On October 12, 1997,
episcopal orders were conferred upon The Most Reverend Richard George Roy, OSJD,
Founder and Primate of The National Catholic Church of America
by The Most Reverend Paul David C. Strong,
assisted by The Most Reverend Paul Anthony Diederich and
The Most Reverend Richard John Cardarelli.
Given below are the lines of succession of each bishop, via principal consecrators,
extending back to the late Carlos Duarte Costa, former Roman Catholic Bishop of Botucatu,
Brazil, who broke with Rome in 1945 and established an independent church.
While Bishop Roy possesses other apostolic lines as well, the Costa lines enjoy
the most widrespread recognition for validity because of their recent Roman Catholic origin.
It should be noted that many bishops have changed affiliation through time.
The date of each bishop’s consecration follows his name.
via Strong
Bishop Richard George Roy 10/12/97 National Catholic Church of America
Bishop Paul David C. Strong 09/26/96 Apostolic Catholic Church in America
Bishop Denis Armand Martel 07/08/95 Catholic Church of the Americas
Bishop Mark Steven Shirilau 05/19/91 Ecumenical Catholic Church
Bishop Donald Lawrence Jolly 06/25/90 Independent Catholic Church International
Bishop Ignatio Antonio Pietraburgo 10/15/78 American Orthodox CatholicChurch
Bishop Giuseppe Santo Eusebius Pace 10/03/68 Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church
Bishop Milton Cunha 06/15/60 Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church
Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa 12/08/24 Roman Catholic Bishop of Botucatu, Brazil
Founded Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church in 1945.
via Diederich
Bishop Richard George Roy 10/12/97 National Catholic Church of America
Bishop Paul Anthony Diederich 11/25/89 Western Orthodox Church in America.
Bishop James Chester Bryan 06/15/85 WesternOrthodox Church in America.
Bishop James Franklin Modonk 06/17/84 Western Orthodox Church in America.
Bishop Charles David Luther 08/09/82 Western Orthodox Church in America.
Bishop Charles Richard McCarthy 11/xx/76 Eglise de l’Unite Catholique et Apostolique.
Bishop Michael Staffiero 07/29/75 Igreja Catolica Apostolica Independente, Patriacardo do Brasil.
Bishop Oscar Osvaldo Cairoli y Fernandez 12/02/67 Igreja Catolica Apostolica Independente, Patriacardo do Brasil.
Bishop Jose Marcolino Machado 08/01/66 Igreja Catolica Apostolica Independente, Patriacardo do Brasil.
Bishop Benedito Pereira Lima 08/15/65 Igreja Catolica Apostolica Independente, Patriacardo do Brasil.
Bishop Manoel Ceia Laranjeira 06/29/51 Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church
Bishop Salomao Ferraz* 08/15/45 Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church
Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa 12/08/24 Roman Catholic Bishop of Botucatu, Brazil
Founded Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church in 1945.
via Cardarelli
Bishop Richard George Roy 10/12/97 National Catholic Church of America
Bishop Richard John Cardarelli 07/08/95 American Apostolic Catholic Church
Bishop Mark Steven Shirilau 05/19/91 Ecumenical Catholic Church
Bishop Donald Lawrence Jolly 06/25/80 Independent Catholic Church International
Bishop Ignazio Antonio Pietraburgo 10/15/78 American Orthodox Catholic Church
Bishop Giuseppe Santo Eusebius Pace 10/03/68 Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church
Bishop Milton Cunha 06/15/60 Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church
Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa 12/08/24 Roman Catholic Bishop of Botucatu, Brazil
Founded Brazilian Apostolic Catholic Church in 1945.
* Bishop Salomao Ferraz, consecrated by Costa following the latter’s break with Rome, was received back into the Roman Church by Pope John XXIII in 1958, without any repetition of the consecration rite, as a married bishop, and was an active participant in the Second Vatican Council. Bishop Ferraz served as Titular Bishop of Eleuterna in Crete until his death in 1969.