Prima in Sardinia Celebrated in Immemorial Mass of All Ages -- Seminary of Cuglieri Still Stands Empty

Cagliari:  Basilica Santa Croce

(Cagliari) Archbishop Arrigo Miglio of Cagliari and Primate of Sardinia and Corsica celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the traditional form of the Roman Rite. The former Pontifical Seminary of Cuglieri (Diocese of Alghero) is still empty.

Gaudium vestrum impleatur,  was the motto of the Archbishop cited by the traditional site Messa in Latino  from the Gospel of John. In chapter 15, verse 11, the Lord Jesus Christ is quoted as saying: "This I say to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy might be full."

Last Sunday, the 200th birthday of Don Bosco, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cagliari, Arrigo Miglio visited the community of traditional faithful who have gathered, since 2008, in the Basilica di Santa Croce, nearby the cathedral. The Archbishop even celebrated on this occasion  the Immemorial Mass. "A bold step of great importance for the Church", says Messa in Latino .

Msgr. Miglio was named in February 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. as  Archbishop of Cagliari. Previously he had celebrated the Immemorial Rite as Bishop of Ivrea (1999-2012)  and prepared the ground in his diocese for successor Bishop Edoardo Aldo Cerrato, former Superior General of the Oratorians, a great friend of the traditional rite. 

Last April, a new priest of the Archdiocese of Cagliari celebrated his first Mass in the Traditional Rite with great  sympathy from the people. For the first time in 50 years, the Immemorial was said at  the Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria, the biggest Marian shrine of Sardinia. "It's a symbolic event, because this sanctuary received its name from  Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital and hometown of Pope Francis," says Messa in Latino . The response from the diocesan  leadership and clergy  showed that rejection must be by no means a "self-evident" reflex, although a local daily newspaper at that time roared "scandal."

The vicar general of the archdiocese participated in the first Mass [Primiz], now   Archbishop Miglio himself is celebrating in the Immemorial.  "A clear and unequivocal signal to the priests, especially for those who still take "concerns" to heart: The Holy Mass ritus antiquior has full citizenship in the Church," said Messa in Latino .

Bishops Prevented Seminary of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

Cuglieri and the former seminary

In Sardinia, it may also be different: in 2012 Old Rite Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICRSS) wanted to purchase a former Papal Seminary of Cuglieri, vacant since 1970 in the autonomous region of Sardinia.  The ICRSS has experienced such a large influx of new entrants, that the seminary in Tuscany suffers from lack of space. The Sardinian church, which was in 1976 pleased to sell the plant to the region, and had since then no longer cared, was overreactive in one fell swoop. The Bishop of Alghero (Church province of Sassari) and the adjacent Archbishop of Oristano expressed perplexity and frustration that the Sardinian government sold the building complex to the Institute. The then prime minister of Sardinia, Ugo Cappellacci, was the first "excited" to show the interest in the traditional institution, suddenly said that the offer of the bishops, "better corresponded to local interests."

The "offer" the bishops of Alghero and Oristano was to make the former a seminary an "inter-religious and intercultural center". On January 18, 2014, the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and  Caritas signed a vaguely formulated "agreement protocol" on the future use of the building complex. The former Papal Seminary should, instead of an old ritual seminary, "focus on the integration of different peoples [...] as a symbol that integration is possible", as the press service of the state government reported.

Building complex is still empty

Nothing has happened since then. The Region has assigned the right of use for the symbolic value of one euro to the municipality Cuglieri. This space  is used for occasional events. The majority of the buildings are inaccessible.  Church and cloister can be visited on special occasions. The church is only accessible in certain areas because of the danger of falling ceiling tiles.

The establishment of an old rite seminary was able to be prevented by some bishops, including actively the local bishop. Since then, the interest of the same bishops in the building complex has receded,  which is still in a deep sleep.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Mil / Cuglieri

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

"Inter-Religious and Intercultural Center" Instead of Seminary of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

(Alghero) After it was empty and unused for more than 40 years, the traditional  Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest  has  negotiated the purchase the former Papal Seminary from Cuglieri in Alghero. The news made ​​some Sardinian bishops so nervous that they were suddenly active after decades of disinterest. The purchase by the Catholic Canons Regular should be prevented. With success.

The 1990 canonically erected traditional Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest , which also has a German branch wanted the former Papal seminar avail as orden own seminary. The community enjoys many vocations, so that the current seminary in Tuscany has become too small (see report Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest Wants to Assume  Former Papal Seminary Cuglieri ).

Withdrawn From Sale Commitment in Sardinia  Region Again

The former Papal Seminary of Cuglieri had been transferred in 1970 by the bishops of the Mediterranean island to Cagliari.  Since then it has stood empty.  It was erected in 1927 at the expense of the Vatican and were purchased in 1976 by the Region of Sardinia. The region has since seen no use until 2012, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest appeared as an interested party and submitted a bid. 

Initially the region was delighted at the interest and had issued a sales commitment, but this was withdrawn under pressure from the bishops of Alghero and Oristano, again. The two bishops officially spoke out against a traditional  community  and were able to prevail in the Bishops' Conference of the island, although initially other bishops had expressed benevolence.

Bogeyman Tradition - Bishops Wanted to Prevent Establishment

The thwarting of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest by the bishops of the island has now finally succeeded. Last Friday the Sardinia Region and the Chairman of the Sardinian Bishops' Conference signed a common protocol. The former Pontifical Seminary of Cuglieri one of which is to be led by Caritas Sardinia  is going to become an "inter-religious and inter-cultural center" as the press service of the region announced.

The protocol signing was preceded by an agreement between Caritas and the Sardinian Bishops' Conference. The Bishops' Conference announced that the former seminary is for  "humanitarian progress to support the weak  and mercy  to serve as Emeritus of Pope Benedict XVI.  would have desired." [Wouldn't it be great if he publicly repudiated this?]

Instead of Priestly Formation "Interfaith" Integration of Migrants

The head of government of the region, Ugo Cappellacci said on the sidelines of the signing protocol that the buildings
"are now home to major national and international project."  To which what "significant" projects it should be accomplished, was not explained. 

Signatories to the agreement are Prime Minister Ugo Cappellacci for the Region Sardinia, Archbishop Arrigo Miglio of Cagliari as chairman of the Bishops' Conference and Sardinian Andrea Loche, the mayor of Cuglieri.

The "inter-religious and inter-cultural center" is to become a "center of the integration of different peoples, that points to the future, as a symbol that integration is possible. Not by being sufferers, but by being encouraged and built up," said the press release.

The Protocol states that "future activity" to take place in the former seminary  will be especially for "education and research" on the topic of immigrant integration in the context of school-based initiatives. The former Pontifical Seminary of Cuglieri is to be for  "promoting the economic and social development and cooperation between Mediterranean countries and a place of encounter and dialogue".

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Cuglieri / ICRSS
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...
AMGD