Fréjus-Toulon: Priests Forced to Sign Document to Never Celebrate Holy Mass

 


 

 Bishop François Touvet, 59, since 2023 coadjutor of Fréjus-Toulon, France, is tearing the diocese apart. Jean-Pierre Maugendre gives examples on RenaissanceCatholique.fr (October 17).

- The ordinations of six Missionaries of Divine Mercy are still blocked. Bishop Touvet has agreed that the ordinations will take place within a Holy Mass of the Roman Rite, but with the new rite of ordination. This is a rather strange liturgy.

- This liturgy was already used for ordinations in the Abbey of Lagrasse, in the Aude region, a few months ago.

- Bishop Touvet forbids the Missionaries of Mercy priests ordained in this way to celebrate Holy Mass afterwards, although this is enshrined in their constitution.

- The first edition of the pilgrimage 'Nosto Fe' to Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume on October 5 and 6 in the Roman rite was a resounding success, with 2,000 participants.

- Mgr Touvet is at war not only with the faithful of the Roman Rite, but also with the Novus Ordo conservatives.

- Five days before Thomas Duchesne's ordination to the diaconate, Bishop Touvet had him sign a document in Toulon on September 21, stating that he would only preside the Novus Ordo Eucharist, administer the sacraments only according to the Novus Ordo, and to use only the current Liturgy of the Hours [which is very short]. He was also asked not to refuse Communion in the hand.

- The same text was presented by Bishop Touvet to nine future deacons of the diocese. Most of them reacted very negatively, denouncing an abuse of power. The Bishop left the meeting, taking his copies with him.

- Several new parish priests in the diocese received a letter of appointment at the beginning of the new school year, asking them not to preside the Eucharist facing God, not to use the offertory prayers of the Roman Rite [the Novus Ordo has no offertory prayers], and not to use exclusively the Roman Canon in the Novus Ordo.

- Mgr Touvet met with the Council of Priests, which expressed its disagreement and reminded him of the history of the diocese, and in particular of the welcome given to priests of Catholic convictions since Mgr Joseph Madec (1923-2013), Bishop of Morbihan and Fréjus-Toulon from 1983 to 2000. Mgr Dominique Rey, 72, was an heir of Mgr Madec. Coadjutor Bishop Touvet seemed completely unaware of this recent history.

- Mgr Touvet doesn't act against liturgical scandals with laser beams and nightclub atmosphere in the church of Saint Louis in Toulon and other places.

- Within a year, Bishop Touvet has managed to alienate the majority of seminarians and priests in his diocese.

- Without a change of direction, the seminary is likely to disappear; there has been no intake of propaedeutic students this year.

Picture: François Touvet,, #newsDhnfknsfty