September 22, 2005

For well over a decade, a group called the “Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission” has called people to prayer and conversion of life in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Its spiritual leader is Agnes (Kyo) McDonald. While they have been functioning here for a number of years, the “Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission” has no official approval as a lay movement or as a religious order in the Catholic Church. The question of what sort of recognition to give them began a series of inquiries that have been misinterpreted by some as attacks.

Over the past several years, I have heard many stories of a deepening of the spiritual life from Catholics who have been part of this group. I have also heard stories from those who claim it is coercive of its members and theologically inadequate or even false. In an effort to make an informed judgement on the group, I asked several canonists and theologians to obtain copies of writings, programs and testimonies. I released Fr. Len Kruzel, a priest in good standing of the Archdiocese of Chicago, who had personally benefited spiritually from the Mission, to minister to them full time.

The studies and inquiries remain inconclusive about the theological foundations of the Mission, even though some information has been given. I cannot come to a definitive conclusion about the value of the Mission nor its ultimate relationship to the Church. I find it necessary now, however, to make two practical decisions, based on pastoral prudence in this situation.

• The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission may not use the facilities of the Archdiocese of Chicago for its meetings nor for the distribution of its publications;
• I am calling Fr. Len Kruzel from full time ministry among them to a regular pastoral assignment in Archdiocesan ministry. His assignment will be decided after a period of two weeks from September 21, 2005, in order to allow time for this transition in a way respectful of all concerned.

These decisions will cause some pain to those affected by them, but I hope they will contribute to a fuller discernment of the place of the Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission in the Church and to the guidance of Catholics of the Archdiocese.