Alajuela, Costa Rica, Aug 21, 2021 / 19:04 pm
ACI Prensa, the Spanish sister news agency of CNA, confirmed that the Diocese of Alajuela, in the Northern region of Costa Rica, ordered Fr. Sixto Eduardo Varela Santamaría to be suspended from all ministries for six months, and will be sent to a psychological treatment clinic for celebrating in Latin the Mass of the Missal of Pope Paul VI, also known as the Ordinary Form or "Novus Ordo."
In a statement issued on behalf of the Bishop of Alajuela, Bartolomé Buigues Oller, Fr. Luis Hernández Solís, director of communications, explained that Fr. Varela Santamaría was "admonished two previous times" for celebrating one Mass in Latin at his parish of St. Joseph the Patriarch.
According to the statement, his removal from the parish and the suspension of his priestly activities "are expected to be measures that will restore the ecclesial communion and the priest’s well-being; for this, we ask all to unite in fervent prayer."
According to the diocesean spokesman, Fr. Varela Santamaría "continued to celebrate the Tridentine (Traditional Latin Mass) after the publication of Pope Francis' Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes."