Update 2/28/2015: Well, there is more to the story than this video which apparently has been misrepresented by bloggers since it was not, in fact, shot the day the seminary closed. I'm linking to a post by Fr.Angelo Geiger that disputes much of what's been circulating on the internet about the papal investigation of the Friars. He doesn't discuss the reasons for the initial investigation or the suppression of the TLM withn the order by the Vatican.
Frankly, I don't know what to make of a lot of it, but Father is himself a friar so presumably he knows what's what, and he appears to be just seeking truth and justice in the matter. Catholic World Report ran an article in 2013 and even it doesn't get the story completely straight as the comment section shows. Fairness in reporting is important to me and I don't like the thought that other bloggers are posting dishonest material as fact which I may be inadvertently promoting. So read Fr. Geiger's blog post, the CWR article, and pray for the Friars. We live in confusing times. It is sad when Catholic bloggers either deliberately or inadvertently spread false information adding to the confusion.
Original Post --
"On December 8, 2013, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Theological Seminary of the Immaculate Mediatrix (STIM) of the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FI) was closed by their Apostolic Commissioner, Fr. Fidenzio Volpi. On the same day, one of the friars filmed the entire day, which presents, along with additional footage, the way of life in that same seminary."
"A great number of the friars seen in this film
have had to flee after the closing of the seminary, having found themselves in a new atmosphere of doctrinal corruption and moral relaxation, of the disintegration of the religious observance they had avowed themselves to maintain on pain of grave sin.
"We say "flee" because it's true. We hear from numerous FI saying how they are in danger, how another Friar they know will speak with us 'once they're safe' meaning in a new diocese with a friendly bishop. You'd think they were fleeing 16th Century England and the Tower -- but this form of priest hunting is so much more dangerous as it comes from within." Read more at Rorate Caeli...
Let's see, we've had seminaries called the "Pink Palace" because they were riddled with active homosexuals. We've had seminaries using pornography in their formation. We've had gatekeepers to screen out the orthodox considered "too rigid" because they uphold Catholic doctrine. Did they get persecuted? Not a bit. Until the sex abuse scandal and books like GoodBye, Good Men exposed the moral corruption in Catholic seminaries, the bad ones operated with impunity. But goodness! A top priority these days has to be crushing the Franciscans of the Immaculate. What a head-shaker. Can anyone explain what exactly is going on? Seems that for many the message to many young men in formation is "Goodbye and get out, good men. No room for you here!"
I really don't understand how Vatican could have such hate against this community...My prayers to God for these friars that they do not lose their vocation because of all this.
ReplyDeleteThe Mother Church knows what she is doing. She guides her children who are strayed from errors to come back to Her in full communion with the Pope.
ReplyDelete