After guiding the Catholic Apostolic Church for 16 years, Bishop Duarte-Costa fell asleep in the Lord on March 26, 1961. See also: St. Charles of Brazil

Bishop Stephen M. Corradi-Scarella brought the Catholic Apostolic Church to the United States in 1949, establishing the first diocese of what would later become both CACINA and the Western Orthodox Church in America (WOCA) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bishop Corradi-Scarella fell asleep in the Lord November 13, 1979.

During the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's the Church that is today CACINA underwent several adjustments in identity. Communication with the Brazilian Church was lost and the Church variously identified itself with the Old Catholic movement and Independent Orthodoxy. Communication was restored with Brazil in the 1970's. In the 1980's a dispute developed within the Catholic Apostolic Church over whether to return to Western Latin Rite theology or retain an Orthodox approach. As a result, two bodies were formed, CACINA, following Latin Rite theology, and the Western Orthodox Church in America (WOCA) following a westernized Orthodox theology. The separation was amicable and cordial relations are retained today. WOCA and CACINA are children of common fathers-in-faith (Duarte-Costa and Corradi-Scarella). The clergy and people of WOCA are our special brothers and sisters in Christ and are held by CACINA in the highest esteem and fraternal affection.

Bishop Francis Jerome Joachim Ladd became the second Primate of CACINA, succeeding Bishop Corradi-Scarella to that title. Upon retiring he resigned as primate, and relocated to Mexico. There he worked with our sister Church, the Catholic Apostolic Church of Mexico, until he fell asleep in the Lord November 5, 1997.

Bishops Justo Gonzalez and Donald Buttenbusch both held the office of Primate of CACINA, becoming the third and fourth Primates respectively. Both are still living but have left active ministry within CACINA.

In a note of some interest, Bishop Salmeo Ferraz, a former Roman Catholic Priest whom Bishop Duarte-Costa consecrated a bishop of ICAB in 1945, eventually returned to Roman Catholic obedience under John PP XXIII. Though married, Bishop Ferraz was made Coadjutor Bishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil for the Roman Catholic Church, attended the Second Vatican Council, and addressed the Council during its sessions. He was never reconsecrated by Rome, even conditionally, and is buried with full honors as a bishop of the Roman Church. By accepting Bishop Ferraz back into the Roman Church without re-consecration, the Roman Catholic Church affirmed, de facto, the Sacramental validity of Catholic Apostolic Orders.

CACINA participates in sub-conditione consecrations of its bishops for only one reason: when there is a doubt as to the validity or regularity of the original consecration of a bishop seeking incardination into CACINA.

CACINA does provide consecration, ad cautelam (as a precaution), so as to pass the Duarte-Costa succession to otherwise validly consecrated bishops being incardinated into CACINA who may not possess it. In this latter case, the purpose is to assure a consistent lineage, for the future of CACINA, through a single source: Duarte-Costa.