Posted on 11/16/2006 6:51:48 AM PST by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
The bishops of the Catholic Church [in Puerto Rico] once again disapproved any devotion related to the Virgen del Rosario del Pozo (“Virgin of the Rosary of the Well”) movement, to whose structure they attributed “dehumanizing” and “denigrating” practices contrary to that religion’s doctrine.
Through its President, San Juan Archbishop Roberto González, the Puerto Rican Bishops Conference ([known by its Spanish acronym] CEP) ordered its faithful not to promote devotion to the Virgin of the Rosary of the Well and instructed the leaders of this movement to desist in their practices.
González presented a letter that will be read in the island’s parishes where the CEP revisits the controversial topic of the devotion promoted by the Virgin of the Rosary of the Well movement and insists that the Church does not recognize her existence, and neither does it recognize the alleged apparitions that the organization is based on. As far back as 1989, and in the late 1990s, the CEP had expressed itself similarly on devotion to the Virgin of the Rosary of the Well of Sabana Grande.
“We insist that this structure must be dismantled and dissolved,” the President of the Bishops Conference stated.
The new determination is the product of four years of dialogue between the Archbishop of San Juan, some priests, Juan Angel Collado (the alleged visionary), and the so-called “columns” or leaders of the movement. The religious leaders also spoke to former promoters of the movement who had occupied leadership positions within the organization’s structure and who provided sworn statements, González said. This conversation began in 2002 in the wake of a request from the then-Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, [Cardinal] Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope [Benedict XVI]), to the Archbishop to ask the movement for an expression of adherence to the Catholic faith.
”Given these testimonies, I concluded that, based on the way the mystical [nature] of the mission was showing itself, it could not continue and was not negotiable either....I understood that some people might be in danger and might destroy themselves psychologically,” the religious leader said. Those doctrines which, according to Father Carlos Pérez, include “radical” ascetical practices that do not foster a healthy relationship either between themselves or with the Virgin Mary, were not reported by the movement’s leadership during their conversations with the Archdiocese. The vows and promises of confidentiality and obedience which their members subject themselves to seemed to be the object of scandal.
“During that meeting, I heard testimonies from people who suffered many traumas and damage to their homes,” González stated. He maintained that Collado and his companions were “surprised, very indignant, misunderstood, rejected,” although he denied talking of possible sanctions, such as excommunication, if they persisted in disobeying the orders of the Puerto Rican Catholic Church. Instead, the Archbishop proposed to them starting a “canonical process”, which consists of contrasting their norms with those the Church establishes and to try to find a reconciliation between the two. He also offered them “adequate” spiritual fellowship.
“This has nothing to do with people as it does with practices,” he declared.
The Archbishop made a distinction between popular devotion to Mary that exists among Catholics who may identify themselves with that association and the close to 250 persons who make up their structure. It was not possible to reach any leader of the organization [for comment].
ping
Well, just in time for the arrival today of a living "Jesus Christ" today, who claims Judgement Day will be held in Puerto Rico soon.
http://www.cegenglish.com/
-Theo
Old news. Check out this post: Our Lord is back on Earth and he's Puerto Rican. I posted the news about this charlatan last August after he appeared in NBC's Today Show. The only thing that is new is his visit to PR.
He's still a charlatan.
-Theo
I had never heard of him before.
Well good for you and too bad that you know of him. Obscurity befits this man.
-Theo
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