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viernes, 11 de octubre de 2019

Heralds of the Gospel: Inexplicable commissionerate. The letter from a canonist.

While still on the subject of the commissionerate, a letter written by a Herald is circulating and has been
published in Italy. For those interested in learning more about its contents, we have obtained a translation into
our language, which follows. We congratulate him for being inspired by the desire for authenticity rather than
subject to institutional formality, and for demonstrating that the situation of high alert remains.
———————————-
Dear Dr. Tosatti,

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I am a celibate layman, 67 years-old, with a Doctorate in Canon Law. As a member of the TFP, I was an assistant
to its founder, Prof. Plinio, for many years. Today, I continue my journey in the Heralds of the Gospel. I do not
have any executive position in the entity, but I have been able to follow closely the whole process of the Apostolic
Visit designated by the Holy See, and have participated in the commission of experts responsible for preparing the
dossier "Response to the Final Questions". The latter was a reply to questions raised by the Visitators, due to
unfounded accusations of a group of ex-members who are not very fond of the charism. I am therefore well-
acquainted with the facts.

I am writing this report on my own initiative – contrary, it must be said, to the recommendation in force among us
to remain silent. Thus, after deep reflection before God, I feel bound in conscience to defend my personal honour
and that of many souls who seek to collaborate with the fruitful apostolate of the Association for the good of the
Church.

I have been following your work for a long time, Dr. Tosatti, and I admire your courage. For this reason, I believe
that you are the most suitable person to bring to light my testimony, which was motivated above all by the article
from the Vatican Insider, signed by Salvatore Cernuzio (28/9/2019): "The Vatican appoints commissioner to the
Heralds of the Gospel, the Brazilian association of strange exorcisms, under investigation since 2017."

Indeed, various news agencies worldwide soon carried the news of the appointment of a commissioner to the
Heralds. We were already anticipating sensational or false information. The unpleasant surprise was that the most
aggressive reaction came from what many consider to be the official organ of a certain curial sector, fervent
advocates of the winds of 'mercy'.

Why is this? Cui bono? That is, who stands to gain from it? We are not sure, but here are some clues.

I) All those deficiencies…

Let us begin with the opening word of Cernuzio's article: “deficiency,” referring to what the Heralds supposedly
suffer from. Any Christian knows that only God is exempt from any kind of “deficiency” (S. Theol., I, q. 4, a. 2,
co.). However, it is difficult to see where and how the Association is "deficient" in vocations, government or

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administration. Especially when we consider the Catholic panorama of today, so full of “deficiencies”. It must be
honestly acknowledged that no one is a good judge in his own cause, but on the other hand, we cannot deny the
public truth known as such: the decline of vocations, the serious government and administrative problems that
exist in many institutes. The Sister assisting the Commissioner appointed to the Heralds, for example, is Superior
General of the Sisters of Divine Providence, which today has 928 nuns, compared with 1411 in 2005. We
specifically mention Divine Providence so that the Reverend Mother will guide us in such a way as to ensure that
what happened to them does not happen to us…

On the other hand, we can sadly note a “deficiency” in Cernuzio's article, namely a basic principle of justice, so
fittingly included in the code of ethics for journalists: “Audiatur et alter pars”[Let the other side be heard as well].
And that is not all. The Code of Canon Law states (can. 1526): "onus probandi incumbit ei qui asserit" - "the
burden of proof falls on the accuser." In fact, the judge has an obligation to interrogate the parties before
pronouncing judgment (can. 1530) -- "parts interrogare semper potest, immo debet". Cernuzio proclaims himself
judge, while "deficient" in any legal competence, and did not apply to the case the proper principles of justice, for
it seems he did not attempt to speak to any of my confreres.

After repeating the reputed “deficiencies” which, among other things, appear on Vatican News as the legal reasons
for both the visit and the commissionerate, Cernuzio attempts to resurrect an old controversy over alleged
exorcisms, already thoroughly explained to various media outlets, several local bishops and the Vatican itself, in
the aforementioned 572-page dossier - accompanied by 42 volumes, containing 75 appendices, and totaling more
than 18,000 pages of documents and publications - with detailed explanations of these and other events. As
regards the alleged exorcisms, the case was considered closed by the judicial authority of the Diocese concerned,
without citing any violation of canonical or liturgical regulations. So why rekindle an already closed controversy?
“Res iudicata pro veritate habetur”: An adjudicated thing is regarded as the truth.

II) “Strange exorcisms” or immemorial practice of the Church?

The story of the said exorcisms was simply a matter of "prayers of deliverance", recommended even for laymen
and women, and widespread in the Catholic milieu, as provided for in the Roman Rite itself: De exorcismis et
supplicationibus quibusdam. In this case, it was not a question of a "solemn exorcism", an act of public worship of

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the Church, but only of invocations ad libitum against the spirits of darkness, effective in so many cases ex virtute
charismatis; as so many Catholics have done throughout history, several of them canonized, such as St. Frances of
Rome and St. Pius of Pietrelcina.

In a situation of diabolical vexation it is a duty of charity of every Christian – a fortiori of a priest – to seek the
spiritual healing of the soul “deficient" in supernatural assistance. This is nothing more than mercy, or am I
mistaken? The proof of the naturalness of these facts emerges from the testimonies of gratitude – which I am
inclined to believe have been carefully archived – sent to the members of the institution on behalf of so many
people who have benefited. If the fruits are good, is not the tree also good?

III) Worship of a kind of "trinity" or virtue linked to justice?

In the pages of a certain anti-Catholic Brazilian press, to which Vatican Insider has now aligned itself, the mania
for confusing the veneration or respect paid to Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira, Dona Lucilia, his mother, and
Monsignor João, with "adoration", is becoming common.

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It is well known that the objection against any kind of veneration of men or women is of a Protestant nature, since
within these denominations, separated from the Catholic Church, any form of veneration or respect for deserving
people has been eliminated, considering such a practice as a kind of idolatry, in favour of what they call biblical
Christo-centrism.

One does not need to be a theologian to know the difference between the respect and honour due to superiors (see
S. Theol., II-II, q. 102-103), and the cult of latria reserved only for God. Even the pagans paid homage to people
among them who were considered excellent. At the same time, it is not necessary to have a degree in Canon Law to
notice the difference between public and private worship. The question was clearly elucidated by the Heralds in
several publications and in the "Response to the Final Questions" of the Apostolic Visitation, mentioned above.

In summary, every believer can and should, by virtue of justice and the fourth commandment of the Decalogue,
consider virtuous persons or those invested with authority as being worthy of respect, as the Apostle says:
“Reddite omnibus debita: [...] cui timorem timorem, cui honorem honorem” (Rom 13:7).

Therefore, we must take into account that it is not canonization that makes a person holy, but rather it is because
someone is holy that they are canonized; and, in fact, it is the "reputation of sanctity" among the people of God
that gives rise to the canonical process. In this sense, the reputation of sanctity of Prof. Plinio and especially of his
mother, Lucilia, has extended far beyond the circles of the Heralds of the Gospel. In fact, there are innumerable
testimonies concerning graces received, whether material or spiritual, from people of all conditions, countries and
ages.

IV) Millenarianism or prophecy?

It is also strange to label the Heralds as adherents to a kind of "secret and extravagant cult made up of millenary
theories arising in connection with Our Lady of Fatima." First, one cannot confuse millenarianism with prophecy.
In fact, in 2007, regarding the message of Fatima, Benedict XVI declared: "it is the most prophetic of all modern
apparitions."

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On the other hand, that same year, during his apostolic visit to Brazil, the Pontiff used the word "millenarianism,"
for one of the few times in the recent magisterium. And for what purpose? To refer to Liberation Theology as a
facile millenarianism, “an erroneous mixture of Church and Politics.” However, as is known, the Heralds are no
longer interested in political discussions. On another occasion, St. John Paul II attributed millenarianism to
movements linked to the New Age, an empty philosophy of a Gnostic nature, which has found a home amidst
other congregations, but not among the Heralds, as is evident.

Finally, to attribute the epithet "millenarist" to the Heralds is a contradictio in terminis. First of all, because they
are part of the counter-revolutionary movement; and secondly, because it was affirmed by Vatican News.
However, as is well known, this movement is diametrically opposed to the "revolution of the masses", proposed as
a means to attain the supposed worldly kingdom, a typical characteristic of millenarian movements.

The Heralds were also considered by Benedict XVI as an Association capable of stemming the advancement of
sects, many of them considered by Ratzinger himself, in the book Rapporto sulla Fede, as being millenarian in
character. And this is precisely because, according to him: "The proper appreciation of messages such as that of
Fatima can be a kind of response [to the growth of sects, in particular those designated as millenarian]." In
conclusion, I believe that Cernuzio is truly mistaken: according to the recent teaching of the Church, the Heralds
and their devotion to the prophetic message of Fatima are a reality opposed to millenarianism.

V) Some curiosities to conclude...

It is curious that Cernuzio states that an "in-depth investigation involving the Institute" was already underway on
the occasion of the resignation of the Founder, when in reality the visit had not even been announced.

It is curious that the commission was decreed (with a fundamental error that may invalidate it, at least partially),
even though the evidence demonstrates that there is no compelling fact to justify such a measure.
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It is curious that a newspaper that purports itself to be so up-to-date has omitted information well known to
Vatican authorities, that is, the evident bias of one of the Visitators against the Heralds. This fact was confirmed in
documents I have personally seen.

Finally, the Vatican News article describes the founder of the Heralds as "a former member of the Brazilian
traditionalist and counter-revolutionary Catholic association TFP." As everyone knows, the founder of the TFP is
Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira, a great Catholic leader of world renown. In the long ago year of 1979, he himself
unmasked the intention of a certain more "advanced" wing of the Church, in a book whose title already reveals its
prophetic content: "Indigenous Tribalism, Communist-Missionary Ideal for the Church of the 21st Century".

In short, it seems highly symbolic to me that part of this faction, heir to the chameleonic liberation theology –
today, after a strange metamorphosis, transformed into a kind of eco-theology –, in the imminence of the Amazon
Synod, has decreed to sacrifice on the altar of "mother earth" an institution that, both in its origin and in its
spirituality, has such a close connection with Professor Plinio.

Over and above their intentions, there is one thing I know and believe: the works of God are immortal!

M. Jiménez

Herald of the Gospel, Doctor in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas – Angelicum
(Rome)

Originally published in Italian at: www.marcotosatti.com

on octubre 11, 2019

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