Sons of Most Holy Redeemer refuse to leave Christchurch

According to an open letter from monks belonging to the Sons in October, they refused to leave Christchurch Diocese because a “higher duty forbids it”. They described the actions of Church leaders, including the late Pope Francis, as “evil”.

The Sons’ priests and brothers, led by New Zealand-born Fr Michael Mary, were asked to leave the diocese following a Vatican investigation in 2023 and 2024 regarding allegations of unauthorised exorcisms and abusive behaviour.

Although the Vatican findings remain secret, in mid-2024, Christchurch Bishop Michael Gielen – acting on advice from the Vatican – revoked the Sons’ permission to exercise priestly ministry and asked them to leave the diocese within 90 days.

The Sons bought themselves an extra year with an unsuccessful appeal, but in the meantime bought a church in Ōhoka under what were said to be false pretences, and the group continued to celebrate Mass. A spokesperson for the Sons described it at the time as private Mass and said it was “a grey area”. Bishop Gielen described it as disobedient.

The open letter said their way of practising Catholicism was “incompatible” with the Church today, and appealed to people who sensed “something tremendously wrong in the Church”. The letter also listed things the group rejected, such as like permitting Holy Communion “to couples living in sin”, and “the scourge of religious indifference in New Zealand and throughout the Church”.

In a recent interview with a Brazilian religious educator, Fr Mary said it was clear “that there is no place for us in the Church”. In the interview he said he hoped they would stay within the structures of the Church.

“If because we speak up, we’re thrown out, then we’ll be thrown out,” he said.

Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, who canonically erected the Sons as a religious institute in 2012, has condemned the open letter as “incompatible with the Catholic sense of the Church’s unity”.

In a recent statement, Bishop Gilbert said the Aberdeen Diocese will no longer have the Sons provide the older rite of the Mass at a local church. He was also awaiting canonical and doctrinal guidance on the matter from the Vatican.

Alex Bailey, chief operating officer of the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch, said that Bishop Gilbert and Bishop Gielen have spoken about the situation and both are concerned about the “divisive nature” of the letter.

He said the Diocese has followed Rome’s guidance on all matters concerning the Sons. “The Vatican is now considering these latest developments,” he noted.

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Vatican keeping an eye on monks refusing orders to leave Christchurch (By Sinead Gill/The Press – subscription required)