The Franciscans of the Immaculate: A courageous voice speaks out

Father Paolo M. Siano

Corrispondenza Romana

January 24, 2018

A few days ago, on January 20th there was an important anniversary in the history of the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FI). On that date six years ago (2012), in our Roman convent on Via Boccea, a meeting took place between the then General Council of the FI and five friars (two Americans and three Italians) opponents of Father Stefano Manelli, founder and Minster General [of the Order].

Along with other professors of the then FI Seminary and those in charge of formation, I was invited by Father Manelli to take part in the event. The meeting, which lasted the entire day in two sessions, was shocking for the amount of vehemence and malicious attacks made against Father Manelli.

For the Record: Franciscan Friars & Sisters of the Immaculate status update -- Bergoglio's destruction nearly complete

For so many years now we have both broke and chronicled the news of Pope Bergoglio's destruction of the Franciscans of the Immaculate -- both the Friars (FFI) and the Sisters (FSI). So much has happened, often in the shadows, and has gone unreported. 

Below are simple bullet points of what we've been told recently. They come from multiple sources both inside and outside the order. But all must be recorded for history, so we post it today. We do this, as we have for years, while facing both harassment and threats for doing so. It is worth noting that about half of the FFIs who called for the original visitation are no longer in the order. Like the Imperial Prosecutor accusing St. Bernadette, they now know they were wrong, and are hopefully repenting. Please see our notes below, as well as an educated prediction of what comes next for the order.

The original commissioner, the late Fr. Fidenzio Volpi, meeting Pope Francis the day the FFI seminary was shuttered.

• The FSI (Sisters) were assigned a commissioner (Noris Adriana Calzavara of the Suore Rosarie di Udine) and two co-commissioners by a decree of the Congregation for Religious. Since the Congregation did not have its decree approved in forma specifica by the Pope, it was open to be challenged in the Signatura. The challenge resulted first in a reduction of the powers of the commissioners. It looked as though a further challenge would lead to the decree being be overturned altogether early this year. 
• 
  

• However, before it was overturned, the Congregation went to Pope Francis and got his personal approval for a fresh assignment of the same commissioner. This was obviously very demoralizing for the sisters, who thought they were about to regain their autonomy.

Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate can't take postulants for 3 years (Discalced Carmelites benefit)

The tragic story of Francis' all-but-suppression of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate is well known to our readers. The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, we have now learned, have been banned from accepting postulants for three years, on order of their commissioner. 

One young lady who now cannot join those Sisters has found her new home as a Discalced Carmelite. Her story, published in the Huffington Post, of all places, is below. Kudos to the publication for giving this wonderful young woman a voice: 

Young Woman Jade Banks on Becoming a Nun...

My first memory of meeting an actual nun (as opposed to watching The Flying Nun, played by Sally Field, on TV) was when I was nine years old.

My mom and I were in the New York City Port Authority Bus Terminal and she bought me this awesome doll, which I named Janine. (Mind you, this is before “V” came out, otherwise the doll for sure would have been named Julie.)

So my mom had her wallet out and sitting by the entrance to the building were two nuns. They were handing out pamphlets. My mom said to me, “Let’s make a donation” and she let me put some money into the box.

Fast forward to today.

Jade Banks, 23-1/2 years old, will be entering the Discalced Carmelites on November 30th of this year (2017). I finally had a chance to find out what goes on inside the mind of a young woman who wants to become a nun.

Did you always want to be a nun?

Charges dropped against Founder of the Franciscan of the Immaculate

Translation exclusive to Rorate Caeli.

By Marco Tosatti

The charges against Father Stefano Manelli, founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have been dropped. After about a year of investigations, the Deputy State Prosecutor at the Court of Avellino, Doctor A. Del Bene, has asked for the closing of the proceedings against the religious, whose Order is still under commissioning without a valid reason having ever been given by the Congregation for Religious. 

The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate: Serene and Ever-Faithful to Christ and His Church

THE FRANCISCAN SISTERS OF THE IMMACULATE

Official Notification From The Institute

20th December 2014

We prefer prayerful listening to The Word of God Incarnate, the only True and Eternal Word of the Father, to the voices that pass through the mass-media.

With regard to an article that concerns us, published in the magazine “Rogate ergo” (no. 11/2014) – an article which we take the liberty to place in doubt the complete trustworthiness – as well as other news circulated by the mass-media about our Institute

WE SPECIFY THAT:

The commissioning of our Institute has never been notified, inasmuch as the Apostolic Visit which began on the 19th of May 2014 has still to be concluded. An appeal is still open, which in part has revealed the reason for our request, so that the General Council at present can set in motion acts of government without prior approval of the Apostolic Visitor, as the Decree of the Visit provided.

Our compactness with regard to liturgical choices – documented in detail by an official survey and by Chapter votes in every single community of the Institute with an unanimous result of predilection for the Liturgy according to the Vetus Ordo – by some is considered a veil under which to hide a desire for seclusion equal to not “sentire cum Ecclesia” which would even reach heretical and schismatic positions of opposition to the Magisterium of the Church and disunity with the Holy Father.