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Letter of Msgr. Livieres the cardia prefect of the Congregation for Bishops: “Persecution ideological.” Collegiality? Euphemism for “ideological uniformity”
“As an obedient son of the Church,” “I accept this decision although consider unfounded and arbitrary” and it “the Pope will have to render an account to God more than me.” And ‘the disgruntled reaction of the Bishop of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay’s second largest city, Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano, removed yesterday from Papa Francesco “serious pastoral reasons” after an apostolic visitation entrusted, in recent months, the Spanish Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló.
In a letter to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, published on the website of the Paraguayan diocese, the bishop writes that “the Nuncio, almost simultaneously with the announcement that His Eminence was going to give me, held in Paraguay a press conference and is reaching the Diocese to take immediate control of the same. The public announcement by the Nuncio prior written notification of the decree is an irregularity in the most anomalous in this process. The lightning-fast action on the diocese you can think of due to fear of negative reaction of the majority of the faithful, as they have expressed their support to myself and my management during his Apostolic Visit. In this sense, I remember the parting words of Cardinal Santos Abril y: ‘I expect them to welcome the decisions of Rome with the same openness and docility with which they welcomed me’. Was he suggesting that the course of action was already decided before the final and informative examination of the Holy Father? In any case, there is no fear of rebellion. The faithful have been trained in the discipline of the Church and know how to obey the legitimate authority. “
“I think I have shown that the attacks and maneuvers aimed at the removal of which have been the subject have already started since my appointment as bishop, even before that ponessi foot in the diocese,” the bishop, a member of Opus Dei . “I had the grace that Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, they supported me so that I could continue. I take it now Pope Francis has decided to revocarmi this support. ” According to the bishop, “in spite of all the talk of dialogue, compassion, openness, decentralization and respect for the authority of the local Churches, I have not even had the opportunity to speak with Pope Francis, at least for chiarirgli some doubts or concerns. Consequently, I could not get any fatherly correction – or fraternal as you prefer – on his part. “
“As an obedient son of the Church, nevertheless accept this decision although consider unfounded and arbitrary and that it considers the Pope will have to render an account to God more than me. Beyond the many human errors that I have committed, and for which already ask forgiveness from God and those who had suffered, I affirm once more to those who will listen that the substance of the case was an ideological opposition and persecution ” , writes the former bishop of Ciudad del Este. Also the apostolic visitor, Cardinal Santos Abril y, if “thought that the problem of the Church in Paraguay was a problem that was resolved by changing the vestry clerk, it would be tragic and profoundly wrong.”
Livieres claims the controversial seminar which he founded (“gave excellent fruits recognized by recent communications laudatorie of the Holy See in at least three occasions during the previous pontificate”) and alleges that the criterion of ecclesial unity is “coexistence between us based on uncritical ‘ uniformity of thought and action, which excludes dissent in defense of the truth, and the legitimate variety of gifts and charisms. This ideological uniformity is imposed by the euphemism of ‘collegiality’. “The former bishop of Ciudad del Este concludes his letter: “This people have openly and publicly expressed his support for the apostolic work that we have carried out. The people and I have been ignored and disregarded. “
In addition to the letter, not entirely unexpected in the Vatican, also yesterday was also published a note from the Apostolic Nuncio to Paraguay, Msgr. Aliseo Ariotti, which states that the rotation willing to Rome, and the replacement of Livieres with an apostolic administrator, “has become necessary due to lack of availability of the Bishop Livieres Plano to submit his own resignation as he had been asked by the ministry competent “.
