Vatican allows New Zealand ban on Scottish congregation after alleged illicit exorcisms
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A panorama of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. / Credit: Jakub Maculewicz/ShutterstockCNA Staff, Aug 12, 2025 / 15:52 pm (CNA).A religious institute in New Zealand has lost its appeal to the Vatican to continue public ministry in the Diocese of Christchurch after the local bishop ordered the ban amid allegations of unauthorized exorcisms and other abuses.Christchurch Bishop Michael Gielen said in an Aug. 10 letter to his diocese that the Vatican "rejected in its entirety" the appeal of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer after Gielen forbade the community from ministering in Christchurch last year.The bishop said in July 2024 that the community had been subject to an apostolic visitation by Australian Bishop Robert McGuckin. Gielen removed the ministry faculties of the members after the Vatican's recommendation and also asked the group "to leave the Christchurch Diocese."Gielen in both letters did not clarify why the community was being investigated and sanctioned, but the...
A panorama of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. / Credit: Jakub Maculewicz/Shutterstock
CNA Staff, Aug 12, 2025 / 15:52 pm (CNA).
A religious institute in New Zealand has lost its appeal to the Vatican to continue public ministry in the Diocese of Christchurch after the local bishop ordered the ban amid allegations of unauthorized exorcisms and other abuses.
Christchurch Bishop Michael Gielen said in an Aug. 10 letter to his diocese that the Vatican "rejected in its entirety" the appeal of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer after Gielen forbade the community from ministering in Christchurch last year.
The bishop said in July 2024 that the community had been subject to an apostolic visitation by Australian Bishop Robert McGuckin. Gielen removed the ministry faculties of the members after the Vatican's recommendation and also asked the group "to leave the Christchurch Diocese."
Gielen in both letters did not clarify why the community was being investigated and sanctioned, but the Christchurch Press reported that the subject of the inquiry was "alleged abuse and unauthorized exorcisms." The New Zealand Herald reported on those allegations in 2023.
In his Aug. 10 letter, Gielen noted that the institute continued its ministry in the diocese during the appeal.
The Vatican's rejection of the appeal, the bishop noted, means the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer remains under the ban, which also applies to "priests who arrived after the decrees were announced."
"My foremost concern remains the spiritual health and unity" of the Christchurch Diocese, the bishop said.
The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer own the island of Papa Stronsay in the North Sea off the Scottish coast, where they operate a monastery and farm.
The community, formed in 1988 following a monastic rule based on that of St. Alphonsus Ligouri, was formally erected as a religious institute in 2012. They describe themselves as a "congregation of missionary monks" who regularly "leave their contemplative life and set out on voyages" to "preach the eternal truths in the form of missions wherever they are invited."
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St. James Roman Catholic Church in Reading, England, is the starting point of the English route of the Camino de Santiago. / Credit: Kevin Hellon/ShutterstockLondon, England, Aug 12, 2025 / 13:52 pm (CNA).A bishop in the United Kingdom has expressed concern about a proposal to build a huge solar farm on the English stretch of the Camino de Santiago in the south of England.The English leg of the highly popular and historic pilgrimage runs 68 miles from the city of Reading to the port of Southampton, which falls within the Diocese of Portsmouth and has been frequented by pilgrims for more than a thousand years.The Camino de Santiago is made up of many different ancient routes across Europe that all lead to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain.English pilgrims would traditionally take a boat from Portsmouth and sail to Spain before continuing their pilgrimage.In an email exchange with CNA, Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth expressed his worries about t...
