In 1971 he made a controversial decision to close McBride High school in largely black North St. Louis, while subsidizing a swimming pool at Kennedy High School in a wealthy suburb; the Kennedy High School closed in 2017 for lack of enrollment. Carberry moved his own residence from the episcopal residence in town to suburban Creve Coeur. In 1972, Carberry established the Urban Services Apostolate for inner-city parishes in the archdiocese. He was elected vice-president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1974, and was a delegate to the World Synod of Bishops in 1972, 1974 and 1976. Carberry initially opposed the reception of communion by hand, believing it was irreverent and risked the possibility of stealing Hosts to use at Black Masses. However, he later permitted this practice in St. Louis in 1977. That same year, he ordained the first permanent deacons in the archdiocese.