Father Louis Bochkolz has proudly worn his collar while playing the game that he loves for Castlecliff Football Club in Whanganui
The game last Sunday was a farewell celebration for him between Castlecliff St Anthony’s XI and a Whanganui combined XI which was attended by almost 100 people.
Buchholz is from Belgium, he was posted to Whanganui by his superiors who have now called him back to resume his work in Western Europe.
Vice president of Castlecliff FC Sean Peterson said that the turnout was a testament to how well-respected Bochkolz was in the community.
Peterson said that Bochkolz had become a close friend of his through playing together at Castlecliff.
“He’s a huge loss to the club, he was my right-hand man when it came to motivating everyone. His level of commitment and dedication was infectious.
He has been the guy that has lifted everyone’s spirits when it comes to games and when it comes to training.”
Bochkolz is a member of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), an international organisation of traditionalist Catholic priests founded in 1970 by the French archbishop, Marcel Lefebvre.
In 1988, Pope John Paul II excommunicated Archbishop Lefebvre for ordaining four “bishops” without permission from the Holy See, as required by canon law.
The excommunications of the surviving bishops were lifted in 2009 by Benedict XVI
In remitting the excommunications, Benedict noted that “doctrinal questions obviously remain and until they are clarified the Society has no canonical status in the Church and its ministers cannot legitimately exercise any ministry.”
SSPX appears to have abandoned efforts to reunite with Rome, releasing a statement in June 2016 that claims Pope Francis is encouraging the spreading of errors in church teaching.
In July SSPX elected Fr. Davide Pagliarani as their new superior general.
Jean-Marie Guénois, the religion correspondent at French newspaper Le Figaro, said the previous superior, Bishop Fellay had been “ousted” in favour of a candidate who opposes further rapprochement with the Vatican.
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