“The only official spokesman of our Institute, especially in this delicate situation, remains our Procurator General, Fr. Alessandro Apollonio.”

Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate: 

Official Clarifications

By Michael J. Miller

The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have issued a series of official statements correcting errors of fact made in the sensationalized coverage of the recent Vatican intervention in the government of their religious institute and clarifying their own position and intentions. 

1) Figuring prominently both in Italian and English on the homepage of the F.F.I. international website is a brief statement about the Decree of the Congregation for Religious dated July 11, 2013. The statement affirms that “Fr. Stefano M. Manelli, together with the whole institute of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, submits in obedience to the Holy Father and trusts that this obedience will bring forth greater graces.”

2) Also posted at the F.F.I. website is an “Official Note of 03 Aug 2013: A Response toVatican Insider,” taking issue point-by-point with an anonymous article entitled “Lombardi: On the Latin Mass the Pope does not contradict Ratzinger,” signed “Editorial Staff” and dated August 2, 2013. The Vatican Insider article “contains calumnious statements against our Founder, Fr. Stefano M. Manelli, statements that we feel the duty to reject. In the same article there is also untrue or imprecise information to which we wish to draw attention.” A summary of the clarifications follows.

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