In a letter addressed on September 23, 2026 to all the members of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) and the Servants of the Lord and of the Virgin of Matará (SSVM), the pontifical delegates Clara Echarte Oñate and José Antonio Satué Huerto call for a profound change in the attitude of both congregations towards the abuses committed by their founder, Carlos Miguel Buela.
The letter confirms that the ecclesiastical courts of first instance and appeal reached moral certainty about Buela’s responsibility for crimes against the sixth commandment committed with violence against five members and former members of the IVE.
Abandoning denial and asking for forgiveness from victims
Beyond this confirmation, the fundamental aspect of the letter is the appeal addressed to the members of both institutes to accept the truth of the facts and to abandon the attitudes that have hindered their recognition.
“It is necessary, therefore, to accept decisively and responsibly this painful truth, unequivocally confirmed by the Tribunals of the Church. It is no longer possible to put forward fallacious arguments that separate us from the truth and, therefore, from God.”
The pontifical delegates expressly call for a change of attitude towards the victims, whose suffering is not limited to the abuses suffered, but also includes the treatment they received subsequently from both congregations.
“It is urgent to change our gaze towards the victims, who effectively suffered first from the bad actions of the founder and then from the attitude of both institutes, which has cruelly disqualified and marginalized them on more than a few occasions.”
The letter asks the members of the IVE and the SSVM to ask for forgiveness from the victims for the suffering they have experienced and to offer them the necessary accompaniment and help for their healing processes.
To stop identifying fidelity to the charism with fidelity to the founder
The pontifical delegates consider it indispensable that the members of both congregations distinguish between the charism of their institutes and the person, teachings and practices of Carlos Miguel Buela.
They warn that fidelity to the charism cannot be used to justify fidelity to the conduct of the founder and that certain elements of his legacy must be reviewed in the light of the facts observed and ecclesial discernment.
A reform that must reach the structures of both institutes
The Holy See calls for a revision of the constitutions and the proper law of both congregations, including their governance structures, formative processes, community and apostolic practices, and ways of exercising authority.
The pontifical delegates also point out the need to establish adequate criteria for the use of the images and writings of Carlos Miguel Buela.
The message addressed to the members of the IVE and the SSVM is unequivocal: it is not enough to formally recognize the abuses of the founder. It is necessary to abandon the arguments that deny or minimize them, to recognize the damage caused to the victims by the congregations themselves, to ask for their forgiveness and to review the institutional structures and practices that require reform.
Original documents
- Official statement from the Institute of the Incarnate Word, September 24, 2026.
- Letter from the Pontifical Delegates to the members of the IVE and the SSVM, September 23, 2026.
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