The founder of Miles Jesu was removed from office because of “serious mental and physical health problems”, it was announced today.
Fr Alfonso Durán, who founded the ecclesial family in 1964, stepped down as superior general of Miles Jesu in 2007 because of mental and physical problems, Fr Barry Fischer, the priest appointed to reform Miles Jesu, said on the institute’s website today...
After Fr Durán’s removal, 13 members of the institute asked for an investigation into irregular practices. Cardinal Camillo Ruini appointed Fr Anthony McSweeny to conduct an Apostolic Visitation which brought to light “a number of irregularities and questionable practices”.
He said: “Some members have identified wounds caused by the inappropriate exercise of authority under his leadership. The mistaken sense of allegiance and obedience instilled in the membership facilitated his behavior, which was totally unacceptable and not in accord with the discipline of the Church nor supportable in any way by a healthy sense of consecrated life.
“Members who challenged his actions or behavior were often ostracized. The internal discipline and customs of the Institute provided protection for the Founder. It must be said in justice, that most of the members had no idea of the improper conduct of the Founder...
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In 2009 Cardinal Agostino Vallini appointed Fr Fischer to act as Commissary for Miles Jesu and write a new constitution “which defines the charism, spirituality, and apostolic nature of the Institute; to develop adequate vocational discernment and formation policies (ratio formationis); to review the financial policies, and in general to completely revise all its practices and customs”.
Or, hey, I've got a better idea...
Oh, never mind.
6 comments:
My rule of thumb: never join a new movement til it's at least 500 years old.
That's a pretty good rule. Mine is that I never join a movement with a living founder, the Church excepted.
Oh! that's my rule!
Hey!
Well heck - I probably picked it up from you: http://anglocath.blogspot.com/2010/02/while-ago-i-posted-note-on-my-facebook.html
I think I remember saying it a few years ago but I'm getting old enough that, like Lazarus Long, sometimes I can't remember in which century a memory was made.
We're not ALL like that...
Archbishop (soon to be Cardinal) Raymond Burke approved our Constitution in 1998 when he was our Diocesan Bishop.
There's something about "Hispanic" movements (I'm not being racist, here...just observant); the key is accountability, good sense, and staying clear of "cultic" types of practices...
we're anything but a cult; trust me;
we've got the most divergent kinda folks you would ever want to find (from charistmatic to traditionalists)...and somehow we all get along...pretty much!
Mind you, it's a good thing that the original followers of St Benedict, St Francis, St Dominic, St Ignatius and numerous others didn't adhere to that rule.
It's a tricky one. The major guideline would seem to be clear: it's fine to join an new order founded by a saint. However, the drawback to this one is obvious.
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