Bishop John Adams may welcome expelled Christchurch priests

Monday, August 5th, 2024

Bishop of Palmerston North John Adams has not ruled out accepting the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer’s priests into his diocese, reports the Christchurch Press.

However Adams is being cautious, saying he will seek advice if the Sons’ ask to move to his diocese.

He will also be considering recommendations from a Vatican investigation.

It has been alleged that the Sons’ leadership has spiritually abused people and performed unauthorised exorcisms on members of its community, but the group denied any wrongdoing.

The Vatican recommendations resulted in Christchurch’s Bishop Michael Gielen giving the Sons’ professed priests and brothers until October to quit the Christchurch diocese.

The Sons could move to another New Zealand diocese, but could only do so with the permission of the bishop of that diocese.

A Sons’ spokesperson said they would not consider that option until the legal action had finished.

Leaving Christchurch also means farewelling their current support base along with property with a ratable value of $4.5 million.

There are six Catholic diocese in New Zealand. The other bishops ruled out welcoming the Sons’ to their diocese, however Auckland Bishop Steve Lowe was traveling internationally and was unavailable to comment.

Adams wants to be inclusive

Adams supports the use of the Latin Rite, the same rite that the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer is controversially using.

Some of the Sons were spotted at Adams’ episcopal ordination in Palmerston North in 2023.

Before becoming bishop of Palmerston North, Adams, also from Christchurch, regularly offered the old Latin Rite Mass in his Waimakariri parish.

Adams says his approach to the old liturgy is that he wants to be more inclusive.

When asked by Sinead Gill from The Press if he was sympathetic to the possibility of priests being effectively deported if no one else takes them in – as was the concern of the Sons’ community – he said the investigation may uncover issues the public did not know about.

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