History of TLRC & CMRI

For additional details about the foundation prior to 1967, refer to the Schuckardt page.

Blue Army Activities & 1967 Foundation

Francis Schuckardt and Denis Chicoine built their initial following through international speaking tours from 1963 to 1967 as representatives of The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima. Their lectures focused on the Fatima message, anti-Communist themes, and apocalyptic interpretations of contemporary events.

As part of these tours, Schuckardt promoted the creation of Blue Army Cells—small prayer and study groups that met weekly. Typical members were over 40 years old and participated in reciting The Rosary while wearing the brown scapular. Both Schuckardt and Chicoine were third order Carmelites, which influenced the early organizational structure.

In May 1967, Schuckardt and two companions made a pilgrimage to Fatima and the Shrine of Mary Immaculate Queen in Paris. In July 1967, Schuckardt contacted young women who had been following his teachings and invited them to relocate to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The women arrived on July 26, 1967, to staff the newly relocated Blue Army Center. The building was initially marked "Mary Immaculate Queen Center," and two priests from the Diocese of Boise participated in dedicating the facility that summer.

The religious brothers and sisters took private vows on October 7, 1967. They soon experienced local opposition due to their conservative practices and beliefs. In October 1967, Schuckardt returned to Fatima with approximately 30 lay followers. During his absence, four young women maintained operations at the Blue Army Center while the religious brothers were traveling.

By 1967, the group had stopped attending Masses offered by diocesan priests after changes were made to the words of consecration, instead seeking out priests who celebrated according to pre-conciliar practices.

In 1969, with approval from Bishop Sylvester Williams Treinen of the Diocese of Boise, Schuckardt formally organized the group into a religious congregation of sisters and brothers.

From the late 1960s, Schuckardt attracted several priests who had left or been dismissed from mainstream Catholic ministry, including Fr. Burton Fraser, S.J., Fr. Lawrence S. Brey, and Fr. Joseph Pinneau. Historical records later documented credible accusations of sexual abuse against these individuals, though at the time the CMRI operated outside diocesan structures and was not publicly connected to these cases.

As the reforms of the Second Vatican Council were implemented in the early 1970s, Schuckardt and the TLRC concluded that Pope Paul VI was not a valid pope. While the group never used the term "sedevacantism" during the Schuckardt era (this terminology was adopted by the CMRI after 1989), they held that the papal see was vacant.

For details about Schuckardt's consecration in 1971, refer to the Schuckardt page.

1971 Consecration

Between October 28 and November 1, 1971, Francis Schuckardt received tonsure, ordination to the priesthood, and episcopal consecration from Daniel Q. Brown of the Old Catholic Church, who had adopted sedevacantist positions similar to Schuckardt's. The two collaborated until Brown separated from the group in 1973.

Schuckardt ordained his first two priests on September 20, 1975: Fr. Denis Philomena Marie Chicoine and Fr. James McGilloway of Salinas, CA. He ordained two additional priests on September 29, 1979: Fr. Mary Benedict (Kevin Hughes) of Port Clinton, Ohio and Fr. Alphonsus Maria (Mark Joseph Barnes) of Chula Vista, CA. During the 1984 division, Fr. Alphonsus accompanied Schuckardt, while the other three priests remained with the Chicoine faction.

The congregation reached its peak membership in the late 1970s, leading to the acquisition of Mount St. Michael. Denis Chicoine traveled extensively throughout the country during these years, visiting locations including Biloxi, Fremont (Ohio), Colorado Springs, Minneapolis, Modesto, and Columbus (Ohio).

Mount St. Michael Acquisition

On December 31, 1977, the congregation purchased the 735-acre former Jesuit facility Mount Saint Michael for $1.5 million and relocated its headquarters from the City of Mary to this property. The purchase was made through Pillar Investment Co., with Patrick Urann (age 18), who had recently obtained his real estate license, playing an instrumental role. Other parties noted in the transaction included Thomas "Tom" Drahman, his wife Mary Drahman, and Lawrence Urann, all TLRC members. The Jesuits were unaware of the buyers' true identity during the transaction.

For broader discussion of the anti-cult movement, see the scholarship page.

This period coincided with widespread discussion of "cults," "brainwashing," and "deprogramming" following the 1978 Jonestown tragedy and other high-profile incidents involving new religious movements. Well-known groups labeled as "cults" included the Unification Church (Moonies), The Way International, The Children of God, Church Universal and Triumphant (Elizabeth Clare Prophet's Montana-based group), and The Rajneeshees in Oregon.

While the terminology and concepts used to characterize these groups can be problematic and often lack precise definitions, this should not minimize the value of former members' accounts of their experiences.

Local media and opponents utilized the 1978 Jonestown tragedy to draw comparisons with the TLRC, despite significant differences between the groups.

Cheryl Ernst of The Spokesman-Review wrote articles about John Cox, a TLRC member who wanted to leave the group. These articles, "A young man's anguished decision" (May 30, 1979) and "Tridentine: cult or 'true church'?" (May 31, 1979), generated controversy and reader responses.

John M. Tamplin and his daughter Margie Skarisky conducted visible protests against the group, displaying signs from their pickup truck near Mt. St. Michael with messages such as "The Crusade is a Satanic Family Splitting Cult" and "Francis Schuckardt is not a bishop." Tamplin had briefly joined and then left the church in 1975, subsequently filing unsuccessful lawsuits against the organization.

Bill Wassmuth (who left the priesthood in 1988), Greg McKenzie, and Barb Strakal established a "cult awareness center" in December 1982, working with Kent Burtner (who left the priesthood in 1994).

Beginning in April 1980, Bishop Lawrence Welsh of the Diocese of Spokane published articles about the TLRC in the diocesan newspaper, Inland Register. These were later compiled by Bob Cubbage and edited by Paula LaBeck into a single pamphlet. Bishop Welsh later faced his own controversies, including documented issues with alcohol and allegations of assault.

Aryan Nations Connection

Documentation indicates that the TLRC purchased automatic weapons from the Aryan Nations around 1984. The Aryan Nations had been based near Hayden Lake, Idaho since 1973. Sheriff Deputy Cloud testified under oath in California (Court Case 87-2823) that members of the Aryan Nations had been guests at Mount Saint Michael.

On June 3, 1984, Schuckardt and a group of followers (including Fr. Alphonsus Maria Barnes) left the Spokane area. Estimates suggest that 5% to 10% of the followers and religious (fewer than 100 people total) accompanied Schuckardt, while the majority remained with Chicoine (approximately 700 people in the Spokane-North Idaho area).

The Chicoine faction claimed that Schuckardt left after allegations of abuse and drug addiction were made public. The Schuckardt faction claimed that Chicoine sought to gain control of the organization and modify the strict practices Schuckardt had established.

Peak membership of the group was estimated at approximately 5,000 (throughout the U.S.) and 800 in the Spokane area. Following Schuckardt's departure, significant numbers of followers left both factions. By 2002, The Seattle Times reported that Schuckardt had approximately 100 followers. The TLRC-Chicoine faction experienced an estimated 25% to 50% membership decline between 1984 and 1989.

Association with Thục Bishops (1985)

After Schuckardt's departure, the CMRI sought episcopal leadership from bishops in the lineage of Archbishop Ngô Đình Thục, despite these bishops having been previously rejected by Schuckardt.

Bishop George Musey, a Thục-lineage bishop from Galveston, Texas, was brought in to lead the group. On April 23, 1985, the three remaining priests (Fr. Chicoine, Fr. Benedict, and Fr. James McGilloway) made an abjuration of error, despite recognizing Schuckardt as a valid bishop. This may have been done for political reasons to distance themselves from Schuckardt's lineage. On June 27, 1985, Bishop Musey ordained Mark Pivarunas to the priesthood.

Bishop Musey's leadership was brief. The TLRC-Chicoine group was unwilling to accept all the changes Musey proposed, and he concluded that the group remained influenced by Schuckardt and resistant to necessary reforms. Musey departed on negative terms in September 1986, taking some nuns with him.

After Musey's departure, the CMRI established a relationship with Bishop Robert McKenna (another Thục bishop). During McKenna's association (approximately 1987 to 1989), the TLRC-Chicoine faction established rules and constitutions without McKenna's knowledge, creating tensions that led to McKenna's departure on unfavorable terms.

In 1989, CMRI members held a meeting and removed Denis Chicoine from leadership through a vote of no confidence. Fr. Mark Pivarunas was elected superior general. Denis Chicoine subsequently relocated to New Zealand, remaining there until shortly before his death. The circumstances surrounding Chicoine's removal and departure remain unclear.

Fr. Mario Porras Blanco was a priest operating an independent chapel in Tacoma, Washington in the 1980s who had been credibly accused of serial sexual abuse. The parish, originally called "Our Lady Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church," had approximately 170 parishioners and was associated with the CMRI. Fr. Blanco traveled to various sedevacantist chapels in Redding, CA, Spokane, WA, Tucson, AZ, Denver, and Los Angeles.

In 1991, a sexual abuse settlement was reached regarding Fr. Blanco's previous conduct. The Tacoma parishioners sought to remove him and requested that the CMRI send them a replacement priest. Due to this situation, the group separated from Fr. Blanco, purchased their own property, and renamed themselves "St. Mary's Parish."

During this period, Fr. Blanco succeeded in alienating the CMRI from traditionalist bishops in the United States, effectively isolating the group without episcopal oversight.

In response to this isolation, Fr. Mark Pivarunas traveled to Mexico and arranged to have seminarians ordained by Bishop Carmona. The period from 1991 to 1995 saw significant organizational changes within the CMRI:

1. September 24, 1991: Bishop Moisés Carmona consecrated Bishop Pivarunas
2. November 1, 1991: Bishop Moisés Carmona died in a car accident 38 days after the consecration
3. December 13, 1991: U.S. sedevacantist leaders held a conference in Cincinnati to discuss the CMRI's status, with many reluctant to recognize Bishop Pivarunas
4. March 29, 1992: Bishop George Musey died
5. November 30, 1993: Bishop Pivarunas consecrated Bishop Daniel Dolan
6. August 10, 1995: Denis Chicoine died of cancer

The survival of the organization through this period of instability and the documented criminal behavior of associated clergy from 1984 to 1991 is noteworthy. Most current members are not aware of the full extent of these difficulties or the role of Fr. Blanco in isolating the group from other traditionalist bishops.

Current and former members engaged in extensive editing disputes on Wikipedia from 2005 to 2006, centered around the Francis Schuckardt page.

The internet facilitated the growth of more traditionalist elements within the movement, focusing on topics such as "Baptism of Desire," modesty standards, criticism of "epikeia" (a principle of moral theology), and preferences for pre-1955 liturgies. Some individuals began questioning changes the CMRI had made in the 1990s after Schuckardt and Chicoine's departures.

In 2007, a group of 15 nuns left Mt. St. Michael, and external critics began establishing blogs and websites to publish their perspectives.

Impact of Benedict XVI

In the broader traditional Catholic movement, there was growth in the "Traditional Latin Mass" movement, primarily due to permissions given by Benedict XVI to groups like the Fraternal Society of St. Peter (FSSP).

The mainstream Catholic Church began offering "Latin Mass" parishes to provide traditional liturgy while maintaining obedience to Rome and formal acceptance of Vatican II reforms. Many within the FSSP were satisfied with these arrangements, which allowed traditional practices within the broader Catholic Church.

By 2018, many original members from the 1970s had died, and a new generation became the dominant force in the group.

In 2018, new sexual abuse allegations emerged following the Cardinal McCarrick case, exposing additional former TLRC priests who had not been previously publicly accused.

In 2020, Bishop Daniel Dolan took more critical positions regarding COVID vaccines, while CMRI senior leadership and official newsletters generally remained silent on the issue.

Fr. Gregory Lavery, a CMRI-affiliated priest based in Ohio, made local headlines in 2021 for speaking against vaccine mandates and expressing skepticism about vaccine effectiveness. His views reflect common sentiments among clergy and laity within the organization.

Around 2022, external critics began focusing on the CMRI's positions regarding "una cum" Masses and annulments, representing a more stringent traditionalist element influenced by bishops such as Daniel Dolan and Donald Sanborn.