Is this a fruit of the Rosaries and fervent prayers at Santa Maria Maggiore? For the moment the only source is Don Camillo (a priest blogger) whom I know is close to the Manelli family; for this reason I trust the source and thank him for the information. Original text [click] here.
Is the justice of men more efficient than ecclesiastical justice - of the new-church that is - which seems to have just discovered Mercy only today?
I’m wondering though, why Don Camillo can attribute what happened, to Benedict XVI, seeing that the Decree of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, wherein the Commissioning of the Franciscans of the Immaculate is laid out, with the subsequent destitution of the Founder and General Minster of the religious Institute (and its Council), is dated 11th July 2013.
The Decree, signed by the Cardinal Prefect, João Braz de Aviz and by the Archbishop Secretary, José Carballo, OFM, deprived the Superiors of the Franciscans of the Immaculate of any authority, entrusting the government of the Institute to an "Apostolic Commissioner”, Father Fidenzio Volpi, a Capuchin. A decree, what’s more, that doesn’t mention any misdeed, nor acts expressly and directly against the good of the Religious Institute. And with no reference to any question or motivation that regard properly faith, morals or discipline.
And it was confirmed in writing by Pope Francis, which made any recourse to appeal not possible.
I have never involved myself too much regarding the situation of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, but a sentence emitted by the Mediation Organism (Organismo di Mediazione forense) of the Roman Tribunal on the 12th of February is just too juicy!
The Facts:
On December 8th 2013, Father Fidenzio Volpi wrote in a letter:
“A thing which is extremely grave – and I bring to your official knowledge only now – was the transfer of assets of moveable goods and immovable real estate, belonging to the Institute, to lay people, known as spiritual sons (or daughters) and family members of the Founder, Father Stefano M. Manelli, and also to some parents of the nuns.” Father Volpi continues: “Such maneuvers, gravely illicit from a moral and canonical point of view, with repercussions in the civil and penal sphere, occurred after the nomination of the Apostolic Commissioner, thus manifesting the will to subtract such funds from the control of the Holy See.” The Commissioner tries to conceal the measures regarding it: “Those who have done or permitted all of this have fallen into grave fault, and, if a religious, are subject to severe canonical sanctions. Something similar has taken place also in the works of the apostolate: the publishing house, and television.”
[…] Well then, for these lies Father Volpi, [after] negotiating with the entire Manelli Family, whose honour was damaged, and consequently having admitted his crime of defamation and lies on February 12th 2015, as fair compensation, will have to pay 20,000 Euros to the Manelli Family, plus all legal expenses, the publication of a public apology on internet sites run by him, as well as circular letters to all of the friars and nuns.
Justice has been done!
