Sunday, July 26, 2026
Pope Leo XIV calls in the Angelus to resume peace negotiations and respect the holy places of all religions
The Pontiff called for the resumption of negotiations to reach “a just political solution,” rejected military actions and unilateral decisions that alter the status quo of the holy places, and warned that the intensification of violence continues to place the civilian population in grave danger.
In his reflection before the Angelus, he also invited the faithful to rediscover the Kingdom of God as the true treasure of life and warned against a consumerist culture that “always creates new needs” without ever satisfying the heart.
Below are the words of Leo XIV:
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
At the heart of Jesus’ teaching lies the mystery of the Kingdom of God, which today’s Gospel compares to a pearl and a treasure (cf. Mt 13:44-52). The parables convey the surprise of those who find what they could never have expected, to the point that selling or leaving everything no longer seems a renunciation, but a gain. Indeed, from the very first pages, the evangelists describe Jesus’ call to follow him as something irresistible: free, certainly, but urgent and capable of eliciting an immediate response moved by desire. This is a first important aspect of the way God draws near and allows himself to be found: the encounter with his Kingdom is a turning point that does not limit, but expands life. If something must change now, it is to have more possibilities, not fewer.
There is a second aspect to which Jesus seems to attach great importance: the one who finds the treasure hidden in the field is probably a farmer; the pearl, on the other hand, is recognized as being of great value by a merchant, perhaps a traveler. Two further parables follow in which the protagonists are fishermen and a scribe expert in things old and new. There are others, moreover, in which the Kingdom is glimpsed in a woman kneading flour, in another who puts the house in order, in a king planning war, in a man designing a tower, in stewards managing payments or investments, in shepherds and farmers. In short, the Kingdom of God reveals its priceless beauty in diverse ways, but calls everyone—men and women, young and old, poor and rich—to a profound renewal. All can understand it and feel drawn to it.
Even today, the Church is a communion of people differing in origin, culture, abilities, and level of responsibility, yet all called to recognize themselves as “one” in Jesus Christ: He is the hidden treasure, the precious pearl, the net that gathers what is scattered. From the beginning, in fact, Jesus called and gathered around him people who otherwise would never have known one another. In this way he showed that God makes no distinction of persons and that his choice is a preferential love for the little ones and the outcast.
Brothers and sisters, we have only to ask for a gift, the same one young King Solomon asked for (cf. 1 Kgs 3:5,7-12). It is the gift of identifying the pearl of great price, of knowing how to recognize the treasure for which it is worth selling everything. While the consumer industry alters our taste, always creating new needs in order to sell us answers that do not satisfy and sometimes poison the heart, we must learn to grasp what truly matters: the treasure of our relationship with God, which opens us to joy and helps us live our relationships with one another better.
May the intercession of Mary, Seat of Wisdom, direct our desire for life toward Jesus, so that it may be fulfilled in its fullness.
After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters:
Yesterday in Lebanon, Elia Hoayek, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites from 1899 to 1931 and founder of the Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family, was beatified. For more than thirty years he led the Maronite Church with great dedication and pastoral sensitivity. A man of dialogue and hope, he was a brilliant ecclesial, social, and political reference point, to the extent that he was called the “Father of Greater Lebanon.” May the prayer and intercession of the new blessed always accompany the Maronite faithful throughout the world and obtain the gift of peace for the entire people of Lebanon, who are so dear to me.
I continue to follow with concern the persistence and resurgence of violence in the Holy Land, of which many civilians have recently also been victims, both in the West Bank and in Gaza. I make an urgent appeal for the resumption of negotiations for a just political solution, based on the dignity and equal rights of every person; and for the rejection of new military actions and unilateral decisions, particularly those that violate respect for and the status quo of the holy places of all religions.
I likewise reiterate my appeal regarding the situation throughout the Middle East, where the intensification of military operations has once again brought violence and destruction, placing the lives of numerous civilians at grave risk and worsening the shortage of drinking water and electricity. From the depths of my heart, I exhort all parties involved to suspend attacks and urgently reopen spaces for dialogue and diplomacy, in order to reach as soon as possible the peace so longed for by the entire region.
Let us continue to pray for all the peoples of the world who suffer because of war. May the Lord touch the hearts and enlighten the minds of those responsible, so that reconciliation and peace may soon be achieved.
In the face of the devastating fires that in recent days have affected several localities in France and Spain, I express my closeness and invite everyone to pray for those affected and for the work of the rescue teams.
Today the VI World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly is being celebrated, whose theme is inspired by the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I will never forget you” (Is 49:15). Let us together thank the Lord for the gift that the elderly represent for the Church and society, and let us commit ourselves to respecting and valuing their precious role, as well as to ensuring them, always, the care and assistance they deserve.
I greet with affection all who are present here, both residents and those who have come from various parts of Italy and the world!
A special welcome to the pilgrims of the Work of the Church and to the bishops accompanying them; a welcome and special greeting to the children of the “House of Mercy” in Chortkiv, Ukraine, guests of the parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Nocera Superiore; to the young people of the parish of Manerbio; to the participants in the International Youth Meeting organized on the occasion of the bicentenary of the death of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret; to the young pilgrims of the Catholic student movement Önze-Lieve-Vrouw Ster-Der-Zee from Maldegem, Belgium, as well as to the students of the Carabinieri Cadet School of Velletri, accompanied by the chaplain and their officers.
I greet the members of the Catholic Men Association of Cameroon.
I extend a special greeting to the participants in the “Peach Festival” of Castelgandolfo, who have come bringing their fruits to be blessed.
This afternoon in Rome, along the banks of the Tiber, the procession of the “fiumarola” Virgin will take place. May Mary, Mother of Jesus, grant those who take part in this beautiful tradition, and all of us, to live each day according to the teachings of the Gospel.
I wish you all from my heart a happy Sunday!
Fr Gibbons at live RTÉ Mass: Knock is iconic and unique, much like Msgr Horan!
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We celebrate today World day of Grandparents and the Elderly, so to all grandparents here with us, welcome. Today we also remember in prayer all who are climbing Croagh Patrick on pilgrimage. This is the traditional day for climbing the Reek as we call it – the last Sunday in July, we pray all will climb safely and return safely. It may be a good omen for all from this county who are travelling to a certain match on the other side of the island!
Today, as well, we will give thanks for the 50th anniversary of the building of this Basilica in 1976 by Monsignor James Horan.
Homily
Sir Christopher Wren was the architect and builder of Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London – it’s a masterpiece built along the lines of Saint Peter’s in Rome. He’s buried there and his epitaph reads: “Si monumentum requiris, circumspice” – “if you seek his monument look around you” – I think it could equally echo James Horan’s memory in the building of this Basilica. Take a quick look around – it’s iconic and unique, much like the man himself!
Here today we are thankful. Thankful to God for being here together in celebration, thankful to a visionary priest who built it as a church shelter, to give the people a place to worship from the sometimes inclement weather of the West! Thankful for wonderful parishioners and pilgrims who find faith and hope here in Knock and who support its development. Thankful to our Archbishops over the years – Archbishop Michael Neary and Francis Duffy, bishops, priests, chaplains, religious. To our benefactors and supporters, public representatives past and present who played and play a key role in Knock’s story. To our staff and volunteers who make everything work so well and without whom Knock wouldn’t be what it is: welcoming, peaceful, beautiful and faithful to the Gospel and our nation’s religious heritage.
“To do things well one needs: first love, then technique”, so said Antoni Gaudi the famous architect of the very famous Basilica of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona – it features 18 towers, the central one dedicated to Jesus Christ which was just blessed by Pope Leo XIV on 10 June last. If you haven’t seen the blessing ceremony of the tower (it’s not long by the way) do so – it’s mesmeric and profound.
Gaudi was once asked how long the Basilica would take to build, to which he replied, referencing the Almighty – “My client is not in a hurry!” Whatever about God not being in a hurry, there was a person who described himself as ‘an old man in a hurry’ – that was Monsignor James. The Basilica broke ground in 1973 and was completed in 1976 at the cost of €1.7/£1.8m – most of which was raised by its opening.
Gaudi’s first love and then technique methodology you could say was James’ as well – the reason for building was from a place of love: love of God so that people could worship in an appropriate setting rather than an open field: love of the people – the Monsignor was always concerned about the people’s physical as well as spiritual welfare, and love for this sacred place where heaven and earth met with an Apparition witnessed to by the entire village in 1879. The technique – well that was the ingenuity of the architect, Daithí Hanley, the faith and determination of the Monsignor and the skills of the workers who laboured on it.
The Basilica was due to open in July of 1976 but both Tom Neary and Father Paddy Mooney recall how it was pressed into action earlier than planned. The annual Achonry diocesan pilgrimage to Knock took place on 16 May that year as did pilgrimages from Dublin and Cork with thousands stranded in the pouring rain on one of those typically bleak Knock days.
Monsignor James Horan looked at the shell of a building and wondered if it could be put to use. There were no seats, no altar but there was shelter. ‘It was a dreadful day. Bucketing rain. And James asked if we could get into the Basilica. Eventually it was decided to let the people into the Basilica,’ recalls Father Paddy. ‘We used the cars to load them with vestments, chalices and everything else from the old church, drove them over and made a temporary altar. There were no seats. Nothing,’ he added. Both vividly, in separate interviews, recall the pilgrims coming into the Basilica and bursting into song. ‘The doors opened, the people got in the door and started singing immediately,’ said Father Paddy. ‘I remember thousands flooded into the covered areas and burst into singing hymns. There was nothing in there but there was a roof over their heads. They sat on the floor and they were delighted,’ recalls Tom Neary.
One of the most influential architects of the 20th century – Frank Gehry, he who designed and built the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, said that ‘Architecture should speak of its time and place but yearn for timelessness’. I think that has been accomplished here – it is an icon, instantly recognisable from the outside and thanks to Wejchert Architects – the late Paddy Fletcher, (wife Anne) and all who worked on the refurbishment ten years ago, the Basilica is truly a place where we can celebrate the sacraments with dignity as a community of faith, with people from all over the world and in different rites of the Universal Church.
Being thankful is something that we should never lose sight of – I always remind pilgrims at the beginning of ceremonies here in the Basilica to offer just one prayer of thanks to God. Whether it is a great Basilica or a small parish church – let us always acknowledge our need of God through prayer – we live in a dangerous time on the world stage and a time when our faith may not be as strong as the past but as long as there are communities who come to this sacred place and that are true to our faith heritage of 1600 years, our hope in a bright future will not be diminished – let us always be hopeful, always be prayerful and always be thankful.
Amen.
Thousands climb Croagh Patrick for Reek Sunday pilgrimage
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Masses were celebrated hourly in a small church on the summit of Croagh Patrick from 8am until 2pm and confessions also took place on the summit.
Pilgrims have been climbing the 765-metre-high mountain for more than 1,500 years.
St Patrick is said to have spent 40 days and nights fasting on its summit in 441.
Stewards, mountain rescue teams, the Order of Malta, and gardaí, are on standby during the physically demanding pilgrimage.
While it is a custom for some to scale the iconic mountain in their bare feet, pilgrims have been advised to come prepared for changeable weather conditions.
Many football fans scaled the reek early ahead of this afternoon's All-Ireland Final between Mayo and Kerry.
In a homily in Saint Mary's Church, Westport last night, Archbishop of Tuam and Bishop of Killala Francis Duffy said road safety was the theme chosen for this Reek Sunday.
Archbishop Duffy said behind every statistic lies "trauma, heartache and sadness", adding lives and families can be changed in a single moment.
"Taking care on the road is an essential part of respect - respect for ourselves and for others: our passengers, and every driver, cyclist and pedestrian who shares the road with us," he said.
He said while there are many careful and responsible drivers, a vehicle of any kind is also dangerous, and it demands responsible handling.
"Slowing down, leaving in good time, resting when needed, staying sober and staying focused, obeying the rules of the road - these are not accidentals either.
"They are the essentials. They are the fruit of a deliberate decision to be more careful and to respect others," he said.
Friday, July 24, 2026
Crisis-hit Peter McVerry Trust records loss of €1.36m for 2024
The crisis-hit homeless and housing charity, the Peter McVerry Trust, which has received a Government €15 million bail-out, recorded a loss of €1.36 million in 2024 “and is experiencing ongoing cash flow and funding challenges”.
The Peter McVerry Trust (PMVT) has now published its overdue accounts for 2024, and they show that a major contributor to the loss was a €3.9 million impairment on 20 PMVT properties that included one major property impairment of €3.01 million.
In accounts signed off by the Trustees on July 13th 2026, the trustees state that the charity “is experiencing ongoing cash flow and funding challenges”.
In a note on PMVT’s 'going concern' status, they state that in addition, there is uncertainty regarding the continued support of the Charities Regulator, AHBRA (Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority) and key funders following recent corporate governance matters.
Inspectors appointed by the AHBRA and the Charities Regulator previously made damning findings about misgovernance and lax financial controls in the trust.
The Trustees state that they have undertaken a detailed assessment of the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, including current funding levels, cash flow forecasts, and the status of ongoing engagement with the Charity Regulator, AHBRA, and principal funders.
The Trustees have concluded that the combination of these matters "represents a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the company to continue to meet its obligations as they fall due".
In their report, the Trustee state that “after an extremely difficult 2023, the Trust has reduced losses by 87 per cent.
The Trust has implemented a significant number of changes, reflecting the new funding landscape and realities of what services can be sustained.
They state that “they are confident, based on 2026 budgets and cash flow projections to the end of 2027, that the organisation is continuing to move in the right direction”.
The Government's €15 million “in exceptional emergency funding” to be drawn down on a phased basis was conditional on 32 conditions set down by the Department of Housing.
The Trustees state that as part of the agreement, PMVT committed to transferring unencumbered properties to local authorities, up to the value of the funding received.
They state that “this process is advancing, albeit taking longer than expected, and it is envisaged it will be completed by the end of Q4 2026”.
The new accounts show that donations and legacies to PMVT plunged by 65 per cent to €2.08 million in 2024.
The sharp decrease in donation income followed the charity’s fundraising team decreasing in 2024 from 12 to two part-time staff members "given the challenges the organisation experienced”.
The Trustees state that 2024 also saw the cancellation of Peter McVerry Trust Fundraising events such as our Gala Ball, Long Walk Home Series, Wexford Cycle and Christmas Carol Concert "as it was felt that it was not appropriate to proceed with them".
The Trustees state that “it is hoped that some of these will return in the future”.
The Trust’s costs for 2024 include governance costs of €911,940. That included a spend of €755,096 as it looked to recover from the crisis that hit the charity in 2023, which resulted in the Government bailout.
Diocesan Changes 2026 - Limerick
Bishop Brendan Leahy has made the following Clerical Changes with effect (unless otherwise stated) from September 2026.
Retirements
– Canon John O’Shea to retire from Saint Nessan’s Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Mungret/Raheen/Crecora, Patrickswell/Ballybrown and Saint Paul’s, Kildimo-Pallaskenry and Kilcornan with effect from 1 April 2026.
– Father John Keating to retire from Saint Ita’s Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Dromcollogher/Broadford, Kileedy/Ashford and Feenagh/Kilmeedy.
– Father Michael Hanley to retire from Maigue Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Bruff/Meanus/Grange, Banogue, Dromin/Athlacca, Croom, Fedamore and Manister.
Appointments
– Father Chris O’Donnell appointed as Co-Parish Priest and Moderator of the newly constituted Pastoral Unit of Askeaton/Ballysteen, Kildimo/Pallaskenry and Kilcornan.
– Father Sean Harmon appointed Co-Parish Priest (from 1 April) and Moderator from 5 September of Saint Nessan’s Pastoral Unit comprising the Parishes of Mungret/Raheen/Crecora, Patrickswell/Ballybrown and Saint Paul’s.
– Monsignor Tony Mullins VG, appointed as Co- Parish Priest and Moderator of Maigue Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Banogue, Bruff/Meanus/Grange, Croom, Dromin/Athlacca, Fedamore and Manister.
– Canon Pat O’Sullivan, appointed as Moderator of the Cill Rois Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Christ the King, Cratloe/Sixmilebridge and Our Lady of the Rosary.
– Father Andrew Chamberline SMMM, appointed to Saint Ita’s Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Dromcollogher /Broadford, Feenagh/Kilmeedy and Killeedy/Ashford, with particular responsibility for Killeedy/Ashford.
– Father Michael Edoziuno appointed to Maigue Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Banogue, Bruff/Meanus/Grange, Croom, Dromin/Athlacca, Fedamore and Manister.
– Father John Mockler appointed to Íde Naofa Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Abbeyfeale, Athea, Templeglantine and Tournafulla /Mountcollins.
– Canon Noel Kirwan, appointed to Saint Nessan’s Pastoral Unit comprising the Parishes of Mungret/Raheen/Crecora, Patrickswell/Ballybrown and Saint Paul’s.
– Father Robbie Coffey appointed to Cathedral Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Saint John’s, Monaleen, Saint Michael’s, Saint Patrick’s/St Brigid’s and Our Lady Help of Christians.
– Father Emmanuel Okwudinka appointed to Cill Rois Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Christ the King, Cratloe/Sixmilebridge and Our Lady of the Rosary, with particular responsibility for Cratloe parish.
– Father Tim Collins appointed to Ballyhoura Pastoral Unit comprising the parishes of Ardpatrick, Bulgaden/Martinstown, Effin/Garrienderk, Glenroe/Ballyorgan, Kilfinane and Kilmallock.
– Father Jaison Mathew MI appointed as Healthcare Chaplain at University Hospital Limerick with effect from 25 May 2026
– Father Sunny Joseph Aresseril MI appointed as provider of Sacramental Service at Bon Secour Hospital and locum chaplain at University Hospital Limerick with effect from 1 June 2026
Over 14,000 people sign petition to block controversial Bessborough apartments
It comes after an appeal against the development was broadly dismissed by An Coimisiún Pleanála earlier this month, leaving a compulsory purchase order (CPO) as the only legal mechanism likely to stop the project from going ahead.
Cork City Council voted unanimously in favour of a motion calling for a CPO, and this week the petition seeking to halt development crossed 14,000 signatures.
The petition was set up by Carmel Cantwell, whose mother, Bridget, is a survivor of the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home. It was there that her child was taken from her and buried in an unmarked grave, and since hearing the story, Carmel has fought tooth and nail to help other survivors, as well as the hundreds of children whose remains are still believed to be buried at the site.
When the decision was handed down by An Coimisiún Pleanála earlier this month, Carmel says she was absolutely devastated.
"I couldn't believe what they were telling me, all that effort, the campaigns, the rallies, the protests, I thought it would make a difference. We were devastated when we learned of the decision, and all day I was getting phone calls and messages from other people who couldn't believe what they were hearing," she told CorkBeo.
"What I can't understand is that Cork city councillors have now voted unanimously for a compulsory purchase order, while upstairs in a different department, they made a totally different decision, which isn't in tune with the people or their public representatives. We've received cross-party support with TDs and Senators bringing up Bessborough in the Dáil, and the Taoiseach has even expressed in the past that he would like to see the site turned into parkland."
The council initially approved the application in February of this year, granting permission to Estuary View Enterprises 2020 Limited to construct 140 apartments at the site. The appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála upheld the decision, but reduced the overall number of units to 106 as one block was deemed to be too close to a protected structure.
The Taoiseach has now requested that Cork City Council negotiate with the landowner to see if an agreement can be reached, and it's understood that the Government is willing to provide financial support to assist with a CPO.
Carmel and other advocates from the Bessboro Mother and Baby Home Support Group have organised rallies and vigils in recent weeks to call attention to the development at the site, with plans to hold more in the coming months should the process drag on. Carmel says she hopes to meet with the Taoiseach on the matter in the near future.
"I hope the petition helps, and we're set to bring it to the Taoiseach. We're just waiting for a gap in his diary, and he has asked the council to examine the matter, but those meetings will probably be held behind closed doors," she said.
Carmel says that after years of fighting for the survivors and children of Bessbrough, the response to the petition has been remarkable.
"It makes me feel like I'm not alone, it shows we have a lot of people behind us, and I can't begin to tell you about all the people who have helped. The survivors, the supporters, it's really been remarkable."
You can find the petition here.
Thursday, July 23, 2026
Man who saw burials at Bessborough thought bodies were ‘like dolls’
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Former minister Zappone sent letter of concern over Bessborough site
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Ms Zappone's letter was included in the collection of publicly available submissions to An Coimisiún Pleanála obtained by the Special Advocate’s office.
Two weeks ago, An Coimisiún Pleanála upheld planning permission for a 106-apartment development on the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home site in Cork.
In correspondence, Ms Zappone, who as minister for children held responsibility for the oversight of the Mother and Baby Home Commission (2016-2020), made a number of observations, including that "enough was not done to determine burial sites" at Bessborough.
The submission dated 13 April states that "there were modest efforts to do so (locate burial grounds) at Bessborough by the Mother and Baby Home Commission, but these were not sufficient or similar to the efforts made at Tuam".
The former minister also rejected the planning requirement to have forensic archaeologists on site during building.
"It seems logical to conclude that builders who are working on the site would hold even greater potential to destroy human remains, even with monitoring, thus potentially obliterating any kind of possibility of DNA identification," she said.
Ms Zappone suggested that An Coimisiún Pleanála seek information from the lead forensic archaeologist as to why the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation did not ask them to conduct a Ground Penetrating Radar examination of the grounds.
She stated in the letter that in respect of Bessborough, "the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation did not request [lead consultant Forensic Archaeologist] (who was their consultant to them on these matters) to do the same kind of initial testing for potential human remains as was done in Tuam".
"No Ground Penetrating Radar was used (in Bessborough) as it was in the first phase of testing in Tuam," she said.
She emphasised that it was her direction while minister, that the Institutional Burials Act 2022 "should also apply to all other potential burial sites at the various mother and baby institutions".
The Special Advocate for Survivors has said the letter of objection by a former minister who held responsibility for the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation "clearly indicates that the former minister is concerned about the sufficient efforts by the commission to locate infant and child remains in Bessborough".
Patricia Carey said many mothers and other family members had contacted her requesting that she raise the issue of their not knowing where their child is buried on the grounds of institutions across Ireland.
"The fact that there is no definite identification in these burial grounds is a heartbreaking situation for those mothers and the wider family members of those children who died," she said.
Ms Carey has urged the State to reinvestigate to ensure the burial grounds can be finally and comprehensively identified.
She said Section 8 of the Institutional Burials Act relating to 'Burial Grounds Regulations' allows for further, forensic and final identification of burial grounds.
The Special Advocate has also reiterated her request for the release of sealed Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation records, documentation and reports relating to burial ground investigations in all institutions.
This she said would indicate the State's "commitment to transparency", in response to concerns expressed by survivors and their families that the Commission of Investigation had not fully investigated potential burial sites.
"Burial investigations are not 'witness evidence', therefore I see no bar to their publication.
"Under section 11(3) COIA 2004 a court can direct disclosure of evidence and records contained in the MBHCOI Archive. I am calling on the Taoiseach and the Minister for Disability, Children, Equality to instruct the Attorney General to seek such a court order immediately," she said.
The Special Advocate has joined others in calling for a Compulsory Purchase Order by Cork City Council of the Bessborough site; as well as further investigation of the Bessborough grounds, including through non-invasive archaeological methods, to identify the burial grounds of 859 babies, infants and 19 mothers who remain disappeared.
The Special Advocate has called for engagement by the State with Survivors and Affected Persons of Bessborough, and the Special Advocate for Survivors, to determine a shared approach to memorialisation and dignified burial for the 923 infants and children, as well as the mothers who died at Bessborough.
Ricardo Yesquén, one of the priests from Chiclayo accused of abuse before Prevost, dies without having been investigated
The priest Ricardo Yesquén Paiva, aged 59, one of the two clerics of the Diocese of Chiclayo accused of abusing minors in the case involving Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, since his time as bishop of that diocese, has died in Ferreñafe, Peru.
Yesquén dies without any canonical or civil investigation having been opened against him in the six years since the first complaint was filed with Prevost himself in 2020.
The news of his death was reported this Tuesday by local media in Ferreñafe, the town where diocesan records listed him as parochial vicar of the parish of Santa Lucía.
The Diocese of Chiclayo has not issued an official statement so far.
A complaint that was never investigated
According to case documentation accessed by InfoVaticana, the incidents attributed to Yesquén date back to 2006, when the priest, then 39 years old, allegedly imposed libidinous kisses on a 10-year-old girl at the parish house in La Victoria (Chiclayo), in episodes that reportedly repeated for at least a year.
The complainant is Ana María Quispe, who years later made her story public after realizing that her complaints to the Church produced no effect.
In that same parish house, priest Eleuterio Vásquez Gonzales, known as “Padre Lute,” lived with Yesquén; he was accused by the same victims of extremely serious acts: the testimonies describe the transfer of 9 and 11-year-old girls, under the pretext of supposed missionary activities, to an isolated dwelling in the mountains of Ferreñafe, six hours from their homes, where the priest spent the night alone with them in a single bed and performed sexual rubbing.
As former apostolic administrator Guillermo Cornejo publicly acknowledged, Vásquez admitted the facts.
The first notitia criminis regarding Yesquén reached then-bishop of Chiclayo Robert Prevost in March 2020, via a telephone call from the victim. Canon 1717 of the Code of Canon Law obliges the Ordinary to open an official preliminary investigation upon any plausible report of a crime.
The response the complainant says she received was an instruction to pursue the civil route, which in Peru had already been time-barred for years.
In the canonical forum, however, the offense had not prescribed: the period is twenty years counted from the victim’s majority, and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith may additionally dispense it. No investigation was opened.
In April 2022, the three complainants were received by Prevost at the bishop’s office. Regarding Yesquén, according to their testimony, the bishop told them that the priest was “depressed” and removed from his duties, so no action was warranted.
Public records paint a different picture: in June 2020, five months after the first complaint, Yesquén carried the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament in a public procession through Chiclayo; official diocesan publications listed him as parochial vicar of Santa Lucía de Ferreñafe at least until January 2023; and his presence at the 2023 Chrism Mass is documented, as a diocesan priest acknowledged in a recorded conversation.
No precautionary measure was ever imposed on Yesquén.
Against Vásquez, Prevost’s April 2022 decree did impose measures, but its content, read in full by the case instructor before the victims and revealed by this outlet, was limited to two restrictions: removal from his office as pastor of Ciudad Eten and prohibition from hearing confessions.
He was not suspended from public ministry, and it is graphically documented that he continued to celebrate Mass, even concelebrating with the bishop in the cathedral.
There are also photographs circulated on social media, dated January 12, 2023, showing then-bishop Prevost at a birthday celebration alongside Yesquén, dressed in clerical attire, and other diocesan priests: almost three years after the first complaint and nine months after the second.
An alleged incapacity never proven
When the case reached the Peruvian media at the end of 2023, the diocese explained that Yesquén was “in delicate health,” in a rest home, and that no charges would be brought against him. In September 2024, an official communiqué specified that the priest suffered from a “serious degenerative illness” that prevented him from defending himself, “so no case can be opened against him,” and added that “for years he has not exercised priestly ministry,” a claim that contrasts with the 2023 diocesan records cited above.
That incapacity was never proven to the victims through an independent medical expert report, as provided for in canons 1574 and 1577.
In October 2025, the complainants formally requested the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to add Yesquén’s clinical documentation to the file: a 2020 medical report proving the alleged incapacity and an updated one determining his current condition.
The request has received no response.
The victims do not accept the false closure of the case
Yesquén’s death extinguishes the possibility of proceedings against him personally, but it does not settle the case.
The victims maintain that neither this outcome nor the handling of Vásquez’s file — closed in 2025 without trial or judgment on the merits through the dispensation from the clerical state requested by the priest himself and signed by Leo XIV, despite the complainants’ express request that the cause reach its conclusion — constitute closures in accordance with the law, and that the responsibility remains intact for the way both files were managed: the failure to fulfill the duty to investigate imposed on the Ordinary by canon 1717, the insufficiency of the precautionary measures, the repeated referral to a time-barred civil route, and the denial of access to documentation maintained since 2022.
Current pontifical norms — from Vos estis lux mundi to Come una madre amorevole — contemplate the negligence of ecclesiastical authorities in handling abuse complaints as conduct that is itself sanctionable.
It is not only the complainants’ assessment.
The case’s own delegate instructor, Giampiero Gambaro, described the preliminary investigation conducted under Prevost before the victims as “a mockery”, “very poorly done,” with “many errors” and “much superficiality.”
To date, the victims continue constant legal actions, both canonical and civil, to ensure the case proceeds and justice is done: requests for access to the file, petitions for investigative steps never taken, and submissions to various instances of the Holy See.
The response, for months now, has been a sepulchral silence from the various institutions addressed.
The “conspiracy” thesis that does not hold
Since the case gained international relevance with the election of Leo XIV, it has been portrayed as the result of an operation by the Sodalitium of Christian Life or “ultraconservative” sectors against the Pope.
This is the thesis contained in the authorized biography of the Pontiff signed by Elise Ann Allen and replicated by outlets such as El País or Religión Digital, which have preferred to focus on the supposed interests of those reporting the case rather than on the documented facts of the file.
That version does not withstand comparison with what has been proven: the 2020 and 2022 complaints predate any conclave context; the facts and omissions are documented in official records, diocesan communiqués, and recordings of the ecclesiastical officials themselves handling the case; and the negligence of the investigation has been acknowledged by the instructor appointed by the current diocese.
The victims, who already presented their situation by letter to Pope Francis in October 2024, are not part of any conspiracy: through the Church’s own legal channels, they demand what they have been asking for since day one — truth, a real investigation, and access to their own file — and the case should advance along that path.
Last March, Vásquez reappeared publicly at a parish celebration in Chiclayo accompanied by priest Edward Tocto, the canonist who served as his defense counsel in the process, current associate judicial vicar of the diocese, and a person of known personal closeness to Robert Prevost since his years in Chiclayo.
With Yesquén’s death, neither of the two accused priests will ever have appeared before any tribunal, canonical or civil.
The questions the victims keep open before the Holy See remain, all of them, pending response.
Vatican's anti-money laundering body tightens cooperation with the Bundesbank following the reform by Leo XIV
The Financial Supervision and Information Authority (ASIF), the Holy See’s anti-money laundering body, continues to strengthen its international projection following the deep reform approved by Leo XIV just a few weeks ago.
On 17 July, it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Deutsche Bundesbank, Germany’s central bank, to enhance technical cooperation between the two institutions in financial supervision.
The agreement marks the first significant international move since the new ASIF Statute came into force.
The reform, enacted by a Papal Chirograph and effective since the end of June, abolished the Presidency and the Board of Directors established in 2020, concentrated the agency’s governance in a single director appointed by the Pope, and transferred its accountability to the Council for the Economy.
The new structure raised questions about the effective independence of the Vatican’s financial supervisor, a key element for its credibility with international bodies.
Cooperation with the German central bank
The memorandum was signed at the Vatican’s Palazzo San Carlo by ASIF Director Federico Antellini Russo and Burkhard Balz, a member of the Deutsche Bundesbank’s Executive Board.
According to the Holy See, the agreement aims to consolidate cooperation between the two institutions through training programmes, the exchange of experiences and best practices in financial supervision.
The goal is to strengthen transparency, integrity and sustainability in the international financial system, as well as to deepen collaboration between the Vatican’s supervisory authority and the central bank of the European Union’s largest economy.
During the ceremony, Balz stated that the signing of the memorandum reaffirms “the shared commitment to the principles of integrity, transparency and international cooperation” and provides “a framework for continuous exchange and mutual support,” with the aim of contributing to the common good through “a stable and fair financial system.”
The new ASIF’s first international initiative
In his remarks, ASIF Director Federico Antellini Russo placed the agreement within the new phase opened by Leo XIV’s reform.
“The signing of this memorandum of understanding takes place in the fifteenth anniversary year of the Authority’s creation and just weeks after the entry into force of the new Statute of the Financial Supervision and Information Authority, promulgated by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV,” he noted.
Antellini Russo emphasised that these milestones offer an opportunity to take stock of the path travelled, but above all “to look to the future with confidence,” and expressed his hope that cooperation with the Bundesbank will continue to grow stronger and closer.
International credibility remains at the centre of debate
In the communiqué issued by the Vatican, the ASIF maintains that the agreement has been made possible by the Holy See’s commitment to strengthening its financial architecture in line with international standards.
The agency asserts that the reforms undertaken in recent years have reinforced transparency, accountability and the professionalisation of its structures, thereby increasing its credibility within the international financial community.
It was precisely this credibility that became a focal point of the debate sparked by the new ASIF Statute.
Although the text expressly proclaims the Authority’s autonomy and independence, the abolition of the President and the Board of Directors, together with the concentration of governance in a single director and the assignment of budgetary oversight and accountability functions to the Council for the Economy, raised questions about the institutional architecture of the financial supervisor.
Cooperation with the Bundesbank therefore comes at a particularly significant moment for the ASIF.
While the Vatican seeks to consolidate the confidence of international bodies tasked with evaluating its supervision and anti-money laundering mechanisms, the practical implementation of the reform driven by Leo XIV will be closely watched both inside and outside the Holy See.
Also present at the signing of the memorandum were Monsignor Mihăiţă Blaj, Under-Secretary of the Section for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Secretariat of State, and Christoph Braner, Minister Plenipotentiary at the German Embassy to the Holy See.
Archdiocese of Barcelona intervenes in three diocesan foundations after detecting alleged fraudulent sales
The Archdiocese of Barcelona has intervened in the diocesan foundations Valldejuli, Sant Josep Oriol and Mare de Déu dels Desemparats and has appointed two new joint administrators to ensure their proper administration, after an external audit detected alleged fraudulent sales at below-market prices of foundational assets, as well as other irregularities in the management of the Valldejuli Foundation.
As a result of the investigation, the director and the administrator of the Valldejuli Foundation have submitted their resignations; they also held positions of responsibility in the other two affected entities.
Director and administrator of the Valldejuli Foundation resign
Although the statement from the Archdiocese does not identify the officials who have resigned, the composition of the governing bodies of the Valldejuli Foundation makes it clear that the director of the entity was the priest Saturnino «Nino» Rodríguez, archpriest of the Archdiocese of Barcelona, while the administrator was the permanent deacon Rubén García.
Both also held management positions in the Sant Josep Oriol and Mare de Déu dels Desemparats foundations, where they have likewise submitted their resignations.
An external audit uncovered the alleged irregularities
According to the Archdiocese of Barcelona, the intervention in the Valldejuli Foundation follows the detection of alleged fraudulent sales at below-market prices of foundational assets, as well as other irregularities in the management of the entity.
These facts came to light as a result of an investigation commissioned by the Archdiocese itself from an external auditor.
The investigations carried out so far also suggest that the Sant Josep Oriol and Mare de Déu dels Desemparats foundations may have been subject to alleged irregular administration, which is why extraordinary measures have also been adopted to ensure their proper management.
Three foundations with important social work
The three entities carry out significant social work in the Archdiocese of Barcelona.
The Valldejuli Foundation and the Mare de Déu dels Desemparats Foundation manage residences for the elderly, while the Sant Josep Oriol Foundation administers the Sant Josep Oriol priestly residence, where retired priests from the dioceses of Barcelona, Sant Feliu de Llobregat and Terrassa reside.
With the appointment of new joint administrators, the Archdiocese aims to preserve the assets of the foundations and ensure the continuity of the care they provide to their residents.
The investigation remains open
The Archdiocese of Barcelona has stated that the investigations continue with the aim of fully clarifying the facts and determining the scope of the alleged irregularities detected.
The Archdiocese assures that it will continue to analyze all actions related to these foundations in order to have complete information on what happened and to adopt the necessary measures.
Holy See issues a statement on the Rupnik case: "There is no court decision"
The Holy See Press Office has officially denied reports suggesting a supposed acquittal of the former Slovenian Jesuit Marko Ivan Rupnik.
In a statement sent to accredited journalists and shared by Vatican correspondent Michael Haynes, the Vatican asserts that the news about a decision adopted by the tribunal “lacks any foundation whatsoever” and emphasizes that the canonical process “remains ongoing.”
The Holy See explains that the panel of judges continues to examine the documentation provided by the dioceses involved, the Society of Jesus, the interested parties, and even materials published by the press.
It further adds that, while the proceedings remain open, no information about the investigation can be made public, both out of respect for the judicial process and to avoid causing harm to all those involved.
It also clarifies that, should the tribunal deem it necessary to gather new information, it will do so on its own initiative.
The statement responds to reports that have appeared in recent days regarding the status of the canonical proceedings against Rupnik and officially clarifies that the examination of the case continues and that no decision has been made by the tribunal.
The Press Office also recalls that this is a canonical criminal process of a judicial nature, not subject to prescription, which must determine Rupnik’s guilt or innocence in accordance with Canon Law.
At the same time, it emphasizes that the former Jesuit remains subject to the legislation of the countries where the alleged acts were committed, whose statutes of limitations are independent of ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
The case against Rupnik is currently in the hands of a tribunal composed of five independent judges, external both to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and to the Roman Curia.
The opening of the proceedings was announced by Leo XIV last November, when he called for patience, noting that “processes to deliver justice require time.”
Since then, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has maintained strict silence regarding the progress of the case, until this statement officially denying that any resolution by the tribunal already exists.
Priest charged with 116 sex offences
A priest has been returned for trial to Londonderry Crown Court charged with 116 sex offences.
59-year-old Edward Gallagher, whose address is Maghaberry Prison, appeared at a preliminary enquiry at Londonderry Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
The charges are said to have occurred on dates between 22 June 2023 and 18 April 2025.
They include among others sexual communication with children, attempted sexual communication with children, possessing indecent images of children and inciting children under 16 to engage in sexual activity .
Defence solicitor Derwin Harvey told the court he had gone through the charges with Gallagher and there was no need for all 116 to be read out in court.
It was accepted there was a case to answer and there were no contrary submissions.
Gallagher said he did not want to call any witnesses or make any statement at this stage.
He was returned for trial to Londonderry Crown Court on a date to be fixed and remains in custody.
Gallagher has been suspended from his duties as a priest.
High Court to consider publishing names of 340 former Christian Brothers
The High Court will decide next week whether it will allow the media to publish the names of about 340 former Christian Brothers in the hope they come forward over their time in the order in the 1970s and 1980s, as part of a case taken by an abuse survivor.
The case came before Judge Mary Rose Gearty on Wednesday from a plaintiff who was abused by Brother Liam Coughlan (90) while attending school in Co Kilkenny in the 1970s.
In 2023, Coughlan, of Pine Grove, Tramore, Co Waterford, received two jail terms, of three years and two months and four-and-a-half years, for 49 counts of indecent assault.
The High Court has previously criticised the now head of the Christian Brothers, David Gibson, for an allegedly “obstructive” approach towards lawsuits alleging abuse.
As an unincorporated association, the Christian Brothers cannot be sued if it does not provide a 'nominee'.
Brother Gibson has refused to act as a 'nominee' for the congregation, leaving litigants needing to bring legal action against individual members or former members of the order.
The case has been taken by the male survivor of abuse, who cannot be named, against Coughlan as the first named defendant and against Brother Gibson, who is the second named defendant.
The plaintiff is seeking an order compelling the release of information that would assist his lawyers to locate former brothers as part of his civil claims for damages.
The court heard today that Brother Gibson had provided names and contact information for current brothers but no addresses are available for those who have left the order.
Brother Gibson has submitted, through lawyers, that he does not have addresses or contact details for those who have left the congregation. He did provide their names.
Andrew Nugent, for the victim, instructed by solicitor Philip Treacy of Coleman Legal, said Brother Gibson was in the best position to locate the former members or furnish their contact details.
"The difficulty is that without Brother Gibson's assistance we have no way of locating these persons," said Mr Nugent.
Isabelle Aylmer, for Brother Gibson, said there was no database held by the Christian Brothers regarding those who left the congregation in the 1970s and 1980s. She added that if the court made a formal order, they would make "every endeavour" to comply.
Nugent said Brother Gibson "may have some other means to communicate with these people - and we couldn't possibly know what records are held".
Judge Gearty made an order for Brother Gibson to use his powers of procurement to gather email addresses, phone numbers and addresses regarding the former Christian Brothers members and adjourned the matter to next week for a sub-service application for newspaper advertisements calling for people to come forward.
Taxpayers could pay millions to abuse survivors if Christian Brothers goes bankrupt, court documents reveal
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Australian taxpayers could be forced to cover up to $65m in payouts to hundreds of abuse victims when a failing arm of the Catholic church disappears, new court documents reveal.
Last month, the Christian Brothers, a Catholic order with a shocking record of child abuse, informed a court it was going broke and would not be able to afford to pay out survivors.
The move has affected hundreds of cases brought either through the civil courts or through the governmentrun national redress scheme, which allows survivors to seek capped amounts of compensation without going to court.
An actuarial report detailing the state of the Christian Brothers finances was released to the media on Monday, alongside other court documents.
The report reveals there are currently 340 redress claims involving the Christian Brothers, which will cost the religious order an estimated $25m.
But the report also predicts the Christian Brothers will be subject to another 590 redress claims, worth $40m, in future years.
In total, it is on the hook for 930 redress claims worth $65m.
The rules of the redress scheme make the federal government a “funder of last resort”.
That means that where an institution no longer exists or is unable to pay, the federal government is forced to step in and cover the costs.
The situation has prompted a withering response from the social services minister, Tanya Plibersek.
“Victim survivors deserve to have those responsible for their abuse held accountable,” she said. “Christian Brothers should take responsibility for the harm members of their order have caused.
“Funder of last resort arrangements which call on taxpayer funds should be just that - the absolute last resort.”
The Christian Brothers is currently proposing a scheme that would sell off its remaining 36 properties and divide up the proceeds between a range of creditors, including survivors and the government. But the proceeds from those property sales will be nowhere near enough to cover survivors’ claims, and are likely to provide a fraction of what survivors are owed.
Survivors and plaintiff law firms are angry that the Christian Brothers has spent the past decade transferring vast and lucrative holdings of property to a separate entity, known as the Trustees of Edmund Rice Education Australia, for nominal amounts of $1. That entity is resisting any attempt to sell off those properties to help pay survivors.
Plibersek said the government would take a “forensic approach” to the matter.
“I want to assure victimsurvivors that the Albanese Labor government will ensure the integrity of the National Redress Scheme is upheld, and applications naming Christian Brothers can continue to be lodged and will be determined in the usual way,” she said.
“The commonwealth, through the Department of Social Services, is participating in the current supreme court of New South Wales proceedings concerning the Christian Brothers’ proposed creditors’ scheme and is acting to ensure the interests of victim survivors and taxpayers are protected. We will be adopting a forensic approach to the Christian Brothers’ proposed financial restructure.”
The Guardian also revealed the Christian Brothers has used its dwindling finances to support nine convicted child abusers who remain in the order, and used two remaining properties to house brothers with horrific histories of abuse, including one who preyed on orphans and another who was kept in teaching positions for almost three decades after senior officials became aware of his offending.
The newly released court documents also reveal there is more property still that is owned by an entity known as the Brothers of the Christian Schools of Ireland, which is currently out of the reach of survivors and other creditors.
The court documents show the entity held net assets of $57m as at 31 December 2025. That has reduced rapidly to $47m in net assets by May this year.
The Christian Brothers is attempting to fold those assets into its proposed sell-off scheme, which could boost the funds available to survivors and other creditors.
Earlier this month, Plibersek expressed serious concern about the approach of the Christian Brothers. Speaking in parliament after revelations about the transfer of property to the Trustees of Edmund Rice Education Australia, she said: “Growing up, I was taught that there was one church and one God, not multiple corporate entities that transfer assets for purposes that are yet to be made clear.
“The feeling that no one may be held to account for this abuse - that is perhaps even worse than the financial impacts … The idea that no one will be held to account for child sexual abuse, when it is identifiable where it happened and who was responsible, I think is devastating for victims and survivors.”
• In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380.
In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331.
In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helplines International
Bishop expands TLM provision ahead of illicit consecration
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Bishop Hugh Gilbert, O.S.B., of Aberdeen, Scotland, approved the offering of Traditional Latin Masses every Sunday at the Church of Our Lady of the Garioch and St. John the Evangelist in Fetternear, a hamlet in Aberdeenshire.
The Masses had been offered at the non-parochial church by members of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer (Transalpine Redemptorists), a traditionalist community based on Papa Stronsay, a remote island that falls within the Aberdeen diocese’s boundaries.
But when the community’s leadership began to issue statements repudiating recent papal documents and suggesting that popes since Vatican Council II were illegitimate — a position known as sedevacantism — Gilbert asked a diocesan priest, Fr. Bruno Murphy, to offer the Masses instead.
The Traditional Latin Masses were previously offered once a month, but under the new arrangement they will be available every Sunday. The new celebrants will be Fr. Yousef Marie, F.SS.R., and Fr. Peter Mary, F.SS.R., who were members of the Papa Stronsay community but have dissociated themselves from its present direction.
Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R., the 72-year-old superior general and founder of the Transalpine Redemptorists, is expected to be consecrated illicitly as a bishop July 25. The Canadian sedevacantist Bishop Pierre Roy is scheduled to serve as principal consecrator at the ceremony on Papa Stronsay, which is located in the Orkney Islands, an archipelago off Scotland’s northeastern coast.
On the last weekend before the scheduled episcopal consecration, Gilbert asked priests across the Aberdeen diocese to celebrate Masses using prayers for the Unity of the Church, an option in the Roman Missal’s section for “Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions.”
In a pastoral letter read out in churches July 18-19, Gilbert lamented the impact of the Transalpine Redemptorist episcopal consecration on Church unity.
He
wrote: “Recently, the Society of St. Pius X chose to ordain four new
bishops without the permission (or mandate) of the pope. This
constitutes an act of schism. Next Saturday, July 25, something similar
is scheduled to occur in Orkney when the Superior of the Sons of the
Most Holy Redeemer intends to be ordained bishop by three unauthorized
bishops from the Americas. This likewise constitutes an act of schism
and will place those engaged in it outside the Catholic Church.”
Alluding
to the presence of an SSPX Mass center in Aberdeen, Gilbert commented:
“Both of these actions, and especially the latter, touch our own diocese
of Aberdeen, and not in a good way. Objectively, we are dealing with a
break from the unity of the Church.”
The
pastoral letter reflected on the pope’s role in sustaining the unity of
the Catholic Church, beginning with St. Peter the Apostle.
Gilbert
wrote: “Some of this can seem remote from our daily preoccupations. But
at another level, this gift of Christ — the Petrine ministry alive in
the pope — is vital to our faith. It is not by chance that every
Catholic Mass throughout the world names the current pope. It is a sign
that every diocese, parish or community is not just a gathering of
‘chums,’ but part of something wider and greater.”
“The papacy saves us from a Christianity in our own image, a Christianity merely reflecting our own pet ideas or the current cultural ‘take’ on things. The papacy connects our ‘here’ to everywhere the Gospel has taken root and will, and our ‘now’ with the lasting will of Christ for his Church.”
He added: “With the papacy we are spared the fate of becoming a merely national Church or a sect, or followers of some self-appointed authority. We are kept open to the fulness of the faith and the full breadth of the call to charity. With Peter the mission flourishes, without him it withers. And to refuse communion with him is spiritual suicide.”
The Pillar asked the Transalpine Redemptorists for a response to Gilbert’s pastoral letter, but they had not responded by press time.
The Transalpine Redemptorists — who are distinct from the Redemptorists, the worldwide congregation established by St. Alphonsus Liguori in 1732 — emerged in 1988 from the SSPX’s orbit. Members combined a devotion to the Traditional Latin Mass with the spirituality of St. Alphonsus.
After Pope Benedict XVI expanded access to the Traditional Latin Mass, the Transalpine Redemptorists were reconciled with the Holy See in 2008. Gilbert erected the community as a clerical religious institute of diocesan right in 2012.
But in October 2025, the group issued an open letter declaring that it rejected several major documents issued under Pope Francis.
“We repudiate the Synodal Church as distinct from the Divinely constituted Catholic Church,” said the letter, which had 27 signatories, giving an indication of the community’s size.
On May 26, the community issued a declaration describing post-conciliar popes as “papal pretenders.”
The text expressed regret at the 2008 reconciliation, saying the Transalpine Redemptorists had still found themselves “forced by faith to resist the Conciliar authorities, although in a different manner.”
In response to the declaration, Gilbert said: “This ordination would be celebrated without a papal mandate, by a group of bishops who deny that Our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV is actually the pope.”
“Since this consecration is due to take place within the geographical boundaries of the Diocese of Aberdeen, I am obliged to make clear to the faithful of the diocese that any such episcopal ordination would be unlawful and a grave act of disobedience, separating those taking part from communion with the Catholic Church.”
Laicized Right Before the Conclave: The Priest Who Accused Leo XIV of Covering Up Abuse
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It was retaliation.
The monsignor alleges that false accusations, manipulated evidence, and irregular canonical procedures were used to destroy his reputation after he defended alleged abuse victims and publicly criticized influential Church leaders.
He says he was never shown a formal decree of dismissal. He says due process was never afforded.
He says the Church authorities who destroyed him relied on power, not law.
At the center of his accusations: Pope Leo XIV, then Cardinal Robert Prevost, whom the monsignor accuses of covering up abuse and orchestrating his removal.
He also names Bishop Michael Sheridan, Bishop James Golka, and Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò in his account of a system that punishes those who speak truth.
Croatian Catholic community in Australia recovers the ancient Glagolitic liturgy
The celebration brought together hundreds of faithful from across the country and revived one of the most distinctive liturgical traditions of the Latin Church.
The liturgy, held on the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Christ, was presided over by Father Mateusz Markiewicz of the Institute of the Good Shepherd (IBP), assisted by Dominican prior Laurie Foote from Adelaide and Carmelite brother Jerome Voštan of the Order of Carmel, who traveled from Perth.
An ancient variant of the Roman rite in a Slavic language
The Glagolitic liturgy is one of the most distinctive traditions of the Latin Church. Its origins date back to the evangelization of the Slavic peoples by Saints Cyril and Methodius in the ninth century.
Although Latin was the proper liturgical language of the West, the popes granted Croatian Catholics the privilege of celebrating the Roman rite in Old Church Slavonic using the Glagolitic alphabet, developed for the evangelization of the Slavic peoples.
Thanks to this privilege, Croatian faithful preserved the Roman liturgy in their own sacred language for centuries, passing the tradition from generation to generation while remaining fully part of the Latin Church.
For this celebration, the so-called Misal Vajs was used—the last printed edition of the Glagolitic missal, published in 1927. The copy was brought from the Croatian Catholic chaplaincy in Clifton Hill, Melbourne, along with the altar cards prepared for the occasion.
“It is not a relic of the past”
One of the organizers, Ante Cutuk, explained that the goal was to show that this liturgical tradition remains a living reality and not merely a museum piece.
“The Glagolitic Mass is one of the most distinctive treasures of Croatian Catholic heritage,” he stated.
He explained that this liturgy reminds Croatian Catholics that their ancestors preserved the faith “through their own sacred language, their chant, and their customs,” while always remaining in full communion with the Catholic Church.
“Bringing it to Sydney has shown that this ancient liturgy is neither dead nor a mere object of nostalgia; it continues to move people and strengthen their faith,” he added.
Cutuk also emphasized that Croatian identity cannot be understood solely through culture or nationality, but also through the Catholic faith, which has shaped the history of the Croatian people for centuries.
International-scale preparation
The celebration gathered hundreds of Croatian Catholics from various Australian states and even from abroad. Preparation required several weeks of work to coordinate the choir, altar servers, and the rubrics specific to this liturgical tradition.
For this purpose, Branko Lovrinov and Danijel Uremović traveled from Zagreb to assist with the organization and lead the weekly rehearsals leading up to the celebration.
Cutuk highlighted the atmosphere during the ceremony, which included priests, young people, families, choir members, and numerous faithful from different generations.
“It was beautiful to see Croatian Catholics of all ages united for the same purpose. Seeing the church full, hearing Old Church Slavonic and traditional chant, and knowing that people had come from other states and even from abroad made the celebration truly historic,” he noted.
The organizer concluded by expressing his hope that the revival of this tradition will continue and help keep alive one of the most distinctive liturgical heritages preserved by the Latin Church.
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