Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Bellwether Foundress addresses the Companions of the Lamb.



Who's the Foundress?
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I expect it is Nadine Brown, but the author of the statement only refers to herself as Foundress.  I suspect she is not quite sure how to identify herself due to the fact her vows have been annulled.  Just as I suspected however, the group is 'reforming' as a private association:
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As Catholic Laity and as priestly people, we continue to participate in the intercessory mission of the Lamb.  Archbishop Lucas has stated in his news release of October 15, 2010 “Of course, Catholic faithful are always welcome, in virtue of their Baptism, to associate together and to pray. I would encourage those companions and associates to continue to pray for the former vowed members of the Intercessor community, for the Church, and for the needs of the world.” This means that your prayer groups are able to continue to gather together for intercession. Please let us know if you would like us to continue visitations to your groups.
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Since the Companions have never been part of the Public Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb, the suppression of the Public Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb does not mean that this extends to you as Companions. - Foundress statement.
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Obviously the Foundress has been talking to lawyers, canonical as well as civil.  Seems to me she is acting within her rights as a baptized Catholic lay person:
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Many of you have also inquired about the civil corporation. The civil corporation, Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc., is a separate legal entity than the former Association of Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb and has always functioned as such, as an independent civil corporation, which owns and manages the property and other business affairs associated with supporting the mission and charism. On September 30th, when Archbishop Lucas asked me to resign as the General Director of the Public Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb, I was also asked to resign from the office of President of the civil corporation and from its Board of Directors. I obeyed both of these requests.
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It is important to note that the civil corporation, which remains a non-profit corporation in the State of Nebraska, has been in existence since 1980, a full twelve years before the Hermits were recognized as a Private Association of the Faithful, and eighteen years before the Public Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb was erected by Archbishop Curtiss. Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) (tax exempt) corporation, separate from the Catholic church. On page 2 of the original Form 1023 Application for Recognition of Exemption, it states, “The organization was formed in response to the need to call persons to the experience of prayer and contemplative solitude, in the midst of the complexities, haste, and multiple demands imposed upon the individual by contemporary society.” Since the mission remains the same as is stated in the original exempt application, all of your contributions to Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc. continue to be tax deductible. - Foundress statement.
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Mother Nadine and companions were never excommunicated or placed under interdict, although their Public Association was canonically suppressed and they were dispensed from their religious vows.  (I've been told these were private vows and they were not technically religious.)  As a lay person, Nadine Brown appears to be acting within her rights and is not using the name "Catholic" except to identify the Companions as a group of Catholic laity.  Brown's statement doesn't mean she is not a faithful Catholic either - she did exactly what the Archbishop asked her to do...  One big mistake may be in her statement:  "Our mission continues and our charism is the same."  I doubt the Archbishop would agree with that. 
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Religious people do this kind of thing all of the time anyway.  Medjugorje still goes on despite the local Bishop's prohibitions.  Locally, a holy woman continues to have prayer meetings wherein she receives locutions despite the fact she was asked not to publish them and was forbidden to conduct the meetings at church.  So she does it elsewhere.  Don't forget, dissidents have worked the system just as well without ever getting themselves excommunicated, much less disciplined. 
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Just watch out for those holier than the Church types, and work out your own salvation in fear and trembling..
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Link:

Archdiocesan warning on Intercessors of the Lamb Resources.

15 comments:

  1. Oh crap!!
    My job just got a lot harder now;
    thank you Nadine.
    I mean really...not!

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  2. And, as one other comment (since my insomnia is so very acting up here).
    Do NOT send any financial contributions to the IOL Inc.
    This bunch is at odds with the local bishop and it's just a scandal and a horrid example of what happens when "hubris", pride and just plain disobedience are the "means" to whatever the "Foundress" and her minions have in mind.
    Horrid, awful and just demonic.
    This is not the Holy Spirit, folks.
    It's the Devil and he is trying to "take down" whomever he might get in his clutches.
    Thank you, Mr. Terry.

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  3. Terry,

    It's silly she doesn't sign it. She recognizes that the thing was suppressed, so why not just sign it Nadine Brown? There are things specific only to her in that message.

    I suspect the archbishop will have something to say about her offer to "visit prayer groups".

    Let's see what the archbishop has to say, mindful of the fact that the board of directors of Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc., essentially thumbed their noses at the archbishop when he asked them turn over the books.

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  4. Anonymous4:16 AM

    Off-topic, but I thought of you when I read this article Terry:

    http://www.insidecatholic.com/feature/the-secret-disciples.html

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  5. Please be clear that Nadine Brown (as HIOL) was not a religious and the HIOL were not religious. They were never erected as an institutes of Consecrated Life, never had canonical vows (their vows were private). Despite the use of habits, titles, etc these were more "on loan" against the prospect of becoming an institute of consecrated life.

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  6. Diane - it will be interesting what happens next - I find it curious she didn't sign her name as well - I wonder if it is a legal point - I hate to think it is some sort of deception.

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  7. Dear Sr. Laurel, thanks very much for that clarification - it gets so complicated. I have also wondered about Brown's status as a former contemplative of the Good Shepherd Sisters of the Cross. Was she exclaustrated and was she dispensed from her vows when she left?

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  8. Father - I know what you mean. I believe the group is clinging to their civil status to continue operations. Nadine Brown must have been advised to exploit the private association of laity 'permission'.

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  9. Patrick - I just read the post - excellent - I may reference it - thanks.

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  10. Sister,

    Good to see you out here offering clarity in the comboxes.

    The statuses are all quite confusing.

    Thanks

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  11. I continue to ponder many things about this.

    On the 25th, the archdiocese, cautioned people about the fact that anything which comes out of the Intercessors, has not been reviewed by the archbishop.

    Too many people, uncatechized and without the necessary competency to fully discern content they may produce, see the good. Let's say that 98% is good.

    A full glass of water with one or two drops of poison, is best left not drunk. It could make one sick, and unveils cases can be fatal.

    This is just one of many reasons why it would be imprudent to purchase resources from them, or invite them to prayer meetings.

    Further, if people provide financial support and they do have a small amount of dangerous "substance" with the good, then such people indirectly participate in a kind of scandal. This is especially true if they do so, against the admonishment of the bishop.

    I could not, in good conscience, give them money or purchase anything from them on this basis.

    Also, Nadine Brown has now aligned herself with the very board which gave a non serviam to the bishop, cloaked in a business-like excuse, "we disagree with his findings".

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  12. Oops - typo which should have read

    "A full glass of water with one or two drops of poison, is best left not drunk. It could make one sick, and in some cases can be fatal"

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  13. In order to have made other vows, even private ones I am fairly sure Nadine Brown must have had her public vows dispensed. In any case she could not have still been in exclaustration.

    I am wondering if this will change the way the Church gives permission for titles and habits before actual erection as an ICL or public vows. Also, while Brown is acting completely within her rights, the failure to change the name of the Intercessors, etc does seem to be a way of thumbing her nose at the Archbishop.

    The Public Association status IS confusing and so many people think these folks were religious with public vows!

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  14. http://archomaha.org/newsevents/pdf/Companion_Letter.pdf

    Please read this link - letter to Companions and Friends - to understand the situation. And please pass this letter to as many as you can.

    Nadine Brown is defying the Church, so please tell others to avoid her website.

    Charles

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  15. Charles - thanks for the link - I'm not sure how to proceed - but this entire thing is a mess.

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