Quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia given by the Dimonds --

During the first four or five centuries after the death of St. Benedict there existed no organic bond of union among the various monasteries other than the Rule itself and obedience to the Holy See.  According to St. Benedict, each Benedictine monastery constituted an independent family,(7) the members of which elected their own superior.(8)  Each monastery was to be self-contained, self-governing, managing its own affairs, and subject to no external authority except that of the local diocesan bishop, whose powers of control were, however, limited to certain specific conditions.(9)

Which bishop are they under?  True, we live in a time when epikeia is necessary, but they still need to find a bishop to submit to, don't they?

But Bro. Joseph was not able to complete this desire, due to the fact that he died on November 11, 1995.  After Bro. Joseph died, Bro. Michael Dimond, O.S.B. was elected superior of the community.  Bro. Michael immediately went to work to fulfill Bro. Joseph’s wish to move the community to New York.  In late 1997, Most Holy Family Monastery finally finished moving the community and its belongings to New York.

 

Bro. Michael Dimond O.S.B.

Raised in a family with no religion, Bro. Michael Dimond converted to Catholicism at the age of 15.  Brother Michael Dimond entered Most Holy Family Monastery in 1992 at the age of 19, a short time after graduating from high school.  Brother Michael Dimond’s father graduated from Princeton University in New Jersey and his mother graduated from Stanford University in California.  Brother Michael Dimond was elected superior of Most Holy Family Monastery in late 1995.  Bro. Dimond took his final vows before a validly ordained priest.

Look how they transition from speaking about Bro. Joseph Natale to Michael Dimond taking vows before a "validly ordained priest."  In other words, there's no connection to Bro. Joseph Natale except that they are claiming to continue his work because they knew him.  That's like if a 90-year old monk with true Holy Orders lived in my house for a week, then died, and afterwards I began claiming my house was a monastery and I was continuing his work.  

Also, notice how they don't mention who this "validly ordained priest" that M. Dimond took vows in front of is.  No name.  Don't you think if they wanted to prove they were monks, they could give a name?  

I am not an expert on religious orders, so I'll stop there.  But what are the conditions that must be met in order to be a true monastery?  Someone who knows more, please chime in.  I would guess that, at the very least, there must be submission to a bishop.  I would also assume that the superior would have to have Holy Orders.  That just seems like common sense, because I have never heard of a monastery run by a layman with no one there to confect the Eucharist, totally separate from any authority.



 

Why thank you Raoul...

CC?......

If MHFM believes in John 3:5 as it is written, rejects Bendict XVI, and rejects NFP, what Bishop are they supposed to be under? There is only one bishop in the US to my knowledge who is on the same page with them on these issues.
The ony true bishop in America to my knowledge that does not hold any hersies is Bishop Neal Webster, and he is Knoxville, TN. He is on good terms with MHFM.

Quote

-They are in it for the money

This one is the easiest to me. Its pure logic. Here's the MHFM racket's situation and plan for financial sustenance:

-We're not priests.
--No one will ever ordain us.
---We're not under a bishop (or anyone) like we should be.
----People won't donate to us if they're donating to their own priests.

Solution: Convince fools that there are no priests, or at least none worth supporting financially.
 

All of this is s2srea's PERSONAL speculation. No facts as usual.

Quote from: s2srea

Why thank you Raoul...

CC?......

If MHFM believes in John 3:5 as it is written, rejects Bendict XVI, and rejects NFP, what Bishop are they supposed to be under? There is only one bishop in the US to my knowledge who is on the same page with them on these issues.
The ony true bishop in America to my knowledge that does not hold any hersies is Bishop Neal Webster, and he is Knoxville, TN. He is on good terms with MHFM.

You failed to address ANYTHING in Raouls post. You're starting to turn into... Mike... no Peter- no Mike Dimond! Cool!

 ....



 


Goodnight.

So your contention, CC23, is that the Church is being kept alive solely by Bishop Neal Webster?  Because without bishops there is no Church, no apostolic succession.  And if NFP, BOD and invincible ignorance are heresies, then all the bishops except him are heretics who are outside the Church.

I wonder if this fantasy appeals to some people; makes them feel special to be part of the last few.  At any rate, the very least you should be doing is praying that Bishop Neal Webster has a nice long life.

By the way, if Bp. Neal Webster agrees with them, yes, they should seek him out and put themselves under his authority.  If there are no bishops who agree with them, they can't be monks, as far as I understand it.  Until I hear exactly who this "valid priest" was who they took vows in front of, that is.

I wouldn't agree with S2Srea that they're in it for the money.  That may be rash judgment there, S2Srea.  I think they probably believe in what they're doing and justify it to themselves, probably have fooled themselves into believing they have to do what they're doing.  

-Embracing Casti Connubi (Pius XI) which means no NFP

Casti Connubii 53 makes allowance for periodic continence in marriage, i.e., NFP.