The Ecclesiastical Court of the Archbishopric of Burgos (Spain) has launched the mechanism to activate the possible excommunication of the Poor Clare nuns of the Monastery of Belorado whom it accuses of committing the crime of schism contemplated in the Code of Canon Law.
The nuns themselves have published through Instagram one of the letters received in the community, addressed to Sister María Sión de la Trinidad, in which she is called to testify about the schismatic positions published last May. The letter warns those who are still Catholic religious that, if they persevere in such statements, they face a crime of schism punishable by the Code of Canon Law with excommunication.
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Thus, it is specified that both the so-called Catholic Manifesto such as the letter of schism, signed by the then abbess, Sister Isabel de la Trinidad, as well as the letters requesting guardianship and acceptance of the excommunicated false bishop Pablo de Rojas “constitute the crime of schism, typified in the Code of Canon Law in accordance with canon 751 CIC, the penalty for which is provided for in the canon 1364 § 1 CICand which carries with it the expulsion from consecrated life.”
He canon 751 of the CIC defines schism as “the rejection of subjection to the Supreme Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.”
The Archbishopric of Burgos gives a period of 10 calendar days from receipt of the decree to appear before the court. If they are not accompanied by a lawyer, one will be assigned to them ex officio so that they “can exercise their right of defense by expressing their position” on the facts.
If they do not appear within that period, “the corresponding decree will be issued, in accordance with the Law” that will establish the penalty associated with the crime of schism, which is excommunication. broad sentences.
The Poor Clares have responded through Instagram stating that “our Catholic Manifesto and our subsequent statements are clear and should have had the automatic consequence of our exclusion from the scope of application of Canon Law.”
In addition, they accuse the Archbishop of Burgos, Mons. Mario Iceta, of having “usurped” their legal representation “by accessing the administration of the properties and the control of the bank accounts, to which we stopped having access on June 4 ”.
On May 29, the Holy See appointed the Archbishop of Burgos, Mons. Mario Iceta, Pontifical Commissioner “with all powers.”
Presence of the Archbishop’s envoys in Belorado
According to informs the Archbishopric of BurgosOn June 6, three people sent by the Pontifical Commissioner went to the Monastery of Santa Clara de Belorado.
Sister Carmen Ruiz, secretary of the Federation of Poor Clares of Nuestra Señora de Aránzazu, “in order to establish some line of dialogue and dialogue with the nuns, particularly with the older ones.” Rodrigo Sáiz, representative of the Pontifical Commissioner, “to communicate the legal powers that correspond to him regarding the administration of the monasteries” and Carlos Azcona, notary of the Ecclesiastical Court, “responsible for transmitting the pertinent notifications of this Court regarding the opening of the process canonical corresponding to the declaration of abandonment of the Catholic Church.”
These people came accompanied by the notary María Rosa Garrido who “has submitted the appropriate requirements,” according to the Archbishopric.
The former abbess of the community, Sister Isabel de la Trinidad, made it known through Sister Belén and Sister Sión that, except for the notary, “the others ‘were not well received’ in the monastery and that they should leave it, requiring the presence of a Civil Guard patrol in the event of refusal.”
While the notary delivered the civil and canonical requirements, Sister Carmen Ruiz and Carlos Acona waited outside the monastery, while the papal representative waited at the scene.
According to the Archbishopric, Rodrigo Sáiz identifies himself to the Civil Guard “and shows the documentation that accredits him as the representative of the Pontifical Commissioner.”
“The patrol indicates that “preventive measures” will be carried out and that, afterwards, they will interview the nuns. At that moment, Don Rodrigo leaves the monastery of his own free will after speaking with the Civil Guard,” they detail from the Archbishopric.
The Poor Clares, through Instagram, report that “several representatives of the Conciliar Church”, which is how these nuns refer to the Catholic Church, went to the monastery “taking advantage of an authorized visit received in the parlor” where they would have “broken into the himself in an unauthorized manner.”
For the Archbishopric, both the complaint filed by the Poor Clares against Bishop Iceta, as well as its ratification in the courts, in addition to the request to the Civil Guard “can be interpreted as gestures of hostility that manifest the null intention of the community to establish any dialogue with the person designated by the Holy See and his team. Even so, the Pontifical Commissioner maintains his desire to build bridges and find appropriate ways to reach a solution.”
The nuns, for their part, assure: “It is really difficult for us to classify all these events as signs of patience and dialogue.”
Since the decrees were delivered by hand on this occasion, the deadline for the nuns to appear to testify expires next Sunday, June 16.
Not all nuns are threatened with excommunication
There are 15 nuns left in the Belorado Monastery, after the departure of Sister Amparo, who decided to leave the place “so as not to belong to that sect,” after confronting the false bishop Pablo de Rojas.
Five of them have not spoken publicly. These are the older ones, whom the archbishopric considers outside the sedevacantist manifesto and the schismatic declaration.
Thus, they would be the 10 sisters who came out to defend their position on television on May 15, those who would be at risk of excommunication.
Editor’s Note: The original title indicated that the Poor Clare nuns of the Monastery of Belorado were accused of the crime of heresy. It has been corrected, because the canonical crime of which they are accused is schism.
Nicholas de Cardenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish husband and father and journalist with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specializing in sociopolitical and religious information. I have worked for more than 10 years in defense of human rights and have accreditations in Journalism and Comprehensive Communication. Since July 2022, I have been a correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.