At the Vatican’s request, the ordinations to the priesthood and diaconate scheduled in the Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon for June have been postponed, amid a Vatican investigation into Bishop Dominique Rey’s seminary, as well as his acceptance of candidates from other dioceses.

Bishop Rey, who has led the diocese since 2000, is known for his friendliness to the Latin liturgical tradition as well as for ordaining many priests: the number of diocesan priests has increased from 174 (2003) to 202 (2019) under his leadership. The number of diocesan priests in the nearby Archdiocese of Marseille fell from 171 to 133 over the same time period.

The announcement of the postponements, made by Bishop Rey, follows a “fraternal visit” by Cardinal-designate Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille.