Diocese displaces traditional priest to a smaller chapel out of town in Corsica. An announcement perceived as a form of exclusion.

Bastia: Father Dufour forced to leave the Saint-Charles Church, the faithful step up to the plate

Abbot Sébastien Dufour is charged by the Bishop of Corsica with celebrating mass in Latin.

Father Sébastien Dufour, who celebrates mass in Latin at the Saint-Charles-Borromée Church in Bastia, will have to leave the premises before September 1, to be assigned to the Scala Santa chapel. A decision perceived by the faithful as "a form of exclusion."

"Have we, unknowingly, become undesirable?" A feeling of both incomprehension and dismay has gripped the faithful of the Latin Mass since the announcement of Father Sébastien Dufour's departure from the Church of Saint-Charles-Borromée in Bastia.

By decision of the Diocese, as of September 1st, the priest will take up his duties in the chapel of the Scala Santa on the hills above the city. A much smaller building and, above all, much further from the city center.

A copy of the Holy Stairs in Rome.   Not an ideal arrangement...

An announcement perceived as a form of exclusion

This news is having a hard time getting through to parishioners: "This decision, misunderstood, is perceived by many not as a simple change, but as a form of exclusion," they explained in a statement sent to Corse-Matin. (...) The Scala Santa is a sanctuary that is difficult to access, particularly for the elderly or those with reduced mobility, where parking is impossible if you arrive by car."

Asked about the reasons for this move, the person concerned declined to comment: "Convenience and politeness dictate that I will not comment on this decision," declared Father Sébastien Dufour. "I have made a promise of obedience and reverence."

"We want to believe that this decision is not set in stone," the faithful say.

The Church of Corsica sees things more positively: "Father Dufour has all the qualities required to revitalize the chapel," explains Father Frédéric Constant, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Ajaccio.

On the issue of parking, the clergyman is reassuring: "We will find a solution so that cars can reach the square, and we can also consider setting up shuttles."

However, the parishioners hope that the diocese's decision is not final: "We want to believe that this decision is not set in stone," they add in their statement. "We sincerely hope that a dialogue can begin and that a balanced and lasting solution will be found for the good of all."

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