Why were the UK Marian Franciscans dissolved?

At 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, a U.K. community known as the Marian Franciscans ceased to exist, in terms of the Church’s canon law.

The Marian Franciscans announced May 28 that they had taken the unusual step of dissolving their community because they were unable to secure “practical and canonical support” for future priestly ordinations, despite a growth in numbers.

The announcement raised questions about why a seemingly thriving community would struggle to gain support for ordinations. The news also generated considerable speculation online, with some linking the dissolution to the community’s affiliation with the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.

Sources with direct knowledge of the community told The Pillar that the dissolution came against a background of problems within the community, allegedly including safeguarding complaints, a lack of due diligence in recruitment, severe asceticism that affected members’ health, and the misleading presentation of the community as a religious order.

For their part, the Marian Franciscans rejected the claims in a June 2 statement to The Pillar.

Who are the Marian Franciscans? What led to their dissolution? And what will happen next?

Who are the UK Marian