(Barcelona / Rome) Does the Congregation of Religious suffer from a villainous portrait of tradition? This question has hung in the air since last weekend. The Franciscan José Rodriguez Carballo, for a year secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, participated in a Conference of Religious of Catalonia. In his speech he delivered last Saturday without directly mentioning the Order by name, gave a first official hint as to why the Franciscans of the Immaculate have been reprimanded by his Congregation. The reason implied much to the young religious Order, and is of a fundamental nature.
In his speech, Archbishop Rodriguez Carballo said that fidelity to the Second Vatican Council constitutes a central point for the religious life. Literally, the number two of the religious congregation said. "For religious the Council is a point that is not negotiable.” Whoever see the "reforms" of Vatican II, all the evils besetting religious life, "denies the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church.” [It’s ok if you deny the real presence though?]
Congregation “Very Concerned": "Not Only Pre-Conciliar, but Anti-Conciliar Training"
The Curial Archbishop stressed that the Congregation of Religious is "particularly concerned” on the subject: "We see real differences." Mainly because "many Institutes” are "not only a pre-Conciliar, but even give an anti-Conciliar formation” to their religious offspring, says Rodriguez Carballo. "This is not allowed, that is to say, to stand outside of history. This is something that is very concerning to us in the Congregation. A ”concern ", which is obviously shared by the prefect of the Congregation of Religious, Cardinal João Braz de Aviz. Also from Pope Francis? There is some evidence.
The conference was organized by the Unión de Religiosos de Cataluña (URC). On Saturday it was open to all religious in Catalonia. Maxim Muñoz, the URC-chairman and provincial superior of the Claretians of Catalonia described the appointment Rodriguez Carballos as secretary of the Congregation of Religious as a "special recognition by Pope Francis."
Pope Francis had called the Spanish Franciscan Rodriguez Carballo on April 6, 2013, just three weeks after his election to his present office.