French Diocese gets apostolic visitation: be sure to read the whole story
  • amindthatsuits
    Posts: 857
    I do not know if this story has been covered here, but I heard it elsewhere as:
    (a) a French bishop is strongly supportive of Traditionalism; as a result,
    (b) his vocations are way up; as a result,
    (c) the Vatican is clamping down.

    In fact,
    (D) the bishop is instead "come one, come all," with no strong preferences; and,
    (E) his vocations are up because he takes rejects from other dioceses, perhaps may even have thrown caution to the wind (we shall find out); and,
    (F) it is his apparent style of "management by tornado" that has gotten the Vatican concerned.

    The first set of statements (a,b,c) seems to be something of a trope from what I call "Movement" Traditionalists, that there are no vocations anywhere else. Some used that argument here in DC, when there is a poster in every parish showing upwards of 80 young men in formation, few of whom came from Traditionalist parishes.

    All just to be considered for what it is worth.

    Kenneth

    https://www.pillarcatholic.com/french-diocese-gets-apostolic-visitation-after-ordinations-suspended/
    Thanked by 5a_f_hawkins Chris Garton-Zavesky PaxTecum Jehan_Boutte Chrism
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    For comparison, the North American district of the FSSP will have only four priestly ordinations this year, and only two of those will be assigned to US apostolates; this particular class had a higher attrition rate than usual. And they've had at least two priests that I know of leave active ministry over the past year. There is a lot of wishful thinking about the number of vocations, so don't be fooled.
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    The ordinations crisis is in Europe... The lack of N.O seminarians, and the wholesale closing of N.O. seminaries is alarming. Our fig tree has not born fruit, and appears to have been cursed...

    A far smaller Church as Benedict predicted is inevitable.
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,032
    Then again maybe it's not as simple as the "in fact" narrative either.

    Dioceses with liturgical abuses, heretical preashing and/or multiple lawsuits, bankruptcy, etc. are allowed to go on with business as usual. Meanwhile a diocese with what I would call garden variety issues gets the visitation - name one diocese with no offended clergy and no unsuitable candidates for the priesthood!

    The difference? The one with the visitation is traditional.

    So even if all the negative things about this particular diocese are true, you can see why more than a few people are seeing this as a big double standard.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    @rich_enough
    I am sure it says in Scripture that the branch that produces fruit will be pruned... So it will produce more fruit.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    Springtime!
    Thanked by 2tomjaw francis
  • Chrism
    Posts: 868
    something of a trope from what I call "Movement" Traditionalists


    But should we label people for the media they choose to trust?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    If you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal!

    (Taken from somewhere in the Old Testament)
  • jgirodjgirod
    Posts: 45
    There is probably a bit of truth on both sides. I hereby also respond to the article in the link.

    The staring point of the case was the dismissal of the previous rector of the seminary. Does this fall under the "management by tornado" category? or is it a normal course that changes take place? In any case, this former rector complained to Rome.

    Now the welcoming of emerging communities may be a real concern. I do not think that sexual abuse is more present that in any other diocese, but founders who act as gurus and take a mind control over the vocations that join their order are alas a common fact among these new communities. The solution should be to take these cases one by one rather than freezing the ordinations for the whole diocese.

    That said, warnings issued by modernists against misdemeanor from people more in the traditionalist side get more listening from the Vatican than the other way around.

    Last minute: I have just read that the Neocatechumenal Way has particularly stepped into the seminary.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    warnings issued by modernists against misdemeanor from people more in the traditionalist side get more listening from the Vatican than the other way around.


    False warnings issued by modernists get more credence these days than true, documented crimes brought to light by anyone attached to the traditions of the Church.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
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