(Rome) No other order has suffered such dramatic consequences on the change of pontificate in late winter 2013 as the Franciscans of the Immaculate. In July, the Order was placed under provisional administration by order of the Congregation for Religious
with papal approval. Although the Order actually exactly corresponds to what Pope Francis wishes, namely evangelical poverty, missionary zeal and new evangelization, of which the
Franciscans of the Immaculate are one of the only orders, against which the new pope has proceed with drastic measures.
So dramatically that even a progressive Vatican expert like Marco Tosatti has now asked what should have these poor friars have only arranged, yes, done wrong, to deserve such a harsh punishment? He could not fine an answer because he could not find a "crime", with which to burden them. He therefore published a letter that describes the radicality with which the Order is being rebuilt. The question remains: Why did you destroy a thriving Order?
Young, Poor, Missionary and Evangelizing, but with a "Blemish" ...
The answer is in fact to look at a whole different level and observe the punished innocently. It immediately arives at the level of intrigue. As a cold as well as brutal coup by a minority in the Order. This was possible but only because this minority has been heard by the Congregation for Religious and in his turn heard by the Pope. The Order had a major "flaw." The "flaw" was that under the leadership and guidance of Pope Benedict XVI. they rediscovered the traditional rite and implemented it internally within the Order. The pastoral care of the Order was bi-ritual, internally it was old ritual. All in perfect accordance with the applicable rules and the canon law.
The Order is one of the few orders that have numerous vocations and can be described as a flourishing religious family in both the male and the female branches. The cons discovery of the liturgical riches of the Church makes the Franciscans of the Immaculate more to a unique phenomenon in the Catholic Church. Franciscan, missionary, flourishing and altrituell. Was unique to the Franciscans of the Immaculate, that a New Order was changing to the Old Rite. It was a combination that didn't only win the Order friends in the Vatican. With the rediscovery of the ancient liturgy, the Order began to intensively study the Second Vatican Council and of its examination and interpretation took place, working in the light of the ever valid tradition.
The Order Followed Benedict XVI. and discovered the Old Rite
A "flaw", which was all the more serious, because the Order had numerous vocations. A "blemish", that certain church circles of little friendliness and probably envious, did not dare to criticize under Pope Benedict XVI.. All the more uninhibited and with incredible haste they struck after his resignation. And Pope Francis gave them leave. For none of the other orders were effected in the change of pontificate more dramatically than for the Franciscans of the Immaculate.
Let us hear so what Marco Tosatti wrote in the newspaper La Stampa on Wednesday:
"We received a letter from a layman who is close to the Franciscans of the Immaculate, a small Order, which is under an acting manager (a highly debatable matter), and he complained of a special hardness posed by the new management. Based on many years of experience, we know of the cruelty in dealing with fellow brothers in church circles toward those other circles inferior to nothing. But just as Pope Francis, who signed the provisional administration, demanded in his interview with the chief editor of the Civilta Cattolica an attitude of Compassion 'and softness'. He was as one of those in the Church, who entered the field hospital after a battle and said, I see clearly that what the Church needs today is the ability to heal wounds,' because, 'Nevertheless, there are people weary of authoritarianism '.
Each reader should decide for themselves whether in fact the authoritarianism plays a role in the Franciscans of the Immaculate and arrogance among the Sisters. What have these poor men done? Have they speculated in money, sexually abused minors or maintained an immoral lifestyle? So here's the letter. "
Letter from a layman who is close to the Franciscans of the Immaculate
Little is known about how things went on after the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate was placed under provisional administration. Therefore, a brief summary is necessary.
After Father Stefano Maria Manelli, the worthy and pious founder of the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FI) was placed under charges that he had led the brothers away from their founding charism, without explaining this to date, of which the father is said to have concretely carried anyone away; then, the priests' celebration of the old rite was prohibited, a ban that applies to this day, and has been followed in the Order with absolute and faithful obedience; after which the brothers, who are faithful to the charism of the founding fathers, were hastily charged in summary proceedings and removed, and all those brothers who support the "new" line were promoted in the various monasteries around the world, then without a visible reason, the General Procurator Father Apollonio, Director of the Theological Seminary and Guardian of the Cloister Roma-Boccea was dismissed and sent to Portugal, as the Order's Superior of Florence was dismissed and sent to Austria; then Father Settimio Manelli and Father Siano, were dismissed as Rector and Vice Rector of the Order Seminary and sent to Africa; then they were replaced by two brothers of the "new" line, one of which does not even have a degree; then Father Budani, who was in the middle of completing his studies of the canon law to end overnight and without possibility of completing his studies was sent to Africa; then, after Founder Father Stefano Manelli was deposed as Superior General and exiled and even though he has met all instructions and guaranteed absolute obedience, even his closest relatives are forbidden to visit him, and it is forbidden to make phone or receive phone calls and any contact with the outside world is denied to him ... after all, now it's the Apostolic Commissioner, the Capuchin Father, Fidenzio Volpi, with the assistance of Father Alfonso Bruno, who is the new powerful man in the Order, and it's all-out war against the laity who are in continuing connection to the Order.
By a letter dated 27 November, he forbade any activity of the lay members of the Mission Immaculate Mediatrix (MIM) and the Third Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate (Tofi). He refused that the Tertiaries to wear their robes.
Is it resolving alleged internal difficulties claimed f a thriving religious community with such incredible hardness and such Stalinist purges? Or its charisma be destroyed instead, which was not only able to arouse increasing number of vocations and to attract and expand the Order on all continents, but was, until yesterday, praised and promoted by the highest ecclesiastical authorities. Just think that the now outlawed Father Manelli and Father Lanzetta, were once welcome until a few months ago by cardinals and bishops and were welcome in the columns of the Osservatore Romano Publications were even open to them.
