“I am well aware of how in recent months the serious difficulties that had led to the Apostolic Visitation and to the issuing of the singular Decree have unfortunately increased due to the prolonged delay between the execution of the decisions of the Holy See contained therein,” Pope Francis wrote in the letter dated March 12.
“Do not be disturbed by rumors that aim to throw discord among you: the good of authentic fraternal communion must be preserved even when the price to be paid is high! Just as fidelity in such moments allows us to grasp even more the voice of the One who calls and gives the strength to follow him,” the pope said.
Bianchi founded the community of Bose in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. It is a mixed community, composed of both men and women, who pray the Liturgy of the Hours and follow a rule influenced by St. Benedict and St. Basil the Great. Members include Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians.
Pope Francis encouraged the Bose community to “persevere in the initial intuition of a fraternal life in charity and witness in search for evangelical radicality in prayer, work, and hospitality.”
“The ecumenical dimension that characterizes you and your active yearning for Christian unity are a precious treasure that the Church wishes to preserve, watching over its authenticity and fruitfulness,” he said.
The letter from the pope arrived one month after Bianchi defied a Vatican order to leave the Bose monastery in Piedmont. The Holy See had given Bianchi until Feb. 17 to leave the monastery after issuing a decree, signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on May 13, 2020, following an apostolic visitation.