Ordonnance of the Bishop of Bayeux

For several years now, some Cristians assemble at Dozulé, in a place called "La Haute Butte", to celebrate Jesus Christ´s glorious Cross and pray for the world´s redemption.
After having created on April 27th, 1984, a Diocesan Commission to investigate the motives of these assemblies at Dozulé and to bear a judgement on the books and cassettes spread across the world, recounting the Dozulé "events",

After having studied those conclusions, which I comunicate to the Holy See, Having as sole concern the enlightening of Cristians, helping them to remain faithfull to the Church and to "safeguard the integrity of faith and morals" (can. 823 § 1), I promulgate the following Ordonnance,

Art. I - Under canons 823 and 824 of the Code of Canon Law, I formally reprobate the publication of books, brochures, prayers, cassettes, which do not have the aproval of an Ordinary.

Art. II - I do not recognize as "sanctuary", that is as a "sacred place which, with the approval of the local Ordinary, is by reason of special devotion frequented by the faithful as pilgrims" (can. 1230), the domain of "La Haute Butte" of Dozulé.

Art. III - As a consequence, I prohibit any propaganda and especially any funds raising in order to build a sanctuary or a gigantic cross on those premises (can. 1265 § 1). As well, I prohibit the construction of any sanctuary (church, chapel), Calvary, on the territory of the Dozulé parish (can. 1215, 1223, 1224).

Art. IV - Saving the parish priest´s rights on the territory of the Dozulé parish, I prohibit any priest to:
- Organise or preside over any meeting related to the Dozulé "message".
- Celebrate the Eucharist in the same circumstances.

Any priest who would stubbornly disobey the prohibitions contained in this article IV, exposes himself to be deprived in the Bayeux Diocese, of the necessary jurisdiction to listen to confessions and, eventually, to be suspended.

Some faithful will feel confused by these decisions. They will suffer and have difficulties to accept them. I invite them, as well as all those who read this Ordonnance, to refocus always more their piety, the witnessing of their faith and their apostolic zeal, on the mystery of the Saviour´s glorious Cross. The Church invites us to do it, especially during the Holy Week. To the same effect, the Holy Father has asked us to rediscover the benefits of the Reconciliation and Eucharist Sacraments. It is in them and by them, that we must seak the source of our conversion and of that of the world; it is in them and by them, in the Church, that we must strengthen our hope in the awaiting of our Lord´s Return.

The present Ordonnance will be published once the Apostolic See will have made known its opinion on the Dozulé "events", upon presentation of the Diocesan Commission´s investigation, which was integrally transmitted to it.

At Bayeux, June 24th, 1985
+ Jean Badré, Bishop of Bayeux and Lisieux
By mandate: E. Belin, Chancellor