Carmel Henry Carfora
Encyclopedia
Carmel Henry Carfora raised Roman Catholic in his native Naples
, Italy
, was a co-founder and leader of the North American Old Roman Catholic Church (NAORCC). Before leaving Roman Catholicism in favor of the Old Catholics
in 1908 over a dispute with his ecclesiastical superiors, he had been ministering to Italian American
immigrants, first in New York City
, then in West Virginia
, as a Capuchin Franciscan priest, having entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in 1895.
He, along with a small group of parishioners, broke away from St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, in Youngstown, Ohio, and founded St. Rocco's Independent National Catholic Church on 17 May 1907, and later formed mission congregations, ministering to various ethnic immigrant groups whom he perceived as unable to gain adequate pastoral support from the Roman Catholic authorities, and in June 1912 he incorporated his work as the National Catholic Diocese in North America, for a time under the episcopal oversight of Bishop Paolo Miraglia-Gulotti, leader of the Italian National Episcopal Church. In 1916 Carfora was consecrated a bishop by Prince Rudolph Francis Edward de Landas Berghes, a bishop of Arnold Harris Mathew's Old Roman Catholic Church and left St. Rocco's, which was disbanded until it was received into the Episcopal Church on 15 June 1918. In 1917 de Landas Berghes and Carfora united their jurisdictions, adopted the name "North American Old Roman Catholic Diocese," and established its headquarters in Chicago
. When de Landas Berghes reconciled with the Roman Catholic Church in 1919, Carfora assumed the leadership of the group, which he renamed the "North American Old Roman Catholic Church."
He taught a creed based on strict interpretation pre-Vatican I Roman Catholic theology and practice, with the exception of permitting a married priesthood.
The Church grew over several decades under Archbishop Carfora's leadership, ultimately reaching a peak membership reported as high as 50,000, consisting largely of ethnic parishes, each serving primarily first generation immigrants of a particular national origin. During his primacy, he consecrated at least thirty bishops to serve Polish
, Lithuanian
, Portuguese
, Ukrainian
, Mexican, and most successfully, West Indian
populations in various parts of the United States
where they were be to found in particular concentrations.
By the 1950s, several factors combined to threaten the continued viability of the Church, including the assimilation of ethnic groups served by the Church into the mainstream culture, a reduced interest among Americans in religion in general, and internal rivalries. For a time, plans were explored to merge with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
, but Carfora ultimately abandoned the idea. In 1952, thirty parishes defied his decision and became Ukrainian Orthodox.
In 1953, Carfora entered a Roman Catholic hospital in Galveston, Texas, where he was pressured by Roman Catholic authorities to renounce his work. His episcopal ring was stolen, and suffering from heart disease and asthma, he went into a seclusion that amounted to retirement, retaining leadership of the Church in title only. Several of his bishops took this opportunity to establish their own Churches, often taking congregations with them. Others simply ceased to thrive. When he died on January 11, 1958, in Chicago
, without a clear successor nor a process to authoritatively select one, only a vestige of the Church he built remained. The Old Roman Catholic Church in North America
is one of several ecclesiastical bodies considering itself to be among the modern day successors to Carfora's establishment.
Archbishop Carfora was buried (according to the death certificate) in the Irving Park Cemetery, Jan. 21st, 1952, location: Chicago. Date of death, Jan 18th, 1958. He was buried from: The Korczakowski Funeral Home, which at that time was located at: 1341 N. Western Avenue, in Chicago. The grave stone was defaced many times. How sad that so much hatred had to surround him even in death. Cause of death was: Cancer of the Pancreas. He had a stroke which left him unable to perform any of the Sacraments. Many claim (fraudulently in many cases) to have been ordained and consecrated by Carfora after the date he had his stroke. He fell prey to a stroke in Galveston, Texas, where he had gone for a large Confirmation Class.
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, was a co-founder and leader of the North American Old Roman Catholic Church (NAORCC). Before leaving Roman Catholicism in favor of the Old Catholics
Old Catholic Church
The term Old Catholic Church is commonly used to describe a number of Ultrajectine Christian churches that originated with groups that split from the Roman Catholic Church over certain doctrines, most importantly that of Papal Infallibility...
in 1908 over a dispute with his ecclesiastical superiors, he had been ministering to Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
immigrants, first in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, then in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, as a Capuchin Franciscan priest, having entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in 1895.
He, along with a small group of parishioners, broke away from St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, in Youngstown, Ohio, and founded St. Rocco's Independent National Catholic Church on 17 May 1907, and later formed mission congregations, ministering to various ethnic immigrant groups whom he perceived as unable to gain adequate pastoral support from the Roman Catholic authorities, and in June 1912 he incorporated his work as the National Catholic Diocese in North America, for a time under the episcopal oversight of Bishop Paolo Miraglia-Gulotti, leader of the Italian National Episcopal Church. In 1916 Carfora was consecrated a bishop by Prince Rudolph Francis Edward de Landas Berghes, a bishop of Arnold Harris Mathew's Old Roman Catholic Church and left St. Rocco's, which was disbanded until it was received into the Episcopal Church on 15 June 1918. In 1917 de Landas Berghes and Carfora united their jurisdictions, adopted the name "North American Old Roman Catholic Diocese," and established its headquarters in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. When de Landas Berghes reconciled with the Roman Catholic Church in 1919, Carfora assumed the leadership of the group, which he renamed the "North American Old Roman Catholic Church."
He taught a creed based on strict interpretation pre-Vatican I Roman Catholic theology and practice, with the exception of permitting a married priesthood.
The Church grew over several decades under Archbishop Carfora's leadership, ultimately reaching a peak membership reported as high as 50,000, consisting largely of ethnic parishes, each serving primarily first generation immigrants of a particular national origin. During his primacy, he consecrated at least thirty bishops to serve Polish
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
, Lithuanian
Lithuanian-American
Lithuanian Americans are citizens of the United States who are of Lithuanian ancestry. According to the United States Census, there are 712,165 Americans of full or partial Lithuanian descent....
, Portuguese
Portuguese American
Portuguese Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates in the southwest European nation of Portugal, including the offshore island groups of the Azores and Madeira....
, Ukrainian
Ukrainian-American
Ukrainian Americans are citizens and permanent residents of the United States who have recently emigrated to the United States and are of Ukrainian ancestry. According to U.S. census estimates, in 2006 there were 961,113 Americans of Ukrainian descent representing 0.33% of the American population...
, Mexican, and most successfully, West Indian
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
populations in various parts of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where they were be to found in particular concentrations.
By the 1950s, several factors combined to threaten the continued viability of the Church, including the assimilation of ethnic groups served by the Church into the mainstream culture, a reduced interest among Americans in religion in general, and internal rivalries. For a time, plans were explored to merge with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA is a jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the United States. It consists of three eparchies , ruled by two diocesan bishops, including about 85 active parishes and missions. The Church's current primate is Metropolitan Constantine...
, but Carfora ultimately abandoned the idea. In 1952, thirty parishes defied his decision and became Ukrainian Orthodox.
In 1953, Carfora entered a Roman Catholic hospital in Galveston, Texas, where he was pressured by Roman Catholic authorities to renounce his work. His episcopal ring was stolen, and suffering from heart disease and asthma, he went into a seclusion that amounted to retirement, retaining leadership of the Church in title only. Several of his bishops took this opportunity to establish their own Churches, often taking congregations with them. Others simply ceased to thrive. When he died on January 11, 1958, in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, without a clear successor nor a process to authoritatively select one, only a vestige of the Church he built remained. The Old Roman Catholic Church in North America
Old Roman Catholic Church in North America
The Old Roman Catholic Church was founded by Arnold Harris Mathew, Old Catholic Church bishop for England, on 29 December 1910. The Most Reverend Francis P. Facione is the Titular Archbishop of Devon and the current Presiding Bishop of this Independent Catholic denomination...
is one of several ecclesiastical bodies considering itself to be among the modern day successors to Carfora's establishment.
Archbishop Carfora was buried (according to the death certificate) in the Irving Park Cemetery, Jan. 21st, 1952, location: Chicago. Date of death, Jan 18th, 1958. He was buried from: The Korczakowski Funeral Home, which at that time was located at: 1341 N. Western Avenue, in Chicago. The grave stone was defaced many times. How sad that so much hatred had to surround him even in death. Cause of death was: Cancer of the Pancreas. He had a stroke which left him unable to perform any of the Sacraments. Many claim (fraudulently in many cases) to have been ordained and consecrated by Carfora after the date he had his stroke. He fell prey to a stroke in Galveston, Texas, where he had gone for a large Confirmation Class.
See also
- Anson, Peter. Bishops at Large. London: Faber and Faber, 1964. 593 pp.
- Carfora, Carmel Henry. "Historical and Doctrinal Sketch of the Old Roman Catholic Church." Chicago, IL: North American Old Roman Catholic Church, 1950. 23 pp.
- Melton, J. Gordon. Biographical Dictionary of American Cult and Sect Leaders. Garland Reference Library of Social Science, vol. 212. New York: Garland Publishing, 1986.
- Pruter, KarlKarl PruterKarl Hugo Prüter , was an Old Catholic bishop.Pruter was raised in the Lutheran church, and was a Congregationalist minister under the name of Hugo Rehling Pruter Sr. from 1945 to 1958. In the Congregationalist Church he was one of the leaders in the liturgical movement within the church during the...
, and J. Gordon Melton. The Old Catholic Sourcebook. New York: Garland Publishing Company, 1983. - Trela, Jonathan. A History of the North American Old Roman Church. Scranton, PA: The Author, 1979. 124 pp.