By CatholicVote | Created at 2025-03-10 16:41:18 | Updated at 2025-03-10 22:05:19
5 hours ago
CV NEWS FEED // The Vatican has formally dissolved Miles Christi, a religious congregation founded in Argentina and active in the United States, following extensive investigations into allegations of misconduct and abuse.
The Holy See’s decision, approved by Pope Francis in early February, was announced publicly in a March 6 letter from Auxiliary Bishop Mauricio Landra of Mercedes-Luján, according to a CNS report published by Detroit Catholic.
“Taking into account the delicacy and complexity of the situation, so that everything may be carried out with justice and charity, in order to execute the decision taken by the Holy See, we entrust this time to Mary, mother of the church,” Bishop Landra said in the letter.
The congregation, founded in 1994 by Roberto Juan Yannuzzi in the Archdiocese of La Plata, was dedicated to the spiritual formation of the laity, particularly university students. Its members operate more than 40 locations in the United States, including in Detroit and San Diego, where they lead the faithful in the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Concerns about the governance of Miles Christi, particularly regarding its founder, surfaced as early as 2016, prompting church authorities to intervene. After a canonical investigation, Yannuzzi was expelled from the priesthood in 2020, having been found guilty of serious offenses, including sexual abuse, absolution of an accomplice, and abuse of authority.
In 2022, the Vatican placed Miles Christi under external oversight, appointing Bishop Jorge García Cuerva as the congregation’s pontifical commissioner. Despite these efforts at reform, the Holy See ultimately determined that the order should be disbanded.
In a March 6 response to the Vatican’s decision, Miles Christi acknowledged the decree of suppression and said that the process will unfold over the course of a year before becoming fully effective.
“We are grateful for the prayers, support, and kindness of so many people,” they said, “and we ask that you continue to pray during this challenging and difficult time.”
