Antiochian lines. Bishop Johannes Brom, consecrated by Thiesen, consecrated Gerardus Franck to bishop, assisted by Thiesen and the Bishops Beyer and Smekal of Kiel. Bishop Franck ordained me to priesthood and on 24 August 1977 he consecrated me a bishop in Sittard (Netherlands).
Reliable witnesses of my consecration to bishop are today members of the New Christian society founded by me.
For clarity of presentation, we have arranged all secured lines of succession in order of consecration of the bishops and numbered them 1 to 14.
In 14 different lines 7 successions prove to be secured, only one apostolic succession of which suffices for the validity of the Apostles’ succession. Annexed thereto the overview of the 14 lines in comparison. We are not in possession of any additional confirmation for the 3 bishops of Anglican descent mentioned in the “Corporate Reunionis”:
Mossmann, Lee and Seccombe, who have a written confirmation of a triple succession, namely the Greek-(Byzantine), the Syro-Melchitic and Roman Catholic ones.
In accordance with the information, Mossmann and Lee were incorporated as valid into the Roman Catholic Church. Consequently, these successions would apply to DeWillmott-Newman and his successors.
Anyone who, for any reason, wishes to express doubt as to the validity of my consecration is recommended to examine the “succession of the pure, apostolic teaching” subsequently emphasised by F. W. Haack with me personally.
Furthermore, we refer to a canonical report drawn up by Helmut Deixler M.Div. of Vienna on 13 December 1985 concerning the validity of my consecration as bishop.
The Various Lines of Succession
01. Armenian-United line of succession – List 1
02. Antiochian line of succession – List 2
03. Chaldean-United line of succession – List 3
04. Syro-Chaldean line of succession – List 4
05. Roman line of succession – List 5
06. Syro-Antiochian line of succession – List 6
07. Old Catholic line of succession I. – List 7
08. Anglican line of succession – List 8
09. Old Catholic line of succession II. – List 9
10. Apostolic line of succession – List 10
11. Antiochian line of succession – List 11
12. Syro-Gallican line of succession – List 12
13. Antiochian line of succession – List 13
14. Syro-Gallican line of succession II. – List 14
Essential lines of succession