CANYON LAKE, Texas (LifeSiteNews) —The founder of an American Catholic religious community is to be tried on charges of schism.
The Mission of Divine Mercy apostolate has informed its supporters that on April 9 it received a letter from the Archdiocese of San Antonio “announcing a tribunal to investigate the charge of schism against Father John Mary (Foster) for ‘denying the legitimacy … of Pope Francis.’”
The community stated that they themselves had requested this tribunal “last July in an attempt to follow proper canonical procedures and to clarify the situation.” They provided their followers with a redacted copy of the letter. (Full letter below.)
The letter, which mistakenly addresses Father John Mary Foster as “Joseph Mary,” states that the priest stands “accused of the delict of Schism and of denying the legitimacy the Supreme Pontiff, His Holiness Pope Francis, in violation of Canon 1364, an offense, that if you are found guilty is punished with latae sentencia (sic) excommunication, in addition to penalties mentioned in Canon 1336, 2-4.”
It describes the “proofs” against Foster as “not complicated.”
“The fact of your calling Pope Francis an ‘usurper’ as the Successor of St. Peter and Roman Pontiff is widely known and public proofs are easily available,” it continues.
“The Archbishop of San Antonio has communicated with you and asked you to repent, but you continue to maintain your error. It must be stated clearly: If you do not repent, you are at grave risk of dismissal from the priesthood and excommunication from the Catholic Church.”
The letter from the Tribunal of the Archdiocese of San Antonio serves as the latest chapter in a story that began when the Mission of the Divine Mercy community began to publish the contents of supernatural locutions it said were experienced by one if its female members, Sister Amapola. The “heavenly messages” that she records and that have so far been published by Foster are attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, and to the Almighty Father. The first alleged locution to be publicly shared is dated February 8, 2024.
Later in February, Foster recorded a message purported to be the words of God the Father. Dated February 26, the address – which is directed to priests of all degrees – accuses the bishop of gross neglect and Pope Francis of being both a usurper and a traitor:
You have not only let the smoke of Satan infiltrate into My Sanctury, but you have allowed a whole army of demons to take your places.
And you have allowed the usurper to sit on the chair of My Peter – he who is carrying out the Great Treason that will leave My Church desolate.
In response to the publication of these and other messages, the Archbishop of San Antonio, Gustavo Garcìa-Siller, removed Foster’s faculties, banning him from public ministry and suppressing his apostolate, the Mission of Divine Mercy. Foster was removed from his position as parochial vicar at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Canyon Lake, Texas.
There was some indication at that time that the archdiocese was interested in the property of the Divine Mission, for one the decrees of March 15, 2024 stated, “I ORDER the allocation of the goods of the association to be determined according to the norm of CIC canon 326 §2, without prejudice to acquired rights and the intention of the donors… .” However, a representative of the Divine Mission recently told LifeSiteNews by email, “To the best of our understanding, since our property is owned by a non-profit corporation, not a canonical entity, the property and assets of the Mission of Divine Mercy are not in legal danger.”
LifeSiteNews has reached out to the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
“It is the policy of the Archdiocese of San Antonio to not comment regarding priest personnel matters,” stated Jordan McMorrough, its Director of Communications, via email. In a subsequent email, McMorrough underscored that “the property upon which the members of the Mission of Divine Mercy live” is “civilly incorporated and is not associated with the Roman Catholic Church or the Archdiocese of San Antonio.”
McMorrough also acknowledged that Fr. Foster is “an incarnated priest of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.”
This article was updated on April 16, 2025.