The announcement by the religious community of Poor Clares of Belorado in Burgos and Orduña (Vizcaya) to leave the Catholic Church and become under the tutelage of Pablo de Rojas Sánchez-Franco has put the spotlight on this character, excommunicated in 2019, and who presents himself as an imperial duke and five times Great of Spain.
In a statement made public this Monday by Sister Isabel de la Trinidad, the abbess of the community made up of sixteen nuns, these nuns proclaim that from now on they would be under the tutelage and jurisdiction of Pablo de Rojas Sánchez-Franco and his call Pious Union Sancti Pauli Apostoli.
But who is this person who has revolutionized the life of the quiet convent of the Poor Clares? In statements to EFE, Luis Santamaría, a theologian expert in sects and author of the book A las outskirts of the cross. The sects of Christian origin in Spain define him like this: “He is a megalomaniacal character with delusions of grandeur, who combines the ecclesiastical and the nobility, who walks around Bilbao with episcopal ornaments typical of another era and who, in this case, everything seems indicate that he has taken advantage of a situation of vulnerability of a community of nuns to present himself to the Poor Clares as the savior of the community itself and of the entire Catholic Church.”
In his opinion, De Rojas has “sold” to the community of Poor Clares that conspiracy theory that states that there has been no pope in the Vatican for more than 60 years, that the evolution of the Catholic Church since Pius XII “is satanic.” and that he is the only guarantor of the traditional church and the Catholic faith.
However, he trusts in the mediation of the ecclesiastical authorities, specifically the Archbishopric of Burgos, and that the nuns return to common sense, although he expresses his doubts about “the role of the abbess and other ringleaders of this slamming of the door” who still prefer stay outside the Church.
On his website, De Rojas explains that he was born in the Sierra de Cazorla (Jaén), where he spent the summer with his family, on August 20, 1981. He also details that he was seven months old and that he almost died, which is why there is a ex-voto in thanksgiving at the Sanctuary of La Yedra.
He talks about his family “well known in Linares” and dedicated to goldsmithing for centuries. He mentions his parents and dedicates a few words to “his beloved and longed-for grandfather, Pablo de Rojas, mining engineer, who was Civil Governor of Jaén and Provincial head of the National Movement, from 1948 to 1955, and president of the Chamber of Commerce since 1950 to 1965.
He claims to have been ordained priest and bishop between 2005 and 2006 by the former Jesuit Derek Schell (consecrated bishop in Palmar de Troya in 1976), although in his biography he claims to have nothing to do with this sect or others.
This “character” who presents himself, among other noble titles, as imperial duke, prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire and five times Great of Spain, founded in 2005 in Bilbao the Pious Union of Saint Paul the Apostle, which is defined as the true Church of Christ.
It denies the papal legitimacy of John XXIII and does not recognize any bishop of Rome after Pius XII. He also does not admit the validity of the sacraments celebrated in the post-conciliar Catholic Church.
In 2021, the Pious Union of Saint Paul the Apostle was registered in the National Registry of Associations of the Ministry of the Interior and its headquarters are in Bilbao, where De Rojas resides, who claims to spiritually and sacramentally attend several residence halls.
“Like any sect, it lives on mimicry and decoy,” says Santamaría. And, seeing what he discloses through his website and social networks, where he appears practically alone, “it is easy to assume that until this moment in which he has deceived the nuns, the members of his Pious Union can be counted on one’s fingers.” “with one hand.”
He has profiles on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and a YouTube channel and publishes pastoral letters on issues such as the coronavirus. According to Santamaría, in December 2020 he prohibited his followers from getting vaccinated “under penalty of mortal sin.” In his social networks he refers to Franco as “our undefeated leader”, he considers Sixto Enrique de Borbón-Parma (Carlist claimant) the legitimate king of Spain and you can even find messages with an anti-Semitic tone.
It includes a current account number for donations and a message reminding you that these contributions can be deducted in your income tax return, while encouraging you to check the box for social activities and not that of the Catholic Church.
Santamaría believes that these types of groups are capable of collecting donations from people who are dissatisfied with the path the Catholic Church is taking. “We can compare it with Palmar de Troya, with which he is spiritually related, and this sect managed to raise millions of pesetas at the time and have a huge patrimony.”
Not at that level, “but it is easy for people to be deceived into calling themselves representatives of the true church,” he concludes.
