The Bishop of Nice, Mgr Louis Sankalé spent a day earlier this month carrying out a pastoral visit to the old part of Nice. He went to see shopkeepers and restaurant owners in this part of the town that is very popular with tourists. He found time to call in to the barracks of the Foreign Legion. Naturally he also visited the places of worship, youth movements, the brotherhoods of penitents (of which there are four) and so on. Oh, and he popped in to see the Priestly Fraternity of St Pius X.
Above you can see him entering the chapel of St Clare for the first time, welcomed by Fr Charles Moulin. Below he is in the office of Fr Moulin engaged in a "cordial exchange".
The roof did not cave in; the Bishop was not struck by lightning; plagues did not break out in Nice; in fact nobody died at all as a result of the visit. Perhaps after all, it was just an instance of common sense and genuine fraternal charity.
Photos are from the website of the
Diocese of Nice
H/T
Rorate Caeli
9 comments:
I see that Bishop Sankale was accompanied by two priests, Fr. Leon Pape Gnacadja and Fr. Jean-Louis Balsa. I take it that they are the two not wearing clerical dress!
It goes without saying that their host was wearing clerical dress.
Which of the three guests might be the Bishop of Nice? The only one who looks like he might be a Bishop (and then, making a private - not offiical - pastoral visit) is the priest in soutane, of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X.
I think that's nice! (No pun intended.)
It is a tad early to count fatalities just yet, once certain clergy these pictures dangerously high blood pressures may result.
I sense a gradual shift is taking place intellectually towards the old right especially with the emergence of the US tea party. Of course the SSPX never left it. The Western Catholic Church seems totally confused by these movements and not sure of its response. I was in Spain for Christmas and couldn't make head nor tail of what is happening in the Church there.
The bishop certainly seems to have ‘covered all the bases’ in his visit. I’m not very familiar with life in France and my French is rather sparse, so who are all those Pénitents – rouges, noirs, blancs, bleus…? Are they confraternities or lay orders of some kind?
Thanks, Father, for this happy post!
@GOR
The penitential brotherhoods are lay societies While still very active in Spain, in France there they are only a tiny remnant in France due to local legislation (they are still active in Nice thanks to its very late incorporation into France, and in Perpignan due to hispanic influence). The colour of the habit, AFAIK, marks its particular devotion (in France there were national networks). IIRC the nicean "rouges" are strong traditionalists (but not SSPX)
@Sadie
The Church in Spain is since the 70's in a state of "sleep wandering", for a bunch of internal reasons ... We're in no way trend setting anymore (i you discount our "ways" -the Opus and the Neocathecumentals-), And in certain parts almost on the verge of extinction (suicide)
Methinks regularisation for the FSSPX very soon.
I can't wait, I want to go to their confessions again!
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