In 1995, an [[Independent Orthodox churches|independent]] group claiming the corporate rights to the names "The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America" (THEOCACNA) and "American Orthodox Catholic Church" (AOCC), regarding the church itself as having been "held in Locum Tenens due to lack of clergy" from 1966 to 1995[http://www.geocities.com/theocacnainc/trace.htm], formed a new holy synod and included Mariam Namey Ofiesh (whom they regarded as the ''[[locum tenens]]'') among the members of its board of directors. It has since declared itself successively a metropolitanate (1997) and then a patriarchate (2003). In 1999 it suffered a major internal schism when four of its bishops broke from it and claimed the name for themselves. In the same year, Mrs. Ofiesh retired from the board and departed this life the following year. Much of the group's website is dedicated to claims of their legal and canonical authenticity and especially to their registration of various names and service marks.