1873 – 1920 (November 17)
Rudolph Landas de Berghes was born in Naples, Italy on November 1, 1873 and was of the royal house of the Prince de Rache of the house of de Berghes, a Grandee of Spain, and a member of the royal line of Brittanty. He was, in fact, a blood relative of practically every royal house of Europe. He was reared as a member of the Protestant Low Church of England. In his youth, Rudolph deBerghes received an extensive education at Eton, and the Universities of Cambridge, Paris and Brussels. He successfully completed courses in law, theology and military tactics. Later he served for 10 years as a Staff Officer Captain in the British Army and took part in the Egyptian Sudan Campaign under Lord Kitchener. He retired from the army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He joined the High Church of England in which he received Anglican Orders, and in 1910, he joined the "Old Catholic", Church, and functioned as Bishop of that group in England. He immigrated to America on November 7, 1914, and continued to serve this group as Metropolitan Archbishop. He had two bishops, 50 priests and 120,00 souls under his jurisdiction. On December 22, 1919, at the age of 46, he made his submissions to Cardinal Hayes in Saint Patrick's Cathedral, New York.
Rudolph deBerghes entered the Augustinian novitiate at Villanova on March 13, 1920. He died there about eight months later on November 17 at the age of 47. He is buried in the Community Cemetery at Villanova.
