Sisters Of St. John

[EJames2]

Tensions Among the Contemplative Sisters of Saint-Jean.
[url="http://en.gloria.tv/?media=47632"]http://en.gloria.tv/?media=47632[/url]
France. The contemplative sisters of Saint-Jean in France will soon meet in a General Chapter. The community is shaken by big internal problems. The conflict erupted when Cardinal Barbarin of Lyon, responsible for the whole community of Saint-Jean, replaced the 85 years old superior General,(and co-foundress), Sister Alix, with the dutch Sister Johanna. The new superior proceded to exchange the longtime novice-mistress, Sister Marthe. But Sister Marthe seems not to be ready to accept her new appointment. In the meantime, the Vatican has named Mgr. Jean Marie Bonfils as the interim superior of the contemplative sisters. He has confirmed the appointment of the new novice-mistress. But some100 sisters continue to stand by Sister Marthe. Now there is hope, that the General Chapter will bring peace to the community.
[i](a small note of correction, the oping picture of Nuns with grey veils are not the Contemplative Sisters of St. John, but the Apostolic (active) Sisters of St John.

Edited January 25, 2010 by EJames2

[laetitia crucis]

Oh wow.. many prayers are in need.

[sistersintigo]

[url="http://www.stjean.com/EN/statements/statement_220110.htm"]Press release from Contemplative Sisters of Saint Jean[/url]

[sistersintigo]

The contemplative sisters of St Jean received attention in the French press, which confirms the post at the beginning of this thread.
The online articles I could find were all in the French language; I can read French somewhat. Yes, this is very serious.

Bishop Bonfils, also named in the opening post, had his hands full, according to the French magazine GOLIAS. He attempted to bring the contemplative sisters (in Europe at least) into one meeting, a General Chapter, and -- I'm translating from the French here --
"He believed it necessary to emphasize, in the 'Lettre aux amis,' an official publication of the Community of St Jean, that ' A General Chapter is no place to behave as though you were two opposing teams duelling on the playing field.' "

Golias Magazine (journalist: Christian Terras) went on to state (in French) that "the sisters are coming to blows, within the congregation of contemplatives, struggling for control of the internal government. Bishop Bonfils, provisionally appointed by Rome to direct the congregation of sisters, issued directives, and nearly ONE HUNDRED SISTERS refused to obey. By going into 'exile' in Mexico under the authority of an unnamed Mexican bishop, these sisters made their secession official and concrete."

I will attempt to translate, and post later on, a French interview published in its entirety, between journalist Anne Benedicte Hoffner and the same Bishop Jean Bonfils. Suffice to say that this interview appears on the St Jean Community website, but only on the French page, not in translation on the English page; and what I can make out of the French, confirms everything stated by "EJames" in the post that begins this thread.

[sistersintigo]

The contemplative sisters of Saint-Jean in France will soon meet in a General Chapter. The community is shaken by big internal problems. The conflict erupted when Cardinal Barbarin of Lyon, responsible for the whole community of Saint-Jean, replaced the 85 years old superior General,(and co-foundress), Sister Alix, with the dutch Sister Johanna. The new superior proceded to exchange the longtime novice-mistress, Sister Marthe. But Sister Marthe seems not to be ready to accept her new appointment. In the meantime, the Vatican has named Mgr. Jean Marie Bonfils as the interim superior of the contemplative sisters. He has confirmed the appointment of the new novice-mistress. But some100 sisters continue to stand by Sister Marthe. (preceding from EJames post)

The following is a hasty comment on what I have uncovered in French articles on the subject; sorry, this will sound like my personal opinion but it is my English translation on what I read last night in French. Take it or leave it.

Saint Jodard, the Saint-Jean monastery, this seems to be the one with the motherhouse and the novitiate, is where the problems seem to have rooted. The archbishop of Lyon, the above-named Cardinal Barbarin, was contacted from outside the religious order, not by vowed religious, but by....their families and relatives. They pleaded with the bishop, that they were worried about their loved ones who had entered religious life in the Community of St Jean. They feared for the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of their relatives. They begged the archbishop to take the situation in hand. Archbishop Barbarin had long supported the Contemplative Sisters, so it seems it was hard for him to confront them; when the families got really emotional about it, the archbishop advised the Vatican of the outcry, and got the Vatican's authorization to intervene.

Investigation by the archbishop and his delegates confirmed that the families did indeed have something to be worried about. The Vatican was regularly informed as new information was unearthed in the inquiry process. Sorry, I have to cut this short, and it is a long story. Within the congregation, attention centered around four women in authority. More later.

[sistersintigo]

Sister Alix; Sister Isabelle; Sister Marie-Agnes; Sister Marthe.

By the time the Vatican directed Bishop Bonfils to replace Cardinal Barbarin as the temporary Minister General to the Contemplative Sisters (yes, you read that right) of Saint-Jean, the four Sisters of Saint-Jean named above had been confronted, and their canonical status officially adjusted. That was the beginning of this calendar year, 2010.

The four sisters named above, formed the General Council of the Contemplative Sisters of Saint-Jean, when the Vatican intervened in 2009. The General Prioress at the time was Soeur Alix, in fact she is the co-foundress of the Contemplative Sisters along with the deceased Pere Philippe OP; she became the first Prioress-General of the Contemplative women, and remained so until last year. The other three women were her General Councillors. Sister Marthe, in particular, had Sister Alix's blessing as the congregation's Novice Mistress.

The Vatican's division on Consecrated Life, assisted by Bishops Barbarin and Bonfils, agreed that it was time for the Contemplative Sisters of Saint Jean to have new blood in their internal government at the level of the General Council. To this end, Sister Alix, who is well into her eighties in age, was officially relieved of the office of General Prioress. The other three Sisters, particularly Novice Mistress Sister Marthe, were removed from their posts and from the General Council. Bishop Bonfils, asked by "Le Croix" journalists what the status of the four women is today, explained that (at the time of the interview with Le Croix) the four women were still Sisters of Saint-Jean, however they could not cast votes in an internal election nor were they eligible, anymore, to be nominated or elected to office.

Journalism reports persist, throughout 2010 (in French), that the four women named above, most particularly Sister Marthe, have publicly said they were obedient to the Vatican's directives, and have privately been mobilizing support from their fellow sisters and from the families and relatives of their fellow sisters.

More in a future post.

[MithLuin]

Wow, this sounds like a really difficult situation. I guess I'm not understanding what was going on that caused concerns for the families or the Vatican, but presuming it is something serious, I'm glad the people in authority were relieved of their responsibilities. It seems a shame that the order is going to split over this, but that's not necessarily a bad solution. I guess I don't know much about what's going on, so I don't really understand the positions.

[sistersintigo]

Bishop Bonfils granted an interview on the subject of what the Vatican asked him to do on behalf of the Contemplative Sisters of St Jean.
Unfortunately the interview is in French only, that means I can't link to an English translation thereof. The interview is in French at http://www.stjean.org on the french page.
If I can, I will at a later time post an attempt to translate the interview into English, as literally as possible, in which Bishop Bonfils states how he sees the situation.

[sistersintigo]

[quote]It was June 2009 when cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon and "ordinary" of the congregation [of Contemplative Sisters of Saint Jean] , in view of serious problems of internal government, relieved the charge of General Prioress from Sister Alix who had held the post since 1982, when Pere Marie Dominique Philippe, with Sister's collaboration, founded this community. And then, in accord with Rome, bishop Barbarin appointed a new General Prioress. It is these actions which, for a certain number of religious women, did not meet with their approval.
In November 2009, with these difficulties continuing, Rome intervened. It was the Vatican's Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated and Apostolic Life which named me Pontifical "commissar", with the mandate of restoring unity: giving me the powers of the General Prioress. What is more, Rome prescribed that four Sisters from the deposed General Council must keep their distance and must no longer have influence over the rest of their own congregation.
That said, it is unhealthy to sustain a situation in which an "extraordinary" government is piloted by an authority who is a stranger to the congregation. So we have to go quickly and get this whole situation sorted out.[/quote]
The above is the opening statement by Bishop Bonfils in an interview with journalist Anne Benedicte Hoffner for 'La Croix.' More in future posts.

[sistersintigo]

Continued, by Anne Benedicte Hoffner, for 'La Croix':
[quote]What is your diagnosis of the congregation?[/quote]

Bishop Bonfils:
[quote]The congregation is passing through a natural crisis. Every religious institute, after its initial period of formation, must go through a phase that is more institutionalized than it was at first. And that is where the congregation is today. Sister Alix has arrived at an age to cease and retire from her charge. What is more, canon law provides that the superiors 'must not remain too long a time without interruption in their offices of government.'
Then there is the question of charism.
The writings of [founder] Pere Marie Dominique and the constitutions of the sisters' congregation are very clear on the identity of the sisters' charism. And yet, there can exist many different manners of living one charism, and the sisters must reach an understanding as they find their balance as a community. Some sisters insist more upon a life of solitude; some insist more upon biblical and theological study; still others emphasize communal life.[/quote]

[sistersintigo]

"Why convoke two general chapters?" Anne-Benedicte Hoffner, journalist for 'La Croix,' asked Bishop Bonfils. (continued, third in a series of posts)

Bishop Bonfils replied,
[quote]First, if one cannot unite a group around its 'tendencies' -- a religious congregation being, in the secular sense of the word, no real democracy -- I still plan to expand on the advice I was given, to try to honor all the tendencies represented at the heart of the congregation. At the moment, not everyone is ready to work together, but we will see. I have fixed in place certain points of orientation, around which a modest attempt at dialogue is possible.
Before the election of the General Prioress is attempted, in the second General Chapter, I hope to convoke a preliminary General Chapter without elections. The first General Chapter will be convoked on the charism of the congregation. The sisters must first reflect upon the working papers I have written, which document I have transmitted to all of them. After an introduction recalling the nature of a charism in the Church, I put several questions to the sisters:
how to put their charism into practice;
their rapport with the Church in the diocese where they are located;
and especially, how to relate to the local bishop.[/quote]

Interview to be concluded in future post or two.

[sistersintigo]

Conclusion: Will the four removed sisters participate in these general chapters?

Bishop Bonfils:
[quote]No. Their provisional canonical situation has made these sisters lose, for now, the possibility to vote, as well as to be elected; so at present they are not permitted to participate in the general chapters of their congregation. That said, I follow each of the four women, I stay in touch with them personally, I keep them informed of the congregation's efforts to emerge from the crisis. And I work to endeavor that their present being-distant status does not continue for too much longer.[/quote]

Is there a risk of a schism within the contemplative sisters of St Jean?

Bishop Bonfils:
[quote]I was not missioned by the Vatican to give my blessing to the congregation breaking apart. My job is to maintain unity. Some events are beyond my control. Rome, by the way, has not given its approval concerning the Mexican bishop Raul Vera Lopez OP, in the diocese of Saltillo, and the approach that some of our European sisters have made towards him; Rome has been made aware of the contacts and has made the bishop aware that they are aware of the contacts.[/quote]

How stands the rest of the family of the Community of Saint Jean?

Bishop Bonfils:
[quote]Pere Marie Dominique Philippe desired close bonds between the three branches of his communities. To assist me in my task, I have constituted an advisory council which includes the Brother's general prior; the general prioress of the apostolic sisters; and two Mother Abbesses Emerita chosen by Bishop Barbarin of the diocese of Lyon and confirmed by the Holy See.
It seems to me that the apostolic sisters are comfortable and at ease. However some of the Brothers feel a few repercussions. It is not my part to pass judgment, but my mission is to promote communal unity.[/quote]

Published by 'La Croix,' January 27 2010

[Cherie]

They certainly need our prayers!

I do think it is a bit of a shame, however, that it is so public. Numerous communities have gone through similar problems, even some very well-known ones, (and even currently!) but I suppose since they are not as large and as "international" as the Sisters of St. John, it's not as public. Still, I can't imagine all that publicity would be good for the situation.

Alas, as said before -- prayers are much needed! And I remember Romans 8:28 -- may God bring about much good from this seemingly bad situation!

[cmaD2006]

I agree with CherieMadame. I'm concerned about the publicity too. Other orders have gone through similar trials, but it has been kept in private.

Prayers for the community.

[Orans]

Thank you Sistersintigo for your work of translating some of the information on the issue of this thread. Given that these posts are read also by people who understand French I would like to contribute to the discussion at least one link where the original articles can be read in [b][url="http://www.leforumcatholique.org/message.php?num=530413"]French, here.[/url][/b]


We can get a fairly decent (understandable but limited) Google translation of that page in [b][url="http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http://www.leforumcatholique.org/message.php%3Fnum%3D530413&sl=fr&tl=en"]English, here[/url][/b].


As it has been mentioned before this crisis of growth is not unusual. Because it is out in the Media we know that there is this tendency to outline whatever is going to make big headings and get readers in shock.

I would like to copy here the part of the interview with Bishop Bonfils when he is asked about his diagnosis of the situation (I've edited a little for closer accuracy with the French and better reading I hope):

[quote][b]What is your diagnosis on the congregation[/b]?
The congregation is going through some growing pains: at some point after the foundation, any institute must move to a phase of institutionalization. The congregation [the Contemplative Sisters of St John] is in that situation: Sister Alice is old enough to quit her office. Indeed, canon law provides that superiors "do not stay too long without interruption in their government offices".

The sisters must also agree on the identity of their charism, which is quite clear in the constitutions of their congregation and in the writings of Father Marie Dominique, but there may be several ways to live.

As in any community a balance has to be found, for example, between time spent in prayer, in biblical studies and theology, in solitude, in the liturgical life, in community, recreation, manual labor ... Now [u]some sisters put more emphasis on the life of solitude, others on study, still others on community life[/u]. [/quote]

I've underlined what I think is important to give us an idea about what kind of things are the Sisters dealing with. We've read in the information that one of the concerns is about the form in which authority is exercised over the members. But we see also that it is the way in which the charism may be lived out that creates division. This is very understandable and it may well create in the future not one but more communities and different forms of living the contemplative life of this charism.

This has happened very many times in the Church. The Spirit works through human weakness as well as through greatness. God transforms the worst into the best, that's the Paschal Mystery we are baptized into. Religious life is a very human place full of the same human difficulties that any human group has. The difference is that there is also an individual and collective commitment (hopefully) to deal with everything counting on and with God's grace -that is allowing, being open to the leading of the Spirit.

I think that this information here in VS can be an invitation to go even deeper in the process of discernment of our personal vocation. It is not ultimately the "right" community, or the "right spirituality, or the "right" whatever that will validate our calling to follow Christ to the very end, to the Cross and the Resurrection. Rather, it is our fidelity to the personal and unique calling that we hear in the bottom of our heart what will ultimately take us to the goal through a journey that may join a community or more than one community, but that ultimately is utterly personal in the content and in the way of responding to God's invitation.

I'm not sure if I'm getting the point through, but what I'm trying to say is that ultimately there is no perfect community, and still it is well worth to enter Religious Life and try to give the best of ourselves to God within a community, even if eventually we outgrow the community or we realize that we are not able to grow there and mature further in the journey of discipleship.

As others also said, let is continue praying for this very fine community and their future.

Peace,
Orans