Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer kicked out of Christchurch, New Zealand

Dear forum members,

I have shocking news and I sincerely ask you for your prayers for a community of devout Catholics. The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer have been kicked out of Christchurch, New Zealand. This action occurred yesterday, carried out by the local Bishop.

Our family has attended this parish for a few years, before we left the South Island of New Zealand. We have received outstanding pastoral care and support there, alongside strong and faithful Catholic teaching. Our first child was baptised by one of their priests. Subsequently, we left the South Island but we continued attending traditional Catholic parishes.

The community in Christchurch is lovely. It consists of many large and caring and very holy Catholic families. We have made good friends among the faithful in this parish. These families are now being made spiritually homeless.

I have just spoken to one parishioner there. She said some people went to the media to accuse the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in different forms. They also went to the Bishop to complain. This resulted in an apostolic visitation, and now the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer are being kicked out. I have a feeling all this may be quite unjust.

Please pray for this community in Christchurch. The spiritual war is getting serious.

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in Christchurch have been celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass. They have been teaching the faith according to tradition, based on Doctor of the Church St. Alphonsus Ligouri, etc.

We are facing difficulties for holy tradition, faithful parishes, the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar in the traditional form, large families. These are ultimately difficulties for Catholicism itself!

We must be strong and turn to our spiritual weapon, the prayer of the Holy Rosary. We must carry out our duties diligently. We are always under spiritual attack from the evil side.

God bless all here, and the parish of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in Christchurch!

 

I think the warning is getting very close.

 

I would like to clarify that The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in Christchurch did not have a Parish. Although it may have seemed like it was a Parish, it was an Oratory. AS I understand it, the reason they did not have a Parish, per se, is that they initially arrived in the geographical area some years ago of their own volition, and they purchased some property in the city and set up an Oratory without asking the then Bishop, Barry Jones, who is now deceased. AT least that is what I heard.

As I understand it, they then began to offer the Latin Mass at the Oratory and this perplexed Bishop Barry Jones, as they were at that stage not under the auspices of the Diocese and initially therefore, the Faithful in the Diocese found it hard to discern if these Latin Masses were licit or not.

So Bishop Barry eventually decided to give the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer permission to say Masses etc at the Oratory. He did not ever give them a Parish, with geographical boundaries. They remained at the Oratory, (which by the way became quite a crowded space, and as the number of worshippers grew, The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer began to look for larger space - but that hadn't eventuated as far as I know.)

So some time after their arrival and because some Diocesan Faithful were attending or asking the Bishop questions about atttending, Bishop Barry clarified to the Faithful that they could now attend these Latin Masses and stil be in good standing in the Diocese of Christchurch. That was his decision as to how to handle the perplexing situation he was in as Bishop.

The Latin Masses were popular and well attended.

But eventually some people who attended the Oratory had experiences there that they found disturbing and they complained to a local Parish Priest - and I think they also took their various grievances to the new Bishop, Paul, who came after Bishop Barry had passed away. Among them was a man who had been a Monk with the Order- he described a penance of being made to lick the floor 3 times in the sign of the Cross, and another penance of having to lie down on the floor while others stepped over him on their way to dinner at the Refectory.

This diverse group of disaffected or disappointed people eventually went to the media and I think 2? programmes of an investigative journalist nature appeared on local New Zealand TV, which created a disturbance to say the least.

And the damage that resulted from the airing of certain matters via these programmes was so difficult to undo. There were allegations of psychological and spiritual abuse made and of exorcisms being performed in some cases without the necessary permission of the Bishop.

As a result, an Apostolic Visitation was arranged and the Vatican made a series of recommendations to the current Bishop, Michael. He has accepted these recommendations.

They may not say Mass or exercise any ministry in the Diocese. Their faculties are removed in the Diocese and all professed Members of their Order have been asked to leave the Diocese.

Now, Bishop Michael has set up a new option of a weekly Latin Mass in a nearby town just beyond the northern boundary of the city, so the Latin Mass will still be available, but only once per week and I assume it will be said by a Diocesan Priest.

So all is not lost.

 

Praying!

No matter where we are in our spiritual journey as Catholics let us always pursue the higher calling in Christ Jesus! As C.S. Lewis said in the final book of the Narnia Chronicles, "Further in and further up!"

1 Cor 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

 

Here is a 12-minute feature by a New Zealand TV channel on the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Transalpine Redemptorists. This was filmed both at the Christchurch Oratory and in the foothills of the Southern Alps, where they recently bought another property.

"Once rejected by the Catholic Church...", the TV presenter says. Now, they are again rejected by the Catholic Church, despite Summorum Pontificum.

I know many of these people, in particular the young. They are friends. They have given their entire lives to this Holy Order, only to be kicked around again by the hierarchy of the Holy Catholic Church. My heart bleeds.

Their parish was growing when this was filmed a few years ago, the TV feature acknowledges. However, many Novus Ordo-parishes are ageing and shrinking.

But this Holy Order is the one that is being asked to leave. It all seems so unjust to me.

They have brought much good to many people, including to our family. The priests have provided marriage counseling to us, at the beginning of our marriage, which was very difficult.

The parishioners were lovely and caring. We know many of these families. Again, my heart bleeds!

Please do pray. I trust you holy people on this beautiful forum.

 

Thank you for these details and clarifications!

I have attended that parish for about two years, whilst living in Christchurch. I am not sure if the allegations that have been made against the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer are true.

When we were in that Oratory, my family had a very good experience. We were provided with traditional sacraments, formed in our faith, and supported in our marriage. We made very good friends among the large families there.

Regarding the allegations made, I would say that someone who has left a religious order may have an axe to grind with that order. I would treat them with a grain of salt.

For example, exorcisms: These are basically prayers. I am not sure what the big deal is.

I was baptised as an adult, in the Novus Ordo-rite. Years later, after I had turned to tradition, I asked for my baptism to be conditionally repeated in the traditional form. As far as I understand, traditional baptisms include exorcism prayers. So I have received exorcisms myself! Again, I am not sure what the big deal is. I see exorcisms basically as something positive. They are prayers meant to expel evil spirits. Some people may have watched too many movies, and their worldview may be formed by these.

Since the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer are a religious congregation of sorts, I am not sure if they require a Bishop's permission to carry out exorcisms. My understanding is that religious orders do not require such permission, but I may be wrong in this case. Anyway, even if exorcisms were in fact conducted without permission, this may not justify kicking the entire order of monks out of the diocese.

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer come from Papa Stronsay, a remote island in Scotland. Nobody lives there, only these monks. They subject themselves to the harshest conditions, physically and spiritually. They may have a knack for physical penances, I do not know. If this is too much for the man who made some of the allegations, he could simply leave the order. There may be no need to say: "I want to see them disbanded."

I have just done an internet search and am absolutely disgusted about what I read. Allegations, allegations, some are quite grotesque. If one does not want an exorcism, one does not have to! Nobody is forced to receive an exorcism.

To be clear, I cannot judge the allegations that were made. I am just skeptical and sensing this may be an attack on the Traditional Latin Mass, and a traditional congregation.

The young brother in the TV feature that I posted above, he grew up in that diocese. Where is he going to live now? What about his vocation to the religious life? He and others are being kicked to the curb.

My gut-feeling is that this may be an act of injustice, kicking this congregation out, and especially stopping them from offering Holy Mass. We are seeing an attack on Catholic tradition. 'Pope Francis' has made it quite clear, that is what he wants.

Ultimately, this is an attack on Catholicism. If we do not speak out, there will be no-one left to speak for us.

God bless!

 

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer have a property on the Island of Papa Stronsay, in the Orkneys, and also a new property called "Montana Rosa Mystica" in Rosebud County, Montana. ( near Billings). Up until now, they have been coming and going from here in New Zealand to these other properties. At least they have these properties to retreat to and perhaps it is going to be a new start for them in North America.

 

I think it is a tragedy. I am heartbroken.
Yes, I know they have different properties. Like most religious orders. This order only has very few places, two in New Zealand (Christchurch and Geraldine), one on Papa Stronsay, and one in North America.
But the tragedy is that there will hardly be a congregation. The congregation was always mainly in Christchurch. It is so sad, and it feels so wrong to me.

 

The people who attended the Oratory will no doubt attend the Latin Mass that has been arranged to take place weekly in Kaiapoi. They will still be able to congregate.

 

Oh Lord, the whole purpose of our frequenting the holy sacraments is to honor and worship you, whether when gathered as one Body in the Sacred Liturgy (Holy Mass and/or the Divine Office), or privately as an individual in the Confessional. Please protect and preserve all the sacred congregations who You ordained as buffer zones against the wiles of the enemy.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

 

Kaiapoi is a bit away from Christchurch. Moreover, the church there is not at all comparable to the beautiful Oratory in Christchurch. The Oratory provided a place that invites to prayer and contemplation. It was filled with with statues, a traditional altar, beautiful incense, etc. It was a warm and welcoming place. Very different from the church in Kaiapoi, putting the traveling distance aside.
The Sons, the Transalpine Redemptorists, have built up the Oratory in Christchurch with years and years of work, including work by parishioners. In 2015, just after I got married, parishioners helped with some of the units out back - the cells where the monks lived. During this construction work, I took off my wedding ring, to protect it. One of the parishioners reminded me immediately in a very sweet and kind way that I should never take off my marriage band, even for construction work, as the marriage band is a kind of sacramental. That is how faithful and holy that congregation is!
The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer had a Missa Cantata every Sunday in Christchurch. I am not sure how this could ever be replaced. If a low Mass will be the replacement, then this would not really be a worthy Sunday worship of Our Lord.
Most importantly, the teaching, the formation, the sermons provided by Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer and the tight-knit community spirit that came with it will be wiped out. I don't know how this could ever be replaced.
I do not understand why there seems to be so much hatred against holy Catholic tradition. If some people don't like the strict and penitential attitude of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, they don't need to attend their Oratory. They can simply go to another parish - there are many Catholic parishes in Christchurch.
I do not understand why they saw a need to complain to the media and to the Bishop and work towards getting the Sons kicked out of Christchurch. I do not understand. If you don't like it - simply don't go there.
It seems to me that this is an attack on a holy and faithful traditional Catholic order and congregation. It is a real tragedy that it seems to have succeeded.
Some Bishops and the media, they talk about inclusion. They talk about being welcoming. They talk about diversity. But then they kick a holy and faithful and growing congregation to the curb, a congregation full of young monks and large families. The young monk in the video that I posted, he was an aspiring musician. He gave concerts in Auckland and overseas when he was still a child. He was a prodigy. But as he said in the video, he gave it all up to serve God in this holy order of the Transalpine Redemptorists. Now he, and the other monks, are being kicked to the curb. This young monk, he grew up in Christchurch. Now he has to leave. Where are they going to go? Is this what justice and inclusiveness looks like?
I am devastated. My prayers are with the Sons and with the families in that congregation - our friends. I will up our family Rosaries.
God bless!

 

Michael,

There are prayers of exorcisms in the New Rite, but I would have to say they are watered down. To tell you the truth, as a deacon I would refuse to do the Old Rite simply because the Prayers of Exorcism in the Ancient Rite are powerful and are obviously meant to prayed by a priest. It saddens me because my younger daughter has had my two priestly sons baptize her first two children and when her 3rd child is born in September, she has asked me. But I'm reluctant to say yes because of this very reason. Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful prayers in the New Rite, and considering my ancestral Irish heritage of the last 4 generations (with their dedication to the Little Flower), I doubt there are lingering demonic connections. Still...I want what is best for my grandchild.

Now there is a beautiful sung prayer in the New Rite (Invocation of Blessing upon the Baptismal Water) which includes marvelous references from the Old Testament prefiguring the waters of Baptism. It is not present as a hymn in the Old Rite, so I do treasure it. Even so...I am torn. I will be talking to her personally in a couple of weeks as her family is coming up for a visit.

St. Therese, pray for us!

 

Yes, I completely agree with you. I am so grateful to know you, even though online only - you strike me as a very holy and humble deacon! Yes, I agree, a talk with your daughter could help.
There is a book by Fr. Ripperger, Ph.D., ("Deliverance prayers"), which explains much about exorcisms. Demons are legalists, they react to authority, which is usually reserved to a priest. But if one does not have authority, demons sometimes attack that person who attempts exorcisms without having been ordained for it.
As I am writing this, I am about to join the deliverance prayer session by Msgr. Rossetti. Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
Regarding the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, I just spoke to a fellow SSPX-parishioner and to my wife. My friend thinks the attack on the Sons is a "hit-piece". I am inclined to think so, too.
I am not going to just lie down on it. My wife and I think that we should have a conversation with the Bishop.
God bless all here!

 

May the session with Fr. Rossetti prove fruitful for you.

Let God arise and his enemies be scattered.

 

Yes, the session was very fruitful. An immense blessing. One of you on this forum has pointed it out. I think I know who that was and I am very grateful. I will continue my prayers.
God bless!

 

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer held their General Chapter earlier this month and they have come to the decision to move ahead:

Thursday, October 16, 2025
An Open Letter to the Catholic Bishops, Priests, Religious and Faithful

Dear Catholic Soul,

We have just concluded our General Chapter where we considered our Congregation and its vocation in the Church and in the Diocese of Christchurch, New Zealand where the Bishop had decreed its expulsion.

The attached letter expresses the convictions of our Congregation.

This is not a task we embrace lightly. We have considered the array of possible punishments that the hierarchy may use against us - all mentally terrifying really, yet buttressed in the knowledge that the hierarchy has broken with the chain of command, which renders it human, and spiritually null. But when Our Lord’s honour is at stake, silence becomes a form of betrayal. We therefore take up this work with trembling hearts but with firm conviction, desiring only to defend the Holy Name of Jesus Christ and the purity of His Spouse, the Church.

“Every one therefore that shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father Who is in Heaven. But he that shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father Who is in Heaven.”

(Matt. 10:32)
a pdf version is here.

 

Why are they being expelled?

 

You will find the answer to your question in this video:

 

Hey, WCWTS,

Long time no hear. I pray all is well with you!