The following is the official Vatican translation, published May 3, of the communiqué which the Holy See issued at the end of the May 1 meeting regarding the apostolic visitation to the Legionaries of Christ. The original is in Italian.
1. On April 30 and May 1, the cardinal secretary of state chaired a meeting at the Vatican with the five bishops in charge of the apostolic visitation of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ (Archbishop Ricardo Blazquez Perez of Valladolid, Spain; Archbishop Charles Joseph Chaput, OFM Cap, of Denver; Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, SDB, of Concepcion, Chile; Bishop Giuseppe Versaldi of Alexandria, Italy; and Bishop Ricardo Watty Urquidi, MSpS, of Tepic, Mexico). The meeting was also attended by the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and the substitute of the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.
The Holy Father was present at one of the sessions, at which the visitors presented a summary of their reports, which had already been previously delivered.
During the visitation, more than 1,000 Legionaries were interviewed, and hundreds of written testimonies examined. The visitors went to almost all the religious houses and many of the apostolic works run by the congregation. They heard, orally or in writing, the opinion of many diocesan bishops of the countries in which the congregation works. The visitors also met many members of the Regnum Christi movement — although it was not the subject of the visitation — especially consecrated men and women. They have also received a great amount of correspondence from laypeople and family members of those involved in the movement.
The five visitors spoke of the warm welcome they received and of the constructive spirit of cooperation shown by the congregation and the individual religious. Though each visitor acted independently, they came to substantial agreement and a shared viewpoint in their assessments. They testified to having met a great number of exemplary religious who are honest and talented, many of them young, who seek Christ with genuine zeal and are offering their entire lives to spread the Kingdom of God.
2. The apostolic visit was able to ascertain that the behavior of Father Marcial Maciel Degollado has had serious consequences for the life and structure of the Legion, such as to require a process of in-depth revision.
The very serious and objectively immoral behavior of Father Maciel, as incontrovertible evidence has confirmed, sometimes resulted in actual crimes, and manifests a life devoid of scruple and of genuine religious sentiment. The great majority of Legionaries were unaware of this life, above all because of the system of relationships created by Father Maciel, who had skillfully managed to build up alibis, to gain the trust, confidence and silence of those around him, and to strengthen his role as a charismatic founder.
Not infrequently, the lamentable discrediting and dismissal of whoever doubted the correctness of his behavior, coupled with the misguided conviction of not wanting to harm the good the Legion was doing, created a defense mechanism around Father Maciel that rendered him untouchable for a long time and made it very difficult to know his real life.
3. The sincere zeal of most Legionaries, which emerged in the visits to the houses of the congregation and to many of its widely appreciated apostolic works, has in the past led many people to believe that the allegations, which gradually became more insistent and widespread, could not have been anything other than calumnies.
Thus, discovering and coming to know the truth about the founder has caused the members of the Legion surprise, bewilderment and deep pain, as the visitors have made clear.
4. From the results of the apostolic visitation the following elements, among others, have become clear:
a) The need to redefine the charism of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, preserving its true core, that of the “militia Christi,” which characterizes the apostolic and missionary activity of the Church and which is not the same as efficiency at any cost.
b) The need to review the exercise of authority, which must be linked to truth, in order to respect conscience and develop in the light of the Gospel as authentic ecclesial service.
c) The need to preserve, through appropriate formation, the enthusiasm of the faith of young members, their missionary zeal and their apostolic dynamism. Disillusionment concerning the founder could call into question this vocation and the core of the charism which belongs to and distinguishes the Legionaries of Christ.
5. The Holy Father wishes to assure all Legionaries and members of the Regnum Christi movement that they will not be abandoned. The Church is firmly resolved to accompany them and help them on the path of purification that awaits them. This will also mean dealing sincerely with all of those who, within and outside the Legion, were victims of sexual abuse and of the power system devised by the founder. They are in the Holy Father’s thoughts and prayers at this time, along with his gratitude to those of them who, even in the midst of great difficulties, had the courage and constancy to demand the truth.
6. The Holy Father, in thanking the visitors for the sensitive task they have accomplished with skill, generosity and profound pastoral sensitivity, reserves to himself the task of soon instructing how this assistance will be organized, beginning with the appointment of a delegate of his own and a commission to study the Legion’s constitutions.
The Holy Father will send a visitor to the consecrated members of the Regnum Christi movement, who have insistently requested this.
7. Finally, the Pope renews his encouragement to all the Legionaries of Christ, to their families, and to all the laypeople involved in the Regnum Christi movement, during this difficult time for the congregation and for each of them. He urges them not to lose sight of the fact that their vocation, which originates in Christ’s call and is driven by the ideal of being witnesses of his love to the world, is a genuine gift from God, a treasure for the Church, and the indestructible foundation upon which each of them can build their own future and that of the Legion.
Edward Pentin: Improving Communication of Pope's Early Morning Homilies
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I am an LC priest in the process of joining the archdiocese of Armagh, Ireland.
I was delighted with the statement from the Holy See today. There is clarity and there is vision in the statement. A lot of the confusion has been blown away. I believe this is a great moment for the Church, a new Pentecost in many ways. My thanks to the NCR for the translation. It does not quite get the tone of the original Italian. Nevertheless, something is better than nothing.
I wish to share a beautiful truthful and healing homily by Bishop Slattery at the Pontifical Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. It is truth for our times not only in the Legion and RC, but for the world. ‘Son though He was, he learned obedience by what He suffered.’ Heb 5:8 God grant us ALL the grace to suffer well and remain obedient to Christ in all things.
http://www.dioceseoftulsa.org/article.asp?nID=1451#addComment
I’m an ex-legionary from the US. It will be lamentable if the Holy See decides to let Legionaries and Regnum Christi continue their mode of being. Putting aside Maciel, the formation he created is designed purposefully to alienate the individual from his/her family and turn him/her into a soul-less machine that works only for the good of the Legion in terms of money and vocations. They do not work for the Church or the Kingdom of God. They work for the order only for the benefit of the ruling sons of the elite Mexican families.
I am not surprised at all by the fact that the visiting bishops were impressed by the fanfare of the legionaries which they are so well trained to do since their first day of novitiate. This artificial fanfare has been so well perfected within the group that Legionaries still remain one of the best fundraisers.
A religious congregation is founded upon the charism of their founder. It’s an anathema that this order will continue when their founder was a conniving devil since the very beginning. But I can see how the church may not want to get rid of an order that makes so much money.
The most important point in the Vatican statement is that an outside administrator will now be in charge of the Legion! Am I speed reading, or did this news article fail to mention that fact? That’s a huge sea change for the Legion. It will get new leadership, something badly needed.
Also, note the statement’s crucial line to bring an end to “efficiency at any cost.” That means no more telling people they were destined for LC/RC from the moment of conception in order to artificially build up enrollment; no more fundraising only to the rich, no more instilling a sense of false pride that LC/RC is the “the best, the only” way to be in the Church. Those are some of the changes that will come with an outside top administrator. Thank you, Pope Benedict.
For years I have admired and supported the Legion. I have shared the disappointments that the founder’s actions have caused and I have wondered if it were possible that all the good that the Legion has done and can do would be washed away. This letter holds out strong hope for all Legionaries and members of the Regnum Christi Movement. I personally am excited for the Legion and grateful that the Legion will be given a chance to continue their marvelous work.
The Holy See’s statement is a good one: it both firmly repudiates Maciel’s criminal immorality and its impact on the ethos of the Legion, and yet tries to safeguard and rescue what good there is in its many sincere and heretofore misled members.
Can this good really be rescued for the good of both the Legion’s members and the greater good of the Church? This remains to be seen, but I believe one factor will be determinative: the choice of the Delegate who is to guide the Legion in its radical transformation so that it will be no longer in any sense whatsoever Maciel’s Legion. The person chosen to be delegate will have to have this as his full-time task for several years ahead, he will need to be strong-willed and extremely perceptive. He will need to be a senior religious with considerable experience as an effective superior, say a former provincial of the Jesuits or the Salesians (I indicated these two orders because their apostolates converge with those of the Legion).
In any event, the Delegate will have to make sure that there won’t be any continuation of the old Legion’s ethos and, especially, no continuing closet-cult of Maciel.
In my own life I have watched God write straight using crooked lines. All lines lead to Him if I but trust. I pray for the Legionaires and the ultimate outcome of this modern day purification. These priests and religious belong to Jesus Christ. Their continued formation will be in the shadow of the Cross.
The opinion of James an ex-legionary must be taken into account. He says that the function of the members was mainly fund raising and vocations and that they do not do anything for the Church and Kingdom of God. I earnestly request the authorities to look into these comments and to ensure that money should be separated from real faith and real closeness to God. Please renew everything with Values and let the Legion work for the Kingdom of God in words and deeds
The calliber of the young men I have encountered in retreats was impressive. As our Holy Father Benedict says, “Evil does not have the last word.” The evil Maciel did will in time be made it to something as great as our meriting our Saviour, Jesus Christ. I hope the Order is made accountable directly to the Pope as Opus Dei does, and that you would name Arch Chaput….......he is the most tremendous leader.
I am humbled by the efforts so far to uncover all, and I pray with the Church and our Holy Father, as he makes the decisions involved. I pray the Holy Spirit also give clarity and a humbled spirit to all the priests involved and that they take courage and shine again.
God bless and reward their efforts, (those involved).
Bea Ferreira
Bad translation. Bad journalism. Let’s hope this concern is also taken over by the new authorities.
The Legion should be suppressed and their assets given to the poor, whom Maciel assiduously avoided throughout his long life and bogus ministry. Whu did the Church take so long to investigate this charlatan? Let the Vatican tell us who in the curia accepted his generous gifts / bribes, from cardinals, bishops and even John Paul’s personal secretary. Why did the Vatican ignore decades of pleas from victims? Why did this newspaper, once a respectable journal, play along with Maciel’s fraud and fail miserably to report this fraud?
@Thadeus: Speed-reading. The mention of the delegate is in point 6.
My experience with these holy priests and consecrated ladies has been nothing but charity, kindness, and the deepest devotion to Our Lord and Our Lady. I am deeply happy with the communique. It has set the record straight that the priests sincerely had no idea of the transgressions of the founder. The Regnum Christi movement is alive and will change the face of the earth. It is an institution clearly dear to God’s heart or it would never have survived the founders evil acts. For those who had an unhappy experience with the Legion, I am sorry for you, but by far the majority have not misunderstood the movement’s mission of furthering the kingdom of Christ in the world. GOD BLESS THE LEGIONAIRES AND CONSECRATED LADIES OF REGNUM CHRISTI!!!!
Janene,
How dare you give such a trite apology to people and children of God that have been abused by Legion. Shame on you.. There is reason the Pope has done this investigation and is making the changes necessary to heal the wounds and purge this group of its corrupt foundation built by Fr. Maciel. Quit living in denial..I shake my head in disbelief at the denial.
Janene, please take your blinkers off! Have you not read the statement: the Visitors were “able to verify that the conduct of Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado caused serious consequences in the life and structure of the Legion, such that require a path of profound revision.”
I am certain there are many people of goodwill in both the LC and RC (I used to be in it and I have met many of them!) but the structure is rotten which means at this time it cannot and should not function in it’s current roles until the profound revision has taken place. I don’t think you quite realize just how devisive the LC/RC methodology has been is this body of Christ. This isn’t the time for ‘business as usual’. This is the time for serious justice (as the Holy Father pointed out!!!) for the victims both of Fr Marciel and those who for years have spoken out about the cancer that represents the methodology he left the LC/RC!
I was so happy to hear Pope Benedict hail those who tried to sound the alarm for decades as heroes:
“It will also mean dealing sincerely with all of those who, within and outside the Legion, were victims of sexual abuse and of the power system devised by the founder: They are in the Holy Father’s thoughts and prayers at this time, along with his gratitude to those of them who, even in the midst of great difficulties, had the courage and constancy to demand the truth.”
The original accusers, the Jason Berrys and Gerald Renners, the bloggers and writers, all those who persevered with courage in trying to out the truth all those years—-those are the men and women whom the Holy Father thanks and praises.
The Holy Father definitely expresses his love for the members of LC/RC, but there is no praise for their courage and perseverance. Instead there is criticism of the system of power and corrupt structure created by Maciel that blinded the Legionaries to the cries of the abused and rendered them incapable of seeing that their founder was a molester of young children.
I am thankful for the Holy Father’s pastoral care of all involved in this crisis—-the sexual abuse victims, those who were attacked and vilified for trying to warn the Church for many years that this man was a cruel sexual predator of children, an embezzler, and a drug addict,
AND for those well-meaning LC/RC who have been victimized by a malformed structure, a system of power designed to heap further abuse on so many. Many of these well-intentioned Catholics joined this group thinking it was a religious foundation that could provide them the beauty of a founder’s charism only to discover it the construct of a criminal mind designed to abuse.
Praise God the Truth has been outed, and prayers for all abused by this system, as well as for the Commissioner who will now have the unenviable task of sifting through all the malformation to see what, if anything, is salvageable in the constitutions/norms and to try to find the right balance for the reformed Legionaries of Christ.
I am a member of Regnum Christi and I just want to comment on the profound experience I have had with the Legionaries and consecrated: they have been Christ to me and my family; we are grateful and BLESSED having them in our lives. My deep love and devotion to Our Blessed Mother is thanks to the beautiful apostolate to promote love for Her in our families. My son’s formation is thanks to them - he is a teenager actively involved in our parish and is an example of a strong, deep faith thanks to our Legionary priests. May God continue to bless them.
How heartwarming to see the RCs show up here and say “my experience was good and that’s all that matters”.
As for Janine, the comment “The Regnum Christi movement is alive and will change the face of the earth”, I am stunned at the pride exhibited here. This is an inappropriate response. Reread the message from the Vatican. Pope Benedict has not sent you a bouquet!! Go to Life After RC, and read the beautiful apology by Jo Flemings, a current RC member. THAT is the appropriate response. I’m sure she’s no good to you anymore, and she’ll be drummed right out of the movement - reasoned thinking and honest self-criticism is not welcomed in RC.
The story of father Marcial Maciel and the Legion of Christ is just another example of the corruption of the Roman Catholic church. Fortunately, shocking revelations such as this make many people aware that Christianity and Roman-Catholicism are not equivalent. On the contrary, they are antagonistic. What Martin Luther saw during his pilgrimage to Rome was nothing compared to the horrendous crimes hidden by the Roman Catholic bishops, cardinals and popes.
Yes, Yamileth maybe this was good for you BUT how may have suffered at the hands of the Legion? Maybe it is worth taking a second look since your Archbishop and now your Pope say there is malformation there? You and your family are in my prayers.
I am a former legionary who just published a memoir about my time in the Legion with Fr. Maciel. My reaction to the Vatican statement is positive - the Pope is essentially ordering a “re-founding’ of the Legion. This is the opportunity for Legionaries to focus on their vocation to religious life and the priesthood, unshackling themselves from the pernicious influence of the founder. My assumption is that legionaries will gladly collaborate and implement the Holy See’s guidance. I suspect that this initial statement will be profoundly liberating for them. I know it was for me. This is an important moment for the Church - finally, decisive, unambiguous intervention by the Vatican and the opportunity for a new and dynamic congregation to humbly discover its genuine mission - which for too long was obfuscated by the founder’s entrepreneurial focus on methodology. The result could be closer to the Congregation I thought I was joining, freed from the deformations introduced by Fr. Maciel. I am not about to “sign up” again - but I wish them well.
@James. A religious order is founded on a charisma given by the Holy Spirit. That is why the Holy See is sending a delegate and a group to study the constitution: shake the tree so that the dead branches fall. It seems that the money fundraised in your time was misused; however, in my personal experience as helping support our seminary in these last couple years, I have seen all go to the formation of our seminarians. In that case, perhaps we both are right and things might already be changing since Fr Maciel’s death.
@Janene and burt. Abviously the internet is not the place to search for a proper apology that should be done face to face in as far as possible.To Janene, I thank your enthusiasm for our work. We do need to fix things that are not in line with the gospel and continue forward and We need to make sure that our enthusiasm does not go misinterpreted as blindness. God bless both of you.
@Jack Keogh. It is not a “refounding” or anything near it. It is more like a pruning: getting rid of anything that an astute mind could have stuck into our constitutions to aid him in his double life. It is a defining of the charism keeping in mind the essential (“preserving its true core”). That means, I think, to make more precise more than to change or start over. I am glad that the changes will help you.
@Dr Astrid Windfuhr. (supposing this is really you since I have seen your comments in other places) I congratulate you on overcoming one of the greatest temptations of internet blogging: the nameless heckler. It shows honesty and respect. And I find in your comments an interest in the good of the Church. I hope as well, that in the end we will come out a congregation that can serve the Church in everything we do, so that we can give back to those who have lost it the confidence that they ought to be able to place in the Legionaries. Pray for us, Astrid.
Dear Br. Paul,
So what is the Charism? If the Holy See needs to define it, or re-define it, was it ever there in the first place?
There is no misinterpretation of blindness. With all due respect, it is quite apparent. You have been lied to. You have been used by a con man who only intended to build the Kingdom of Himself. There is no pruning. Pruning implies a sturdy vine. The vine of the LC is rotten at the core.
The only good that has come out of the LC/RC is the good of the Church. The Church does not need the Legion of Christ. It does, however, need you to be free to discern Truth. Right now you are not.
My prayers and sacrifices are with you.
“It is not a “refounding” or anything near it. It is more like a pruning: getting rid of anything that an astute mind could have stuck into our constitutions to aid him in his double life.”
- Founder is a criminal, devoid of religious sentiment (Sounds like you want to keep him on hand for future generations)
- “caused serious consequences in the life and structure of the Legion, such that require a path of profound revision.”
- Charism in need of RE-definition, not refinement. The core can also be understood to be a kernel or seed from which something NEW can spring forth.
If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and walks like a duck… its a duck.
This simple, if the LCs do not bring an end to this bad beginning, you will not see another one.
commentor above, thanks for that, I was about to write a similar comment. Minimization Br Paul is not called for anylonger. It reminds me of the crazy comment that was made a while ago by the LC Atlanta Director that this is a ‘low’ visitation as opposed to a ‘high’ visitation! Our emeritus Bishop just confirmed to me that the language of the Vatican anouncement is about as serious as it gets and the fact that the Pope spent an hour and a half with the visitators make this the HIGHEST level investigation. LC/RC has tried this whole year to minimize. I think you will find this will not be a pruning exercise but it clearly involves the stem, Fr Marciel and his methodology. Please remember whether you see yourself as such or not, you are all victims of this methodology and his has left you living in a system that is seriously sick. Why would you want to defend it any longer, make the break, see it for what it is and truely serve the Church.
How is it that a man who has never had a hearing could be deemed guilty by so many people?
It is impossible for this man to be guilty, as the fruits of his work are vast and his writings, if you are living a sacramental life, you will read with an enlightened mind and know they are the work of the Holy Spirit. The work of the Legion and of Father Maciel has countered the errors of modernism that have entered the Church. It would follow that Satan wants to destory this work.
Those who are so quick to question the Pope on the infallible authority of his teachings on morals and faith, are the same people who take a communique (with no name as to who wrote it) as infallible.
There was not trial, but his man has been condemned. There is a reason Christ gave us the eighth beatitude.
Thanks for your comments. I think we definitely need to get rid of seeing things purely in light of a certain methodology. People are people, not robots, and we need to treat them as such and be priests who can bring them to Christ on a personal level.
There has been some lying to us. That is obvious from what the Vatican has stated and what I have discovered in the last couple years to my great sadness—a sadness more for those who have been wounded than for anyone else. There were certain mechanisms he used and we must get rid of them. There are victims among us as well. As a small example from personal experience, we have made sacrifices to keep our seminaries going when the founder was squandering the monetary gain from our mortification.
I don’t want to keep him on board at all. I do not want to minimize. I am sorry if it came across that way. Commentator put it well: something NEW has to spring from the kernel.
I am ready for it and waiting.
Dear Br Paul in Christ,
I was the dean of philosophy in Thornwood until Feb. 2010. We may have met.
I understand what you are going through. I really do feel sorry for you.
This is a very important moment for the future of the congregation. The Holy See’s statement is in as forceful a manner as possible. It clearly states that there are fundamental problems that need to be addressed. The visitation and the communique mark the beginning of what has to be a profound reformation of the congregation. The key to the success of the reformation requires a wholehearted and generous acceptance of the will of God made known through the Vicar of Christ. It is up to all of you who are members of the congregation to seize the moment and embrace the reforms that the Church is asking from you. Among those reforms that are non-negotiable is the acceptance that Fr. Maciel was not a fitting instrument of God. He was a man “without scruples and lacking genuine religious sentiment.” Consequently, careful and decisive action must be taken to completely distance the congregation in all aspects of its life from him and his mode of operating.
The fact that the charism of the congregation needs to be redefined would in itself mean that this is an extremely serious issue. The charism is the very heart of a congregation, that ethos that binds together the members and points them in a common direction. The Holy See has determined that the charism is not clear and it listed it as the first task that must be undertaken. The in-depth review (re-evaluation) of the constitutions of the congregation by a commission appointed by the Holy See speaks volumes. This of course means that we are not dealing with cosmetic changes.
What is more, hic et nunc, the exercise of authority in the Legion of Christ has to be brought into line with the Catholic tradition for religious life. Once again, this is not a pruning.
The Church sees much good in the generous self-giving of all of you, but that good will only bear fruit if you fully and courageously embrace the will of God as made known through His Vicar.
You are all in my prayers. The Lord knows I pray for you all that you will come out of Egypt.
God bless, Fr Cathal Deveney, Ph.D.
@Jack Keough, for the most part, I find this statement to be positive as well, but probably for different reasons from yours. For me it is an official Church vindication of my departure from RC last year when my so-called sisters in the movement could not stomach my unpalatable concern for Fr Maciel’s victims.I’ll begin to believe there is some hope for those who remain in RC/LC when they are able to humbly review their treatment of victims and their advocates who sought to bind the wounds of suffering victims. Forgive my cynicism, but I’m not holding my breath…people in the movement don’t typically reach out in reconciliation to those they’ve wounded in the name of the movement unless the movement tells them to do so….
I admit my simile was badly chosen in that it made the problems that we have to appear superficial and not of a serious nature as I picked up from Fr. Cathal´s very balanced comment. This was not at all my intention. I appreciate your worry and prayers. I think that what I wanted to express primarily was that the Legion can continue onward without dependence on the bad instrument. Of course, this will require direction from the Holy See.
I recognize the serious and absolutely reprehensible crimes that Fr Maciel commited as they are, such that words cannot describe them sufficiently. Thus rightly, the words from the communiqué are strong words. I have sent some ideas to the Visitators as well, after long reflection on anything that could be harmful.
To look on the bright side…It is interesting to note regarding “preserving its true core, that of the “militia Christi,”“that this was how our charism was described by Pius 12 and Paul 6. With this visitation, whatever the final consequences are (supposing that there is no suspension) and without a founder figure,the Legion will belong only to the Church. That is somthing I look forward to.
Help us in what you can, i.e. “to preserve…the enthusiasm of the faith of young members.” Of course, without ignoring the truth. What I ask is prayers for me and my fellow religious who honestly try to follow Christ in these difficult circumstances.
@ Elizabeth: I assume and dearly hope you are being sarcastic and poking fun. May I suggest this is not a laughing matter?
Thank you Fr Cathal for your comments and all you did for us here in Thornwood! I agree with you that it won’t be a simple pruning but one that will go much deeper then we can think. May god bless you in the new life as a parish priest, we all keep you in our prayers and thank you again for yours. May God’s Holy Will be done!
@Elizabeth- You would do well to review the piles of evidence that have been documented, and the testimony of victims that are more than 50…. And that yes, it has been reviewed by a court of law and he was found guilty as charged- what do you thing the CDF does? What do you think the 2006 statement was all about and the leading paragraphs of the last communique.
So, Elizabeth, you believe all those who have come forward to state that Maciel was a child molester, an embezzler, a drug addict, a womanizer (how do you explain away his biological children by multiple women, by the way?) and a hardened criminal are liars and enemies trying to take down the Holy Man Maciel, protector of all things orthodox?
I am truly glad that people like yourself continue commenting on the web because your posts, more than anything else, illustrate exactly the blinding results of the system of abuse and power that our Holy Father is so strongly condemning in this Communique.
You, quite frankly, have no idea how any poster here views the Pope’s infallibility on matters of faith and morals. For you to look down from your superior high horse and wag your finger over our supposed un-orthodoxy is beyond comical at this point. It’s sad, and it proves more than anything else just how much damage has been done by this cult-like deforming structure that mocks so much of what our beautiful Church teaches about virtues and religious life in general.
I’d like to believe that you are an anomaly among the LC/RC, but the fact that an LC priest just told a friend yesterday that Maciel will one day be vindicated and is a saint in Heaven leads me to believe that far from being alone in your beliefs, there are many still held in the tentacles of this harmful structure.
Fr. Cathal, thank you very much for your words, and best wishes and prayers for you in Ireland. I will never forget your great example as priest and teacher. Armagh is lucky to have you back.To all the rest: as an LC believe me that I am sorry to all the victims and their families, and sorry for all those who have had bad experience with us, for our lack of perfect charity at times and misguided zeal, I am sorry IF some are still hearing comments like “we are going to change the world” I don’t agree… God alone. He can use the Legion IF he wants to, but does not need us. But, I do not think that I am naive: I’m still an LC because I live among LCs who are generous, trying their best, and who want the Church to help us through this. The bishops are the authentic interpreters of charism. There is goodness - not perfection - in everyone I know here, which God is going to help and bless. If our future were all determined by the sins of Fr Maciel - criminal that he was - the Church would have closed the book on the Congregation. As I read the Vatican’s statement, I see alot more balance than I do in many of your comments. Is there purification ahead for us? Clearly. We need to obey, drop any self-serving ambitions and grow in love. Is there hope that we can do this? Certainly, I think so, because the LCs I live with I sincerely trust are here for all the right reasons, and Pope Benedict himself confirmed on Friday there is such a thing as an “Legionary vocation”.
Dear Fr. Cathal Deveney,
Thank you for taking the time to give your view of this statement from the Vatican. I personally thank you for your wisdom and helping us see what it means in a clear way. I pray the Legion and Regnum Christi members will be better at understanding this communique than they did the one in 2006.
Br Paul,
The ‘militia Christi’ part continues “the apostolic and missionary activity of the Church… is not the same as efficiency at any cost”.
In other words not only must the order “continue onward without dependence on the bad instrument” it must continue onward on without dependence on bad ‘instrumentation of persons’.
Dear Br Timothy Lyons,
I pray that the majority of LCs are as grounded in truth and humility as you seem to be. When you see harsh comments regarding the Legion, I hope you’ll understand many of us have been hurt by the LC/RC. To see you and your brother LCs continue in this congregation which has caused us pain and scandal to the Church, to not even apologize to MM’s victims for calling them liars (since 1997!) well, that is priestly conduct I found very hard to understand. I realize it wasn’t your call, but you did choose to stand in soldarity with the men who made the decisions to treat victims as enemies of the Church and the Legion, and maligned their character. I was relieved when the Legion finally admitted in their March letter that the abuse did happen, even if they felt compelled to add, unfortunately, that it gives them “consternation” to do so. It was very vindicating to me that they finally admitted that. The fact that it took PRIESTS so long to choke out an apology is troubling to me, but I am hopeful for men like you to be the force for change. Please, be a force for change. I am afraid my bridges are burned with RC, but I am hopeful for an end to the scandal to the Church. I pray for healing for all the victims, the scandal to the Church, the wrecked friendships.
James (former legionary) No se cuanto tiempo estuviste en la legión de Cristo. Si estuviste lo suficiente podrás leer este mensaje. Mientes con todos los dientes al decir que los legionarios se dedican a “enrolar niños de familias ricas en México”. (Nada mas falso) ¡No seas acomplejado!. Los ricos están en Estados Unidos. Hay muchos (y cuando digo muchos, son muchos) legionarios mexicanos que provienen de familias sencillas, de clase trabajadora. by de way… ¿que acaso alguien que proviene de una familia de la “elite” como tu dices, No puede tener vocación? Conozco sacerdotes de familias ricas que no son legionarios. No seas mala leche.
I hesitated very much to even make myself public, in a way, but I have to say that what has been said about the Legion here is totally understandable: the Legion is BOTH AWESOME, and it is HORRIBLE. Br Paul has only seen the fantastic, exciting, great stuff, and (from the basketball we played in Oaklawn) he has a very enthusiastic personality. Br Timothy hello! Great times fundraising. Sorry I can be so bossy. I wish I could join you in the fight to re-found, re-assess, re-decorate, whatever it is that the Legion will go through to re-define the charism and fix the system of government. I did not want to leave the Legion, but when I faced, for the first time, the reality of the grave evils found in certain parts of it, I could not, in good conscience, continue my work as a recruiter. Fr Cathal always said in Metaphysics class, “call a spade a spade.” Now we have.
¿“A mucha honra” de QUÉ?
Let’s be courteous and write in the blog’s language, shall we?
James is not lying: your pederast founder DID target rich kids -he was a real wannabe ‘ranchero’: why would he want a Corcuera, a Garza, a Sada in the top echelons? Sheer snobbery, my dear. Apart from that, James’ main contention deals with manipulation and deceit.
Sorry, but game’s over!
As Nat correctly observes, the Militia Christi mentioned is the what “characterizes the apostolic and missionary activity of the Church”, and the statement clearly states it is precisely to protect the Church’s Militia Christi that the charism of the LC needs to be redefined. This situation can only occur and a redefinition of the LC charism only required if the charism of the LC is based on an INCORRECT definition of the Militia Christi of the Church. That is the same as saying the core or essence of the LC is not Catholic, it is not the Church (as it must be), rather it’s charism must be defined to protect what must be the “TRUE” core of a congregation, the Church’s Militia Christi.
That is also why the word “redefine” is used. The first meaning of the word “definition” in the American Heritage Dictionary is: “A statement conveying fundamental character.” There you have it, the fundamental character of the LC must be redefined, because the current definition is wrong. That’s as strong a condemnation of the reality of a congregation as you can get, and the deepest level of reform as can possibly be carried out.
To Br. Lyons:
“Pope Benedict himself confirmed on Friday there is such a thing as an “Legionary vocation”.”
No he didn’t. He used vocation in the true meaning. A vocation belongs to God and his Church. Not to the Legion. Stop and think! Use reason, not what you have been told for years and years! You have no charism except the lies and deceit passed on by your founder. Cling to the Church. The Legion is not the Church!
You have to come to this conclusion yourself. What you are being told is a lie. It was a lie from the beginning!
There is NO “Legionary Vocation.” There is no “Vocation to Regnum Christi.” Maciel and your leaders are placing the Legion in front of the Church.
The Holy Father is paying such great attention because there are so many of you malformed in this lie! Go seek out a good Pastor who has been fighting in the trenches of the world and truly carrying the Cross of Christ.
You are not building the Kingdom of God. You are still building the Kingdom of Maciel.
Lord help us see Your Truth!
I am so grateful that the Church is going to help the Legion. I grew up going to different Regnum Christi events and as much as I appreciated their work, my parents and I never felt quite comfortable with them. I am saddened by the truth of what happened, but I am not totally surprised either. I myself just left a religious community where I lived for quite some time. They and all communities in the Church have troubles, some small and some great. We need to pray for the protection of all religious from the Enemy’s snare. It is very difficult for all involved.
To Anonymous,
What I think Br Lyons wanted to mean is a vocation to the Legion, and yes I do believe there is such a thing. But don’t get me wrong, the Legion has meaning only within the Church and insofar as it is in the Church, and therefore the Legion, if put first, would have no meaning.
I pray for all of you who have suffered from our mistakes and errors and blindness and trust me, we also suffer much from this situation that we are living through.
May God bless you all!
To Luisa:
As you said, let us be courteous indeed! Who said that Fr Maciel was the founder of Mexicana? Please use arguments in your comments and stop repeating what others have already said.
To Anonymous:
You are telling Br Lyons to stop and think but why don´t you apply that to yourself? If the Holy Father would have meant that there was no legionary vocation, he would have just dissolved the congregation, yet he did not dissolve it, thus, there is s legionary vocation within the Church as there is a Franciscan and Dominican vocation.
To Colin,
Thank you for your candor and honesty in your post! I recognized your name…I believe you use to travel to our section in the midwest. It takes courage to identify yourself and for that I am thankful! My sentiments are the same as yours and I too had the same conclusion…to leave. I will be praying for all of those who are hurting in this difficult time.
It’s been about 5 weeks since the Legion released a statement signed by the leadership in which it (finally) stated that abuse happened. It’s been 5 days since the Vatican released this Communique. Between these two pivotal documents, I would have expected LCs and RCs to respond in the following ways: 1. demanding answers as to why they were misled, for at least the past 14 months, if not for the past 4 years since the 2006 Comunique inviting MM to a life of prayer and penance. Why are they STILL so serene and docile? 2. I would expect RCs and LCs to acknowledge the second half of the 5th point in the above communique - “This will also mean dealing sincerely with all of those who, within and outside the Legion, were victims of sexual abuse and of the power system devised by the founder. They are in the Holy Father’s thoughts and prayers at this time, along with his gratitude to those of them who, even in the midst of great difficulties, had the courage and constancy to demand the truth” -
show some remorse towards those of us who have suffered for no reason but that our consciences told us it was NOT RIGHT to ignore the cries of the suffering souls. We had the “Courage and constancy” mentioned above. RCs did not. Other than a beautiful apology by Jo Flemings over at life-after-rc, the silence from RCs is deafening. No one seems to be feeling any sorrow for what they have put others thru in the name of the Kingdom. If I was RC right now, I’d be calling or emailing my regrets over my shabby treatment of these folks. Maybe Jo Flemings can write the “Study Circle” that helps RCs embrace reform. Their consciences need a wakeup call. Without evidence of this sort of sorrow, I struggle to have any hope that these people will really ever get it.
I don´t think that many of the LCs knew about the misled as it is said in the communique. That´s why the Pope sent apostolic visitators and is sending now a delegate. The superiors have been in contact with many of those who have suffered directly (Cfr.: http://www.regnumchristi.org/english/articulos/articulo.phtml?id=29384&se=359&ca=708&te=834)
God Bless!!!
As someone said, you don’t prune a tree if the roots are thoroughly rotten and diseased. You rip it out of the earth and medicate the soil and leave it barren and empty for a while. If it is true that Maciel was thrown out of two seminaries and was only able to be ordained a priest because he had a relative to ordain him, then it would seem that Maciel wanted to found something and felt he needed to be a priest to carry out his plans. It’s like a farmer who plants fields and fields of strawberries because he is obsessed with them and wants them to be where he can take them and eat them whenever he wants. Maciel planted fields full of young, vibrant men…and when he needed to satiate himself with something other - like women and small children, he would simply go outside his ‘farm’ and take from other places. How many of those he chose for positions of leadership knew and perhaps partook of what he was doing? How many of those in authority who were close to Maciel were/are involved in the same perverted activity. Surely there are young priests with good hearts and holy desires but they have been, whether they know it or not, affected by the evil that flowed from Maciel and penetrated ever aspect of their lives, of their souls and their psyches…they need to be ‘deprogrammed’ and then re-formed in a healthy way…I don’t know how this can be done but we can pray that it will be done thoroughly…there was fund raising being carried on aggressively even as the investigations were taking place…what does that tell you? And where will that money go? I do pray for those who were hurt by Maciel and others who were involved with him in these perversions…now let’s pray that all will be rooted out…and that the good Priests will be brought into another place within the Church they love, a place untainted by the sickness and evil perpetrated by Maciel…
Thank you, Fr. Cathal, for your most reasonable comments (and for your example in NY). The communique expresses quite well what I feel; Fr Maciel’s double life was wrong. Since it was well covered up, it was obviously a surprise to learn of it, but the truth is the truth.
I think Carlos’ comment is equally valid: the Holy Father does see a valid LC vocation. If not, he would have said so. As he said, it will take work to purify the elements left from Fr Maciel’s double life, and that’s a reality no one doubts. But the Legion of Christ is something the Holy Spirit wants, and the Pope has said so.
Let the Legion alone!! they are suffering a lot and you are attacking all time.
How about instead of all the angry blogging against the Legion and Regnum Christi, we all get on our knees and pray for the victims and all in the movement. As the Vatican statement said the majority didn’nt know. These are all people who truly love Christ and want to serve the Church.
I am very Blessed to have met so many people in the movement. I have faith Pope Bennedict IV will cleanse and correct it. Maciel has been judged by God. I pray for all the victims. I pray God will cleanse and bring a greater Good out of the evil which has happened their are many in the movement who love and want to serve Christ.
Thaks a lot Jill!!!!
I believe Pope Benedict did indeed speak of the future and the vocation of the Legion…and I remembered that God can and does and will bring good even out of evil…and yes, we must pray for all ...those who knew and covered up and those who did not know and tried sincerely to follow Christ as best they could…and we have to pray for our Church and all her members, ourselves included, for we are all guilty of sins of commission or omission - I have refused God many things, not outright but rather by procrastination…so let us pray for each other…goodness will win out over evil and Light will always have the victory over darkness…
I recently read on another blog -it might have been First Things - a Legionaire was asking about what would happen with Maciel’s writings. He said that he had been involved in translating them and they were/are very inspiring and ought to be kept…I wonder what anyone thinks about that??? And I wonder how many more in the Legion continue to believe that Maciel can be salvaged through his works, writings, rules, etc.? Just wondering…
“Surely there are young priests with good hearts and holy desires but they
have been, whether they know it or not, affected by the evil that flowed
from Maciel and penetrated ever aspect of their lives, of their souls and
their psyches…they need to be ‘deprogrammed’ and then re-formed in a
healthy way.”
This is the biggest challenge: good hearts in a cultish system that does not allow for free exercise of conscience and healthy dialogue and self-criticism, again hallmarks of cultish organizations. B16 knows this or it wouldn’t have specifically pointed out in last weeks Vatican statement.
en lugar de quejarse, es mejor rezar por la orden
let us pray for them
Prayers for Fr Jonathan Morris - quote: “I’ve discerned I’m not called to dedicate my priesthood to the “profound revision”, “purification”, and “redefinition” of the Legion of Christ the Holy Father has wisely ordered.” He has asked to be incardinated into the New York diocese. This man has taken the narrow gate. It takes great courage to move into the unknown like this after so many years in the Legion. I pray others may see his example and know they are free to move on as well.
La verdad es que las reformas que se van a hacer dentro de la Legion son meramente disciplinares. Por lo tanto, no hay que preocuparse tanto. Mil gracias.
creemos que Dios sostendra a la Legion pase lo que pase!!!
The only thing i wanna say is that God always allows evil things because he is able to change them into greater goods. God bless you all.
To Robert:
God allows evil because He can bring something better about. He cannot change the evil of sin into a virtue. He does not change the evil of murder into life. Unfortunately, the victim dies. If there is evil in the world, it is only because in some mysterious way God will triumph completely in the end. As long as we journey through this world, we are in the Church militant and face the challenge of the mysterium iniquitatis. The great question that often arises in our hearts is “Lord, why did you allow this?” The answer, and there is an answer, lies in the infinite wisdom and goodness of the Blessed Trinity. God does not want any kind of moral evil. He allows it, never for itself, but for a greater good. He does not want abortion, yet He does allow it. That baby has died and is gone from this world forever. No matter what anyone does in this world, that child can never be brought back to life. God transcends time and space, our world is a waiting room only. It is not the end of the journey. That is one of the main reasons why we can hope that in the end justice will be served.
I have thoroughly enjoyed and greatly benefited from my time in the congregation of the Legionaries of Christ. Things were never perfect, but that is true of every human organisation. As with many other organisations within the Church many members of the congregation are hard working and dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Christ. Now they are faced with a great challenge, not with reforms that merely disciplinary, rather fundamental reforms.
The key is to accept the seriousness of the reform that the Holy See is asking for. There is nothing wrong with speaking about it. There is something wrong with judging rashly those who are giving their lives to Christ through the congregation. The people of God have a right to know and understand what the communique of the Holy See really means. They also have a right to know that the congregation has embraced wholeheartedly and unreservedly through words and deeds what the Holy See is asking from it. I am confident that the Legionaries will be for the Church and take all the steps that are needed so as to be profoundly renewed and reformed.
The congregation is entering a critical stage, in my estimation, that requires honest and frank debate. All the members, especially those with perpetual vows, must understand the canonical weight of the document issued by the Holy See. It is, in my opinion, of the utmost importance that they move on from the moment of shock that the communique caused and with a clear and serene spirit assimilate what it is that they are facing.
I do pray for them every day, and I am sure that many other do. Not for that reason should we stop discussing this topic. The Holy See made a public statement, this is a moment of transparency, let’s speak about what we think it means and what ought to be done. It does not mean that we are right, it can help us enter into the dynamic of the Church’s life.
God bless
I am RC and I, for one, have been impressed with the response to the current crisis by the leaders in the Legion, and in particular with Fr. Alvaro. It has taken everyone time to work through the initial disbelief and denial, and on to the sickening and gut-wrenching reality that rocked the very foundation of the LC/RC Movement, and resolutely to rise above the profound personal hurt and betrayal to focus attention and concern on the hurt of others. Fr. Alvaro has looked to the Holy Father for guidance and example to the extent of meeting with the victims. I take comfort in the shepherding skill of Pope Benedict who has pledged to remove the “filth” from the Church throughout the world. I trust that God will not abandon LC/RC and the many good people who are earnestly seeking to serve God in His Church and live virtuous lives—just as He will not abandon His Church. Although God allows evil, he brings an even greater good from it when we turn to him. I applaud any who have posted comments that seek to build up the Body of Christ rather than to tear down, attack, and divide.
A Catholic blog in Rome “www.chiesa.org” has reported faithfully and in an unbiased way about this scandal of Maciel and speaks of the “silence of the entourage” and the “mechanism of defense” of his disgraceful life. They state that there “will be no indulgence for the system of power” that closed ranks around Maciel before and after his death, meaning the current central and trritorial leaders of the Legion. They say that it is completely unrealistic to think that the ax might spare the two supreme leaders, the director general Alvaro Corcuera and vicar general Luis Garza Medina. Chiesa speaks of the good Priests who are trying to work with Rome’s directives “But of the 800 priests of the Legion, only about 100 are now deliberately working for a journey of profound revision…most of them are still disoriented, traumatized by the revelations about their founder, submissive to the authority of the current leaders they see as their only source of stability.” This is why there must be ‘deprogramming’ of the submissive, traumatized priests…so that they will be able to salvage their priestly vocations and live healthy and holy lives…I hope the Register does not take this blog from its front page…for too long the National Catholic Register defended Maciel and accused his detractors of lying…so let’s keep this blog open as the journey of the Legion continues, thanks.
Dear Fr Cathal:
Thanks for your answer. I think that the situation of the Legion is the best image we can use to explain the cross in our lives. We do not understand why we have to go through it, why God allows certain situations in our lives.We think that we will not get back what we lost. And probably this is true, materially speaking. However, the greater good is that we realize that God is the only only one able to help us to fill the hole that the cross left in our hearts and guess what, He indeed, comes down from Heaven to tell us in our hearts: Do not be afraid, hope against hope. Thanks to this we still be alive, with joy and happiness. That is why our daily life is able to become interesting, fascinating and the bad moments a challenge. God bless you and I pray for all legionaries so they may be able to see the face of the Lord Jesus…
I think that’s just funny. Those one hundred priests are likely the one hundred or so priests who happen to be superiors. The other seven hundred are merely continuing there duties, serving souls they same way they always have.
Nothing is funny in this situation and no…the one hundred are not superiors but are rank and file priests who are trying to work with Rome…the others, as stated, are too frightened and disoriented and traumatized and are looking to those very superiors who surrounded and protected Maciel to tell them what to do because the formation Maciel put together took away their capacity to think for themselves…
Sam:
Really? How do you know all your information? You seem so sure and knowledgeable. Are you sure that only 100??? The US is not the only place the Legion has priests…
Thank you!
You know, everything we say about the communique is really uncertain and it boils down to gossip. We need to wait for more info. And yet the Legion is opened up to obey. That is what really matters.
“Thy Kingdom Come!” This battle cry that we belched out was the greatest deception to lure those of us who were genuinely ready to die for the Church. It took me 4 years of quiet observation to notice that all the Legion was doing was for the organization itself and not for the Church or for the people. All members are assigned to either luring new members or getting more money. All activities center around these two hidden objectives whether it be a retreat, summer camps, building schools, teaching catechisms, working with families, etc. If there is no new members to be recruited or new avenue of money from an activity or meetings, LCs consider it a “waste of time” and would simply move on. Any discerning intelligent member would attest to this, if he is honest.
This modus operandis is deceitfully instilled in the mind of the LC members from day 1. Yet when they attract the new young members they use “orthodoxy, love for the church, the urgency to build the Kingdom of God” as the baits. So by the time the brothers are sent out to apostolates they really believe they are working for the Church even when all they are doing is expanding the order itself. This is because they are brainwashed to think the expansion of the order is the expansion of the Church even if that means destruction or appropriation of other already existing lay organizations or projects.
As to catering to the rich: Someone above gave good examples of a Corcuera, a Garza, a Sada in the top echelon of the order. Some examples I saw was the special treatments given to a son of Donahue’s such as making him a team leader as a first year novice when it’s normally selected from the second year. Other example was the school in the US for the children of rich Mexican families.
The importance of putting up facade always bothered me when I was there. The bands, the special meals some superiors got instead of eating what the rest of us ate, the helicopter visits by Maciel and all the fanfare that went with it every time he came, utterly spiritually devoid novice master, Fr. William Izquierdo (spelling?) all were at first strange and then became bothersome precisely because there was this deep sense of emptiness in all of it, a big gaping hole behind all those facade. The LCs do not have anything spiritual to offer to the Church or the people. All they can say is “Sacrifice yourself, give up your family, work and die for the Kingdom (i.e. the order) and obey.” Their retreat is a copy from the Jesuits.
As to Maciel: the letters of “Nuestro Padre” are utterly empty of any deep spiritual knowledge and I refused to read them as my main spiritual food while I was there. The novice master, Fr. William repeatedly asked me to focus on the “letters” but I repeately refused and focused on the real spiritual masters like St. John of the Cross instead of the dry writings filled with common cliche-like mantras without any dept or originality. When Maciel visited, I paid special attention to sense any holiness or closeness to God from him, but I couldn’t find any. So I felt justified to not read the letters and not pay much attention to all the fanfare the superiors made us to create around Maciel. As you can see, I was not being brainwashed effectively. Also I was perplexed and bothered by the term they used to call him “Nuestro Padres” because that is the direct translation of “Our Father” who art in Heaven.
What bothered me the most and what made me leave the order was the blatant favoritism the superiors showed to select brothers. The favored ones are (1) sons of rich or influential families or (2) those that have great talent and potential to promote the publicity of the order such as great sportmen or intellectuals. If they stopped here, I would have overlook them as poor humans. But they went to contrast it by ridiculing and mistreating the less quality brothers who tended to end up being sent to an obscure jobs later. I was one of the favored one due to my sport skills combined with high academic achievement combined with high art skill. They tried to make me a team captain since the candidacy but I refused after being one for a week since my greatest concern at that time was working on my pride.
Finally I can tell you that many LC men were in it for good intentions. But they were gradually brainwashed to equate working and dying for the order and Maciel with fighting for the Church and God. Therefore, if they are going to save the order they must remove the superiors and completely erase such equations and let the young men (priests and brothers) actually work for the Church and its people and not for the legion.
This is one of the conclusion I came to. Jesus died for the world, the entire humanity. The Church being his Body, should then also sacrifice herself for the people of the world instead of focusing on preserving herself. LC and RC must then also sacrifice themselves for the people and not worry about preserving themselves. Otherwise you are not of Christ but an anti-Christ.
I can’t agree more with James ex-LC. When I realized that there was so much hypocrisy and complicity in the highest levels of the catholic clergy (not only in the LC), I sensed that the catholic church was leading me away from Christ. Today, I am a happy member of the Lutheran Church. I found a home, a church without those military structures where it is a sin to think, where is a sin to question anything said by the hierarchs. Saint Peter’s square might appear crowded with tourists greeting the pope, but there are also millions of ex-catholics that were compelled to leave a church, a church that is far away from the teachings and example of our Lord Jesus.
Obviously there is much to atone for here and as well as a systemic reform that is required…perhaps even a fundamental refounding after the cleansing of all those who were complicit in Maciel’s betrayals. But I do think that if Rome is going to possibly refound the “Legionaires of Christ” upon a much more worthy Christian foundation, they might consider as their priestly ideal and “charism” the Mexican Jesuit martyr, Blessed Miguel Pro. I’m unsure what the society could be called (perhaps the “Priestly Fraternity of Our Lady of Guadalupe”?) “Regnum Christi” could change their name to “Viva Christo Rey,” the last words… spoken by this holy pastor of souls before his execution. In Blessed Fr. Miguel you have a Mexican and a Jesuit who is a true saint committed to the reign of Christ the King and gave his very life for the sake of his flock. Obviously there is a need for more than just a cosmetic change to the Society, but I thought this might be a good step to take.
http://guardduty.wordpress.com/2007/02/07/¡-viva-cristo-rey-blessed-miguel-pro-sj/
June 4, 2010…Someone who works in the fundraising department of the Legion told me that they are continuing to actively and aggressively fund raise…why are they doing this??? Haven’t they been told not to fund raise and not to seek new vocations until the new system and new authorities have been put in place? Where will the money being raised go? Rome is being informed about this…
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