Posted on 09/09/2018 4:37:04 PM PDT by marshmallow
September 6, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – On Wednesday, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal sent the current U.S. apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, a letter backing “an investigation by the Holy See into the specific allegations contained in the testimony of Archbishop Carlo Viganò.”
That testimony implicated Pope Francis and a number of high-ranking Vatican cardinals and bishops in covering up ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s sexual predation.
The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs) were founded by Father Benedict Groeschel, who is famous for his many writings on the human person and psychology as well as his pro-life activism. The order serves the poor and performs other spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
“By living in poor neighborhoods, running homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and youth programs, friars strive to fulfill the command of the gospel and our Holy Father St. Francis to live among the poor, providing for their physical and spiritual needs,” the CFRs explain on their website.
The friars wrote to Archbishop Pierre in a “spirit of obedience and respect” and reaffirmed their “filial obedience and our love for the office and person of the Supreme Pontiff.”
“Sadly, we find ourselves in the midst of a grave crisis in the Church caused by the sins of both priests and bishops,” the CFRs wrote. “These sins and crimes deeply wound the Heart of Christ and disfigure the face of His bride, the Church. The first step towards purification and healing is the revelation of the full truth of what happened. Only then can judgement be passed by competent civil and canonical authorities, offenders be punished and removed, victims compensated, scandal repaired, and justice restored.”
“Therefore, we join our voices to all those who are calling for an investigation by the Holy See into the specific allegations contained in..........
(Excerpt) Read more at lifesitenews.com ...
Recent History says that this order will soon find its leadership replaced with Francis bootlickers while the former leaders are sent to missions in the jungles of South America.
They are what you might call "New Traditionalists." I'm pretty sure they celebrate the Latin Mass.
That makes it extremely courageous, in my opinion, for them to break with Francis so dramatically at this point. He can directly and immediately squash them if he wants. They know it. And it would not surprise me if he does.
My wife’s nephew is a postulate with them, Brother John david. He is currently in New York, but they have a Friary in albuquerque, and we know some of them pretty well. they are really great guys. My wife and I are taking a Pilgrimage with them to Italy in late October.
Really glad to see this letter. Please pray for them all.
And to the credit of the Franciscans, they a number of missions out west, and in a special way, out in CA. Some even became cities.
But it would not surprise me that this order is sensing a growing anger among the lay Catholics to this repeat go around of the horrible sex abuse scandals.
The one referenced in the above article is Community of Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR).
As I understand it, the FFI was already destroyed by Francis. So the CFR (the late Fr. Benedict Groeschel's group) --- perhaps similar in their spirituality --- are, I think, knowingly setting themselves up for suppression or dissolution. They are a "religious institution of pontifical right," which puts them directly under Pope Francis' hammer.
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