Regretfully, the North American Old Roman Catholic Church endured its own peculiar "Dark Night of the Soul" following the death of its Metropolitan Archbishop, Carmel H. Carfora in 1958. The vagaries of human foibles, poor judgement and poor administration resulted in a serious fragmentation of an otherwise well-organized church body dedicated to its mission of winning souls for Christ and furthering the principles of the historic, undivided Church.

As the turmoil settled, five autonomous Old Roman Catholic ecclesial bodies emerged: The Old Roman Catholic Church in North America-Diocese of Michigan and the Central States, The Western Regionary Diocese, The North American Old Roman Catholic Church and the Old Roman Catholic Church-Diocese of Florida within the Historic See of Caer Glow. Cognizant of Our Lord's prayer, "That all may be one" (John 17:21), the Diocese of Michigan and the Central States initiated a fact finding mission by sending its then Vicar General, The Right Reverend Donald R. Currie, to the See of Utrecht in March 1981. The goal of this mission was two-fold: first, to inform the Church of Utrecht of current activities in North America and second, to determine if it was possible to lay the groundwork which might lead to dialogue between the principal See of the Utrecht Union of Churches and the Old Roman Catholic ecclesial bodies which, of course, are not part of that Union.

A cordial reception was accorded Father Currie by the then Archbishop of Utrecht, Marinus Kok. The archbishop urged that an effort be undertaken to bring the Old Roman Catholic bishops in North America together into an identifiable entity to achieve the goal of dialogue and at the same time develop working relationships among the Old Roman Catholic bishops. Following through on the archbishop's suggestion, consultations were conducted with Old Roman Catholic prelates over the period April 1981 to June 1982 to find a common basis for further action.

These consultations and visitations resulted in an invitational meeting sponsored by the Diocese of Michigan and the Central States over the Labor Day Weekend 1982. Old Roman Catholic prelates from across the United States and Canada convened in Detroit, Michigan, some meeting each other for the first time, for prayer, fellowship and discussion on the state of the Old Roman Catholic Church and what could be done to improve its situation. At this meeting, the prelates agreed to form an association to further common interests and fraternal relationships. This association became the Council of Independent Catholic Bishops, now known as the Council of Old Roman Catholic Bishops.

The wise leadership of the senior Old Roman Catholic prelate in the United States, Archbishop Frederick L. Pyman, Bishop of the Western Regionary Diocese, who served as the first chairman of the Council and that of Archbishop James H. Rogers, Old Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York, the second chairman of the Council, proved invaluable in renewing trust levels and cementing relationships in the formative years of the Council's activities.

The Council is organized to foster consultation, accountability and fraternal working relationships among Old Roman Catholic prelates leading to a greater unity of purpose and action in service to the Catholic community, and to foster ways and means to facilitate expansion of Old Roman Catholic ministry. Building upon established relationships; the Council does not impose itself into the internal affairs of the Old Roman Catholic dioceses and jurisdictions. Rather, the Council assists the prelates in matters of common concern. Among these are included sharing of background information concerning applicants for Holy Orders and incardination of clerics; sharing standards for formation and education of candidates for Holy Orders; and by virtue of the fraternal trust which exists, agreement to avoid the proliferation of the episcopacy.

The members of the Council share a common Catholic heritage as articulated by St. Vincent of Leirns in the 5th Century, known as the Vincentian Canon: "We take the greatest care to hold that which has been believed everywhere, always and by all." Besides a common Catholic heritage, the members share a documented apostolic succession from Archbishop Carmel H. Carfora with "no cloud on the title" that isthe members of the Council have not engaged in the sacrilegious practice of accumulating multiple lines of succession, and they have documented, on-going ministry.

Most recently, the Council, in addition to rendering its financial support, is cooperating in the development of standards and curriculum of St. Thomas Aquinas Old Roman Catholic Seminary in St. Petersburg, Florida. Establishment of the seminary, which is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Florida, is the fulfillment of a long desired goal.

At its 1999 annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, the Council decided that, in order to more succinctly identify the composition of its membership, it would be known as the Council of Old Roman Catholic Bishops. In other actions, the bishops amended the Council By-laws to establish a permanent chairmanship in the person of the Archbishop of Caer Glow, The Most Reverend John J. Humphreys, who also serves as Bishop of Florida. The archbishop will serve as Chairman of the Council during his tenure as Archbishop of Caer Glow. In taking this action, the bishops have acknowledged the historic primacy of Archbishop Mathew's See and have moved another step closer to union.

In a similar action, the bishops elected The Most Reverend Francis P. Facione permanent Executive Director of the Council. Archbishop Facione will hold office during his tenure as Bishop of Michigan and the Central States. This action by the bishops acknowledges the leadership of the Diocese of Michigan and the Central States in the efforts to repair the fragmentation of the Old Roman Catholic Church and provides continuity in the administration of the day to day activities of the Council.