(Rome) No other order has suffered such dramatic consequences on the change of pontificate in late winter 2013 as the Franciscans of the Immaculate. In July, the Order was placed under provisional administration by order of the Congregation for Religious with papal approval. Although the Order actually exactly corresponds to what Pope Francis wishes, namely evangelical poverty, missionary zeal and new evangelization, of which the Franciscans of the Immaculate are one of the only orders, against which the new pope has proceed with drastic measures.
So dramatically that even a progressive Vatican expert like Marco Tosatti has now asked what should have these poor friars have only arranged, yes, done wrong, to deserve such a harsh punishment? He could not fine an answer because he could not find a "crime", with which to burden them. He therefore published a letter that describes the radicality with which the Order is being rebuilt. The question remains: Why did you destroy a thriving …More