After an investigation into Miles Jesu by the Vicariate of Rome and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life started in June of 2007, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Cardinal Vicar of the Diocese of Rome has decided to appoint an external superior over Miles Jesu. He will take the place of Fr. Mark Gelis, M.J. who was previously the General Director of Miles Jesu.In Fr. Gelis's letter on the Miles Jesu website, he makes it sound like this act of appointing an external superior over Miles Jesu is just a matter of "special assistance" for "accompanying us in the further development of our programs for admission and formation of candidates as well as the preparatory formation of the members before deepening their commitments."
What Father Gelis doesn't mention is that this external superior is being imposed over Miles Jesu after an investigation that was started after approximately 19 members in May of 2007 (including members who were former members of Miles Jesu's governing body, Miles Jesu priests, as well as members who had been in Miles Jesu for over 25 years) reported witnessing over the years in Miles Jesu the following abuses: manipulation of possible recruits to join Miles Jesu, financial dishonesty, practices against Canon Law such as non-confidential spiritual direction, not providing all members with adequate health care/insurance, Miles Jesu's teaching that one's salvation strictly depends on joining Miles Jesu, it's prohibition of many members to pursue higher education, it's appointment of a Vicar Directress over the women's branch with no formal education in theology or Canon Law, sexual abuse, and various other abuses that show Miles Jesu has cultic qualities.
Up until now these members have been afraid to speak out and warn the Catholic faithful of this dangerous group because they were intimidated with legal threats by a lawyer working for Miles Jesu. After years of suffering they have also not been helped in any way by the Vicariate of Rome, the Congregation for Religious, or Miles Jesu. Hopefully this new superior, Fr. Barry Fischer, will be willing to help victims of Miles Jesu who after years of trying to serve the Church in Miles Jesu are left in destitute situations. Hopefully, he will also prevent Miles Jesu from harrasing ex-members with legal threats.
If you, like so many others, have been abused, deceived by, or adversely affected by Miles Jesu at any time either as a member or a benefactor, please contact Fr. Barry Fischer, CPPS. To find out how you can talk directly to Fr. Fischer directly please call Miles Jesu's publically listed number
(773) 262-0861
(Chicago, IL USA house). No member of Miles Jesu can impede you from speaking to Fr. Fischer. If you are aware of abuses it is your duty to inform Fr. Fischer, so that you can help him to reform Miles JesuYou may also contact the Cardinal directly:
Here is the contact information for Cardinal Vallini which is listed on the website of the Vicariate of Rome:
http://www.vicariatusurbis.org/CardinaleVicario.asp
Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano 4 - 00184 ROMA
tel. Vicariato 06-69.88.61.55/56
e-mail: Segreteria.CardinalVallini@VicariatusUrbis.org
In the United States, Miles Jesu currently operates in the canonical territory of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Chicago, and the Diocese of Phoenix. These dioceses should also have information on how you can contact the external superior appointed over Miles Jesu.
From the Official Website of Miles Jesu:
http://milesjesu.com/
An Important Message from Rome+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Divine Mercy Sunday
April 19, 2009
Rome, Italy
Dear Brothers and Sisters and Friends of Miles Jesu,
The Lord is truly risen, Alleluia!
The Easter Season is a time of new birth, new life and renewed joy. This Easter Season our Heavenly Father has brought to our Ecclesial Family Miles Jesu new birth, new life and renewed joy in a very special way.
The canonical visitation to Miles Jesu has been formally concluded by Cardinal Agostino Vallini with decree of March 25, 2009. With this decree, the Church has also put our Ecclesial Family on a path for a happy and fruitful future. During this time, She is showing her motherly solicitude by giving to us the special assistance of Fr. Barry Fischer, CPPS, of the Society of the Most Precious Blood, as an extraordinary, external superior to Miles Jesu. Fr. Barry will be helping us in the much needed revision of our constitutions (whose five-year approval ad experimentum has expired) before their final approval. Fr. Barry will also be accompanying us in the further development of our programs for admission and formation of candidates as well as the preparatory formation of the members before deepening their commitments.
Fr. Barry has already spent a few days with us at our general house in Rome, and all of us here are already experiencing the loving, gentle and guiding hand of mother Church through him. He has been superior general of his society for two terms and a missionary in Latin America for 26 years, and thus brings to us a wealth of experience. In the near future, Fr. Barry will be communicating with you personally through this website in his capacity as the new superior of Miles Jesu.
Just as the star reappeared for the Three Holy Kings after consulting with the religious leaders in Jerusalem and filled them with exceeding joy, so i am fully confident that, by divine providence, Fr. Barry's guidance will further our Ecclesial Family on this solid and secure path for a joyful and fruitful future in the service of Jesus and His Church. Let us give thanks to God for making us "a little part of the great Epiphany of the Lord, as a simple witness of the hope of His coming and the world beyond."
May Holy Mary, Our Lady of the Epiphany, make the beautiful light of her resurrected Son to shine forth with greater splendour on our Ecclesial Family and in each one of our hearts, filling each of us, her sons and daughters, with great joy and consolation at this milestone in our Ecclesial Family's history. Let us join Mary at this time in magnifying the Lord for all the great things He is doing for us! The Lord is truly risen, Alleluia!
In Corde Matris,
Fr. Mark Gelis, MJ
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