Saturday, June 21, 2014

The Legionaries of Benedict XVI



Pope Benedict with the then Superior General, Fr. Alvaro Corcuera. Present Superior General is a companion of Fr. Alvaro, Fr. Eduardo Robles Gil; both are from the founding group of Mexican Regnum Christi "consecrated males" (mostly from the Anahuac University) who were promoted by Fr. Maciel to the priesthood.


POPE BENEDICT XVI DECIDED TO SALVAGE THE LEGION

From the official documents of the Extraordinary General Chapter of the Legion of Christ, Jan-Feb 2014

Statement about the Path of Renewal

Quote:

#4.
“From this point of view, we have considered the reprehensible and objectively immoral behavior of Fr. Maciel, which merited the sanctions that, at the time, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith justly imposed on him. Our founder died in 2008. We ask God to have mercy on him. At the same time, we want to express our deep sorrow for the abuse of minor seminarians, the immoral acts with men and women who were adults, the arbitrary use of his authority and of material goods, the indiscriminate consumption of addictive medicines and the act of presenting writings published by third parties as his own. We find the incongruity of presenting oneself as a priest and a witness of the faith continuously for decades while hiding this immoral behavior to be incomprehensible.
We firmly condemn this. We are grieved that many victims and other affected persons have waited so long in vain for an apology and an act of reconciliation on the part of Fr. Maciel. Today, we would like to issue that apology as we express our solidarity with these persons.
 #6

“These events and situations could have done away with our religious Congregation had we not been accompanied by God’s mercy and the Church’s maternal care, which found expression in the resolute interventions of His Holiness Benedict XVI.”

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Another Weird Group Approved by Holy Mother Church: Heralds of the Gospel, Brazil's Catholic "Up with People!"

Looks like a whacky throwback to the Middle Ages
approved by pope JP II
Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammo!

Here is Wikipedia

For all its wackiness their female branch, Regina Virginum (Queen of Virgins), seems to be in better canonical shape than the Regnum Christi.

Just like the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi its charism is very creative and unheard of(?):

The (Pontifical approval) decree goes on to state that the society is characterized by the defense of orthodoxy, purity of customs and the spirit of hierarchy, “as well as the desire to rekindle in humanity the distinction between good and evil 



The Heralds of the Gospel (Latin: Evangelii Praecones, abbreviated to EP)[1] is a Roman Catholic International Association of Pontifical Right based in Brazil.[2] Founded by Msgr. João Scognamiglio Clá Dias, the organization is active in 78 countries.[3]

History

The Heralds of the Gospel is an International Association of Pontifical Right, the first established by the Holy See in the third millennium, on the liturgical feast of the Chair of St. Peter, February 22, 2001.
Consisting mainly of young people, this Association is established in 78 countries. Its members practice celibacy, and are entirely dedicated to apostolate, living in separate houses designated for young men and young women. Their life of recollection, study and prayer alternates with evangelizing activities in dioceses and parishes, with special emphasis placed on the formation of youth.

Spirituality

The spirituality of the Heralds of the Gospel is based on three essential points: The Eucharist, the Virgin Mary and the Pope. These points are represented in the emblem that distinguishes them. The three devotions can be seen in the symbol of the Heralds of the Gospel.
Symbol of the Heralds of the Gospel
Their charism leads them to strive for perfection, while always searching for the pulchritude in all their daily actions.

Music

Seeing in culture and art efficacious tools of evangelization, the Heralds of the Gospel characteristically place special emphasis on both choral and instrumental music. Hence, the Heralds have formed various choirs and symphonic bands to bring their message of faith, incentive and confidence to today’s humanity.
The principal musical ensemble of these neo-evangelizers – the International Choir and Symphonic Band – was started in São Paulo with members united from diverse nations. This musical ensemble has traveled numerous cities, states, countries and continents, giving presentations in churches, auditoriums and stadiums full of people thirsting for beauty and spirituality.

Societies of Apostolic Life

As a further development of the charism, the family of the Heralds of the Gospel gave rise to two societies of apostolic life. Virgo Flos Carmeli the priestly branch of the Heralds was born in 2005 with the ordinations of the first 15 priests, including the founder of the Heralds of the Gospel. Regina Virginum the Feminine Branch was born later on Christmas of the same year. Both societies received papal approval in 2009, becoming a clerical society of apostolic life of pontifical right and a feminine society of apostolic life of pontifical right, respectively.
"Arising from within the Heralds of the Gospel, and sharing the same values, the two new societies of apostolic life, however, have distinct natures. Virgo Flos Carmeli – “Virgin Flower of Carmel”, in English – is characterized as a clerical society, in other words, consisting mainly of priests, while the society of apostolic life Regina Virginum – “Queen of Virgins” – is formed by women.
Regina Virginum
According to the Vatican decree, Virgo Flos Carmeli “is born amidst a loving and pertinacious catechesis on the Church and the Roman Pontiff, as well as respect for the importance of sacralization, to the greatest extent possible, of the values of temporal life.”
Virgo Flos Carmeli
The decree goes on to state that the society is characterized by the defense of orthodoxy, purity of customs and the spirit of hierarchy, “as well as the desire to rekindle in humanity the distinction between good and evil (...).” Virgo Flos Carmeli was founded by Msgr. João Scognamiglio Clá Dias, E.P., founder and president of the Heralds of the Gospel, and was erected by the then Bishop of Avezzano, Italy, the Most Rev. Lucio Angelo Maria Renna, on June 15, 2006. The development of the Heralds of the Gospel, presently active in about 70 countries, led to the formation of the priestly branch and the later constitution of the Clerical Society. Afterward, the Most Rev. José Maria Pinheiro, Bishop of Bragança Paulista, where the Motherhouse of the Society is presently located, requested Pontifical approval of Virgo Flos Carmeli from the Pope. Regina Virginum, for its part, had its approval signed on April 26. According to the Vatican decree, the Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right, also founded by Msgr. João Scognamiglio Clá Dias, “arose as an expression of the charism of the Heralds of the Gospel, applied to the specific conditions of feminine life, striving to manifest its own characteristics in a particular way within the secularised world.”[4]

References