Family of Mary
{{about|the Catholic association|the family of Mary, the mother of Jesus|Holy Family}}
The Family of Mary, also known by its full name, Pro Deo et fratribus—Family of Mary (PDF-FM), is an Association of the Faithful of Pontifical Right for clergy and laity in the Catholic Church. The clerical arm of the association is called Work of Jesus the High Priest ({{langx|la|Opus Jesu Summi Sacerdotis}}), the members of which bear the post-nominal title Opus J.S.S. The affiliated branch of consecrated women is called the Apostolic Sisters of the Family of Mary, with the post-nominal initials F.M.{{cite web|url=https://katholisches.info/2020/06/18/neuer-zeremoniaer-des-papstes-aus-der-familie-mariens/|title=Neuer Zeremoniär des Papstes aus der Familie Mariens|language=de|first=Giuseppe|last=Nardi|date=June 18, 2020|website=Katholisches.info|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020202847/https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/stgallen/umnutzung-als-hotel-oder-schule-ist-vom-tisch-die-slowakische-gemeinschaft-familie-mariens-uebernimmt-das-kloster-st-scholastika-in-tuebach-ld.1255316|archive-date=October 20, 2020|url-status=live}}
History
Bishop Pavol Hnilica, with the backing of Pope Paul VI, founded the association in 1968 under the title Pia Unione Pro Fratribus. Its original purpose was to provide material and spiritual support to Catholics of the Eastern Bloc facing persecution under Communist rule.{{cite web|url=https://cruxnow.com/news-analysis/2020/06/with-slovak-clerics-new-job-big-things-in-a-small-package/|title=With Slovak cleric's new job, big things in a small package|date=June 16, 2020|first=John|last=Allen|website=Crux}}
After the Fall of Communism, the community adopted its current name and repurposed itself as a Marian missionary organization.{{cite web|url=https://www.christ-konkret.de/veranstalter/details/familie-mariens/|title=Familie Mariens|website=Christ Konkret}} The Catholic Church formally recognized the association under this new form in 1995. In 2008, the Congregation for the Clergy formally established the community's clerical branch, known as the "Work of Jesus the High Priest," with Fr. {{ill|Paul Maria Sigl|de|Gebhard Paul Maria Sigl}} as its founder.{{cite web|url=https://www.familiemariens.org/html/en/gemeinschaft.html|title=History|website=Work of Jesus the High Priest—Family of Mary}}
Activity
File:Stará Halič - Pro Deo et fratribus – Rodina Panny Márie (PDF – RPM).jpg.]]
The Family of Mary is primarily active in Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
The community has a particular focus on spreading devotion to the alleged Marian apparition entitled The Lady of All Nations.{{cite web|url=https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/stgallen/umnutzung-als-hotel-oder-schule-ist-vom-tisch-die-slowakische-gemeinschaft-familie-mariens-uebernimmt-das-kloster-st-scholastika-in-tuebach-ld.1255316|title=Neues Leben im St.Scholastika: Schwestern der katholischen Gemeinschaft Familie Mariens übernehmen das Kloster in Tübach|language=de|date=September 9, 2020|first=Rudolf|last=Hirtl|quote=Eine besondere Beziehung hat die Gemeinschaft ... zur Amsterdamer Gruppierung «Frau aller Völker», die sich auf eine Marienerscheinung in den 1950er-Jahren bezieht.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020202847/https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/stgallen/umnutzung-als-hotel-oder-schule-ist-vom-tisch-die-slowakische-gemeinschaft-familie-mariens-uebernimmt-das-kloster-st-scholastika-in-tuebach-ld.1255316|archive-date=October 20, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sjbcathedral.org.uk/day-of-prayer/|title=Day of Prayer|date=April 24, 2016|publisher=St John the Baptist Cathedral, Norwich|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722010546/https://www.sjbcathedral.org.uk/day-of-prayer/|archive-date=July 22, 2016|url-status=live}} However, in December 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith discouraged promotion of "the alleged apparitions and revelations" associated with the Marian title of "Lady of All Nations,". While the title "Lady of All Nations" for Mary is itself "theologically acceptable", the alleged apparitions that gave rise to it are not. They were the subject of a "Negative Declaration" in 1974.{{cite news | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/47024/vaticans-doctrinal-office-dont-promote-alleged-apparitions-connected-to-lady-of-all-nations |title=Vatican's doctrinal office: Don't promote alleged apparitions connected to 'Lady of All Nations' | publisher =Catholic News Agency| date = 4 January 2021}}
In 2020, Msgr. Lubomir Welnitz, Opus J.S.S., was appointed one of eight Papal Masters of Ceremonies under the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.
On 11 October 2024, Pope Francis approved the decision of a Vatican tribunal that found Sigl guilty of psychological and spiritual abuse and banned him from exercising his ministry for ten years.{{cite news | newspaper = Crux (online newspaper) | access-date = 10 November 2024 | date = 9 November 2024 | url = https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2024/11/vatican-sanctions-co-founder-of-family-of-mary-for-psychological-and-spiritual-abuse | title = Vatican sanctions co-founder of 'Family of Mary' for psychological and spiritual abuse }}
See also
References
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