Traditionalist Society of Exorcists Moving to Denver

Father Chad Ripperger, founder of the Dolorans, was asked to leave the Tulsa, Oklahoma diocese in September 2016, shortly after Bp. David Konderla was ordained bishop of Tulsa in June 2016.

Church Militant spoke with Joseph Ostermeir, author of the blog Okie Traditionalist and the first to break the news of the Dolorans' banishment from Tulsa. "From our experience, Latin Mass communities are often treated like weirdos and outsiders by many dioceses," Ostermeir commented. "And Fr. Ripperger's exorcist society is a Latin Mass community."

The Dolorans operated in the diocese of Tulsa for nearly five years under Bp. Edward Slattery, "but the Society was never canonically established," according to a September 2016 memo from Bp. Konderla.

Back in September, Church Militant spoke with a religious brother from the diocese of Tulsa who wished to remain anonymous. He told us the Dolorans' stay in the diocese was possibly meant to be temporary.

The source told us that Fr. Ripperger came to the Tulsa diocese when Bp. Emeritus Slattery was close to retirement. The source further speculates Fr. Ripperger knew he might not be canonically allowed to operate under Bp. Slattery's successor, owing to a number of reasons, including administration, expenses and chemistry in the Tulsa diocese.

Bishop Konderla quickly expelled the Dolorans and another group of traditional nuns, the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope, led by Mother Miriam (formerly Rosalind Moss, a Jewish convert to the Faith). The bishop denied hostility had led him to expel the groups.

"No, I do not disapprove of the Latin Mass and the people attached to it," the bishop said in a November 2016 statement. "It would be erroneous to read such disapproval into decisions the diocese has made regarding the two religious communities."

Ostermeir told Church Militant:

Considering the whole timeline and available facts, I personally think the Doloran Fathers were probably asked to leave because of their devotion to Catholic tradition and to the Traditional Latin Mass. That devotion does not fit into the new vision of the diocese, with the retirement of Bp. Slattery, who also was explicitly dedicated to Catholic tradition and the Traditional Latin Mass.

Father Ripperger is well known among traditional Catholics for his preaching and website Sensus Traditionis. The Doloran Fathers perform exorcisms using the old rite, which is widely considered to be more powerful and efficacious in cases of demonic possession and oppression.

Ostermeir concluded, "I'd wish for them to not be uprooted from Oklahoma. After all, public satanic black masses have become a tradition in OKC."

He continued, "I know of Catholics in Oklahoma whose spiritual lives were greatly affected by the [Dolorans] spiritual works of mercy. For example, a friend, his wife and children visited their monastery in the country for Holy Mass, spiritual counsel and traditional prayers of minor exorcism to free them from a certain oppression."