The Holy Catholic Church (Anglican Rite) (also known as the Anglican Rite Catholic Church or HCC-AR) is a body of Christians in the Continuing Anglican movement. It is represented by Dioceses and Missionary Jurisdictions in the United States of America, Latin America, and India. History The Holy Catholic Church (Anglican Rite) is part of the larger continuing Anglican movement that grew out of the 1977 Congress of St. Louis. The Congress produced the "Affirmation of St. Louis" which continues to stand as the statement of principles for the Holy Catholic Church (Anglican Rite). In the United States, the denomination has only six congregations in as many states. Founding and Apostolic Succession In 1991, the Anglican Catholic Church, a Continuing Anglican body led at the time by Archbishop Louis Falk, split over its merger agreement with the American Episcopal Church. Parishes that refused the merger, a majority, continued under the name Anglican Catholic Church, Original Province (ACC-OP). The Apostolic Succession of the bishops of the Holy Catholic Church (Anglican Rite) can be traced back to the Anglican succession maintained in the original consecrations of Continuing Anglicans. This succession includes the following bishops: the Right Reverend Albert A. Chambers, the Right Reverend Francisco Pagtakhan, the Right Reverend Charles Doren, and the Right Reverend Robert S. Morse. Western Rite Conflict In 1997, a succession dispute arose among the bishops of the ACC-OP, which led to the formation of the Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite. In March of that year Archbishop William Lewis, Metropolitan of the ACC-OP, suffered a stroke, an event which led to questions about his ability to continue in his post. Thereafter a dispute arose regarding whether Thomas Kleppinger or John Cahoon was the Senior Bishop Ordinary in line to become Acting Metropolitan upon the death or disability of Lewis. In June 1997, Lewis submitted the question to the ACC-OP's Provincial Court. An attempted settlement of the issue in July fell apart at a meeting of the bishops on August 4, which ended abruptly. The next day, Bishops James McNeley, Arthur Seeland, and Leslie Hamlett announced that Archbishop Lewis was incapacitated and declared Bishop Kleppinger Acting Metropolitan. On August 6, Kleppinger, Hamlett, and Seeland called on the bishops, clergy, and lay members of the church to repudiate "Traditional Episcopalians". Kleppinger signed the letter under the title of Acting Metropolitan, also joined later by bishops McNeley and Alexander Price. On August 7,