After an investigation into Miles Jesu by the Vicariate of Rome and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life started in June of 2007, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Cardinal Vicar of the Diocese of Rome has decided to appoint an external superior over Miles Jesu. He will take the place of Fr. Mark Gelis, M.J. who was previously the General Director of Miles Jesu.
In Fr. Gelis’s letter on the Miles Jesu website, he makes it sound like this act of appointing an external superior over Miles Jesu is just a matter of “special assistance” for “accompanying us in the further development of our programs for admission and formation of candidates as well as the preparatory formation of the members before deepening their commitments.”
What Father Gelis doesn’t mention is that this external superior is being imposed over Miles Jesu after an investigation that was started after approximately 19 members in May of 2007 (including members who were former members of Miles Jesu’s governing body, Miles Jesu priests, as well as members who had been in Miles Jesu for over 25 years) reported witnessing over the years in Miles Jesu the following abuses: manipulation of possible recruits to join Miles Jesu, financial dishonesty, practices against Canon Law such as non-confidential spiritual direction, not providing all members with adequate health care/insurance, Miles Jesu’s teaching that one’s salvation strictly depends on joining Miles Jesu, it’s prohibition of many members to pursue higher education, it’s appointment of a Vicar Directress over the women’s branch with no formal education in theology or Canon Law, sexual abuse, and various other abuses that show Miles Jesu has cultic qualities.
Up until now these members have been afraid to speak out and warn the Catholic faithful of this dangerous group because they were intimidated with legal threats by a lawyer working for Miles Jesu. After years of suffering they have also not been helped in any way by the Vicariate of Rome, the Congregation for Religious, or Miles Jesu. Hopefully this new superior, Fr. Barry Fischer, will be willing to help victims of Miles Jesu who after years of trying to serve the Church in Miles Jesu are left in destitute situations. Hopefully, he will also prevent Miles Jesu from harrasing ex-members with legal threats.
If you, like so many others, have been abused, deceived by, or adversely affected by Miles Jesu at any time either as a member or a benefactor, please contact Fr. Barry Fischer, CPPS. To find out how you can talk directly to Fr. Fischer directly please call Miles Jesu’s publically listed number (773) 262-0861 (Chicago, IL USA house). No member of Miles Jesu can impede you from speaking to Fr. Fischer. If you are aware of abuses it is your duty to inform Fr. Fischer, so that you can help him to reform Miles Jesu
You may also contact the Cardinal directly:
Here is the contact information for Cardinal Vallini which is listed on the website of the Vicariate of Rome:
Code:Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano 4 - 00184 ROMA tel. Vicariato 06-69.88.61.55/56 e-mail: [email]Segreteria.CardinalVallini@VicariatusUrbis.org[/email]
In the United States, Miles Jesu currently operates in the canonical territory of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Chicago, and the Diocese of Phoenix. These dioceses should also have information on how you can contact the external superior appointed over Miles Jesu.
Well it looks like the rumors were true that Miles Jesu is some kind of renegade group working under the radar of Rome. I hope there will be more information. I think the Vatican has to be more transparent about stuff like this haven’t they learned anything from the LC’s and child molestation crisis in the USA?