The Roman Catholic Church Interdicts Michel Collin
1951
Excommunicate Michael Collin, alias Clement XV
Excommunicate John of the Trinity, alias Gregory XVII
January 17, 1951 Notification from Holy See By the Sacred Congregation
of the Holy Office By a decree dated January 17, 1951, the Supreme Sacred
Congregation of the Holy Office has reduced to the status of a layman
the priest Michael Collin of the Order of the Sacred Heart, already
dismissed from the said Order, traveling through several dioceses,
frequently and in various ways violating rules of the Sacred Canon.
The Supreme Congregation has likewise dissolved and forbidden to
reconstitute the association bearing the name, "Institue of the
Apostles of Infinte Love," which the mentioned priest had pretended to
found without the approbation of the competent ecclesiastical
Authority.
Given in Rome, from the Palace of the Holy Office, on May 30,
1951
Marinus Marani
notary
(ACTA APOSTOLICAE SEDIS, vol. XLIII (1951), p. 477).
1956
Intervention by the Holy See Through the Sacred
Congregation of the Holy Office
Statement released in L'Osservatore Romano of December 16, 1956
An ex-member of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart
of Jesus, Reverend Michael Collin, who has himself called FR. Michael
of the Infinite Love, was reduced to lay status by a decree of this
Holy Office dated January 17, 1951. (A.A.S. 1951, p. 447).
The same decree dissolved the Association called, "Institute of
the Apostles of Infinite Love", which said priest had pretended to
found without the competent ecclesiastical approbation.
Whereas Reverend Collin, imposing upon the good faith of some
ecclesiastics and Religious Institutes of women, dared celebrate Holy
Mass after being reduced to lay status, this Supreme Congregation
wills to warn the Bishops, the clergy both secular and regular, and
all persons committed with the management of churches or chapels, that
the said priest is still a layman with all the juridical effects
ensuing.
We also hereby recall the Bishops that Collin is forbidden to
reconstitute and under any name that may be, The Association that was
dissolved by the decree from this Holy Office as mentioned above, and
he is forbidden to found new associations.
That is the reason why the Institute of the Apostles of Infinite
Love, and that of the Magnificat also founded by him in spite of the
formal prohibition by the Holy Office, are both not recognized by the
Church, and the faithful are forbidden to belong to it.
Given in Rome at the Palace of the Holy Office on December 15,
1956.
Signature
Arturo de Jorio
notary.
1961
Third Notification by the Holy See
Priest Michael Collin, who had been dismissed from the
Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, and had often in
various ways contravened the prescriptions of the sacred cannons, had
accordingly been reduced to the lay status by this Supreme
Congregation of the Holy Office through a decree dated Wednesday,
January 17, 1951 (A.A.S. 1951, p. 447).
As that priest proved himself to be contumacious in his
disobedience, and since he has not stopped promoting forms of devotion
and of cults that are not approved and are even forbidden, thus
leading the faithful into error and creating public scandal, the Most
Reverend Fathers commissioned to watch over questions of Faith and
morals have, in their meeting on Wednesday, February 8, 1961, declared
Michael Collin to be laid under the interdict ab ingressu ecclesiae.
(1)
On Friday 10 of the same month and year, H.H. John XXIII, Pope
by the Providence of God, in the audience he granted the most Reverend
Assessor of the Holy Office, approved the resolution submitted to him
from the Most Eminent Fathers, and ordered it to be made public law of
the Church.
Given in Rome at the Palace of the Holy Office, on February 14,
1961.
signed
Sebastiano Masala
Notary for the Supreme Congregation of the Holy Office.
(1) Cannon 2277 specifies that: "The interdict ab ingressu ecclesiae
includes prohibition from celebrating or attending divine services in
a church, and prohibition of Church burial. If the interdicted person
attends a service it is not required that he be expelled, and if her
was given a church burial it is not necessary to transfer his
remains."
