Just a suggestion that comes to mind regarding possible responses by monasteries of contemplative nuns concerned about maintaining the integrity of their charisms in the face of the demands of the Congregation for Religious.

I’m not a nun, but if I were, and the monastery I was in charge of received a letter from those criminals and perverts in Rome demanding immediate compliance with Cor orans, I’m not sure my response wouldn’t be something like…

“Dear Sir, this is to acknowledge our receipt of your letter. Please be informed that copies have been forwarded to the FBI and Interpol to be added to their dossier on you in view of possible future prosecution for fraud, embezzlement, involvement in gun and drug smuggling and human trafficking. Yours in Christ…”

…the Franciscan order of friars has found itself mired in a financial scandal allegedly involving fraud and embezzlement of tens of millions of euros.

A branch of the Roman Catholic order had invested some of its money in offshore shell companies based in Switzerland, which had in turn been involved in arms and drugs trafficking, Italian media reported.

A three-month-long internal investigation has found extensive financial irregularities at the heart of the Rome-based order, which has around 14,000 members worldwide and owns churches and convents in more than 100 countries.

Michael Perry, the American head of the Order of Friars Minor, took the unusual step of writing an open letter to friars and monks to inform them that the historic order now finds itself in a “grave situation”, with millions of euros believed to be missing from its accounts.

He said the General Curia, the governing body of the order, “finds itself in grave, and I underscore ‘grave’, financial difficulty, with a significant burden of debt.”

The general treasurer of the order had resigned, he said.

“The systems of financial oversight and control for the management of the patrimony of the order were either too weak or were compromised, thus limiting their effectiveness to guarantee responsible, transparent management.”

Friars belonging to the order were involved in “a number of questionable financial activities” which had placed the financial stability of the order “at grave risk”…

“Brother Perry, who is from Indianapolis, was elected in May last year, succeeding Jose Rodriguez Carballo, whom Pope Francis appointed the head of a Vatican body – the Congregation for Consecrated Life.

Gravely compromised men, men against whom credible public accusations of grave crimes and misdeeds have been made, are the easiest of all to resist.

Just sayin…

~