We do not state that any one group is not who or what they claim except that they are not in any way canonical Orthodox and their lines do not trace to us - The "American Orthodox Catholic Church" short name for "The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America"^® [Registered Service Mark]®. Along with our logo these are our Registered Service Marks. .

The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America [our former 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 was a Registered Service Mark.

We are the one and only canonically established American Orthodox Cathlioc Church (THEOCACNA) and all those not part of this Church who use this name are attempting to mislead 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.

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

This information is provided because these groups use the short name given to this Church in our Constitution and is the common law service mark of this Church. This is a partial list of such groups and we suggest you be very careful in any dealings with them.

Many claim to have lines of Apostolic Succession from Bishop Ignatius Nichols. This is a false claim. Click on the link for the truth.

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.

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

Any group using this 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.

This group claims headquarters out of New York using the AOCC name includes the Penticostal Orthodox Church as part of their group.

Dominick Lorenzo, Retired
Former head of a NY AOCC group
Consecrated by U. Ryzy-Ryski 6-26-77
Appointed by John Christian as Metropolitan

Patrick K. McReynolds
b. May 1950
Member-God's Benevolence Institute
Ordained Deacon & Priest 4-6-74 by Itkin
Consecrated 4-7-74 by Itkin
Consecrated 5-19-75 by E.C. Payne
(Ind. Catholic Church/Ind RC Church)
Consecrated 11-26-76 by U. Ryzy-Ryski
Also listed as Cons. by Andre Barbeau w/Andrei Letellier and as a consecrator of Andrei Barbeau
Th.M from Fordham U. 1978
6/81 began God's Benevolence Orthodox Catholic Church (independent)

Steven Kochones, b. 1/31/31
Greek Orthodox layman, left and
was ordained minister ind. Assemblies of God
Ordained Priest by Propheta 9/4/67
Est. Church of God in the Lord Jesus Christ in Pasadena, CA. 1969
Consecrated 5-18-80 Catholic Church of God, Pasadena, CA
Changed Corporate name to A.O.C.C. 5-11-89

Donald Jolly
Independent Catholic Church International
12-31-73 - Cons. by John Brown
Free Protestant Episcopal Church
6-25-80 - Cons. by Antonio Pietroburgo in Rome and appointed AOCC Representative.

American Orthodox Catholic Church Western Rite of Medford, Long Island, NY.

This group ordains women which is contrary to Orthodox Canons. They are not orthodox and state they are the American Independent Catholic Church.

American Orthodox Catholic Church webpage by Stephen Tyminski of N.Y. claims both the AOCC name and our Corporate name "The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America" which is a registered service mark of this Church. On this webpage he mentions Abp. Thaddeus (Condrick) who he has not been associated with for a few years now.

Thaddeus, Alan Stanford, of Deming or Columbus, NM (formerly of Calif.) used to list THEOCACNA and American Orthodox Catholic Church on his website but now states not associated with THEOCACNA. He has made a number of claims that have changed from time to time. Claims to have the "Blessing of the Holy Patriarchate of Moscow" who deny knowing him, claims no other "Mother Church" existed 1921-1927 until his group was incorporated - the 1927 appears to refer to our Charter again, and then he denies being or claiming to be the Mother Church.

There is another group calling themselves the American Orthodox-Catholic Church under a Metropolitan Samuel of NY. They claim to be the continuation of the Walter Propheta 1964 organizaton and claim their lines trace to us. Propheta was never part of this Jurisdicion. He had established his own organizaton and did his own thing in his time. From our records it appears Propheta used the name "American Orthodox Church".

Carl Bartholomew, A/K/A Bishop Alexander, who claims to head the Holy Orthodox Church - American Jurisdiction, the Francis Forbes group formerly from Tennessee. He has incorporated in Fla as The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America and at one time claimed to be us and claims to head the original THEOCACNA by virtue of his Fla corporation. He is a former Roman Catholic priest.

Forbes, who died Dec 2008, was never a priest of or member of The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America. His Church likes to make a claim of this nature but we can document this to be a false claim.

The OCCNA - Orthodox Catholic Church in North America is a group that had been started by Denis Garrison. The group has pretty much faded away but still has a webpage up that seems to claim the 1927 Charter issued to THEOCACNA was also issued to them but they claim to have changed their name. Garrison had previously been excommunicated by C. David Luther, rumored to have been excommunicated by Bp. Ryan and was deposed by the North American Holy Synod in 1999.

The Garrison backers like to claim that he was not properly deposed or that he was deposed by one bishop who he was said to have excommunicated first based on a certified mail receipt. (disproven by documents on file)

The Russian Orthodox Church in America is another independent jurisdiction who claim our history and claim to be us but say they changed their name. This group is headed by one "Symeon" Holdridge who has operated in Wy, Co and NM.

A few groups also used to claim our corporate name "The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America". They used to claim to be us until they were shown that our name is a Registered Service Mark and to use our name was illegal.

Groups who used to use our name were in Md., NC/SC, Wy/Co/NM, Ca., La., and Pa. to name a few.