Vatican investigates the case of the "Transalpine Redemptorists"

The case of the allegedly schismatic Transalpine Redemptorists is now being dealt with by the Vatican. In a statement dated 24 October, the Bishop of Aberdeen, Hugh Gilbert (cover picture, centre), condemned the open letter published by the community of religious in which they reject statements made by the papal magisterium and the Second Vatican Council. "The diocese deeply regrets the tone, direction and central elements of this letter," the letter states. "It is not compatible with the Catholic understanding of the unity of the Church." The responsible Vatican dicasteries have been informed and are investigating the situation.

The Transalpine Redemptorists ("Sons of the Most Holy Saviour") are a community under diocesan law in the Scottish diocese of Aberdeen. Gilbert is therefore the ecclesiastical authority directly responsible for supervision. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith is the judicial authority responsible for the canonical offence of schism. According to canon law, a schism is the "refusal of submission to the Pope or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him" (c. 751 CIC).

A fortnight ago, the order published a letter in which the members announced that they no longer recognise the "modern church". "After years of examination and experience, we have come to the regrettable conclusion that the traditional Catholic faith, the faith of all times and of the saints, is incompatible with the new, modern Church, the fruit of the Second Vatican Council. They simply cannot exist together in one body," the letter states.

Responsibility for diocesan Traditional Latin Mass withdrawn

The Bishop of Aberdeen emphasised that he remained open to dialogue with the order. For the time being, however, he has withdrawn responsibility for the celebration of the pre-conciliar liturgy in St John's Church in Fetternear. In a letter published on Facebook to the congregation celebrating there, the bishop explains his actions further. Formulations used by the Transalpine Redemptorists such as the distinction between a "Church of Tradition" and a "modern Church" are unacceptable: "There is only one, undivided Church of Christ, which unites past, present and future, our Mother, who leads us all to the heavenly kingdom." In future, Mass according to the 1962 missals will be celebrated in Fetternear by a diocesan priest in the usual monthly rotation.

The traditionalist order, which has branches in Scotland and New Zealand, has been in conflict with the bishop of the New Zealand diocese of Christchurch, Michael Gielen, for months. Gielen ordered the order to leave his diocese last year following an apostolic visitation. The visitation was prompted by media reports of unauthorised exorcisms in the course of which people had been traumatised, including minors. The religious denied the allegations. Appeals lodged with the Vatican against the expulsion failed in the summer. In their open letter, the religious emphasised that they want to continue working in Christchurch.

The "Transalpine Redemptorists" were founded in 1988 and were initially closely associated with the Society of St Pius X. After Pope Benedict XVI significantly facilitated the celebration of the pre-conciliar liturgy as an "extraordinary form of the Roman rite" in 2007, the order returned to full communion with the Pope in 2008. In 2012, it was recognised as a religious community under diocesan law in Aberdeen, where it has its main house. The community has been represented in New Zealand since 2017. (fxn)