Pat’s note
Alquin Reid was a deacon in Australia who was refused ordination and asked to seek laicisation. Instead Reid went to France and set up his own DIY monastery in the diocese of Toulouse. Recently he was illicitly ordained by rogue archbishop Vigano and the Bishop of Toulouse tried to suppress Reid’s monastery.
Reid is a long term mate of Kirby’s and with a similar background and is supported by the right wing Peter Kwasniewsky, whose son is a monk of Silverstream.
Dear Fr. Reid,
Following your illicit ordination as a priest in Rome by Archbishop Viganò, I note that Peter Kwasniewski has become one of your most fervent admirers and supporters. To the best of my knowledge, I am the FIRST individual to publicly name your ordaining prelate, [Viganò] online.
For the obvious reason the fact that [Viganò] was the ordaining prelate cannot be publicly admitted, because that could beget very severe canonical consequences for Archbishop Viganò, because he is not the flavour of the month with the reigning Supreme Pontiff.
Do you, however, accept that Archbishop Viganò wilfully and deliberately and without a scintilla of justification violated the provisions of Canon 1383, by ordaining you a priest without the appropriate dimissorial letter from the Ordinary of the Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, Bishop Dominique Rey? If not; why not?
Were you aware of the text of Canon 1383, which reads: “A bishop who, contrary to the prescript of can. 1015, ordains without legitimate dimissorial letters someone who is not his subject is prohibited for a year from conferring the order. The person who has received the ordination, however, is ipso facto suspended from the order received”.
Archbishop Viganò is not an idiot. He holds a doctorate in both Canon and Civil Law (Utroque Iure) from the Pontifical Lateran University. Regardless of one’s views on Viganò, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, which is one of the most prestigious appointments for any Nuncio. And, that makes his actions in ordaining you all the more egregious and indefensible.
You, Fr. Reid, are also a highly intelligent man, I note that you also hold a PhD; hence, you should have known better to violate the canonical tradition of the Church. Those who know better, suggest that your justification for being illicitly ordained a priest in order to celebrate the Mass by invoking past actions of Dom Gérard Calvet OSB, abbot of Barroux, is intellectually arrogant and canonically unjustifiable. Do you accept that characterisation?
When Archbishop Viganò was visiting your monastery in France — who raised the issue of the ordination? Did you tell him about your difficulties in being ordained a priest? Did Archbishop Viganò volunteer to ordain you or did you ask him to confer the illicit ordination?
Did you apprise Archbishop Viganò of some of the issues that have bedevilled you from the past?
Presumably, if you did, you vehemently denied the accusations that have been made against you in the past — is that a reasonable assumption?
Did you discuss your intended ordination with Cardinal Burke and the consequences that would flow from that canonically illicit act? After all, he was the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, he would have been able to provide you with expert canonical advice. If you did speak to him about your plans — did he dissuade you?
The scandal-ridden Silverstream Priory located in the Diocese of Meath, displays an autistic-like devotion to the Traditional Latin Mass. And that is a known reality. If, Bishop Thomas Deenihan, Ordinary of the Diocese of Meath, refuses to ordain any of the solemnly professed monks of Silverstream Priory, do you think they should request diaconal and priestly ordination from Archbishop Viganò? Would you be willing to facilitate an introduction?
Are you aware that your biggest fan, Peter Kwasniewski, has a son who is a monk of Silverstream? His name is Br. Isaias.
Do you consider the former Prior of Silverstream, Elijah Carroll (who according to the founding prior of Silverstream, Dom Mark Kirby, has an addiction to gay porn), to be an individual that would be suitable for ordination to the priesthood? Would you support his candidacy for ordination to the diaconate and thereafter to the priesthood? If not; why not?
Has Peter Kwasniewski become a useful patsy for your fundraising efforts to keep your non-canonical monastery in existence by highlighting and praising your illicit ordination?
Have you been able to quantify an increase in revenue to your Priory every time Peter Kwasniewski mentions you in a positive light?
Has Peter Kwasniewski ever discussed with you the possibility of his son becoming a member of your community?
It is my intention to post this missive of questions on my blog, because I believe transparency is good for the church and all organisations.
+ Pat Buckley
PS: I have decided to copy this e-mail to Bishop Deenihan because it touches on a matter pertaining to canonical discipline within his diocese and to Mr. Kwasniewski for reasons that should be self-evident.
PPS: You are welcome to post a reply that I will publish unedited on my blog — if you so choose.
DOM ALQUIN’S SWIFT AND IMPRESSIVE REPLY.
Dear Bishop Buckley,
Thank you for the courtesy of emailing me before posting on your blog. The least I can do is to give you the courtesy of a reply, which I ask that you do indeed post unedited on your blog, preferably with your original post please.
You refer to my “illicit ordination as a priest in Rome by Archbishop Viganò”. This, I am afraid, is a false assumption on your part, even if it seems to be a commonly held one.
I am, of course, well aware of the canonical realities to which you refer. Our monastery’s decision to accept ordinations was made in good conscience and in full awareness of the canonical realities involved. I would presume that you yourself, My Lord, having accepted episcopal consecration canonically irregularly, would understand that sometimes circumstances may arise in which one must act ‘outside the box’ as it were. Almighty God is the ultimate judge of such things, and in respect of that judgment, we are at peace. The salvation of souls is the supreme law.
You have, presumably, read our public statements in respect of our actions, but I respectfully draw them to the attention of your readers:
1. Our statement of 13 May, following the publication of the fact of our ordinations by our diocesan Chancery:
Statement – Communiqué – Monastère Saint-Benoît (monasterebrignoles.org)
2. My Homily on Pentecost Sunday, following the news that Rome had acted against our Bishop (as we had feared it would) A Homily for Pentecost Sunday – Monastère Saint-Benoît (monasterebrignoles.org)
It is to be noted that Rome’s action was conveyed to the Bishop in a letter signed by the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops on April 28th. This pre-dates the Bishop’s knowledge of our ordinations, giving the lie to those who say that Rome acted against him because of us. It had been moving in this direction for at least two years previously.
I would ask you and your readers to please pray for our bishop and our diocese: he is being very unjustly treated and we fear that he may be removed. The diocese has only one new seminarian this year and is losing others; clergy also. Bishop Rey may have made mistakes, but he has done so in trying to do his best to be an energetic father and a shepherd. Neither he, nor the diocese, deserve the treatment being meted out from Rome at this time.
All of this does go to prove – I am truly sad to say – that the very fears we had earlier on this year about Rome taking steps against our bishop (and thereby putting our vocations and continued existence in jeopardy) were in fact justified. I was shocked at how quickly it all transpired and – please believe me – utterly humbled that in God’s Providence we had been given what is necessary for our survival in this storm.
3. Our statement of 21 June following the diocese’s decree attempting to close our Public Association of the Faithful (which is currently subject to hierarchical recourse, and is thus suspended): Statement – Communiqué – Monastère Saint-Benoît (monasterebrignoles.org)
4. My July interview with Rorate Caeli, summarising the situation at that time, and addressing some of the concerns raised about me personally by some journalists: RORATE CÆLI: Rorate Exclusive: Interview with Dom Alcuin Reid on his ordination, his community, the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, and Desiderio Desideravi (rorate-caeli.blogspot.com)
I would add that there are many salacious rumours on the internet resulting directly from an attack made in May 2010 by The Age newspaper orchestrated by a known and long-standing calumniator (now deceased) in order to attack me shortly after I moved to France, and through me also to attack both Pope Benedict and Cardinal Pell. After legal representation The Age duly withdrew the articles, but traces of them remain in blogs and comments here and there – you have linked to some yourself. A monk simply does not have the money to pay for the legal work necessary to have them all removed, even if we may have to take legal action against some individuals who continue to perpetuate them.
I have hidden nothing of my past from my ecclesiastical superiors and my 2009 incardination into the Diocese of Frejus-Toulon (at the invitation of the bishop) respected all due canonical processes.
Until after our ordinations in April of this year I have never been the subject of any ecclesiastical sanction whatsoever. The three visitations this monastery has had in recent years reported nothing untoward: quite the contrary, they praised the integrity of our life and recommended that ordinations be conferred. The bishop did not proceed with them because of the fear of Rome – a fear we now know was not unfounded.
5. Our summer newsletter, page three of which contains a further reflection on the stance we have taken: monastère_saint-benoît_-_newsletter_-_time_after_pentecost_2022.pdf (monasterebrignoles.org)
I hope that what we have published will assist your readers in judging for themselves the steps we have taken and the issues that you raise.
Dr Kwasniewski and I have corresponded often enough in respect of academic matters. He is perfectly free to express his opinion in respect of our actions. We have not solicited this. What he says should, naturally, be judged on its merits. He and I have not corresponded in respect of any detail of Silverstream Priory’s crisis (I did once say I hoped things were getting better) or about his son’s situation in the light of it. I am not aware of any donations that have arrived because of his opinions.
In respect of Silverstream itself, since being informed first-hand of its difficulties in July 2020 our house has been praying and fasting and offering what little practical support we can at various levels to assist them in moving forward. I hope and pray that will be possible: there are good men there and it would be to the Church’s loss if they cannot persevere in their vocations. I would add that the fact that Dom Benedict remains in canonical limbo is a scandal that must be addressed. A way for both he and the community to move forward must be found as a matter of long-overdue justice. In respect of any other matters at Silverstream, I have no basis on which to either comment nor to judge: I neither know the truth or otherwise of what you assert.
My Lord, we are quite different in what some would call our “churchmanship,” and I regret, if I am correctly informed, that you would reject some Catholic teaching to which I believe we are all called to convert and to live. But in so far as you raise issues of genuine concern, I am happy to say what I can. In the current situation, however, there are details about our ordinations which must at present remain secret. I am sorry about this, but beg your understanding and that of your readers.
It would be a pleasure to welcome you to our small monastery as our guest if the opportunity ever presents itself: to pray together would be a joy.
In Domino,
Dom Alcuin Reid.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 