Archbishop Warren Prall Watters and Bishop Ellen Watters of the Free Church of Antioch.

The Free Church of Antioch is one of several Independent Catholic Churches with valid lines of Apostolic Succession. The Free Church of Antioch received several lines of this succession through its founder, the late Archbishop Warren Prall Watters (1890-1992).

The church's most important Line of Succession is derived from the Old Catholic Church of Ultecht in the Netherlands. This is important for Independent Catholics, as many hundreds of "wandering bishops" or Episcopi vagantes, derive their succession from this church. Another line, Roman Catholic, agrees that the Orders of the Old Catholics are valid though "illegitimate" or valid but unlawful.

Archbishop Herman Adrian Spruit, founder of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch-Malabar Rite, consecrated Warren P. Watters to the Episcopate on April 28th, 1973.

Assisting Archbishop Spruit as co-consercators were The Most Reverend Stephan A. Hoeller of the Ecclesia Gnostica, and The Most Reverend Jay D. Kirby in Santa Barbara at Trinity Episcopal Church.

In 1986 Warren Watters was elevated to Archbishop and become Director of Esoteric Studies for the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch. He edited and compiled three magazines which culminated in The Esoteric Review. He founded The Center for Esoteric Studies, Inc., a California religious non-profit corporation.

Watters, along

Shortly before his death at the age of 102 Watters founded the Free Church of Antioch.

One of his great concerns and motivations in founding the Free Church of Antioch was to re-establish what he believed was a needed balance of female and male in Spiritual service. This concern was reflected in his ordination and consecration of many women priests and bishops.

Upon his death in 1992, Watters was succeeded by his wife, Archbishop Ellen Watters.

Upon her death at the age of 95 on January 12th, 2002, the members of the Board of Directors of the Center For Esoteric Studies, Inc., and The Free Church of Antioch passed all legalities and responsibilities of The Center For Esoteric Studies, Inc., and The Free Church of Antioch to Bishop Michelina T. Foster, Director of the Desert Light Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bibliography

The Wandering Bishops: Apostles of A New Spirituality by Lewis Keizer. 2000 edition.

Independent Bishops: An International Directory, edited by Gary L. Ward, Bertil Persson, and Alan Bain. Apogee Books, 1990.