Canonical Old Roman Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
The Canonical Old Roman Catholic Church is a small Christian denomination
founded in the 1960s.
It was formed in reaction to some of the changes instituted by the Roman Catholic Church
as a result of the Second Vatican Council
.
During that time, in 1966, Anthony Girandola
, a Roman Catholic priest
, announced that he was married, had been married for some time, and intended to remain both a married man and a Roman Catholic priest. After making his statement regarding his lack of adherence to the clerical celibacy
rule of the Roman Catholic Church, he found that he could not find a Roman Catholic church to function in. He then started to organize his own church in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
Girandola became a celebrity, and found that the demands on his time as such increased, limiting the amount of pastoral work he could perform. He thus ordained one of his church members, John J. Humphreys, to be ordained as a priest to help deal with his pastoral duties. Humphreys left the new church shortly thereafter, forming Our Lady of Good Hope Old Roman Catholic Church under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Richard Arthur Marchenna
of the Old Roman Catholic Church. Humphreys served as that group's vicar general
for several years, until Marchenna ordined Robert Clement as a bishop of the Eucharistic Catholic Church, a church perceived as having a pro-homosexual orientation. Marchenna was then excommunicated by Gerard George Shelley, who, as Primate of the Old Catholic Church in England and America, saw himself as Marchenna's superior. Father Humphreys was then himself consecrated as a bishop by Shelley, and formed the Historical and Canonical Old Roman Catholic Church to be Shelley's North American jurisdiction.
After Shelley's death in 1980, Michael Farrell, whom Humphrey's had made a bishop in 1981, succeeded Shelley, only to resign himself shortly thereafter, to be replaced by Emile Rodriguez y Fairfield, the pastor of a small church in East Los Angeles
who had been ordained by the Mexican National Catholic Church. Fairfield himself left the position in 1983. He was one of 3 bishops of the Mexican National Catholic Church line, and left to become the leader of that church. The following year, in 1984, Humphreys himself was elected primate of the church.
The church currently has two parishes, one in Florida, and another in Massachusetts, under the leadership of Bishop John J. Greed.
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
founded in the 1960s.
It was formed in reaction to some of the changes instituted by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
as a result of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
During that time, in 1966, Anthony Girandola
Anthony Girandola
Anthony James Girandola was a Roman Catholic priest who publicly announced in the 1960s that he had been married while a priest for several years, and that he intended to remain both married and a priest...
, a Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, announced that he was married, had been married for some time, and intended to remain both a married man and a Roman Catholic priest. After making his statement regarding his lack of adherence to the clerical celibacy
Clerical celibacy
Clerical celibacy is the discipline by which some or all members of the clergy in certain religions are required to be unmarried. Since these religions consider deliberate sexual thoughts, feelings, and behavior outside of marriage to be sinful, clerical celibacy also requires abstension from these...
rule of the Roman Catholic Church, he found that he could not find a Roman Catholic church to function in. He then started to organize his own church in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
Girandola became a celebrity, and found that the demands on his time as such increased, limiting the amount of pastoral work he could perform. He thus ordained one of his church members, John J. Humphreys, to be ordained as a priest to help deal with his pastoral duties. Humphreys left the new church shortly thereafter, forming Our Lady of Good Hope Old Roman Catholic Church under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Richard Arthur Marchenna
Richard Arthur Marchenna
Richard Arthur Marchenna , was an Old Catholic bishop consecrated by Carmel Henry Carfora as his Suffragan Bishop of Newark with delegated ordinary authority over congregations in New Jersey and New York...
of the Old Roman Catholic Church. Humphreys served as that group's vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
for several years, until Marchenna ordined Robert Clement as a bishop of the Eucharistic Catholic Church, a church perceived as having a pro-homosexual orientation. Marchenna was then excommunicated by Gerard George Shelley, who, as Primate of the Old Catholic Church in England and America, saw himself as Marchenna's superior. Father Humphreys was then himself consecrated as a bishop by Shelley, and formed the Historical and Canonical Old Roman Catholic Church to be Shelley's North American jurisdiction.
After Shelley's death in 1980, Michael Farrell, whom Humphrey's had made a bishop in 1981, succeeded Shelley, only to resign himself shortly thereafter, to be replaced by Emile Rodriguez y Fairfield, the pastor of a small church in East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
who had been ordained by the Mexican National Catholic Church. Fairfield himself left the position in 1983. He was one of 3 bishops of the Mexican National Catholic Church line, and left to become the leader of that church. The following year, in 1984, Humphreys himself was elected primate of the church.
The church currently has two parishes, one in Florida, and another in Massachusetts, under the leadership of Bishop John J. Greed.