Costa Rican priest suspended, sent for psychological treatment for celebrating Latin Novus Ordo

The removal of Fr. Sixto Eduardo Varela Santamaría, who until very recently was the Chancellor of the Diocese of Alajuela, leaves hundreds of devotees of the traditional liturgy in Costa Rica without a pastor.

Fr. Sixto Eduardo Varela Santamaría celebrating Mass, in an undated photo. (Image courtesy of the author)

A Costa Rican priest says he has been suspended, removed from his parish, and sent to psychological treatment by his bishop who is angry with him for celebrating the reformed liturgy in Latin and ad orientem.

Fr. Sixto Eduardo Varela Santamaría, who until very recently was the Chancellor of the Diocese of Alajuela, had been celebrating the Mass since 2019 for a community of hundreds of faithful who are devoted to the Catholic Church’s traditional Roman rite, known popularly as the “Tridentine Mass.” The liturgies were celebrated at the parish of San Jose, of which he was a pastor, with the blessing of his bishop.

Fr. Varela and other members of the faithful say that the priest obeyed his bishop’s refusal to grant him permission to continue celebrating the pre-reform “Tridentine” mass, but exercised his right under canon law to celebrate the reformed or “Novus Ordo” mass in Latin, stoking the ire of his prelate and leading to his ouster.

The removal of Fr. Varela leaves hundreds of devotees of the traditional liturgy in Costa Rica without a pastor and without the traditional sacraments.

The country’s episcopal conference declared a total ban on the ancient liturgy last month in response to Pope Francis’ recent letter Traditiones custodes, which imposes restrictions on the traditional rites but does not require their prohibition. However, the bishops also prohibited any practices “proper” to the pre-1970 liturgy, which appears to include the use of Latin as well as the custom of the priest facing the altar with the people. The Church’s ancient repertoire of Gregorian Chant would also be swept away in such a prohibition.

In an audio recording sent to his former parishioners and obtained by Catholic World Report, Fr. Varela said he has been sent to live with his parents for a half-year “sabbatical”, and has been prohibited from celebrating the sacraments in public. He added that his bishop, Bartolomé Buigues, will also be sending him to a clinic in Mexico that gives “psychological” and “medical” care.

“I’ll be going to Mexico for three months to an institute that the bishop has designated so that they can accompany me spiritually, psychologically, and medically – at least that is what the page says of this institute, which is run by the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit,” said Fr. Varela.

Fr. Varela explained that the decision to banish him from his parish was made after he submitted to the decision to prohibit the traditional liturgy, but sought to continue his ministry to his flock using the liturgical books of Pope Paul VI, commonly called the “Novus Ordo,” in Latin. “The bishop didn’t prefer that, didn’t like that either,” said the priest, adding that his bishop sees this as the act that “unleashed” the disciplinary measures against him.

As of this posting, Catholic World Report has not received a response to interview requests sent to the Costa Rican Episcopal Conference and to the Diocese of Alajuela by Catholic World Report.

Claim of “disobedience” denied by witnesses

A representative of the Diocese of Alajuela told the Costa Rican newspaper La Nación that the priest had continued celebrating the pre-1970 mass after he was denied permission, a claim that was contradicted by both Fr. Varela in his audio testimony and the president of the Summorum Pontificum Association of Costa Rica, José Pablo Arias Soto, as well as by a parishioner whose written testimony was obtained by Catholic World Report.

Arias Soto told La Nación that Fr. Varela had obeyed the prohibition of the pre-Vatican II rite and had begun to celebrate mass “according to the Missal of Saint Paul VI in Latin, as is established in canon 928, something that has never been prohibited nor can be prohibited by an Ordinary.”

He added that “any claim that Fr. Sixto has been disobedient regarding the celebration of a prohibited rite, is absolutely false and, out of respect for the truth and for justice, it must be rejected with the greatest forcefulness.”

A diocesan official also told the newspaper that Pope Francis had “limited the use of the mass prior to Vatican II only to communities that existed before the reform of 1970,” and that the faithful were required to know Latin. However, neither restriction is found in the motu proprio Traditiones custodes nor its accompanying letter.

In a brief press release issued today the Diocese of Alajuela claimed that Fr. Varela had received three “admonitions” prior to his suspension but no details were given regarding their content, nor was any offense named to justify the actions taken against him.

Although he noted that he had committed “no offense named in the Code of Canon Law that corresponds to a punishment of this magnitude,” Fr. Varela said in his recorded statement that he had decided not to carry out any appeals but rather to accept the suspension. He said that he would use the time to reflect upon the future course of his life.

Priest known for defending Catholic doctrine and morality

The “admonitions” referred to by the Diocese Alajuela of may refer to previous occasions when Fr. Varela generated controversy in Costa Rica for defending Catholic doctrine and morality.

In 2016, he made headlines in the secular media when he refused to allow a practicing homosexual to act as a godparent in a baptism, applying a rule that has existed in the Church for many centuries, which requires baptism sponsors to be a good example to their godchildren. Although he received no public punishment for his stand, he was condemned strongly by pro-LGBT parliamentarians, and seems to have received no public defense from he episcopal hierarchy.

However, in 2018, Fr. Varela was openly condemned by the bishops’ conference of Costa Rica when he accused the country’s president and other public officials of being “disguised atheists” following their support for the legalization of abortion and homosexual marriage. Despite the president’s anti-Christian stance on such issues, he and other government officials continued to attend the Mass in public and to be given Holy Communion.

“We continue to participate in the political theater of these disguised atheists!!!! Forgive us, O Lord, forgive us!!!! If this man is Catholic, let him act like a Catholic!!!! No more using the Church to tranquilize the masses!!!!” an outraged Fr. Varela wrote on his Facebook page. He removed the post soon after, but it was republished by local media.

“We profoundly regret the interpretation regarding this act that was made public by Fr. Sixto Eduardo Varela Santamaria, which differs totally from the motivations and sentiments that animated the celebration,” the bishops’ conference stated in response to Fr. Varela’s words. They added that they could not “judge the reasoning and the longings present in the heart of a child of God, and we are the first to recognize and respect the exercise of freedom of religion of all citizens, including the President.”

In less than two years, President Carlos Alvarado had signed a law legalizing abortion in a variety of circumstances. In 2020, after several years of effort, he succeeded in approving a law creating homosexual “marriage”.

Bishop Bartolomé Buigues, who was appointed by Pope Francis to the Diocese of Alajuela in March of 2018, has himself been the subject of controversy in Costa Rica due to his own statements regarding same-sex unions.

On the eve of the first such “marriage” under Costa Rican civil law, in May of 2020, the bishop stated in a public sermon that “we have to be tolerant. We live in an open society. We live our faith, we deepen our faith, but we rejoice that there are different types of human relationship, distinct ways of having a family and I think that where there is a manifestation of affection and of family in some form, there God is made manifest, and we have to favor it.”

The next day the bishop removed the video of the statements from his Facebook page and reaffirmed the Church’s teaching on marriage, but also added, “As, in fact, these other unions have been recognized by our legislation, I have an inclusive view of them, far from any discrimination. And I hope that with their experience they will also provide ties of affection, care and protection to our society.”

Costa Rican bishops seek total prohibition of Latin, ancient liturgical customs

The bishops of Costa Rica, who have long stonewalled and rejected appeals for the traditional Mass by the Catholic faithful, have taken Pope Francis recent pastoral letter Traditiones custodes as a mandate to eliminate the traditional liturgy completely in their country, not only in its pre-1970 manifestations, but even in the “New Mass” of Pope Paul VI.

To the great disappointment of hundreds of Catholic faithful who have for years participated in the one traditional Mass available in the whole country, the bishops claimed that no group of faithful had ever existed in Costa Rica that met the description of Pope Benedict, those who “continued to be attached with such love and affection to the earlier liturgical forms which had deeply shaped their culture and spirit.”

They also accused those faithful who sought the traditional liturgy of not “always expressing their view regarding the validity and legitimacy of the liturgical reform, of the dictates of Vatican II and the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs” and claimed that they didn’t meet the requirement of having to know Latin so that they could participate in the mass.

However, the bishops went further than this, adding that the reformed liturgy “must be protected from any element that originates in the ancient forms. The prayers, vestments and rites that were proper to the liturgy before the reform of 1970 must not be introduced.” It appears that they are including in this prohibition the use of Latin, the ad orientem orientation of the priest, and other traditional elements of the Roman rite.

The restrictions are a particularly bitter pill to swallow for the Catholic faithful who attended Fr. Varela’s masses, because the group was formed specifically for those who did not wish to participate in the masses of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X (FSSPX), which functions without the approval of the bishops. When the country’s Una Voce leadership decided to participate in the masses of the FSSPX, a new organization was formed by those who wanted to remain attached to the bishops. Now they are being accused of the very disloyalty they sought to reject.

“The existing group of laity has received the strongest of blows from the pastoral staff,” wrote a laymen of the parish who wished to remain anonymous. “They are now without a priest to accompany them, without the the celebration of the Holy Mass now not only with the Mass of 1962, but also the new Mass in Latin”.

“What will happen to those faithful? Many of them have been shunned in their parishes of origin. The Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X has insisted that they will continue celebrating the Traditional Mass, even in the diocese of Alajuela, and have invited people to disobey Pope Francis and the bishop.”

However, he rejected such a solution, calling instead for prayer. “May those who can, unite themselves in prayer, both for Fr. Sixto, and for the group of faithful,” he wrote. “That is the best weapon.”


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About Matthew Cullinan Hoffman 31 Articles
Matthew Cullinan Hoffman is a Catholic essayist and journalist, and the author and translator of The Book of Gomorrah and St. Peter Damian's Struggle Against Ecclesiastical Corruption (2015). His award-winning articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, London Sunday Times, Catholic World Report, LifeSite News, Crisis, the National Catholic Register, and many other publications. He holds an M.A. in Philosophy from Holy Apostles College and Seminary, with a focus on Thomism.

46 Comments

  1. This Bishop like many others are in the process of rendering themselves irrelevant.
    Who needs a Bishop who is merely acting as any leftist politician?
    I strongly doubt that Bishops acting like this have faith.

  2. Bishops sending priests to psyche impriisonmeny for actually doing what V2 says, in Scacrosanctum Consilium, and praying the Mass in Latin.

    Another exhibit in the evidence that the “new Church” of 2013 is a total fraud, and will betray on Monday what it professed on Sunday.

    There can be little doubt that what the Pillar suspects is true: the hierarchy is filled with characters who can be and are being blackmailed with the evidence of their double-lives.

  3. This would seem clear on the surface to be a breach of the explicit teachings of Vatican iis document on the liturgy and the Roman missal of Paul VI (which provides for this option) by the bishops!

    The use or rather misuse of psychological assessments and treatment for awkward clergy reminds me of the way the Soviet union locked dissenters up in mental institutions. Shameful.

  4. These Bishops are a grave disappointment. Francis Motu Proprio is now taking effect. In words by Archbishop Vigano on the Motu Proprio of Francis, “The Shephards with a stick are striking the sheep.”

  5. This nonsense will continue as long as the faithful permit it to continue. The bishops of Costa Rica are not Catholic. They are Roman Protestants, and no one owes them any allegiance.

  6. If the bishop had concerns about the priest’s psychological health, why did he ever make him chancellor of the diocese? If he had concerns about the priest’s psychological health, why didn’t he send him to a local outpatient psychologist? It’s much less expensive.

    It’s obvious to me that this bishop is a tyrant bishop – a wolf.

  7. My guess is that this is really a conflict between a non homosexual priest and his homosexual bishop. The Church wants to hide the fact that homosexuality is a big problem. So all these conflicts are arising over the Latin Mass, etc, because no one may speak about the rampant homosexuality in the clergy. Note that this priest was previously under fire because he upheld Catholic teaching in regard to homosexuals. That’s all this is – the homosexual priesthood trying to destroy anyone who opposes them. Note that yet another homosexual bishop was “uncovered” the other day. He had posted pictures of himself masturbating somewhere, and the pictures became public. He was accused by two minors of trying to get in their pants as well.

  8. Why is he subjecting himself to such treatment? Why has he not fled to the SSPX? The writing is on the wall for traditional priests in the N.O…

    • CaptainKirk,
      He hasn’t left because being Catholic and faithful to Jesus is more important to him than anything else.

  9. This priest deserves to be sent on to sabbatical for openly defying his country’s bishops’ total ban of the traditionalist mass. Furthermore, this article’s author only carry the priest’s side of the issue of his leave, who knows whether there is a different reason on the part of the bishop concerned for sending the recalcitrant priest to sabbatical.

    • He didn’t defy the ban on thee EF, since he celebrated the NO in Latin, which he has every right to do. Canonically, it’s the bishops who have acted in defiance of Church norms.

  10. The practice of sending faithful priests to psychiatric clinics, especially those run by certain dioceses like the decadent AD of Washington and its hideous and sexually perverted St. Luke’s Institute (exposed as a complete moral fraud by Phillip Lawler at Catholic Culture, and I will share the link in my next post below), shows what a cesspool of evil a diocese becomes when run by a homosexual Bishop, such as those so warmly favored by the Pontiff Francis.

    Of such Bishops did Jesus speak when he warned of the dry wood on Good Friday.

    Ever since the Pontiff Francis took office, he has persecuted the faithful priests like the FFI, whom he so cruelly and deceitfully destroyed in 2013-14.

    These Bishops and this Pontiff are the wolves that Benedict XVI warned about.

    • Totally disagree with your views. Pope Francis is not, and has never been, the wolf you paint him to be. He is the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, the rock – to use our Founder’s term.

      • Mal,
        I have two points. The first is that Francis is the Pope and the Vicar of Christ, but he is not the rock. That name was given to Peter alone. The second point is that we’ve had a number of very bad popes in the history of the Church. Being the Pope doesn’t mean that the person automatically has the best interest of either Christ or His Church in mind.

        • The “rock” symbolizes stability, firmness and permanence. This is why we still have the Pope.
          Just because you believe there have been bad Popes, it does not mean that Pope Francis, who is affectionately called the Slum Pope by the people who know him intimately well, does not have the best interests of Jesus or the Church in mind. You should watch the video about our Pope made by the secular PBS. You will find that he had an experience, a calling that is not very different from the one Saul of Tarsus experienced. Saul of Tarsus became Paul, whereas Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis.

          • Mal,
            I defended Francis for the first few years of his pontificate. In trying to reconcile the conflicting stories that were being generated, I was able to discern at the time that Francis was the victim of media bias and/or shoddy reporting. However, too much has happened since, and I can no longer explain things away [less I enter a state of intentional denial].

            Regarding whether the Pope has the true best interest of the Church, we’ll just have to disagree on that point for now.

          • Mal,
            How the “rock” symbolizing stability, firmness and permanence explains why we “still have the Pope” is a mystery to me. Your argument makes no sense. We have a pope because the Holy Spirit sustains the Church in spite of failed human material with which to work.
            As regards PBS, once you cited it as a source you lost me. If you cannot see the violence Francis has done to the Church then there is no explaining it to you. I am sincerely happy that you are at peace with this pope. You are blessed.

      • Mal:

        Well, it is almost certainly no consolation that there were days when you and I agreed about the Pontiff Francis, days in 2013, when I would post copies of the Pontiff Francis’s homilies etc under our crucifix in the kitchen. But there is a lot of polluted water under the bridge since then, reaching its high flood in the idolatry orchestrated by the Pontiff Francis in Rome in 2019.

        We all have been taught that is quite possible to have a bad, and even to have an evil Pontiff, and our own good teachers and historians have afforded us access to amble evidence of the same across our Church’s history.

        On that note, are you informed of what crime was committed by the priests and nuns of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (FFI), such that in 2013-14, the Pontiff Francis deputized his newly-minted Bishop, Jose Carballo, former Director General of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor (OFM), to “investigate” and then dismantle the FFI, siezing the FFI’s property, and literally forcing out the priests and sisters from their seminary and convent in Italy, and exiling them to the Phillipines and other far-flung places?

        Did you know that we are we left to accept (without any effort of clarification by the Church in Rome) that this cruel treatment of the FFI had its “justification” merely in having Carballo’s hand-picked “investigator” Reverend Volpi (OFM) smearing the reputation of the FFI’s elderly founder Father Manelli? And are you informed about the Pontiff and his deputy Bishop Carballo silently refusing the appeal from the Manelli family to the Church for justice? And in the Manelli family’s astonishment at the silent refusal of their appeal to the Church, being compelled to seek justice outside the Church, and only having recourse to justice in the civil court in Italy, where the court found that the Bishop Carballo’s deputy Reverend Volpi was guilty of defamation against Father Manelli?

        Of course this could all be an offense driven by the ignorance of Bishop Carballo and his mentor the Pontiff, and that is a charitable interpretation. But given the silence of the Pontiff and Bishop Carballo, even after the civil court’s verdict of defamation by their deputy Reverend Volpi, that interpretation seems quite unlikely.

        On the other hand, the same (now Bishop) Jose Carballo is also reported by the UK Telegraph (Nick Squires, 2014) to have been an early (indeed, the very first, and in 2013) episcopal appointee of the Pontiff Francis, immediately after presiding for 10 years as General Director of the OFM. Did you know that it was disclosed in 2014 by Carballo’s successor, in an open letter to all supporters of the OFM Franciscans (after Carballo was safely whisked away to Rome, and put in charge of the Congregation for Consecrated Life, governing religious orders world-wide), that during the “governance” of Jose Carballo, the Franciscan OFM incurred a number of financial “irregularities” putting the OFM in what Brother Michael Perry, Carballo’s successor, described as a “grave, and I underscore grave” financial situation, involving the disappearance of tens of millions of euros?

        A couple of sources on the OFM financial irregularities under Bishop Carballo, the pontiff’s first appointee, are here:

        https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11303558/Franciscan-order-of-friars-investigation-finds-millions-of-euros-missing.html

        https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2014/11_12/2014_12_19_Squires_FranciscanOrder.htm

        I am happy to provide a series of sources on the Carballo/Volpi/Pontiff Francis’ persecution and destruction of the FFI Franciscans, if you are so interested, and since I have not yet cited any of those (only in the interest of time this afternoon).

        But I end with my first question to you (and to anyone really)…

        I wonder what “crime” it was that was committed by the FFI Franciscans, which resulted in “an investigation” and their swift and total destruction by the former head of the OFM Franciscans, Jose Carballo, the very first appointee of the Pontiff Francis? Was their crime the very crime committed by the FSSP, and any of the other diocesan priests and parishes world-wide identified by the inquisitors of the Pontiff Francis, that like the FFI Franciscans, they offended the Pontiff Francis and what the Church has declared to be its very own “present day mentality,” by offering the Roman Rite of the Catholic Mass of Antiquity (the Usus Antiquor)?

        Quite simply, we lack any other plausible explanation, in light of the brutality and ham-fisted recklessness of Traditiones Custodes, which is amplified by the chillingly cold light of the civil court verdict in Italy that Reverend Volpi (and thus Bishop Carballo) were willing to unjustly defame Father Manelli of the FFI Franciscans, as the pretext to destroy the FFI.

        Thus the “Church of 2013,” the engineered monstrosity of frauds like Cardinal-sociopath-sex-abuser-McCarrick, and Cardinal-sociopath-sex-coverup-artist-Danneels, and Cardinal-sociopath-mafiosi-Mahony-of-LA, and their replulsive cohort of like-minded- frauds, increasingly declares itself as separated from all pontiffs and priests and faithful who preceded the Pontiff Francis, those who would never have tolerated the idolatry he orchestrated in October 2019 in Rome.

        • Chris,
          Like you, I had expressed different views about the Pope a few years ago. The Catholic websites I used to read made me feel very uneasy about the Pope’s words and actions as reported by them. It was only when I realized that some of the opinion writers were giv9ng us a slightly tainted view – to put it lightly – I began submitting posts supporting the Pope. Not liking my conservative Catholic views, three “Catholic” websites based in North America banned me.
          Re. the FFI. I prefer the view presented by this very site – the Catholic World Report – in 2013. Important to bear in mind that the investigation into the activities in the FFI started under Pope Benedict.
          https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2013/07/31/the-vatican-and-the-franciscan-friars-of-the-immaculate/

          • Mal:

            What do you believe “view” is presented in this artcle?

            I am fairly certain that I read the article myself in July 2013.

            Then, as now, the article was incapable of asserting anything, because the Pontiff Francis’ appointment of Jose Carballo to “investigate” the FFI was made only 3 months prior, as the pontificate was only 4 months old.

            All of the injustice that ensued against the FFI under Jose Carballo and his deputy Volpi at the direction of the Pontiff Francis was only revealed after this preliminary article.

            Which again begs the question:

            “What was the offense of the FFI Franciscans, that their director Father Manelli was fraudulently defamed by Bishop Carballo and Reverend Volpi, under the direction of the Pontiff Francis, and the FFI was destroyed, their property siezed, their 300 priests, and 300 other brothers and sisters literally exiled?”

            The July 2013 article you cite here is incapable of answering that question, because the injustice done to the FFI was all carried out after the article was written.

            On the other hand, there are reports that come later, that expose the injustices done by the Pontiff Francis’ inquisitors to the FFI, including the defamation verdict sought and attained by the family of Father Manelli.

            https://catholicismpure.wordpress.com/2018/05/30/franciscans-of-the-immaculate-win-important-legal-battle/

            There is much more than this to share.

          • This article did not age well! We now know a lot more about Volpi, the financial corruption in the Vatican that was key to seizing assets belonging to the FFI, and the alarm of Pope Francis over ANY thriving traditional order. The specific claim in this article that the “majority” of the FFI members welcomed this investigation and suppression has been exposed as a blatant lie. Two of the FFI priests came to my diocese for a time, and I heard a lot directly from them. No, this was a destructive assault stemming from Bergoglio’s usual envy and hatred.

        • Chris,
          I’m interested in your comment about Cardinal Mahoney being a mafioso. Is this a reference to him being a member of the lavender mafia or something else? If something else, could you please elaborate? Thanks.

          • Hello Steve.

            I will answer in more depth later today. I leave you with this to start: it was Governor Keating who referred to Mahony as a mafiosi, or more precisely stated, I believe he used the words “Cosa Nostra.” He said it as head of the US National Review Board in 2003 (investigating the crisis caused by the homosexual abuse of teen boys in the US by predator priests), when he publicly resigned in disgust because of the refusal of cooperation by many key Archbishops, chief among them being Mahony of LA.

          • Chris,
            Thank you for the reply. There’s no need to waste time and reply further since I’m very acquainted with Mahoney and his quiet but dedicated promotion of homosexuality in the priesthood.

            I thought you may have been referring to corruption apart from things ecclesiastical.

    • An outrage most odd that a priest is sanctioned and compelled to submit to psychiatric evaluation for offering the Novus Ordo in Latin. Bishop Bartolomé Buigues Oller is not a Costa Rican, born in Teulada Spain. I mention this because the Spanish hierarchy seem to be the most ardent supporters of Pope Francis and his ideology. For example, eminent Catholic philosopher Josef Seifert who taught in Spain at the archdiocesan Philosophical Institute Edith Stein was fired by the Granada Archbishop because of Seifert’s criticism of Amoris Laetitia. We rarely if ever hear of criticism of the Pontiff from Spain, or any reservation regarding the controversial doctrine on divorce and remarriage in Amoris Laetitia. If Pope Francis intends to eliminate the TLM with Traditionis Custodes [prohibition of newly ordained priests without Vatican permission virtually assures that] one may wonder whether Latin will next be proscribed by this Vatican. As said, His Holiness’ policy is to preserve tradition by eliminating it. Perhaps, as suggested previously by safeguarding tradition in the Vat archives. As many agree this will further alienate, although in the context of papal authority we’re disarmed. I dislike considering limits to that authority nonetheless they exist for good reason. If the Pontiff continues to tinker with the liturgical form of the Mass can we expect theological errancy. From the same theological perspective many as I do believe God would prohibit that errancy to the sacred worship of the Mass. However, His Holiness has developed a brilliant method of circumventing Magisterial pronouncement and promoting that errancy as experienced with Amoris Laetitia. If that were to occur we might expect Daniel’s prophetic warning of the suppression of worship to be in the making. On that score we’re not obliged to adhere to error whomever and whatever the source. I intend to offer my private Mass Novus Ordo form in Latin until doomsday.

  11. The problem in Costa Rica is the influence of the masonic lodges in all aspects of life and politics, including the catholic church that’s been infiltrated. When the Costa Rican president Carlos Alvarado signed the decree that legalized abortion, the catholic conference of bishops defended the new law! the costra rican bishops also defended publicly the law that legalized sodomy.

    • Luis, perhaps there’s also the influence of Santeria. Bishop Bartolomé Buigues Diocese of Alajuela is a diocese of the Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica. Brujo Mayor [Great Witch] de Costa Rica San José is perhaps the largest Santeria center in Costa Rica and is centered in San José. There are restaurants in San José that feature Santeria cuisine, whatever that is. Apparently the local culture is affected by this occultic practice. Would it influence clergy raised in the area?

      • Presntly there is a theological epidemic in the Catholic Church and it is caused by the common false premise used in the interpretation of Vatican Council II, the Creeds, Catechisms and Magisterial documents in general.
        Those who read the blog Eucharist and Mission are aware of the Lionel Andrades intepretation of Vatican Council II and so have the vaccine, which this bishop needs.

      • Pretty much all of Latin America has something like Santeria going on. San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica so it makes sense it may have the largest number of Santeria followers. Mexico has troubles with Santa Muerte. Haiti with voodoo.
        I think Haiti is much more affected by voodoo than Costa Rica by Santeria.

    • The problem with the bishop is theology and n

      1.What’s so special about the Lionel Andrades interpretation of Vatican Council II ?
      It does not use the common fake premise.It’s a simple, rational and different way to read Vatican Council II.

      2.What’s so special about the Lionel Andrades interpretation of extra ecclesiam nulla salus(EENS)?
      The same reason as above. It does not use the common false premise to interpret the baptism of desire(BOD),invincible ignorance(I.I) and the baptism of blood(BOB).So there are no practical exceptions for EENS.EENS is traditonal and BOD, BOB and I.I are interpreted rationally.It’s not EENS or BOB,BOB and I.I. Since the latter are not exceptions for the former.
      Lionel Andrades
      Promoter of the Lionel Andrades interpretation of Vatican Council II.For him the Council is dogmatic and not only pastoral.
      Writer on the discovery of the two interpretations of Vatican Council II, one is rational and the other is irrational, one is interpreted with the false premise and the other without it. One is Magisterial and the other, the common one, is non Magisterial.
      It is the same for the Creeds and Catechisms.
      There can be two interpretations.
      Why should Catholics choose an irrational version which is heretical, non traditional and schismatic, when a rational option is there which is traditional ?
      Blog: Eucharist and Mission (eucharistandmission )
      E-mail: lionelandrades10@gmail.com

  12. “Sent for psychological counseling…” Notice that the tactics of the new Church are those of the old Soviet Union, which imprisoned opponents in psychiatric hospitals.

  13. “The ban on celebrating traditional Holy Mass is inspired by the Devil who desires our spiritual death”-Cardinal Robert Sarah

    • Thank God we still have the Holy Mass which is beautiful in its simplicity and which is understood by all in the pews and bringing spiritual blessings on all.

      • and which is understood by all in the pews
        Not if one believes the results of the Pew poll or personally engages in a substantive conversation with some of those pew sitters.

  14. Father Varela is in my daily prayers now! May St.Padre Pio comfort and console him during unjust, humanistic trials poorly disguised as assistance. One would think that spiritual counseling would be more apt if this was legitimate — but it is not! I would appreciate an article by Father Ripperger related to these “psychological treatments.” I am gaining much from his “Introduction to the Science of Mental Health.”

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