Enzo Bianchi, Founder of the Bose Monastic Community, and Brothers Goffredo Boselli, Lino Breda and Antonella Casiraghi were ordered to leave the Bose Monastic Community in Italy and cease all their functions., according to a Decree signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, approved specifically by the Pope.

Bose Community published a press release on its Webpage on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, announcing the Vatican’s decision, which comes after “prolonged and careful discernment, following the Apostolic Visit decided by the Holy Father and carried out last January.

Singular Decree of May 13, 2020

 “After a prolonged and careful discernment and prayer, the Holy See has come to a conclusion in the form of a singular Decree of May 13, 2020, signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, His Holiness’ Secretary of State and approved specifically by the Pope, “ reads the note.

The decisions were communicated in the last few days to those concerned, by Father Amedeo Cencini. Appointed Pontifical Delegate with full powers ad nutum Sanctae Sedis, Father Cencini was accompanied by the Secretary of the Congregation for Religious, Monsignor Jose Rodriguez Carballo, and the Archbishop of Vercelli, Monsignor Marco Arnolfo.

The Community informed that the said decision was communicated “with the greatest respect possible of the right of confidentiality of those concerned.” However, since the notification of the Decree, the refusal by some to abide by the directive has created “a situation of confusion and further unpleasantness.”

Apostolic Visit

Therefore, it has been considered necessary to specify that the “directives concern Brother Enzo Bianchi, Brother Goffredo Boselli, Brother Lino Breda, and Sister Antonella Casiraghi,” who “must separate themselves from the Bose Monastic Community and go elsewhere, renouncing all the posts they occupy at present.”

The Visit took place given the “serious concerns” that reached different parts of the Holy See, regarding the “tense situation of problems concerning the exercise of authority of the Founder, governance issues and the fraternal climate in the Community.” The Visit was entrusted to Father Guillermo Leon Arboleda Tamayo, Abbot President of the Sublacense-Casinense Benedictine Congregation; Father Amedeo Cencini, Consultor of the Congregation for Religious, and Mother Anne-Emmanuelle Deveche, Abbess of Blauvac.

Mixed and Ecumenical Community

The Bose Community was born on December 8, 1965, on the same day as the closing of Vatican Council II, when Enzo Bianchi began to live alone, in a rented house, in the section of the town of Magnano called Bose. The first Brothers arrived three years later, among them a woman and a Reformed Pastor.

Since then, in the morning, at midday and in the afternoon, the Brothers sing the Liturgy of the Hours, work, welcome guests, study the Scriptures and the monastic tradition, and live in a monastic and ecumenical way. With an ecumenical character, the Community has welcome Catholic men and women, and the professed of other religions, such as Protestants. “Without that initial pretention but with a gift of the Spirit, since the beginning, they belong to the community of Christians of various Confessions,” states their Webpage. In this connection, they have attempted to transform this gift into a commitment for Christian unity in fidelity to the word of Christ: ”That they may all be one” (John 17:21).

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