Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen

Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen Congregatio Mariae Reginae Immaculatae
Abbreviation	CMRI
Motto	Servus Mariae Nunquam Peribit "The Slave of Mary Shall Never Perish"
Formation	1967
Type	Traditional Catholic religious congregation
Headquarters	Spokane, Washington, United States
Superior General	Mark Pivarunas
Key people	Francis Schuckardt (founder) Denis Chicoine
Website	http://www.cmri.org

The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (CMRI) (Latin: Congregatio Mariae Reginae Immaculatae) is a Sedevacantist Traditionalist Catholic religious congregation dedicated to promoting the message of Our Lady of Fatima and devotion to the Virgin Mary according to the teachings of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, whom they regard as their spiritual founder. Over the years, the Congregation has also been known as the Fatima Crusaders and Oblates of Mary Immaculate Queen of the Universe.

History

Francis Schuckardt

Main article: Francis Schuckardt

The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen was formed in 1967 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, by Francis Schuckardt with the assistance of Denis Chicoine. In 1969, with the approval of Bishop Sylvester Treinen, of the Diocese of Boise, Shuckardt formed the group into a religious congregation of sisters and brothers.

With the implementation of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, Schuckhardt and his group came to the conclusion that Paul VI was not a valid pope and therefore sought services from priests who shared his theological position. In the early 1970s Schuckhardt received ordination as a priest and as a bishop from Daniel Q. Brown, an Old Roman Catholic bishop who apparently converted to Schuckhardt's brand of Catholicism.

In the late 1970s CMRI acquired the old Jesuit scholasticate Mount Saint Michael in Spokane, Washington, making it their congregation's center.

In 1984, Chicoine publicly accused Schuckardt of substance abuse, personal immorality and financial and organizational mismanagement which made headlines in the secular press. In June 1984, Chicoine, with the backing of the majority of the congregation's clergy and laity, ousted Schuckardt.

Post-Schuckardt

In autumn of 1984, the priests sought out a bishop to ordain clergy for CMRI and found Bishop George Musey of Galveston, Texas, whose episcopal lineage can be traced to Archbishop Pierre Martin Ngô Ðình Thục. On April 23, 1985, three of the four remaining priests "formally and publicly" took an "Abjuration of Error and Profession of Faith ad cautelam" before Bishop Musey in case, through their previous actions, they had incurred any ecclesiastical censures. Bishop Musey then conditionally re-ordained them, although he publicly stated he personally had not doubts as to their validity of their earlier ordinations.

In 1986, CMRI held its first General Chapter establishing a formal set of Rules and Constitutions. In the same year, the Rule was approved by Bishop Robert F. McKenna, OP, whose episcopal lineage can also be traced to Archbishop Thuc.

In 1989, Father Mark Pivarunas was elected Superior General of the Congregation. Father Pivarunas received episcopal consecration in 1991 by Bishop Moises Carmona, also of the Thuc lineage.

Pivarunas currently serves as Superior General. Bishop Schuckardt (before his death) and his followers dispute Pivarunas' position as Superior General inasmuch as Bishop Schuckardt, the founder of the Congregation, had never officially resigned as Superior General and further claimed to have excommunicated Pivarunas, which would disqualify Pivarunas, according to traditional Catholic Church law, from holding that position.

Present day

The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen serves 29 churches and chapels in the United States, Canada and New Zealand. They also operate the Mater Dei Seminary in Omaha, Nebraska, while the Sisters' motherhouse is located in Spokane, Washington (Mount Saint Michaels Mission). They have expanded into Central and South America, as well as Europe, with centers in the British Isles, Central Europe, and Russia.

Criticism

The Southern Poverty Law Center's Winter 2006 Intelligence Report named St. Michael's Parish/Mount St. Michael as a hate group, citing anti-semitic remarks by the parish's leadership.^[1] The SPLC also lists Mount St. Michael among fifteen hate groups active in Washington State on their Hate Map.^[2]

Superiors General

• Francis K. Schuckardt, (1967–1984)
• Denis P. Chicoine, (1984–1989)
• Mark A. Pivarunas, (1989–1991; 1995–present)
• Casimir M. Puskorius, (1991–1995)

References

1. ^ "The Dirty Dozen". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2006/winter/the-dirty-dozen?page=0,5. Retrieved January 5, 2011. 
2. ^ "Hate Map". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map#s=WA. Retrieved January 5, 2011. 

External links

• Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen - Official website
• Theological Position Statement