Suppression Removed To Split Group From Contemplative Srs Of St John

[Orans]

I'm delighted to see this piece of news:

 

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdivinavocacion.blogspot.ca%2F2014%2F06%2Fla-santa-sede-levanta-la-supresion-la.html&edit-text=&act=url

 

original Spanish page http://divinavocacion.blogspot.ca/2014/06/la-santa-sede-levanta-la-supresion-la.html

 

Words inserted in the article in red are my own comments.

 

 

The Vatican removes the suppression of the community Sisters of San Juan and Santo Domingo

 

 

 

 

The Sisters of San Juan and Santo Domingo, which were suppressed by Pope Benedict XVI [they were actually suppressed by Cardinal Bertone, Secretary of State, -see here- and not by the Congregation for Consecrated life. This points -to me- to a political manoeuvering more than religious discipline issue per se] on January 10, 2013, have received the blessing of the Holy See so that they can settle as a Public Association of the Faithful in view to establish itself in the future as a Religious Institute.

 

They solved the issue of "serious injury to church discipline" on June 17, 2014 the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life, Joao Braz de Aviz, and his secretary Bishop José Rodríguez Carballo OFM, attended at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Bergara (Gipuzkoa) for delivery to the Bishop of San Sebastian, Bishop José Ignacio Munilla, and the Sisters of the papal act that restores their way to the religious life and the itinerary to follow.

 

The prelates with other bishops, including Archbishop Primate of Spain Braulio Rodríguez Plaza, held in Bergara Mass of thanksgiving attended by many of the 150 young sisters that make up this community and friends and faithful people. We don't know whether the name of the community will remain "Sisters of San Juan and Santo Domingo."

 

* News of the suppression of 2013 (see here)

 

 

 

These Sisters formerly Contemplative Srs of St. John, became a brand new religious group in the Diocese of Cordoba, Spain, in 2012, with the name Community of St John and St Dominic.

Soon afterwards they made a second foundation in Bergara, diocese of San Sebastian, also Spain.

 

They were VERY much appreciated and loved by the people and by their respective bishops but were suppressed overnight by order of Cardinal Bertone, who extended the prohibition to any future possibility to become a religious group in any form, in any diocese. 

 

The Sisters accepted the obedience impossed on them, dropped their habits, but continued living a very edifying life. Bishop José Antonio Munilla of San Sebastián has been supporting them and helping them to get their feet back on track. This time no less than the highest authorities of the Congregation for Religious in the Vatican came to Bergara, -where Bishop Munilla had granted them a convent property and where they were living in the past-, to restore the group in their path to becoming in the future a religious congregation. Currently they have been granted "public association of the faithful" status.

 

There are several threads in Phatmass about all this, but I don't know how to search them. Maybe one of our "expert phatmassers" can do that and add the links for anyone interested. Thank you.

 

[petitpèlerin]

I'm happy to hear that they were loved by the people around them, and obedient to the suppression, and that the Church is now allowing them to move ahead in their lives as religious. This sounds like good news for them as well as for the whole Community of Saint John. It sounds to me like it gives everybody credibility (in communion with the Church) and freedom to choose whichever group they desire and not to have judgement or hard feelings toward the other.

 

I was recently talking with a brother of Saint John who pointed out that it's like the Franciscans: groups splinter off from the original group aiming to preserve "the founding spirit". Who's right? Who's really got it? Maybe it's impossible to say, but it seems like all groups are aiming to live a life of love and service to God and the Church.

[Orans]

Some images of the event on June 18 in Vergara, Spain. (Sorry it's in Spanish :))

 

https://es.noticias.yahoo.com/video/bendici%C3%B3n-roma-para-las-religiosas-110912987.html

 

We see the Sisters arriving at the church.

At :24 three prelates arriving, on the left is cardinal Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Consecrated Life; on the right Bishop Jose Ignacio Munilla of San Sebatián, the diocesan bishop of the town, who has been the main supporter of the Sisters, allowing them to live in the monastery and to have them come to this day.

There are at least two cardinals and many bishops participating at the celebration where they were handed the official authorization from Rome..

 

(Sorry but I can't get Google to translate the page)

[Orans]

There is a happy ending to this story as we just saw in this thread.

 

But there is a new beginning: July 25th 2014

 

Hermanas de María Stella Matutina 

 

or Sisters of Mary Morning Star 

 

Erected as a new Public Association of the Faithful in the Church in view to becoming a religious Institute.

 

They have over 200 members already and have started in several diocesis in Spain and Latin America -so they will soon be able to advance in the steps towards religious congregation status.

 

The picture above is of the community in Vergara, (or Bergara with the Basque spelling) in Spain, with bishop José Ignacio Munilla who erected them on that day. 

The monastery, former Poor Clare monastery made available for them by the bishop of their Diocese of San Sebastian, is the new mother house, and house of formation for the Sisters. (You can see four novices in that picture).

 

They are contemplative but not cloistered.

 

Link to the news in the webpage of their diocese of San Sebastián: 

http://www.elizagipuzkoa.org/es/noticias/noticia,%E2%80%9Chermanas-de-maria-stella-matutinaquot;

 

 

This is another community of the same Stella Matutina Sisters, located in Illescas, Toledo, pictured here with their archbishop and Primate of Spain Braulio Rodriguez to commemorate their erection on July 25th.

http://www.architoledo.org/Noticias/2014/2014%2007%2025%20monjas%20illescas.htm

Edited August 11, 2014 by Orans

[Cherie]

I am so happy to see this. Thank you for posting this here.

[Chiquitunga]

yes, thanks for posting! I recognize a couple of them I haven't seen in a long time! very happy for them that they can continue a life dedicated to Our Lord and His Church. that's so wonderful too that they were given a former Poor Clare monastery! what a gift of Divine Providence!

[Chiquitunga]

double post :smile4:

Edited August 11, 2014 by Chiquitunga

[Orans]

I think the Sisters deserve a new thread of their new life so I've copied the first post about them here: Sisters of Mary Morning Star where we can continue the conversation.

 

Also the link to a previous discussion about the Contemplative Sisters of St John here