Category: Reflection

  • 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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  • “The law is made, the trap is made.” Worrying practices in the Servants of the Lord and of the Virgin of Matará (SSVM)

    “The law is made, the trap is made.” Worrying practices in the Servants of the Lord and of the Virgin of Matará (SSVM)

    The situation surrounding the Servants of the Lord and of Our Lady of Matará (SSVM) continues to generate deep concern due to recent revelations about their practices in relation to the admission of new vocations.

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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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  • What future for the priests of the Institute of the Incarnate Word in the event of a dissolution?

    What future for the priests of the Institute of the Incarnate Word in the event of a dissolution?

    This article comes in the wake of numerous comments from concerned people, both inside and outside the Institute of the Incarnate Word, who seek to understand what may happen if the Vatican decides to dissolve it.

    What does a canonical dissolution mean?

    The dissolution of an institute of consecrated life is an extreme measure that is taken only when it is considered that the aims of the institute have been irreversibly distorted or that it has become harmful to its members or to the Church itself. According to the Code of Canon Law (canon 584), it is for the Holy See alone to dissolve an institute of pontifical right. It should be noted that the IVE, so far, has not been erected as an institute of pontifical right, so its eventual formal dissolution would follow a different procedure, although equally supervised by the Holy See. In some cases, reform has been chosen (as happened with the Legionaries of Christ); in others, suppression has been inevitable.

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  • What can the Vatican do about the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE)?

    What can the Vatican do about the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE)?

    After six pontifical interventions, dissolution seems inevitable

     


    🔶 Introduction

    The Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), founded in Argentina in 1984, has expanded rapidly throughout the world. However, behind this façade of missionary dynamism, numerous testimonies denounce abuses of power, spiritual manipulation, doctrinal rigidity and a sectarian structure that is difficult to reform.

    The most striking fact: the Holy See has already appointed six pontifical commissioners to intervene the institute. None of them managed to bring about structural change.
    What real alternatives are left now for the Vatican?

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