I don’t know much about the Heralds of the Gospel other than I use to get facebook videos of the order celebrating Mass in a rather rigidly, non rubrical choreographed manner.
I did not know that St. Pope John Paul II, much of his papacy ignored or canceled by Pope Francis, along with Pope Benedict’s papacy, approved of the founding of this Order in South America.
Without a lot of fanfare, once again Pope Leo XIV, aka, Pope Leo the second greatest Leo, has reversed Pope Francis—God is good!
Press the title below for a 2019 article concerning the injustice of the Francis’ Vatican toward the Heralds of the Gospel. I have a few money bytes below the title:
Heralds of the Gospel: eight years of accusations without proof
The so-called “Heralds of the Gospel case” has become, over the years, an emblematic example of the shadows left by the previous pontificate in matters of ecclesial governance. The prolonged Vatican intervention on this international association—a reality present in 78 countries and erected by John Paul II as the first of the new millennium—continues without a convincing explanation and without a single proven accusation in civil or canonical proceedings.
During Pope Francis’s tenure, the internal life of the Church—especially in Latin America—was caught in growing polarization between progressive and conservative sectors. That dynamic tainted decisions that should have been strictly legal and pastoral. In that climate of suspicion, the Heralds were subjected to a forced administration initiated in 2019 following an apostolic visitation opened in 2017. What is troubling is that, as the two sources emphasize, it has never been officially explained why the investigation was initiated, nor what the objective reasons were that led to imposing this exceptional regime on them.
- Resumption of Ordinations: The clerical society Virgo Flos Carmeli, associated with the Heralds of the Gospel, scheduled ordinations for 31 deacons and 26 priests during the Easter Octave, with ceremonies set for April 11 and 12, 2026.
- End of "De Facto" Suspension: The upcoming ordinations officially mark the end of a suspension that has been in place since 2019, following investigations into the group regarding the "abuse of conscience and control" and strict disciplinary measures.
- Shift in Vatican Approach: Reports suggest that Pope Leo XIV, through Cardinal Damasceno, sought to "heal one of the open wounds in the Church" and end the commissioner's office (commissariat) that had been overseeing the group.
12 comments:
Deo Gratias! This is the face of true liberalism and charity!
The Heralds of the Gospel hold to and teach the Catholic Faith.
As a veteran, the military discipline, fitness, drill and precision is a good in itself, along with the pomp and ceremony.
I still, as with most orders, would think their spirtual direction and guidance might be lacking, and as both camps of the "right" rites have found but ignore, simple rote is a dead end, and unfulfilling, and sooner or later folk find it is not enough and things crumble as inertia takes its toll, things grind to a halt and the wheels fall off.
The Heralds of the Gospel have long drawn the ire of various trads.
The trads noted negatively that the Heralds are on board with the Council...center upon the Holy Mass of Pope Saint Paul VI...
Here is an SSPX article that trashed the Heralds...and proclaimed that Rome's visitation in question was justified:
https://fsspx.news/en/news/canonical-investigation-heralds-gospel-following-bizarre-practices-16915
SSPX News:
-- Canonical Investigation into the "Heralds of the Gospel" Following Bizarre Practices
(Note: Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira had founded the Heralds.)
"A recent scandal has revealed some strange practices during exorcisms for the "Heralds of the Gospel".
Excerpts:
"From the afterlife, Plinio Correa de Oliveira, while sitting next to the Virgin Mary in the sky, is also regulating climate change and working in favor of Pope Francis' imminent death:
"these are some of the absurdities supported by the leaders of the Heralds of the Gospel..."
"A canonical investigation has been commissioned by the Holy See...and Indeed, the case is overwhelming."
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Rorate Caeli has long trashed the Heralds. Example: Just four days ago on Rorate Caeli's X page:
𝙋𝙀𝙉𝙄𝙏𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙀🇻🇦
@o_penitente
"Pope Francis did the right thing. There was video evidence of unauthorized exorcisms...That, combined with victim testimonies, made the intervention 100% legitimate.'
Rorate Caeli: "They are weird, as we said." "They are exclusively Novus Ordo..."
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Here is a One Peter 5 article that had badmouthed Pope Francis (requiescat in pace), as well as The Heralds of the Gospel:
https://onepeterfive.com/heralds-gospel/
-- Vatican Investigates Heralds of the Gospel: A Cautionary Tale
"We know we can’t trust the Bergoglian Vatican, especially in the persons of the prefect, secretary, and staff of the Congregation for Religious.
"However we also know that the Church has been badly burned in the recent past by “conservatives” and even traditionalists unthinkingly defending particular groups based on nothing more than perceived membership in “our” faction.
"Rorate notes, “We have heard from very trustworthy sources who used to be on the inside some very strange quirks about the Heralds of the Gospel” but adds that...there is “heightened hostility” toward the group in Rome that is likely shared by Pope Francis."
(My comment: "Likely"...in other words, via the practice of having editorialized, unsubstantiated supposed hostility toward the Heralds had been concocted against Pope Francis.)
(Next: The Heralds are portrayed as Novus Ordo sellouts. The article continued):
"...one thing becomes clear in this group’s history: their situation is further evidence that you can’t be fully Catholic and at the same time adhere to the New Paradigm of Bergoglian Novus Ordo Conciliarism."
"The history of the Heralds of the Gospel, founded by Msgr. João Scognamiglio Clá Dias, specifically to reject the traditionalist critique of Vatican II and the New Mass, shows that the compromises they made with the New Paradigm to purchase papal approval and their canonical status as a religious order are very much coming back to bite them today."
"...they have painted themselves into a corner. By adopting this idea during the giddy-for-conservatives days of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, they find themselves now faced with the shared conundrum of the whole “Catholic conservative” world: “How could the pope really be the pope if the pope is always right and is now also Bergoglio?”
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The article proceeded with additional attacks, and claims of irregularities, against The Heralds of the Gospel.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Reports have stated that Rome has permitted The Heralds of the Gospel to move forward with ordinations. However, the Holy See has not cleared the Heralds of various charges related to Herald irregularities.
Is that correct?
Example: Four days ago from Rorate Caeli, in response to the claim that charges of serious irregularities have been, "debunked," Rorate Caeli declared:
"No, unfortunately it's all true.
"The Heralds of the Gospel have an extremely bizarre devotion for Plinio Correa de Oliveira (founder of the TFP) as an almost Jesus-like figure, and, worse, for his mother, Lucilia, as basically a near-immaculate saint.
"It's bizarre, it's well-known, it has cult-like undertones, and it should disqualify them from support in its overall creepiness.
"They are also supposedly known for a tendency to isolate young people who go to their schools from their families."
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Infovaticana news report:
"Clarifications pending
"The resumption of the ordinances undoubtedly represents a change of scenery. But it doesn't close the case."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
why are you assuming it's "rote?" Please explain a bit more
I have noted that The Heralds of the Gospel have long drawn nasty comments from various trads. Among comments emphasized against The Heralds...
...The Heralds are "Novus Ordo." The Heralds have abandoned tradition to gain favor supposedly with New Church.
Rorate Caeli, 2017 A.D:
"...the Heralds of the Gospel originated from a group of people from the famous "TFP" ("Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property") who found acceptance in the Brazilian Hierarchy because they abandoned the TFP's long exclusive attachment to the Traditional Mass -- so, just to be clear, they do not celebrate the Traditional Mass, therefore they are not Traditionalists..."
"Second, we have heard from very trustworthy sources who used to be on the inside some very strange quirks about the Heralds of the Gospel."
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2019 A.D., ONE PETER 5:
"...to seek pontifical approbation...The Heralds rejected the traditionalist position, adopted the Novus Ordo Mass, and were accepted by an eager John Paul II in 2001...
"...As Rorate Caeli put it, “[t]hey are not Traditionalists, they only ‘beautify’ the Pauline new liturgical creation in order to make it look ‘Traditional,’..."
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"The Heralds enjoyed an explosive growth after abandoning traditionalism and embracing the “conservative” compromise, enjoying the enthusiastic support of the “conservatives” John Paul II and Benedict XVI..."
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There is undeniable resentment from various trads in regard to The Heralds having abandoned Tradition supposedly, thrown in with Vatican II, then centered themselves around the Holy Mass of Pope Saint Paul VI...
...all to bow/curry favor with supposed "conservatives" (One Peter Five's claim/quotation marks) Popes Saint John Paul II, as well as Benedict XVI.
It is clear that various trads have been loathe to acknowledged that The Heralds of the Gospel have grown substantially via attachment to Vatican II/Holy Mass of Pope Saint Paul VI.
My concern is whether reports are correct that the Holy See has not cleared The Heralds of charges that the group engaged in serious irregularities.
But I am confident that Pope Leo XIV/Holy See will get to the truth of the matter in question.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
I guess MT Suit missed this part of Father McDonald's introduction:
What Pope Leo has done for the "Heralds of the Gospel" is certainly the manner in which His Holiness will heal the wound against those who faithfully followed Pope Benedict's Summorum Pontificum, which was canceled by Pope Francis in the most merciless and mean-spirited way! Pope Leo is a peacemaker! Blessed be the peacemakers
Why don't you refute that, if you can.
AI Overview:
"The Heralds of the Gospel, founded by Msgr. João Scognamiglio Clá Dias, have faced criticism from traditionalist circles regarding their adoption of the Novus Ordo Missae and their rapid growth under papal approbation.
"...they have, as noted, diverged from the "exclusive attachment to the Traditional Mass" that defines some traditionalist groups, and they are recognized for their work within the context of the post-Vatican II Church."
"Their exclusive use of the Novus Ordo (the Mass of Paul VI) rather than the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) has historically alienated groups like Rorate Caeli or OnePeterFive..."
"...the Heralds...have been allowed to resume ordinations, but they continue to operate under the scrutiny of a reformed structure."
"As of April 2026, the Heralds of the Gospel (Arautos do Evangelho) have not been fully "cleared"..."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
You mean apart from all the priests conducting masses on autopilot and attendees just going through the minimal motions, and nearly all there mostly to fulfill obligation, and paying not one bit of attention to God? Well, I'd have to think about it some more...
After further thought, also most orders pay only rote lip service to obligatory "spirituality", mostly rote prayer, psalms, office, "spiritual exercises", all mental, little true contemplative prayer and most of that time actuaĺly mental/meditation and reading rather than contemplation.
When ritual itself is worshipped...
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