Stockman is accused of not managing the Religious Congregation properly, of a lack of financial transparency and long-term vision.

While Stockman remains Superior General of the Brothers of Charity, an apostolic administrator has taken over his administrative, day-to-day role.

Stockman refused to comment on the move.

However, the move is welcomed by the Belgian branch of the Religious Congregation.

Its president, Raf De Rycke expressed relief at the announcement saying that he hoped Stockman's removal will restore the Vatican's confidence in the Congregation.

Stockman's successor as Superior General of the Brothers of Charity will be elected next year.

Stockman is well known for his opposition to Belgium's liberal laws that allow for patients who suffer unbearably psychologically to be euthanised.

The Brothers of Charity manage several schools and psychiatric hospitals in Belgium.

In May 2018, Stockman sued two of its Belgian members for misuse of one million euros over the Belgian province's decision to allow euthanasia at its psychiatric hospitals there.

Then later in November, the Brothers of Charity did not reappoint two pro-euthanasia board members who allowed a protocol that permitted hospitals owned by the religious congregation to perform euthanasia in limited circumstances.

In 2020, the Vatican stripped 15 of the Belgian Brothers of Charity's psychiatric institutions of their Catholic status because euthanasia was permitted on their premises.

Stockman, says the brothers had "no choice but to remain faithful" to their "charism of charity, which cannot be reconciled with the practice of euthanasia on psychiatric patients".

The Vatican decided to remove the Catholic status of these psychiatric institutions after the Brothers of Charity board decided to allow euthanasia for its patients, which is legal in Belgium.

"The loss of Catholic identity for our psychiatric centres in Belgium is a painful situation for the congregation (of brothers)," Stockman said. "With a heavy heart, the congregation has to let go of its psychiatric centres in Belgium."

Sources

• CathoBel
• De Standard
• CathNews
• CathNews
• CathNews

Brother Rene Stockman, superior general of the Brothers of Charity, says the brothers had "no choice but to remain faithful" to their "charism of charity, which cannot be reconciled with the practice of euthanasia on psychiatric patients."

The Vatican's decision to remove the psychiatric institutions of their Catholic status was made after the Brothers of Charity board decided to allow euthanasia for its patients, which is legal in Belgium.

"The loss of Catholic identity for our psychiatric centers in Belgium is a painful situation for the congregation (of the brothers)," Stockman said. "With a heavy heart, the congregation has to let go of its psychiatric centers in Belgium."

The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith says the Provincial Association of the Brothers of Charity's pro-euthanasia position is incompatible with church teaching on the inviolability of human life.

The Association refused to reverse its policy on euthanasia, so the Congregation was left with "no choice" but to order the homes to cease to identify as Catholic institutions.

The Brothers of Charity were informed of the Vatican decision in a letter co-signed by the Congregation's prefect, Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer and Archbishop Giacomo Morandi.

The letter stresses the decision was the result of "the total refusal" to follow church teaching.

In March 2017, the association announced it would harmonize practice with the 2003 Belgian law on euthanasia. This law permits the killings of patients with "unbearable" psychiatric conditions.

The policy conflicts with the Brothers' public position on euthanasia, as well as that of the Belgian bishops.

The Association was asked to change it but it refused.

In June 2017 Stockman appealed to the Vatican to intervene to reverse the association policy, and the Vatican opened an investigation.

"Numerous meetings" between the parties and the Vatican between June 2017 to July 2019. The Vatican cited the teachings of St. John Paul II and Pope Francis in particular, making it clear that the church considers euthanasia to be an "inadmissible act."

The letter said the Vatican asked for written assurances that the Association accepted the "unacceptability of euthanasia."

The Association consistently and publicly rejected appeals to conform to the wishes of the brothers and the Vatican.

It ignored a motion passed by the general chapter of the brothers in July 2018 upholding the "sacredness and the absolute respect of all human life, from conception to natural death" .

This motion required "every brother, associate member, and others associated with the mission of the congregation to adhere to the doctrine of the Catholic Church on ethical issues."

The letter to the brothers said apostolic visitor Auxiliary Bishop Johannes Hendriks of Haarlem-Amsterdam also failed to register any progress with the association.

The Brothers of Charity is considered the most important provider of mental health care services in the Flanders region of Belgium, serving 5,000 patients a year.

Source

• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: The Archdiocese of Baltimore

The accused brothers have denied the order's charge that they misused the province's funds.

They say the province had agreed to put the million euros into a private foundation to assure the means to care for their ageing congregation.

Stockman also told the accused brothers they would not be reappointed as heads of the Brothers of Charity's Belgian and European departments.

The order's Rome headquarters and its Belgian province has been struggling since last year when the province's directors said they would allow euthanasia in certain cases because patients asked for it.

Euthanasia has been legal in Belgium since 2002.

Stockman challenged the province to withdraw its decision or see its hospitals lose their Catholic standing.

But its mostly lay-member board of directors insisted its stand was compatible with Catholic teaching.

The Brothers of Charity has 12 psychiatric hospitals and offers a number of other services.

It is held to be an important element in the Belgian health system with influential lay supporters. It could continue operating the hospitals even if they lost their Catholic connection.

Source

• The Tablet
• Image: Brothers of Charity

After appeals from the religious order, board members have been asked to explain their decision to Church authorities in Rome. Read more

The head of the order, Brother René Stockman, says the Brothers would remain faithful to the Church's teaching, despite serious civil pressure not to do so.

The Brothers' mission is to care for the poor, elderly, and those affected by psychiatric diseases. In Belgium, they sponsor 15 hospitals and care for about 5,000 patients.

Earlier this year the brothers' board of trustees decided to allow euthanasia in Belgian hospitals under certain circumstances. There are three Brothers on the board.

The board are complaining about the lack of dialogue and have stressed they will "continue with the request of establishing a dialogue," though they do not want to change their decision.

In the meantime, despite a clear ruling and messages from the Vatican that the practice of euthanasing patients must stop, the board has defied the directive.

Stockman says the Brothers might have to discontinue sponsoring hospitals if things do not change.

"The next step is a meeting with the authorities of the Vatican during the week of September 25. We will then make our decisions in accordance with the vision of the Vatican," Stockman says.

Source

• Crux
• Image: NZMSA

Raf De Rycke, who is the head of the province's board of directors, says the order's leadership has not been able to resolve the dispute, which is legal in Belgium.

He said the board made the decision last March "with respect for life in mind and not only thinking of patient autonomy.

"This view was developed with the best possible care in mind."

Composed primarily of lay people, the 14-member board is connected to the Brothers of Charity religious congregation, though it is a separate entity.

The three Brothers of Charity religious on the board were asked to sign a joint letter to their general superior, Brother René Stockman.

In this, they had to declare to Brother René their full support for the vision of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. This has always confirmed human life must be respected and protected. They also had to confirm their commitment to Church teaching.

They have not done so, As a result, they could be expelled from the order.

The board says it is ready to maintain "dialogue and consultation" with the Vatican, which gave them until 11 September to revoke the decision.

The Brother of Charity's special aim is the sanctification of its members in the religious state by the exercise of works of charity, which embrace every phase of moral and physical suffering and want.

The works "consist in a special manner in tending the sick ... [and] care of the aged and of people with a mental illness ...".

The Brothers' patron is St Vincent de Paul.

Source

• The Tablet
• CNA
• Lifesite
• Brothers of Charity
• Wikipedia
• Image: Supposedly Safe Talks

They are responding to complaints that several Belgian Brothers of Charity-run psychiatric hospitals say euthanasia is allowed in its institutions.

The Brothers care for about 5,000 psychiatric patients in Belgium.

While acknowledging the pain a person suffering from a psychiatric illness can experience, it is "precisely in this situation that we must remain close to [the sufferer] and not abandon him," the bishops said.

Looking at the bigger picture, permitting euthanasia would be "attacking the very foundations of our civilization," they added.

They said throughout human history there's been a prohibition on euthanasia, which is why they are calling for "great restraint and continuing dialogue on these issues."

Brother René Stockman, the superior general of the Brothers of Charity has made a formal request to the reverse the decision and had contacted the Vatican about it.

He says the Vatican is investigating his complaint.

Source

• LifeSite
• CathNews USA
• Image: BioEdge

But the religious brothers who operate the hospitals say the policy change is unacceptable and cannot be implemented.

The Brothers of Charity, who oppose euthanasia, are responsible for 15 psychiatric hospitals. Between them they care for 5,000 patients.

The hospitals' website says they now "take seriously unbearable and hopeless suffering and patients' request for euthanasia".

The chairman of the hospitals' board, Raf De Rycke, said allowing psychiatric patients to be euthanised isn't a radical change for the institutions.

In the past, patients have been transferred from the Brothers of Charity hospitals to non-Catholic ones. Now this won't be necessary.

"We are making both possible routes for our patients: both a pro-life perspective and euthanasia." he said.

But Brother René Stockman, the superior general of the Brothers of Charity, said the Brothers deplore this new vision.

He is calling on the Church to help him oppose the board's directive.

Stockman told the Brothers "we cannot accept this decision, because it is going totally against our charism of charity."

The decision can "not at all" be justified in a Christian framework and is "a real tragedy," he added.

Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, has strong views about the board's directive.

"It's a way of abandoning our people to death," he said.

"Catholic institutions killing their patients" in Belgium sets a dangerous precedent.

"Euthanasia advocates will use this to exert pressure on Catholic institutions in other countries."

"It seems to me ..., given the libertine view of euthanasia at work in [Belgium], the Brothers ... need to reconsider this apostolate," said moral theologian Father Thomas Petri.

"It would be far worse to remain complicit and cooperate in the culture of death now let loose in their institutions than to withdraw, pray for conversion, and to be prepared to help the victims of the fallout."

Source

• National Catholic Register
• LifeSite
• Image: Health Aim