Reformed Catholic Church International
New England DiocesES

 The RCCI is a Benedictine Order, committed to a Spiritual Life and service to the children of God. Our ministry is not defined by the presence or absence of parishes but by the work we do in the community. Our Mission, is to follow the teachings of Christ, through the ancient church He founded. Guided through prayer, and by the Holy Spirit, we use our time, talents and resources to minister with love, forgiveness and acceptance to the needs of all people, without prejudice.
 
Our Order, is fully Ecumenical and Christian in all aspects. As a legitimate Church, our Clergy posses valid Holy Orders and our Presiding Bishop, Gerald J. Clements, was consecrated in direct Apostolic Succession to the Apostle Peter through the Duarte-Costa line as well as all the clergy of the RCCI. We are considered independent Christians, born from the ancient church, that our Lord Jesus Christ founded, and independent from Rome.
 
We are also true Interfaith Ministers. Interfaith, is a bridge that allows people of all religions and spiritual teachings, to reach out to each other in understanding and compassion. We welcome and support anyone, just as our Lord did, when He welcomed all who came to Him.

Interfaith honors the uniqueness and sacredness of all faiths, and creates ways for each to seek out the spiritual meaning in their life, to the enrichment of all.

It also reaches out to those who feel alienated from the established churches and religions because of differences in beliefs of canon law, divorce, lifestyle, etc.

It provides the means whereby each individual, regardless of faith, or belief, can experience acceptance without fear of rejection.
Father Leonard D. Nelson Jr. was ordained a Reformed Catholic Priest on April 21, 2007 by the Most Reverend Gerald J. Clements Presiding Bishop, Reformed Catholic Church International New England Dioceses. His Apostolic Succession is as follows:

 

Apostolic Succession

Apostolic Succession, refers to the doctrine by which the validity and authority of the Christian ministry is derived and descended from the 12 Apostles. Churches of the Catholic tradition hold that bishops form the necessary link in an unbroken chain of successors to the office of the apostles. The outward sign by which this connection is both symbolized and effected is the laying on of hands by the Bishop during ordination. 

1. GERALD J. CLEMENTS was consecrated October 5, 2002 by Willard Earl Schultz Bishop of the Diocese of New England of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America.

2. WILLARD EARL SCHULTZ was consecrated ad cautelam to assure the Duarte-Costa succession on September 14, 2002 by Michel Joseph Pugin having previously been consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of New York of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America on January 6, 1985 by Justo Roque Gonzalez Trininio, Diocesan Bishop, Diocese of New York and Primate of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America (at a time when the Duarte-Costa succession of Bishop Gonzalez could not be assured). Bishop Gonzalez had been assisted by Raul Gonzalez of the "True Holy Roman Catholic Church" and Walter Dobrzynski of the "Catholic Church of the Latin Rite" in this consecration of Bishop Schultz.

3. MICHEL JOSEPH PUGIN was consecrated Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Outaouais of the Catholic Apostolic Church in Canada on May 1, 1993 by Justo Roque Gonzalez Trininio, Diocesan Bishop, Diocese of New York and Primate of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America; assisted by Jose Juan Villegas, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of New York of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America and President of the College of Bishops of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America, and Joseph Hladney, Diocesan Bishop, Diocese of Florida of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America.

4. JUSTO ROQUE GONZALEZ TRININIO was consecrated ad cautelam to provide/assure the Duarte-Costa succession on March 10, 1989 by Luis Castillo Mendez, Bishop of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil; having been previously consecrated on June 26, 1983 by Francis Jerome Joachim Ladd, Archbishop of Albuquerque and Primate of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America assisted by Martin J. Hill of the Western Orthodox Church in America and others.

5. LUIS CASTILLO MENDEZ was consecrated Bishop of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil on May 3, 1948 by Carlos Duarte-Costa, Primate and founding bishop of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil.

6. CARLOS DUARTE-COSTA was consecrated Titular Bishop of Maura and Diocesan Bishop of Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil of the Roman Catholic Church on December 8, 1924 by Sebastiao Leme de Silveira Cintra Titular Bishop of Orthosia who was also later, Cardinal and Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro. Duarte-Costa established the Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil July 6, 1945 subsequent to his expulsion from the Roman Catholic Church by Pius PP XII.

(The remainder are all within the Roman Catholic Church)

7. SEBASTIAO LEME DE SILVEIRA CINTRA was consecrated Titular Bishop of Orthosia on June 4, 1911 by Joaquin de Albuquerque-Calvacanti, Bishop of Goia; and was later named Cardinal and Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro 

8. JOAQUIN DE ALBUQUERQUE-CALVACANTI was consecrated Bishop of Goia on October 26, 1890 by Mariano Rampolla Marchese del Tindaro, Titular Archbishop of Heraclea; and was later named Cardinal in 1905

9. MARIANO RAMPOLLA MARCHESE DEL TINDARO was consecrated Titular Archbishop of Heraclea on December 8, 1882 by Edward Howard, Titular Archbishop of Neocaesarea and Auxiliary Bishop of Frascati ; and later named Cardinal in 1887

10. EDWARD HOWARD was consecrated Titular Archbishop of Neocaesarea and Auxiliary Bishop of Frascati on June 30, 1872 by Charles Sacconi, Titular Archbishop of Nicaea; and was later named Cardinal

11. CHARLES SACCONI was consecrated Titular Archbishop of Nicaea on June 8, 1851 by James Phillip Fransoni, Archbishop of Nazianzus; and was later named Cardinal.

12. JAMES PHILLIP FRANSONI was consecrated Archbishop of Nazianzus on December 8, 1822 by Peter Francis Galetti, Titular Archbishop of Damascus; and was later named Cardinal.

13. PETER FRANCIS GALETTI was consecrated Titular Archbishop of Damascus on September 12, 1819 by Alexander Matthaeus, Archbishop of Ferrara; and was later named Cardinal

14. ALEXANDER MATTHAEUS was consecrated Archbishop of Ferrara on February 23, 1777 by Bernadinus Giraud, Titular Archbishop of Damascus; and was later named Cardinal

15. BERNADINUS GIRAUD was consecrated Titular Archbishop of Damascus on April 26, 1767 by Carlo Rezzonico, Cardinal Bishop of Padova; and later named Cardinal

16. CARLO REZZONICO Cardinal Bishop of Padova, the future Pope Clement XIII was consecrated 19 March 1743 in the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles, Rome, by His Holiness Pope Benedict XIV, assisted by Giuseppe Cardinal Accoramboni, Bishop of Frascati and Antonio Saverio Cardinal Gentili.

17. PROSPERO LAMBERTINI Titular Archbishop of Theodosia, the future Pope Benedict XIV was consecrated 16 July 1724 in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace of the Quirinal, Rome, by His Holiness Pope Benedict XIII, assisted by Giovanni Francesco Nicolai, O.F.M.Ref., Titular Archbishop of Myra and Nicola Maria Lercari, Titular Archbishop of Nazianzus.

18. VINCENZO MARIA ORSINI, O.P. Cardinal Archbishop of Manfredonia, the future Pope Benedict XIII was consecrated 3 February 1675 in the Church of SS. Domenico e Sisto, Rome, by Paluzzo (Paluzzo degli Albertoni) Cardinal Altieri, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide, assisted by Stefano Brancaccio, Archbishop-Bishop of Viterbo e Tuscania and Costanzo Zani, O.S.B., Bishop of Imola.

19. PALUZZO (PALUZZI degli ALBERTONI) ALTIERI Cardinal Bishop of Montefiascone e Corneto was consecrated 2 May 1666 in the Church of San Silvestro in Capite, Rome, by Ulderico Cardinal Carpegna, assisted by Stefano Ugolini, Titular Archbishop of Corinth and Giovanni Tommaso Pinelli, Bishop of Albenga.

20. ULDERICO CARPEGNA Bishop of Gubbio was consecrated 7 October 1630 in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace of the Quirinal, Rome, by Luigi Cardinal Caetani, assisted by Antonio Ricciulli, Bishop emeritus of Belcastro and Vicegerent of Rome, and Benedetto Landi, Bishop of Fossombrone.

21. LUIGI CAETANI Titular Patriarch of Antioch was consecrated 12 June 1622 in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, by Lodovico Cardinal Ludovisi, Archbishop of Bologna, assisted by Galeazzo Sanvitale, Archbishop emeritus of Bari and Vulpiano Volpi, Archbishop emeritus of Chieti.

22. LODOVICO LUDOVISI Cardinal Archbishop of Bologna was consecrated 2 May 1621 in the private chapel of his consecrator, near Saint Peter`s Basilica, Rome, by Galeazzo Sanvitale, Archbishop emeritus of Bari and Prefect of the Apostolic Palace, assisted by Cosmo de Torres, Titular Archbishop of Hadrianopolis and Ottavio Ridolfi, Bishop of Ariano.

23. GALEAZZO SANVITALE Archbishop of Bari was consecrated 4 April 1604 in the chapel of the Apostolic Sacristy, Rome, by Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P., Bishop of Albano, assisted by Claudio Rangoni, Bishop of Piacenza and Giovanni Ambrogio Caccia, Bishop of Castro di Toscana.

24. GIROLAMO BERNERIO, O.P. Bishop of Ascoli Piceno was consecrated 7 September 1586 in the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles, Rome, by Giulio Antonio Cardinal Santoro, assisted by Giulio Masetti, Bishop of Reggio Emilia and Ottaviano Paravicini, Bishop of Alessandria.

25. GIULIO ANTONIO SANTORO Archbishop of Santa Severina was consecrated 12 March 1566 in the Pauline Chapel of the Vatican Apostolic Palace by Scipione Cardinal Rebiba, Titular Patriarch of Constantinople, assisted by Annibale Caracciolo, Bishop of Isola and Giacomo de`Giacomelli, Bishop emeritus of Belcastro.

26. SCIPIONE REBIBA Titular Bishop of Amicle and Auxiliary Bishop of Chieti. Elected Titular Bishop of Amicle and Auxiliary to Gian Pietro Cardinal Carafa, Archbishop of Chieti, 16 March 1541. To date, after extensive research, no record of his consecration has been found.

More than ninety percent of the more than 4,700 Roman Catholic bishops alive today trace their episcopal lineage back to one bishop who was appointed in 1541 - Scipione Rebiba. Why so many bishops trace their lineages to this one bishop can be explained in great part by the intense sacramental activity of Pope Benedict XIII, who ordained 139 bishops during his episcopate and pontificate, including many cardinals, papal diplomats, and bishops of important dioceses who, in turn, ordained many other bishops. The bishop who ordained Benedict XIII gives us the direct link to Scipione Rebiba. It is widely believed that Rebiba was ordained bishop by Gian Pietro Cardinal Carafa, who became Pope Paul IV. However, no documentary evidence has been found to verify this hypothesis.

Note It is widely believed that Rebiba was ordained bishop by Gian Pietro Cardinal Carafa, who became Pope Paul IV. However, no documentary evidence has been found to verify this hypothesis. Scipione Cardinal Rebiba is the source point for the episcopal lineage of a large percentage of bishops with roots in the Roman Catholic lineage