Archbishop Ngô Đình Thục
After Bishop Schuckardt's departure in 1984, the CMRI established relationships with bishops in the lineage of Archbishop Ngô Đình Thục. Born in 1897, Thục was a prominent member of the Ngo family regime of South Vietnam, which came to power in 1955 with U.S. government and CIA support. The Ngo regime ended following the Buddhist Crisis of 1963 and the assassination of Thục's brothers, President Ngo Dinh Diem and advisor Ngo Dinh Nhu.
Thục later became known for consecrating numerous bishops for various groups in the 1970s and 1980s, notably for the Palmarian Church in Spain, Old Catholics, and sedevacantist organizations.
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Bishop Francis Schuckardt
Bishop Francis Schuckardt was born in Seattle, Washington, traveled extensively on lecture tours in the 1960s as a Blue Army representative, and was consecrated by an Old Catholic bishop in 1971. He left the organization in 1984 following internal conflicts and died in Seattle in 2006.
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TLRC & Former CMRI Clergy
At its peak in the early 1980s, the TLRC had seven priests. Beginning in 1985, the CMRI began having priests ordained through the Thục episcopal lineage. Many clergy who have been associated with the TLRC and CMRI have subsequently left the organization or ceased attending their services. The CMRI generally does not publicize the extent of clerical departures, relying on ongoing recruitment while maintaining institutional continuity.
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SSPX Clergy
Many priests who have joined the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) have subsequently left, either abandoning Catholic practice entirely, joining sedevacantist organizations, joining mainstream Catholic institutions under the FSSP, or establishing independent ministries. Some former SSPX clergy obtained ordination and then separated to establish their own operations, sometimes citing disagreements over theological or administrative matters.
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Bishop Mark Pivarunas & Current CMRI Clergy
Bishop Mark Pivarunas was consecrated by Bishop Moisés Carmona in 1991. He has been ordaining priests for the CMRI since that time. This section covers Bishop Pivarunas as well as CMRI clergy from 1985 onward.
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Clergy Mobility and Independence
One notable pattern in traditionalist Catholic organizations is the movement of clergy between different groups or the establishment of independent operations. This mobility can result from theological disagreements, administrative conflicts, or personal motivations.
The independent nature of sedevacantist organizations, operating without centralized oversight, facilitates this mobility but also creates challenges for institutional accountability and consistency.
Episcopal Lineages and Validity Questions
Questions surrounding the validity of ordinations and consecrations within traditionalist Catholic organizations have been subjects of ongoing theological and canonical debate. These discussions involve complex issues of apostolic succession, canonical authorization, and sacramental theology.
Different traditionalist organizations maintain varying positions on these questions, sometimes leading to mutual recognition issues or conflicts over legitimacy claims.