Abusos IVE y SSVM

Category: Of the administrators

  • Anthony del Castillo case: finally an official declaration from the diocese of La Rochelle!

    Anthony del Castillo case: finally an official declaration from the diocese of La Rochelle!

    The diocese of La Rochelle (in the department of Charente-Maritime, France) gave in to media pressure and finally issued an official statement about Father Anthony del Castillo, more than a month after our publication!

    On the other hand, to have an official publication of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, we will have to wait, and wait, and wait…

    The text of the press release below:

    Today, August 20, 2025, the website “Catholic Response” published a statement implicating a priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, Father Anthony Del Castillo, for suspicion of abuse of power that led to sexual relations with a potentially vulnerable 18-year-old girl.

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  • Sex scandal: Father Antony del Castillo (IVE), priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, is urgently transferred to Peru

    Sex scandal: Father Antony del Castillo (IVE), priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, is urgently transferred to Peru

    Recently, a serious case involving Father Antony del Castillo, a priest belonging to the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), has come to light. According to various sources, Castillo’s father would have had sexual relations with an 18-year-old girl, in circumstances that point to a possible exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

    The sexual relations would have occurred in the context of the summer oratory, organized by the congregation of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará in Jonzac (Diocese of La Rochelle, in France), where the reported events took place.

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  • “These people don’t change their minds…”

    “These people don’t change their minds…”

    Article based on a comment left by a reader.

    In 1987 St. John Paul II visited the city of Mendoza (Argentina). And there the people of the Incarnate Word went. The city of Mendoza is located about 3 hours from San Rafael, the founding place of the Institute of the Incarnate Word.

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  • A statue, a lie: the IVE quietly prepares its rewriting of history

    A statue, a lie: the IVE quietly prepares its rewriting of history

    In the circles of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), it has emerged that a statue of St. John Paul II dressed in the chasuble of the institute itself has been manufactured and is destined to be installed soon in its church in Manresa, Spain.

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  • Italian Bishops’ Conference: “Spiritual abuse; elements of recognition and context”

    Italian Bishops’ Conference: “Spiritual abuse; elements of recognition and context”

    Abuse in the ecclesial context is always spiritual

    INTRODUCTION

    The abuses of power, conscience and spirituality represent a deep wound in the Church not only for the people who suffer them, but also for the communities and institutions in which they take place. These are complex dynamics that are intertwined with trust, the role of authority and human vulnerability; they often happen in areas where relationships should be a space for growth and protection. Understanding these phenomena means going beyond appearances, grasping the systemic roots that make them possible and the devastating consequences they produce in the lives of the victims, both personally and spiritually.

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  • The Third Order of the Institute of the Incarnate Word and the rejection of parents when their children “go out”

    The Third Order of the Institute of the Incarnate Word and the rejection of parents when their children “go out”

    The Third Order of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) brings together lay people who follow a rather diffuse spirituality and without a clearly defined hierarchy. Many of these lay people are fathers and mothers of priests and religious of both the IVE and the Servants of the Lord and of the Virgin of Matará (SSVM). In fact, there is almost an automatic enrollment for the fathers and mothers of members of the IVE in this Third Order. Unlike other more traditional Third Orders, there seems to be no formal register of members or common organizational processes, such as the election of presidents or secretaries. This lack of structure is another characteristic of the mamarrachismo typical of buelismo.

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  • Victims of spiritual abuse from religious congregations: why do they prefer anonymity?

    Victims of spiritual abuse from religious congregations: why do they prefer anonymity?

    Leaving a cult is not simply moving away from a group: it is, in many cases, rebuilding oneself from scratch. Many victims of spiritual, psychological or even physical abuse by sectarian groups choose not to come forward publicly. They are often kept anonymous, and this should not be interpreted as cowardice, but as part of a deep and painful process of healing. Here we explore the most frequent reasons behind this decision.

    1. Shame and internalized guilt

    Cults are experts in emotional manipulation. One of their most effective tactics is to make the victim feel that what they are experiencing is their fault. Even after leaving, many people feel ashamed of “having fallen,” preferring to keep silent to avoid external judgment.

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  • RedUNE (Spain): “Institute of the Incarnate Word: testimony and denunciation”

    RedUNE (Spain): “Institute of the Incarnate Word: testimony and denunciation”

    We reproduce here an article published on the website of RedUNE (Network for the Prevention of Sectarianism and Abuse of Weakness). The original article can be found here.

    At the age of 18 she entered the Institute of Religious SERVANTS OF THE LORD AND THE VIRGIN OF MATARÁ, belonging to the Congregation of the Incarnate Word, after the years of initiation into religious life as a novitiate and student body (carried out in Brazil and Argentina). Later she was sent to Spain in 2004, remaining in that religious Institute from 2004 to 2018.

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  • Article by 3cat.cat (Spain): “This is how the IVE congregation acts, accused of manipulating girls in Vic and Girona: ‘If necessary, escape from home'”

    Article by 3cat.cat (Spain): “This is how the IVE congregation acts, accused of manipulating girls in Vic and Girona: ‘If necessary, escape from home’”


    After years of accumulating complaints, Pope Francis has removed the leadership of the congregation, founded 40 years ago by a man convicted of sexual abuse

    Marta Freixanet/Ferran Moreno (16/01/2025 – Updated 17/04/2025)

    “The message didn’t say anything, just a location.” And yet, Adriana was clear: her sister had gotten into trouble. He did not hesitate and took the first flight to come and help him. He traveled from the United States to Manresa, a place he had never heard of. The surprise was even greater when he saw that the address was from the parish of La Merced de Manresa .

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  • Ephebophilia in the Case of Cardinal McCarrick and Father Carlos Buela: A Focus on Seminarians

    Ephebophilia, understood as the sexual attraction of adults to adolescents in middle or late stages (usually between 14 and 21 years old), has been a sensitive issue in the Catholic Church, especially in cases such as those of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Father Carlos Buela. Both clerics faced allegations of sexual misconduct directed primarily at seminarians, a vulnerable group due to the power dynamics and trust in the religious context. This article discusses these cases, focusing on seminarians as victims.

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