THE leader of a religious group based in Orkney, where three followers made a late-night secret escape from a monastery on the island following the death of a fellow monk, has been excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, has been excommunicated from the Catholic Church for his participation in an illicit ordination.
Bishop Hugh Gilbert of the Diocese of Aberdeen confirmed the excommunication of Sim as he described the religious group on Orkney “a clear break with the Church”.
Sim was investigated for “heresy” after a document published by The Sons titled “The Dogma to Steer By” called Pope Leo XIV a “pretender” and called for him to be replaced.
The group also outlined its intent to withdraw its co-operation with the Vatican due to it being invaded by “modernist enemies”.
“Regrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism,” Gilbert said in a statement posted on the Diocese of Aberdeen website.
“He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments.”
It comes after two priests and a subdeacon from the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer defected from the Catholic group in the wake of a tumultuous period on Orkney back in May.
At the time, Sim slammed the trio as he claimed they left Papa Stronsay “without notifying their superiors” and allegedly used a laptop “without permission” to contact Gilbert in Aberdeen.
The trio's late-night escape came after the death of Monk Justin Evans, also known as Brother Ignatius.
His body was recovered from the water by police and the Kirkwall Coastguard Rescue Team near the island of Stronsay on May 6, after he was reported missing on April 12.
Sim had claimed that the trio’s escape plan was planned “in the days” after May 2, three weeks after Evans went missing and just days before his body was found.
He went on to claim that the escape appeared to have been planned in secret and that he discovered their plans after one of the other fathers checked the laptop.
“They tried to leave quietly, but it came to light on the very day they intended to go,” Sim said.
“One of the fathers discovered it after they used a laptop without permission.
“They left on the evening boat, and we have heard nothing since – no word, no explanation, nothing.
“It is as though we never existed.”
He also claimed at the time the trio left the group due to “theological differences”.
