I know that people either love this community or they love to loath it. However, please suspend your judgment for a minute and read this very carefully. An archbishop is attempting to work with some 50 members who wanted to cooperate, but were hindered by the lay board of directors who hold the purse strings (methinks there won't be much money in the purse for very long). This is a devastating development for these people, but also in their best interest, and in the best interest of the Church. I will moderate comments made with complete charity, so think before you post!
It's possible that I have misunderstood the future of these people in my initial email that went out and in my blog post which I have since edited. I'm not sure what it all means in the long run: Is suppression a permanent thing, or can a reformed community of some type emerge with those who are cooperative? I was trying to find more info on the Intercessors to see how long they were in existence when I discovered that the website I had visited a short time ago, was now offline [Edit November 18, 5:40pm - a live link to the website has been removed because the site was hacked. I do not know if there are dangers to visiting the site (i.e., virus) in it's current state. The homepage has been defaced]. Here is a wikipedia entry for the Intercessors
The Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska has information on it's website indicating that the Association of the Intercessors of the Lamb has been suppressed.
Intercessors
Omaha Archbishop George J. Lucas used a Church procedure on Friday, October 15, 2010 to shut down the Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb, a contemplative, intercessory, and mixed (lay men, women, and clerics) public association of hermits.
Lucas suppressed the Catholic association after a majority of lay directors of the Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc., the association’s civil corporation, impeded him from exercising his legitimate governance of the association and providing pastoral solicitude for professed members. More information regarding the act of suppression can be found by following the links below [I add them at the bottom of this post].
Public worship and the celebration of the sacraments are prohibited on land owned by the Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc., a Nebraska corporation. Priests and deacons are forbidden from ministering at the property. Donors are advised that contributions to the Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc., will not go to support a Catholic organization. Moreover, the vows of former association members ceased at the moment of suppression. Catholics worldwide are encouraged to refrain from participating in Intercessors-sponsored activity.
Those who wish to support approximately fifty of the former members who are now being cared for by the Archdiocese of Omaha can send donations for this specific purpose to: Intercessor Relief, c/o Archdiocese of Omaha, 100 N. 62nd St., Omaha, NE 68132. Checks should be made payable to the “Archdiocese of Omaha” with a notation made in the memo field for "Intercessor Relief."
Updates on the status of the former association will be made available on this page
Oh boy, here are some nuts and bolts from the news release:
McNeil said Lucas received the consent of the association’s internal governing council before suppressing the association. He further stated that Lucas’ decision was also influenced by Conn’s findings, which reflected negatively on Brown’s leadership. Conn’s findings included: errors in governing documents; serious disunity within the community; widespread dissatisfaction with leadership; lack of safe environment policies; questionable financial practices; violation of its own proper law; use of intimidation tactics to secure obedience from members; inability of members to articulate the Intercessors’ charism; lack of financial transparency; violating norms governing alienation and acts of extraordinary administration; a flawed understanding of prayer and spiritual discernment; absence of good human resources; confusion and violation of internal forum and external forum in formation and governance; absence of adequate economic stewardship; illegitimate and irreverent custody of the Blessed Sacrament; and confusion over the administration of Mass offerings
I've said it before and I'll say it again... with so many new communities emerging, many of them truly driven by the Holy Spirit, I think a delegate should be assigned to work closely with them from outset. People have good intentions, yet they need guidance to ensure that what they are doing is purified of human weakness, ignorance, and other things.
The community was first erected in 1998, which means some members have not been out in the world for some time. I can tell you that anyone who leaves even a well governed, balanced religious community after a period of a few years, can go through a range of challenges from basic material needs, finding work (if integrating back into society), as well as the emotional and psychological aspects. How much moreso when someone is exiting a community with the kinds of problems listed above.
I don't know what the future is for each of these people, but let's give the archbishop a hand. These people are in need of clothing and other care. They have nothing. Even $5 or $10 from thousands of readers of Catholic blogs can help the archbishop. Use the address provided in the diocesan note above, and don't send it to the Intercessors.
Please pray for Archbishop Lucas, the faithful members of this community, and all of those who are working to help them to discover where the Holy Spirit is leading them individually.
Archdiocesan Links
- Archdiocese of Omaha homepage
- Archdiocese of Omaha page for the Intercessor's case (for updates)
- News Release (more details here)
- Statement of Archbishop Lucas (read this!!!)
Veil-tip to Kevin Symonds at Desiderium
Related News Articles (may get updated)
- Video story here at WOWT.com
- Article at Omaha.com
- Omaha archbishop shuts down Intercessors of the Lamb (CNA)
- Oh, heck... take your pick from the google board which is lighting up
The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.
13 Comments:
"Is suppression a permanent thing, or can a reformed community of some type emerge with those who are cooperative?"
The Franciscans were surpressed for a time because of disobedient friars and misunderstanding of the Order, but the surpression was eventually lifted thanks to the obedient friars. So on one hand you gotta keep in mind the importance and severity of surpression, and on the other hand you gotta keep in mind the possible innocence of a group, movement, community, or order. Remember, the Way of Love goes by the Royal Way of the Cross!
But obedience ought to come before emotionalism. This can be a litmus test, of sorts, for former Intercessors, and it might lift the surpression if they pass the test. Regardless of whether or not God is allowing a movement to be tested, every Christian is called to exercise Christian obedience, and religious are especially called to exercise obedience in that they must obey the local Ordinary as the Lord, since the Ordinary represents the Lord.
I can give a personal example of obedience before emotionalism. I founded a movement called the Legion of Peace that focused on Daily Communion. However, I found that it violated a few Canons, so, I had a choice: Leave and end the spiritual movement or stick with what I felt was God's Will. Well, just as I am sure God is in the Holy Eucharist, though I cannot be sure He is behind any unapproved revelation*, so I was sure God approved of Canon Law, though I could not be sure my feeling was from God: So I chose the former and entrusted the matter to God. In hindsight I chose wisely, because I have found that as leader of the Legionaries I was not receiving Holy Communion daily and that the movement had no particular charism of its own.
* Cardinal Arinze on private revelations: "Somebody asked me, 'There is one apparition that is reported, are you going on pilgrimage there?' I said, 'Oh yes, I go on pilgrimage, but do you know why I go on pilgrimage? The Chapel. Where we have the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle. Where we are not guessing, where we are sure! That's my pilgrimage.'" (link)
As an IOL companion in a small group in Houston,TX I am shocked by this entire development. I can't help wondering why the rush to suppress this group, which has been around since the '90s and been approved by two previous Omaha bishops. This has all happened since the newly installed bishop Lucas was asked by Mother Nadine in May to allow IOL to become a canonical group. That request, ironically, brought a canonical visitation that fast-tracked IOL to suppression. Perhaps there are good reasons for the action taken, but I do question how quickly it went down: Mother Nadine was asked to resign in September, and barely six weeks later the whole community is suppressed. It seems to me that the civil board which apparently owned the land IOL occupied simply refused to discuss suggested reforms with the bishop, and that ended that. How sad for those of us outside Nebraska who meet weekly to pray for priests and the church, practice contemplative prayer, etc. Anyone who reads Mother Nadine's books knows they are orthodox, following the lead of Teresa of Avila and Ignatius Spiritual retreats, etc. Hopefully, the wonderful nuns who belong to IOL will be reorganized in some way to carry on IOL's work under the approval of the church. I pray the Holy Spirit will enlighten all involved and provide appropriate discernment.
Dear Joanne,
I regret that you, and others are living through this kind of experience.
Your post made me wonder if there are considerations being made for ensuring that certain things have not spread among those who are associated in some way, but who were not living there, like "companions".
These kinds of things, which I am extracting from the paragraph in my post above out of the Archdiocese, leave me concerned about the formation of others not actually living there.
- inability of members to articulate the Intercessors’ charism
- a flawed understanding of prayer and spiritual discernment
- confusion and violation of internal forum and external forum in formation...
- illegitimate and irreverent custody of the Blessed Sacrament
- confusion over the administration of Mass offerings
Some outside the campus have been "formed" by the IOL. Discernment of whether practices or believes are pure, truly belongs to someone else. Throughout St. Teresa's "Life" we see her repeatedly submitting what she writes for discernment.
Ordinarily, you and I do this with our spiritual directors and confessors.
However, given the kinds of things brought out, which may not reflect everything that was found, if it were me, I would want to understand those things better.
In other words, the lay companions around the world, or some, may need guidance to see if there are things which need to be purified from their spiritual lives or understandings.
Does this make any sense?
Please know that the very things you mentioned that you seem to cherish already belong to the tradition (as in small "t") of the Church. You should continue to study Teresa of Avila, for example. Nothing prevents you from being in adoration, going to daily Mass if you do, or from going on retreats organized by other groups.
I know years ago, it was hard to find places for these, but it is getting easier.
I too hope that something can be done for those people who wanted to cooperate, if it is God's will.
Without a charism though, that is pretty serious. A charism is like a compass for a community. Without it, they can get disoriented. That was one of the issues.
If they do emerge with any kind of community, it is unlikely it would have the same name or appearance. Here is a quote:
Rev. Baxter broke the news to the 48 Brothers and Sisters of the community. "And they've responded marvelously under a time of great stress and duress,” he said. “There were some tears but there was also a sense of relief and joy. They told me so clearly that there were so many things they wanted to change.”
Now, the 32 women and 16 men are without a home and must adjust to life back in the lay world. "They've gone without traditional jobs. Many, especially the women members, don't have any other clothes but their habits which they cannot wear after a few more days here,” he said.
Rev. Baxter said the Archdiocese will take care of their immediate needs of clothing, food and shelter, “maybe see what we can do to reorganize in a different name, different place, but with a new vibrancy and a new desire to continue to do service here in the Archdiocese of Omaha.”
I'm going to point out that he uses the word "maybe" and in the previous paragraph talks about finding jobs.
That last quote came from this article
I studied with three of their priests (when they were still seminarians). Excellent men. I feel for them, and my prayers are with them and the members of the entire community. Two of the Sisters gave a parish mission at my parish during Lent, and they were beautiful women and spoke well.
The IOL is not the only community with a strong charismatic influence to be shut down by a bishop. It seems like every charismatic community has the same types of problems. I think we need to really do an "apostolic investigation" of the entire charismatic movement, because it seems that "pentecostalism" was brought into the Catholic Church without being properly "baptized" or "Catholicized"; the result is that the errors and the ensuing problems found there have also come into the Church.
I have learn t with shock and dismay of the disturbing news of the closure of the Hermits of the Intercessors of the Lambs.
I am requesting the Archbishop Lucas and his team to reconsider their decision and reopen the center.
First of all the reasons they point out can easily be corrected without asking for the resignation of the founder. I am convinced the founder accepted to resign because she is an obedient servant of God.
A reason like poor financial management could be helped by making some recommendations which I think they could adopt once they are explained to them and how they can be implemented in their situation.
Intimidation and a feeling of being disgruntled among the members could also be addressed by asking the members what they would like to see changed and if their concerns are not met, then some proposals on how to smoothly change leadership without losing the vision and charisma of the founder could be proposed as opposed to imposing on them the leadership of a parish priest who according to his description has not been participating in the programs and according to his CV he is not an Intercessor and their fore least qualified to take over the leadership of such a community.
On the Issue of not keeping the Eucharist in a proper way that one was an easy thing to do after getting to know how they were keeping it and what are other options are available to keep it better.
About the teachings and the Catholic doctrines those could also be reviewed and advice given on how they can be improved to make them better. Moreover it is reported that the members have been discovered to be very prayer full and Holy which is clear evidence of a good
fruit. The Bible says you will know them by their fruits. Certainly such kind of Holiness and obedient humility is not bred from an unholy and disobedient tree.
The decision to close the center is rushed and did not follow the rules of careful discernment and it even seems to be reactionary, something that is done just to prove that the bishop has powers in his diocese to take such a decision. The organization is international and consultations among all the stake holders needs to first be made before a final decision is reached.
The report that the neighbors looked at the hermits as a 'mystery' is still not a justifiable one. Are you going to close every thing that is mysterious? In that case you would even attempt to close the mass, may God forbid, since it is a celebration of the sacred mysteries. Things about God are mysterious and cannot be fully understood unless the spirit of God intervenes and gives some hints on the mysteries.
The scholar an investigator who was sent to Intercessors of the Lamb should also be sent to other religious Institutions some of which are already producing bad fruits, and he may discover more shocking and sickening things happening there. In that case what was discovered with the Intercessors of the Lamb when compared to those others will be lighter.
I am praying to all God loving people who believe in Intercession, which is a duty for all God loving people to wake up and intervene in this situation so that the church does not lose one of the best gold nuggets it still had, Intercession using contemplation and Charismatic gifts.How could it be said the members did not fully understand their charisma? If it is true, still the best method is to explain it again and again in a better way until it is fully understood. In the light of what I have written above the decision should be reversed and even other religious institutions should learn from Intercessors of the lamb on how to produce holy and prayerful members and also adopt Intercession which is a duty for every good practicing christian. Jesus is sitting at the right of God the Father interceding, and his followers need to do the same.
I am saddened to hear about this. I have personally been blessed by the charism of the Intercessors of the Lamb. I pray that God reveal to those who "love to lathe them" as the author of this blog stated, that they have truly done God's work. The whole notion of people loating a religious community of priests and nuns sends shivers down my spine and I must say: what has happened to them is due to that very reason, people loathe. forgive them Lord for they know not what they do (loathe others)
What appears to be confusing here is the elephant in the room that is the lack of consideration of the closeness of the former bishops to the main persons involved as well as their developed understanding of the group's charism. This history appears to be completely deleted by the "borrowed from afar" canon law specialist who it is stated was not at all interested in the charism. Wow!!! That in itself would appear to not adhere to Canon Law esp. to its inteneded spirit!! The treatment of the founder who relates not ever being uncooperative with the authority of any bishop would also tend to a foundation for appeal under Canon Law. Re: the treatment of the Blessed Sacratment, "Brown claims that the former bishop allowed certain religious to have the Blessed Sacrament in their rooms until they were assigned a formal hermitage"!! So the "expert" involved is also suppressing former bishops' authorities??? And conveniently leaving that permission out of the public criticism? Another wow! The bishop himself is responsible for, not only guidance for any approved Public Association of the Faithful, but the provision of care for such individuals - the order to vacate premises (esp. to an 81 year old) without such provisions isn't even a foundation for basic Christian charity.
No, what appears, by the statements themselves of the reps of the diocese recording their own bases for actions, is another knee jerk reaction by a bishop who is quite uncomfortable with that part of the full deposit of Faith that speaks to the mystical, charismatic, and "spiritual warfare" itself; a bishop who may desire to quickly eliminate and have done with anything of such character from hanging over his head for future time. We all know how far away the Church - esp. in America and Europe - has kept itself from any public witness to the teaching of the mystical.
I have attended a retreat - at a conservative archdiocesan retreat house - of Mother Nadine. I have attended other more generic retreats by AD priests and I must say that Mother's approach with only the orthodox teachings was so clear, simple, and, yes, seemingly gifted as a true charism while many of the others left the attendees with the same bland wrappings of the Faith without purpose.
Just an opinion, without, obviously, all the facts of the seemingly current rush to judgment. In a sense this rapid action is a good and normal and usual proof of testing to what that other side does not wish to have completed with use of even relative local authority to administer that test!
I am a member of the companion to the lamb. Yes, the question that keeps ringing in my mind is why the rush? I am still wondering how a representative of Christ can come to such a 'flawed' decision according to me. if all the previous Bishops ratified the group, and their publications have been accepted as being free from moral error, how then does a Bishop come and suppress such a group? One commentator said obedience comes before emotionalism. The Bishop is also expected to be obedient to those above him and eventually to Christ. Is the Bishop sure it was a decision that God endorses? I am just praying that God has better and bigger plans by allowing this suppression. One writer said that an investigation should be made on all Charismatic communities, and I think he hopes that all of them would be closed down to his joy.
A flawed understanding of prayer and other so called 'alarming discoveries' can be corrected and suppression is not the only immediate solution. For me it looks like the Bishop became emotional because the board of trustees refused to cooperate in the so called reforms. The situation can still be salvaged.
Finally I appeal to all companions to the lamb to go on their knees and hurl the spiritual weaponry in their possession and bring down the demonic attack that is directed against a prayerful community of the Intercessors of the Lamb.
This is a modified response I provided in a blogpost made by Tom Peters at CatholicVote.org (but I had a technical problem and it may not have gone thru):
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I don't think this is anti-charismatic at all, as one person stated in the combox at Catholic Vote.
I don't think it says that individual members were not holy (also alleged there by a commenter).
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In fact, that 48 members chose a path of docility, and were cooperating with their archbishop to chart a new course - this was an act of holiness. It is an act of pride to go against the bishop on a matter for which he has jurisdiction. God will judge him for any imprudence, any ill motives, or errors in judgment.
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However, God will judge those in his care for their imitation of Christ who was obedient even unto death, death on a Cross (and Christ submitted to Pilat - a man who was not holy - who would not have had authority, had it not been given him by God).
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With regards to the "fruits" argument, we can't limit our view to the good fruits. Were their bad fruits? The list of bad fruits is sizeable and they are generalized (see the linked news release). One noteworthy bad fruit (not that it was evil, but it was not a good sign), is that the members could not articulate the charism of the the Intercessors. A charism for a community is like a compass in the wilderness. It gives direction. It's what distinguishes the Dominicans from the Carmelites or the Franciscans. If there was confusion over the charism, then it's possible that there was no charism to begin with. This is not an indictment against individuals. All of us are called to holiness and should cooperate with grace, within a community or not. For a community to function properly it needs a clear charism.
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Would a reformed community, with a new charism have emerged had the lay board cooperated? It's hard to say. I myself am planning to send in a check to support the material needs of these people. It doesn't help them to withhold it.
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I hope that commenters will take the high road (unlike what I have witnessed in a few other places) and consider that these people were giving their life to God in what seemed to be a long term committment with a sanctioned community. Regardless of what one thinks about their habits or their way of life, this willingness to give their life in this way is laudable. What they don't deserve is ridicule, mocking, and being the subject of jokes at a point in their lives that is surely somewhat traumatic and confusing.
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May they find their way in life according to God's will.
I don't believe that Christ was ever "submissive to Pilate". I believe He was always and only submissive to the Father and His mission. What occurred in relation to the authority given Pilate was certainly a public teaching moment indeed used by Christ within His own Authority to do so. We all know of His own projected superior dignity within that moment (defining it in fact, and attempting to influence Pilate's own outlook in conscience) while always, as for all of us, honoring that free will. It was not submission. It was an opportunity to accept Divine Mercy but was refused. So to acknowledge what is Truth ("what is Truth?"), esp. what has been codified as a foundation for that Truth - so all are playing on the same fair field - in any judgment is not to be disobedient. It is to point out any lack therein in those other authorities, in our day in this case, who also only have that authority given from above - IOW, permitted to them with certain expectations. That entitles no one to "blind obedience". To state it otherwise is to make us all slaves rather than brothers and sisters to Christ first.
Something that stands out in all of this is the seeming indistinguishable treatment of lay persons and those of the religious segment...perhaps even using the reaction of the lay management section as an excuse to judge everyone with the same measure. Was there a true effort to deal with those religious vocations, already acknowledged by prior Church authorities with a much longer history of acquaintance? So far at least it wouldn't appear so. Do we treat much needed sacred vocations with such expediency? This all appears a bit too quick and easy to be believable as something not already assumed to be a "done deal".
It will be tonight before I can respond, Observer II
While I am unable to particpate due to work obligations at this time, I'm going to refer people over to the blogpost of American Papist, Tom Peters, where there is a good discussion going on (note the paging in the comment system there, which confused me at first).
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