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PDF versionGambling with history: Benedict and the Legion of Christ
Dec. 29, 2010
103. Recruitment happens in stages, going successfully from kindness to friendship, from friendship to confidence, from confidence to conviction, from conviction to submission.
Legionaries of Christ seminarians lead the recessional during Mass celebrated by top Vatican officials at the Legionaries of Christ's Center for Higher Studies in Rome June 8. (CNS)
Analysis
Pope Benedict XVI's decision last July to take control of the Legionaries of Christ was a calculated risk. Amid a withering clergy abuse crisis, the pope chose an overseer to remake an international religious order built on the "charism" of a founder who sexually abused seminarians and fathered out-of-wedlock children, including two sons who claim they are incest victims.
The late Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, lionized for most of his 86 years, is now the scapegoat for nearly everyone drawn into the legal quagmire he left: the Legion and its lay group, Regnum Christi; the pope; Vatican officials; and high-profile Legion supporters who in the past strongly defended Maciel against charges of abuse.
Just last month, the Vatican ordered Maciel's photo removed from Legion facilities and banned sales of his writing, among other restrictions. However, hammering the memory of Maciel, like some statue of a fallen dictator, does little to answer the serious questions that still linger from his life of deception.
The story of the Legion of Christ and Maciel will continue to unfold in 2011. Interwoven into this story, however, has been a larger one, the story of the way the highest Catholic authorities entrusted to run the church reacted to the Maciel scandal, what decisions they made and what these decisions say about their own views of church and its mission.
It helps, then, to stand back and answer a few basic questions: Why did this scandal happen? How could John Paul II, a pope who showed brilliant moral vision in the face of Soviet communism, ignore the pedophilia allegations that trailed Maciel for decades? Why did he continue praising Maciel for six years after ex-Legionaries filed a 1998 canonical case with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger? How could Maciel's supporters, especially in the United States, so easily dismiss the testimony of so many credible accusers? Considering the order's strange history that keeps coming to light, is Benedict's decision to reform the Legion realistic?
While the question for Benedict is both immediate and risky, there is probably more at stake, depending on how those questions are answered, for the late John Paul and his legacy. How the story evolves and who controls the narrative could greatly influence whether John Paul continues to be viewed purely in heroic terms or as someone whose papacy was tainted by a scandal that came to light just five years after his election, but that he acknowledged only in the late days of his reign.
NCR: February 17-March 1, 2012
Subscribe to NCR to get all the news and special features that aren't always available online. In this issue:
- Conscience Roundup
Hear what theologians, commentators, and our editors have to say about the contraception mandate
- Special Section: Religious Life
Work of missioners, past and future; African meetings; and more
- Tribute to a Peacemaker
New York's Pax Christi fetes Daniel Berrigan
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Read the second part of this report tomorrow: George Weigel: Whitewashing history
Read the NCR editorial about Maciel and the Legion reform: Truth and a call to renewal
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It was in 1983 that John Paul approved Legion bylaws that allowed Maciel to insulate himself from scrutiny. In the order's "private vows," Legionaries pledged never to criticize the founder, and to report on anyone who did. Five months before his death, John Paul approved Regnum Christi statutes that are in some ways as strange and excessively controlling as the private vows.
Benedict revoked the private vows in 2007, after banishing Maciel from active ministry. Maciel died in 2008. A Vatican investigation of Regnum Christi, the lay arm of the order that some describe as a cult, is currently under way. As Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, the papal delegate and canon lawyer, oversees the writing of a new Legion constitution in Rome, Benedict appears to be gambling that it is better to salvage than to dismantle the organization, despite its many disillusioned ex-members, and the opinions of six U.S. bishops who banned the Legion and Regnum Christi from their dioceses.
Benedict is now pushing the Legion to compensate Maciel's victims, especially older victims who have no legal recourse for abuse from long ago, a striking departure from the Vatican's historic aloofness to legal remediation. The Vatican has no mechanism for compensating victims. In essence, the pope is pushing the Legion as a judge would in trying to get two parties to settle a dispute.
Bishop Ricardo Watty Urquidi of Tepic, Mexico, one of five prelates charged with investigating the Legion for the Holy See, said as much to reporters in Mexico May 18: "We need, then, to take care of [Maciel's] victims, as much inside as outside the Legion, and to compensate them for damages. This is something we all agreed on, and the pope accepted — just as he has been doing, and bravely so."
The pope has evinced a pastoral approach to the Legion's 800 priests, 2,500 seminarians and 60,000 Regnum Christi members. He calls down Maciel for a "twisted, wasted life," in Light of the World: The Pope, the Church, and the Signs of the Times, a new book-length interview with Peter Seewald. At the same time, Benedict praises the "dynamism and strength by which [Maciel] built up the Legionaries." He told Seewald: "Naturally corrections must be made, but by and large the congregation is strong."
The Legion certainly is strong by some measures. In Rome, the order symbolizes wealth and orthodoxy. The Legion college campus, Regina Apostolorum, provides newly invested bishops a residence, Mater Ecclesia hall, for introductory training. "The facilities and grounds are spectacular and the Legionaries have been superb hosts," wrote Bishop David M. O'Connell of Trenton, N.J., in a Sept. 13 Web post. "Meals are well prepared and served by members of the community who have demonstrated an uncanny ability to anticipate virtually every need." What O'Connell describes is vintage Legion, catering to the most powerful churchmen.
De Paolis has a commission of canonists and Legionaries drafting a new constitution for the Legion in Rome. Meanwhile, the order faces lawsuits in Connecticut from one of Maciel's sons, an alleged incest victim, and in Rhode Island from a woman contesting the will of her aunt, Gabrielle Mee, a Regnum Christi member who died before it was known that Maciel had fathered children. The Mee estate that went to the Legion totaled upwards of $7.5 million, according to the Hartford Courant.
Both lawsuits seek financial settlements from the order, arguing that senior Legion officials long knew of Maciel's twisted life.
Foxes guard the hen house
Five days before Watty's May remarks in Mexico, Legion superior general Fr. Álvaro Corcuera sought forgiveness of Juan Vaca, one of Maciel's oldest victims, who, as a young priest, beseeched the Vatican to oust the Legion founder. Corcuera told Vaca that Legionaries in Rome were reading a 1976 letter he had sent to Pope Paul VI in which he identified 20 other sexual abuse victims. Vaca sent the document to the Vatican two more times. Corcuera told Vaca a Legion committee in Rome was considering reparations.
"Unfortunately, we addressed these things very slowly and late," Benedict conceded to Seewald. "Somehow they were concealed very well, and only around the year 2000 did we have any concrete clues."
Why the pope fixed on the year 2000 is unclear. Vaca's dossier on Maciel, which also sought dispensation of his vows, went to the Vatican from his bishop in Rockville Centre, N.Y., in 1990. Ratzinger's office approved the dispensation in 1993, while ignoring the abuse accusations. Nevertheless, Benedict's admission of a response "slowly and late" is a rare admission about the systemic failure to prosecute Maciel.
Several of the priests on De Paolis' committee to rewrite the constitution were strategic figures in Maciel's life.
The Irish-born Fr. Anthony Bannon directed the North American work of Regnum Christi for many years from the Legion headquarters in Cheshire, Conn. Regnum Christi members discussed Maciel's letters in study groups. Targeting new members and raising money was central to the group's mission.
Small, far-flung groups of consecrated women live as celibates in Regnum Christi communities, often staffing Legion schools. A key figure in the Rhode Island lawsuit, Bannon was an architect of Legion fundraising and the Web site campaign against Maciel's early victims. Bannon's presence, among five other priests on De Paolis' group drafting a constitution, is like the proverbial fox guarding the hen house. Bannon's apparatus touted Maciel's heroism to inspire seminarians who, in turn, accompanied priests on fundraising calls to targeted benefactors.
Of the other Legion priests on the commission to revise the constitutions, Fr. Roberto Aspe Hinojosa is a Mexican and one of Maciel's earliest and closest followers, according to Sandro Magister in L'espresso, a prominent Italian newsweekly. A Spaniard, Fr. José García Sentandreu, oversees the Legion's apostolate works, while Fr. Gabriel Sotres was head of the order's communications for two decades. How De Paolis can hope to find the ethical balance for reforming the Legion from these men strains credulity.
On Sept. 12, Vaca sent an e-mail to De Paolis claiming that because of quotes he provided for the 1997 Hartford Courant investigation of Maciel, the Legion tried "to destroy my professional reputation by false declarations in the National Catholic Register" — the Legion-owned weekly paper — "and on the Legionnaire community Web site, LegionaryFacts.org."
Legion priest Owen Kearns, editor of the Register, had written on LegionaryFacts.org following the Courant story, "Vaca is seeking revenge because he was incompetent in his job, and was being demoted."
"Vaca is just one of the disgruntled old men instigating a campaign of lies and calumnies against our beloved and innocent founder," wrote Kearns and Bannon in the Register. The comment also appeared on the Legion Web page.
Kearns recently issued an apology in the Register to the Courant; the late Gerald Renner, who wrote the original Legion story for the Courant; and this writer, with unnamed victims mentioned in passing.
What is Regnum Christi?
Regnum Christi, the other part of what Maciel called the Movement, states on its Web site that it is not a cult because the Catholic church does not approve cults. Did John Paul understand Regnum Christi? That is hard to imagine, given Benedict's decision to open an investigation of the Legion's lay wing. Is it a cult? Do certain practices amount to brainwashing? These questions gnaw at Genevieve Kineke, an orthodox Catholic, wife, and mother of four in East Greenwich, R.I., who has chronicled the Movement with scholarly resolve on her blog. Kineke is one of several women who left Regnum Christi over practices they considered deceptive. The group formed a loose network to assist others who leave.
Regnum Christi cultivates wealthy couples, particularly stay-at-home mothers, while seeking consecrated celibates to live like nuns and staff Legion schools. "When people leave the Movement it cuts through families, friendships and parishes," said Kineke, who has been an unofficial counselor to about 200 people in the last 10 years. "Some are so spiritually scarred they find it difficult to trust the church at all — the manipulation has been too traumatic."
Another ex-Regnum Christi member, who asked that her name not be used, waged a virtual one-woman campaign briefing Baltimore Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, who banned the Legion and the lay wing from his archdiocese. "I've always suspected the flaws in the organization are endemic to it," O'Brien told NCR's John L. Allen Jr. in 2008. "There's no remedying them, because it's so deeply ingrained." Prelates in Minneapolis-St. Paul; Columbus, Ohio; Los Angeles; Miami; Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Baton Rouge, La.; and Richmond, Va., have banned the Movement from their dioceses.
In some houses of consecrated Regnum Christi members, the day begins with a woman entering bedrooms or a dormitory at 5:20 a.m., shouting: "Christ our king!" The women bolt out of bed and reply: "Thy kingdom come!"
"It took me a long time to conclude it was a cult," said Kineke. "I realized that the Movement entirely suppressed the true nature of freedom. Everything from posture and demeanor to verbal responses is scripted. The Movement uses smoke and mirrors to suggest the disciplined convents or seminaries of years past, but Maciel produced a culture that strips away basic freedoms. They thrive on efficiency, reaching quotas, meeting deadlines like a hard-core industry. Everyone read Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. 'Time is kingdom' was Maciel's gospel, meaning that you had to always be urgently working for the Movement. For women who did not need a job, you felt the Kingdom depended on you."
Kineke's blog, life-after-RC.com, is a major link on the Web site of regainnetwork.org, administered by Paul Lennon, a family therapist in Alexandria, Va. Lennon left the Legion and his priesthood in the 1980s after a falling out with Maciel over his dictatorial practices. In 2007 the Legion sued Lennon and ReGAIN, alleging intellectual property theft for the posting of the Legion constitution. The real target was ReGAIN's message board, which had become a clearing house for people leaving Regnum Christi and sharing Legion information. Unable to raise funds for a long legal fight, Lennon dismantled the message board and returned the constitution. Maciel died several months later, and within two years the world knew about his children.
At a Nov. 30, 2004, celebration with Maciel at the Vatican, John Paul praised Regnum Christi for fostering a "civilization of Christian justice and love" and approved their statutes. Among the rules:
494. No one shall visit outsiders in their homes, deal with them frequently or speak with them by telephone without justifiable reasons or for apostolic purposes. …
509. The center's Director or Manager shall review all correspondence from members of the center and release that which he or she judges to be opportune.
An apostolic visitation — a Vatican investigation — of Regnum Christi has just started. "Therefore, any changes, if needed, to Regnum Christi statutes would come later," Legion spokesman Jim Fair told NCR.
Benedict's dilemma
John Paul's conflicted view of the sex abuse crisis registered in his April 2002 address at the Apostolic Palace to the cardinals of the United States. Stating that the sexual abuse of youngsters was "rightly considered a crime by society" and "an appalling sin in the eyes of God," he said: "To the victims and their families, wherever they may be, I express my profound sense of solidarity and concern."
He then defended the bishops for "a generalized lack of knowledge" and taking the "advice of the clinical experts," meaning therapists at treatment centers where bishops sent the priests. Then, in reference to offending priests, he said: "We cannot forget the power of Christian conversion, that radical decision to turn away from sin and back to God."
He also declared: "People need to know there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young."
What was John Paul's answer? "The power of conversion" for clergy child molesters or "no place in the priesthood" for them? Conversion or exclusion? On the worst church crisis in centuries, John Paul demonstrated ambivalence, not certainty.
Benedict inherited a huge mess from John Paul. Ratzinger's detachment in the 1980s as a cardinal from serious cases, recently exposed in the European press, The New York Times and The Associated Press, equally underscores John Paul's lack of leadership, as well as more systemic factors: The Vatican monarchical system has no separation of powers and no bona fide court system for criminal prosecution. Benedict in theory has the power to demote, punish or call down cardinals, but that would violate unwritten rules of the hierarchy.
As De Paolis began making personnel changes in the Legion last month, Benedict's prospects of a reform to boost his image from the scandals earlier this year appear to hang on whether De Paolis can secure Legion financial resources to produce a victims' compensation plan. That would be a historic breakthrough and sign of visionary papal leadership. Judges in democratic countries oversee negotiated settlements all the time — not so Vatican tribunals under canon law.
A deeper question is whether the Holy See has control of the Legion, and if so, just how the pope will change the organization.
On Nov. 11, De Paolis responded to Vaca: "I have received your e-mail dated November 3, 2010. Sorry for my delay in answering you, but at present I have many commitments to meet. As far as your case is concerned, I think that the only solution is to address to the responsible [parties] of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ. God bless you."
[Jason Berry is an author and producer of a film documentary on Maciel, "Vows of Silence." The Investigative Fund of the Nation Institute provided support for this article.]
Without in any way
Without in any way challenging anything you say here--very good article--I would suggest that one problem is the traditional understanding of "charism" as being the spiritual gift to/of only a single individual. More and more scholarship on religious foundings focus instead on founding groups (with, perhaps, a "first among equal" status for a founder or founders) and on charism as emerging from *community* (not just in the initial period, but in an ongoing way), rather than a single individual. Some refer to this as "deep story," but it is really a more *vital* understanding of charism. I am no great admirer of the Legionaries, believe me--but I am prepared to think that perhaps they have a spirit that both transcends and persists apart from the role of Maciel....
Lies, the catholic church
Lies, the catholic church always talks about the charism of Saint Francis, San Juan Bosco, Ignatius Loyola, etc. And these people's charisms are meant to be followed by the people who enter the religious orders founded by these people.
From personal experience of a
From personal experience of a very large family deeply involved with this occult cult, I am prepared to agree with you. I have come to know and become convinced,"They have a spirit that both transcends and persists apart from the role of Maciel" and it is an energetic spreading of darkness. The people on the inside ARE victims also as they claim to be. They have been mislead. BUT they have also been trained to mislead and they are shredding families and communities.
LC and RC are cults. They
LC and RC are cults. They engage in mind control and deception. They prey on emotionally weak people who need to be told what to do, what to think. Scary.
Benedict should break up LC/RC as they are beyond "reform."
Break up the order and parcel out its people to other religious orders and dioceses. Sell their assets. Transfer the seminarians to other seminaries, where they can be "de-programmed" by reliable priests.
Maciel was an evil man, but he was protected by Sodano, JP II and others. He was defended by John Neuhaus and others. They were wrong about Maciel, very wrong. I wonder what else they were wrong about.....
LC and RC are NOT cults. Only
LC and RC are NOT cults. Only those who want to tear down the church use the term cult. LC and RC are looking to build up the laity drawing them closer to Christ. Looking for Men and women who have a calling and looking to grow in their faith. Not all what they do are perfect. Some go overboard, I see that in all walks of life. Got a stone handy! We all make mistakes. Not defending Fr. Maciel either. He committed crimes against children. Just because a "Father" commits murder, etc. we don't convict his children. How many stories of wives who never knew what their husbands did for years. Sure some looked the other way, but many, many others never knew. They defended their Dad's or Father's until they found out the truth, then cried and apologized. We Catholics, as Jesus asks of us need to pray for those harmed and show mercy and forgiveness towards sinners. I trust under the Holy Father's leadership, LC and RC will continue to grow and those who knew will be held accountable. May not be our way of handling or as fast as we would like, but truth and justice will prevail. One thing I have learned is God does GREAT works through imperfect instruments. One more thing, it is easy to apply todays knowledge to happenings years old. Example JP2 had to deal with Communist in Poland frequently falsely accusing Priests. JP2 built up a resistance to these kind of innuendoes and based on his writings, I don't think he could ever imagine that any Priest could do such horrible acts to children. Some Men in the church may have been influenced by money (not anything new in the world), but I don't believe JP2 ever could. May God bless you.
"LC and RC are NOT
"LC and RC are NOT cults."
Maybe, maybe not.
That said, the International Cultic Studies Association has much information about these organizations. While the ICSA does not, as a matter of policy, label any group a 'cult', such policy does not rule out the possibility (or probability?) that the LC and RC are cults.
Information published to date on these groups would suggest their members have engaged in cult-like behaviors, which would suggest anything but a good and healthy prognosis for these folks.
See http://www.icsahome.com for more information.
The Legion of Christ is a
The Legion of Christ is a cult - a test of whether it is one, or is not, can easily be made by comparing it with bodies that are. Such as the JWs.
The appearance of orthodoxy, and the mouthing of orthodox words, is a sham, where the orthodoxy is nothing more than a cover for immorality & manipulation of the vulnerable & an ego-cult. Sounding & looking orthodox is totally worthless, where there is no Christian heart. It's a pseudo-orthodoxy - and anything more dangerous to the real article is hard to imagine. It's common knowledge that that deadliest lies are those that contain the most truth - a cult like the LC is the wortrst thing possible for a genuine renewal of the Church, because it looks so genuine. What shows it up as the fake it is, is the total absence of Christian holiness in its founder's life.
Are "conservatives" not capable of looking beyond the shiny appearance and recognising the rot and filth that are Maciel's legacy ? Even in death, he manipulates the gullible :(
Though it is true "God does great works through imperfect instruments", that argument overlooks three things:
1. that the instruments need to have the capacity to be used for the purposes they used for (turds have no capacity to nourish, because faecal matter is waste, not food)
2. that although the Founders of religious societies were imperfect, they were holy men and women. They did not live in their sins, but repented of them.
3. Maciel was not simply "imperfect" - he was guilty of several ecclesiastical crimes, as well as being a highly successful hypocrite. He was a very wicked man, who hurt a lot of people - or is betraying the mothers of one's children not wicked ?
4. There is no indication that he repented of the evils he did.
LC and RC are cults because
LC and RC are cults because they meet the criteria. They systematically and knowingly implemented cult measures, not accidentally. You need to read the book Take Back Your Mind in order to understand what a cult truly is. To accuse someone of tearing down the Church because they simply identified evil behavior is cult behavior in itself. God gives all persons the freedom to voice their concerns. It is the job of human experts and athorities to investigate and decide to the best of their abilities if it is true and in the end God has the last say. The Catholic Church does not teach that one should make excuses for any bad behavior, even their own. Kicking evil under the rug and not calling it for what it is tears down the church. Further, Morality 101 teaches that "the ends do not justify the means". One is NEVER free to implement evil measures to achieve a worthy end- ever! Further, all accusations of sexual misconduct are to be investigated. If someone is falsely accused then that will hopefully be made clear; if not, then God will eventually see to it. I am a Registered Nurse and a mandated reporter. I would lose my license and probably go to jail if I did not take seriously all accusations of abuse, especially sexual abuse. It is not my place to decide what is and is not true; that is the job of the legal system as imperfect as it is. I love John Paul II but he made a mistake and his legacy will have to own it. God always wills that the truth be told.
Note to Rick: LC/RC are cults
Note to Rick: LC/RC are cults and your attempt to whitewash the evil deeds of Maciel and the brainwashing of his personality cult indicate that you do not get it. You mistake fanaticism for devotion, they are not the same thing.
Your defense of JP II protecting Maciel is sloppy thinking. So he "never imagine a priest doing these things to children?" This, if true is no excuse, it is in fact indicative of an unfitness for command to be that naive and refuse to see the truth.
LC/RC should be disbanded, their priests distributed to other orders or preferably various diocese. Their assets sold. I stand by my statement of LC/RC being a cult and attracting emotionally weak people who want to be told what to think. I have met a few members of LC/RC and they all shared a common trait: a refusal to think for themselves, a desire to be told what to think.
God gave you a mind, use it.
The legion of maciel and the
The legion of maciel and the reign of maciel, cult or not, are destroying the church by their anti-christian behavior and their physical, sexuaal, and emotional abuse of their members. Shame on the Pope for not shutting them down.
God Bless Pope Benedict XVI
God Bless Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church.
God is trying, but B16 and
God is trying, but B16 and his lackey bishops are resisting. They're not called "reactionaries" for nothing!
It helps, then, to stand back
It helps, then, to stand back and answer a few basic questions: Why did this scandal happen? How could John Paul II, a pope who showed brilliant moral vision in the face of Soviet communism, ignore the pedophilia allegations that trailed Maciel for decades? Why did he continue praising Maciel for six years after ex-Legionaries filed a 1998 canonical case with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger? How could Maciel's supporters, especially in the United States, so easily dismiss the testimony of so many credible accusers? Considering the order's strange history that keeps coming to light, is Benedict's decision to reform the Legion realistic?
PATRIARCHAL HYPOCRICY since the beginning of the ROMAN Catholic Church that turned Jesus's Christian Movement....well it really was a Jewish Essene Movement...into a Pagan/Christian Church of POWER TO RULE THE WORLD.
Simple enough for me to understand!
Gardy, I hope that you arent'
Gardy, I hope that you arent' as intemperate, rash, and cynical as you sound. I won't even comment on your theology. But I suppose you probably didn't know this, but in 2000 Cdl. Ratzinger finally secured permission for the CDF to gain oversight over clerical sex abuse cases (which, until then, were not within their full jurisdiction) because he felt that most cases were being dragged out far too long (part of this was due to the lack of coordination between dicasteries/departments and, as it turned out, obstructionism by some Vaticn officials). He soon came to the conclusion that a serious investigation needed to be opened on Maciel. However, the investigation Ratzinger started was shut down against his will and could not be resumed until he became pope. A friend and ally, Cdl. Cristoph Schonborn of Vienna, has even named villains. One of them, Cdl. Sodana, the powerful Secretary of State at the time, shielded Maciel. It is also known that Legionnaire officials tried to buy influence from Cdl. Ratzinger with large packets of cash, which he declined--unlike some Vatican officials. Benedict is a reformer in this crisis and needs all the wisdom & courage & support he can get. So, Gardy, try praying FOR the pope for once, OK????! (and against the demons of presumption & judgmentalism in your backyard, while you're at it).
Here we go again!!!! It's all
Here we go again!!!! It's all about money!!!! This church is a disgrace!!!
Good article. But one
Good article. But one disconcerting fact. Maciel had problems with seminary authorities, even before his ordination. Were these ever investigated? I though ecclesiastical gossip got around fast. As early as 1989, an Episcopal priest had tipped me off that this order was "weird" and that no one was even sure of what their apostolate was. They were presenting themselves as the new Jesuits of our time. (Jesuit philospher-theologian Vincent Miceli was at one time involved with their seminary.)
If so-called catholic
If so-called catholic organizations are indeed cults, or share many cultic practices with cults, they ought to be disassociated from the RCC. This should be obvious, even if the leader was not a heinous sex abuser of the young.
First, Rome needs to make
First, Rome needs to make clear that private, public and solemn vows do not trump the responsibility to tell the truth, to report crimes and to resist fraud. Because members put these private vows first, the Legion will always be suspect. For this reason the order needs to be suppressed.
Second, once suppressed the members should be given an opportunity to join other orders or become diocesan priests. The new superiors would have the responsibility for further formation.
Third, those members who resist or are found culpable for serious crimes under Maciel should be defrocked and returned to the lay state.
Trying to change the culture of an organization is very difficult. The Church would be better off without the organization. In other organizations the former members may do quite well but failing to suppress means that in the future there will be problems in addition to the immediate problem of trust.
I wonder if some sort of
I wonder if some sort of merger or assimilation with another order or congregation is possible. I only wonder about this as a general stroke. The administrative details is something that I do not have any wisdom on.
I think these are practical questions, not theological.
Even some orthodox Catholic groups were critical of the Legionaries of Christ over the Years. New Oxford Review is a good example.
I am becoming more and more
I am becoming more and more convinced that the bishops, cardinals and pope of this Catholic Church have no idea why Jesus came, what his message was and how to live that message. There is nothing about them from their pronouncements to their archaic dress that resembles Jesus Christ and how he called us to live.
“Rev. John Pawlikowski,
“Rev. John Pawlikowski, professor of ethics at the Chicago Theological Union, said the Catholic hierarchy traditionally expects to be treated as a (moral) authority while modern societies respect those who show real moral leadership.
‘The Vatican has to understand that the new challenge is to move from moral authority to moral leadership,’ he said.
‘Moral leadership doesn't come just because someone gives you a purple cap, a red one or a white one,’ he said, citing the colors of the skullcaps worn by bishops, archbishops and popes.
“Pope seen undeterred by abuse scandal, reform calls” March 29, 2010, http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62S4I920100329
"Authority has simply been abused too long in the Catholic Church, and for many people it just becomes utterly stupid and intolerable to have to put up with the kind of jackassing around that is imposed in God’s name. It is an insult to God himself and in the end it can only discredit all idea of authority and obedience. There comes a point where they simply forfeit the right to be listened to."
Thomas Merton in a letter of W. H. Ferry quoted in “Hidden Ground of Love”, page 230
Of all the comments this is
Of all the comments this is the one that says it correctly about this church today, and why these members are anti-christs. Wake up now,
and get the these out of power and God's true followers back in power.
The world needs Christianity more than ever, but Jesus' kind which are there among you. Seek and you will find. Start with the ones doing it now around the world- Joan Chittister will know who they are.
Jason Berry provides a real
Jason Berry provides a real service to the whole church with his journalistic investigation of the Legionaries.
The only appropriate way to resolve the knot of issues with the Legionaries and Regnum Christi is for the church to suppress and disband them - completely! (The Jesuits were once put out of business for the better part of a century for their exploits in political intrigue. Benjamin Franklin wanted the Jesuits to be barred from America for much the same reasons.)
The property and finances of the Legionaries should be seized by the Vatican, the property sold at auction and the proceeds used to fund the compensation and treatment of the survivors of Marciel's rape and sexual abuse and the Legionaries' and Regnum Christi's cultic exploitation of individuals.
The only way to achieve any justice, any closure to the damage done by Marciel and the Legionaries is to establish an independent, outside investigation of the role and influence of Legionaries in the internal politics of the church - much like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa after apartheid - with special attention given to the relationship of all popes especially JP2 and B16 to especially the corrupt founder, Marcel Marciel.
The real dilemma for B16 to move decisively against the Legionaries is that to pull on those strings will probably initiate the unraveling of the corrupt twisted ball of knots that is the corporate hierarchy of the Roman church.
Ratzinger knows that would not be a good business decision for him and his fellow Mafia captains in the curia. A truly independent investigation would probably be a bridge-too-far for Ratzinger and the cardinals.
Remember the untimely death of John Paul I when he started nosing around in the activities of the Vatican bank?
Jim, Unfortunately, most of
Jim, Unfortunately, most of the cash has been shuffled to vaguely independent shell companies. Luis Garza is very financially astute so most of the money is now with Integer, Legion of Christ, Inc (the company that actually sued Paul Lennon; head of this group is/was Peter Hopkins, LC now in St Louis MO) etc. The Vatican needs a forensic accountant team to get to the bottom of this.
Follow the money. I submit
Follow the money. I submit this will lead to GMO's (genetically modified organisms),(seeds,fertilizers,herbicides,pharmaceuticals etc.),news organizations (control the head,control the horse),Money management and
Real estate, ultimately...trafficking in human persons and the corruption of human dignity.
His Holiness Pope John Paul
His Holiness Pope John Paul the Great Enabler.
Ecclesial doormats for money-grubbing Vatican hierarchs.
Dysfunction.
Just a few random thoughts.
De Paolis responded to Vaca:
De Paolis responded to Vaca: "...I think that the only solution is to address to the responsible [parties] of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ.
In other words, "if you want your property back, go back to the thief who stole it."
"...Responsible [parties] of the Congregation..." is a contradiction in terms. They are in face, irresponsible.
As is De Paolis.
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."
The question is, will we get fooled again?
Fooled again? So long as
Fooled again? So long as there is money involved, hell yes. This church has a history of listening to the gold, not the golden rule.
The truthful and most honest
The truthful and most honest way of dealing with this problem is to dismantle the organisation of the Marcial cult.
But true to form Benedict and the henchmen believe they can reform!
Incest is a horrible thing and all in high places are tarnished with its odour.
Those chosen to reform the cult are those who have a vested interest in making sure it remains!
Credible evidence that was ignored.
I suppose thats in keeping when everyone was being paid off by the leader of the cult.
All Benedict has to do is write another book (with ghost writers of course and put on the fr christmas costume)
There is something still wrotten in the state of the city state.
from down under
"How could John Paul II, a
"How could John Paul II, a pope who showed brilliant moral vision in the face of Soviet communism, ignore the pedophilia allegations that trailed Maciel for decades?"
Surely the answer to that question is easy. Soviet communism is Them, and hence easy to criticize; Maciel is Us, and therefore above criticism.
MONEY ! - The answer to your
MONEY ! - The answer to your question is money. Maciel gave the Vatican lots of money.
"MONEY ! - The answer to your
"MONEY ! - The answer to your question is money. Maciel gave the Vatican lots of money".
It may sound cynical, but it is all too true. The hierarchs have a long history of selling their souls to the Evil One for cash in the palm and looking the other way. Benedict XVI has to address this problem head on, or he should step down and permit a younger,more energetic replacement to come to take the reins in hand.
Otherwise, the rapidly imploding RCC in need of a whole new structure continues to gain popularity,and it will move far beyond Rome's ability to stop it or to control the process. The greatest crisis since the Reformation is surely upon us. Benedict can play the Pope Leo X cards, or he can start to take charge.
EXCELLENT ARTICLE> Thank
EXCELLENT ARTICLE> Thank you!
For the Vatican the really
For the Vatican the really big question is "Will this affect the canonization process of JP2"? Behind that process is the sanctification of the much larger effort to undo the excesses of Vatican II which continues under B16. In mediaeval times it would take years to learn that someone had been canonized, but today information is instantaneous. There is too much information already available on John Paul II to render him a most unworthy candidate for anything - he was virtually a CIA operative, he traded off the Latin American church and its heroes like Romero for 30 pieces of silver to encourage Polish resistance to an already crumbling soviet empire, and he defended to the end Maciel (the arch-pedophile of the Church) which really as is clearly documented was only the tip of the iceberg of church obfuscation of civil litigation in seeking justice for victims of clergy abuse. If they stubbornly push ahead with JP2's canonization - will he be patron saint of dictators like Pinochet, or pedophiles like Maciel?
I thought John Paul the Grate
I thought John Paul the Grate was supposed to be canonized in October 2010? instead we got Mary MacKillop. heh. I think BXVI "gets it" even if no one else but he and Msgr Scicluna in Rome do.
A religious order is infused
A religious order is infused with the personality of its founder. Years of management by Maciel have further hardwired his personality and predatory lack of values into the organization's personnel structure. The original call for disbanding the organization is likely the best option. Let those with true callings to religious life join another group with a hopefully less flawed ethos. The Vatican wants to sustain the revenue source and will likey continue to dress up this pig for as long as the Maciel money machine continues to deliver the goods.
I totally agree with John's
I totally agree with John's excellent assessment of the situation. If Benedict really wants to show the world he and the rest of Church leadership are serious about responding to the "Crisis" This seems a very easy way to do it. If these priest really want to stay priest, they need new and holy leadership. Surely this is just common sense unless money is an issue.
How lucky we are to have
How lucky we are to have Jason Berry bringing the light of truth to us all these. He and his friend, Gerald Renner, exposed the institutional abuses that would have remained hidden without their investigative reporting.
Imagine an order having such
Imagine an order having such a founder! While all the other orders are built on the charism of their founder, the Legionnaires are what? Supposed to pretend that they had no founder? Build on what charism?
Nor can they build on what he
Nor can they build on what he wrote, since that is known to be plagiarized. Well, they can still build on his fund-raising (con-man) skills.
Excellent article Jason
Excellent article Jason Berry.
"The facilities and grounds are spectacular and the Legionaries have been superb hosts," wrote Bishop David M. O'Connell of Trenton, N.J., in a Sept. 13 Web post. "Meals are well prepared and served by members of the community who have demonstrated an uncanny ability to anticipate virtually every need." What O'Connell describes is vintage Legion, catering to the most powerful churchmen.”
"Benedict inherited a huge mess from John Paul. Ratzinger's detachment in the 1980s as a cardinal from serious cases, recently exposed in the European press, The New York Times and The Associated Press, equally underscores John Paul's lack of leadership, as well as more systemic factors..."
You know, this is just too much! Absolutely disgusting! The LOC and their lay affiliate, Regnum Christi, has to be disbanded. Nothing else will do. The Vatican has had no problen in doing more to others who they found "unacceptable" in the past. The Vatican must step up and clear this organization from the church. Begin anew, use their wealth to help the least among us. Return to our roots, Jesus and basic Christian belief and behaviors.
Barbie, Could you post the
Barbie,
Could you post the link to Bishop O'Connell's comments? As a resident of the Diocese of Trenton, I have been very enthusiastic about the appointment of O'Connell, but these comments, if true, are very disappointing. Certainly, Bishop O'Connell is aware of the controversy surrounding the Legion and, if your post is accurate, he displayed great insensitivity to those harmed by the order in making such remarks. Before I compose my first letter to the new bishop though, I would like to have all the facts. Thanks
Bishop OConnell's quote was
Bishop OConnell's quote was taken from the above article by Jason Berry. Berry did not indicate where O'Connell's Sept. 13 web post appeared.
"Unfortunately, we addressed
"Unfortunately, we addressed these things very slowly and late," Benedict conceded to Seewald.
Read: we try to cover them up as long as we can.
The lesson of two popes
The lesson of two popes acting blind to unspeakable abuses is a lesson for the whole church. Governments always lie to cover up their errors. The Vatican as government does the same. As a spiritual group alleging to lead others in following Jesus, this is an infamy of major proportions. We have to remember that it is only because modern means of discernment have helped us uncover abuses in the hierarchy. Does anyone doubt that bishops themselves would have acted without the irrefutable reporting of the Boston Globe.
Benedict does deserve credit for acting on Maciel and the Legionnaires. But he cannot escape the fact that he was part of the cover-up. Catholics have to stop defending bishops and the pope blindly. Christians demanded that their leaders live good lives and they were thwarted too often by government force who tortured and killed many good Christians who spoke up against abuses. While we seek to maintain order in the church we must challenge leaders to live up to the mandates of Christ. We do not have a good conscience otherwise.
Now that the 'vatican' has
Now that the 'vatican' has removed 'maciel's' photo's and banned his book (s) the question is will the 'pope' return the donations that given ? Ask the 'pope' or his minions to account for all the donation(s) , (cash flow) that 'maciel' contributed to the 'vatican !
One paragraph tells the tale,
One paragraph tells the tale, beginning and ending thusly: “In Rome, the order symbolizes wealth and orthodoxy. …vintage Legion, catering to the most powerful churchmen.”
.
LC/RC is yet another fine RCC hierarchical mess where institution, wealth and power, trump Christianity or even common decency. Trying to “fix” a cult (yes, a CULT) build upon a rotted foundation of licentiousness, brainwashing and curial bribery, shows how desperate the Vatican is to keep what they value most — money and absolute feudal loyalty to Rome.
.
You go, Jason! Sooner or
You go, Jason! Sooner or later this church will learn that integrity and truthfulness are the only way to deal with matters. It hasn't so far, but hope springs eternal. The truth shall make us free!
"Maciel's photo removed from
"Maciel's photo removed from Legion facilities"
LOL LOL Shades of Benito Mussolini removing fascisti bureaucrats who had lost his favor, only to maintain for his replacement the same titles, honors, and duties.
What did the dyslexic atheist
What did the dyslexic atheist say?
There is a dog!
Thanks to NCR and especially to Jason Berry for the skillful presentation of current facts that are pertinent to the viability and sustainability of the 'Church'. The picture at the header of this article is deeply evocative for me and I didn't even grow up in the 'Church'. Young, 'manly' men adopting pious postures and wearing pristine clerical garb. What's not to like about this picture? The question remains, how many years before thy're in 'treatment' for compulsive masturbation, substance abuse disorder (alcholism) ad nauseum.Maybe they'll be fortunate to end up in the treatment centre I worked in where they will be proferred the psychological skills to quell the internal dissonance that forbids gay bathouses, gaydom in general.I was there, I wasn't Catholic and it broke my heart to see the Provincials of orders arrive to see how 'father's' therapy was going at GREAT expense to the people of God. Perhaps a vocation could be saved? Perhaps the sweet Irish priest could learn to take care of himself? Alas he died of AIDS. I thought that God offered people like myself and the broken 'servants' I met the freedom to say no to the arms of another man, or any other part of his anatomy. Many years later I'm still working on all of this. I was moved when the handsome young Franciscan wept in despair as he contemplated returning home and probably 'acting out' sexually. I loved him deeply, I carry his presence in my heart to this day and no doubt we'll meet again. Those handsome young priests who are also human and thus sexual beings. Just because Mr. Ratzinger can do it doesn't mean it should be proscribed. But then who knows maybe his 'holiness' had a deep 'fondness' for the Austrian aristocrat a.k.a. Cardinal Schoenborn. Now there's an enigma. I've been told by people that know that, the Vatican is the 'gayest' place on earth. Gay men seem deeply drawn to the 'aesthetic' of Catholic spirituality. I am. A voice. Crying.And saying: 'thank you Jason Berry', just to read your research leaves me feeling less crazy and alone. You are truly a 'brother in the Lord.' Please forgive the piety.
THE WHOLE of the Legionaries
THE WHOLE of the Legionaries of Christ/Regnum Christi, schools, seminaries, institutes, and their newspaper lived an existence of lies, deceit, corruption and cultic secrecy and control. It cannot be reformed. Like any other evil group in history, it must be abolished root and branch. If there is anyone in the structure of good will, let him or her get out now and seek a reformed, enlightened life.
Does anyone know definitively
Does anyone know definitively where Maciel died? The Legion's website says Jacksonville, FL. The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times say Houston, TX. The Catholic News Service never said. It is one of the little lingering mysteries.
Where he died is unimportant.
Where he died is unimportant. The fact that he did die IS important - and a God-send.
I say, Feed the old guy's
I say, Feed the old guy's body to the sharks!
Or would *that* constitute
Or would *that* constitute animal cruelty?
The story goes, Marcial
The story goes, Marcial actually died in Jacksonville,Fl. with an exorcise in attendance whom he refused. The controller of The Interger (the Legions money organ) had to kill off his aliases. Thus he also had to die in Houston,Tx. and three other places as well. Whoever knows, why not write about it. Nothing can be anymore harmed now.
So where did "Raul Rivas"
So where did "Raul Rivas" die? lol Yes, Luis Garza couldn't access Mr Rivas' money (you know, the CIA agent) until Mr Rivas died, so Mr Rivas also had to die.
Golly, that's really neato that the bishop of Trenton had such nice accommodations! They must be super-ooper-dooper Catholics if they know how to suck up to a bishop from Joisey!! He does know that his attendants were under orders to take note of everything they noticed about the good Bishop and make a full report later, right? (what a maroon)
And where did Jaime Gonzalez
And where did Jaime Gonzalez die? And Juan Rivas?
"When people leave the
"When people leave the Movement it cuts through families, friendships and parishes," said Kineke, who has been an unofficial counselor to about 200 people in the last 10 years. "Some are so spiritually scarred they find it difficult to trust the church at all — the manipulation has been too traumatic."
For me this has always been the problem with the movement. Holier than thou is such a cliche but that is exactly my first impression of the movement. But surely we would not discourage those who would pursue heroic virtue. However, when such a pursuit causes division among the body of Christ,and sets itself at odds with the magisterium itself then we do truly have a problem.
I understand that Regnum
I understand that Regnum Christi continues to recruit new members ( some as young as 14 years old ). I hope that this will be investigated.
Is the 'pope' going to return
Is the 'pope' going to return all the donations ?
This is one of the few
This is one of the few instances in which Benedict was not only more severe theologically than even John Paul--though that's hard to imagine--but had the courage to counter the outrageous, in-your-face courting and protection of Degollado by John Paul against not only the church, but the whole world, while all of Degpollado's and his Legion's outrageous behavior continued to run wild precisely because of that courting and protection. John Paul even placed Degollado up front with cardinals at festive events. When one combines John Paul's protection of Degollado with his soft-shoe response as leader of the world-wide cover-up of the church's sex abuse scandal, it is impossible to not to conclude that John Paul was just as much devil as saint. John Paul knew more than anyone. John Paul protected Degollado and the sex scandal. The church should not be surprised at all the disintegrating fallout that continues. Add to that the brazen arrogance of Bishop Leonard of Belgium, insulting the government that pays his salary, and you have a clear story of the outrageous behavior that always crept into the church when it colluded with civil government. That incestuous marriage of church and state has been the continuous, ugly part of the history of any organization that claims the reason for its existence is to do good. The church practices its own politics, and it is just as dirty as civilian politics.
PS: If the Belgian government pays the salaries of Catholic clergy, that means the Belgian government is the employer of Catholic clergy. And that means the Belgian government should fire Bishop Leonard's insulting butt!
There's no "Belgianist"
There's no "Belgianist" Church...the government may pay clerical salaries or decline to do so but there's no freedom of religion if it's allowed to decide who the clerics are!
Billionaires are probably
Billionaires are probably nice people. But, not necessarily, are the people around them nice people. They circle around like flies, addicted to the smell of money. And that's what's happened to the Vatican--they are still addicted to the smell of the money of Maciel. They've been bought off by this money (and it is ongoing). How proud we should feel that at least several bishops in our country rejected Macial, turned their back on the allure of the ready cash he offered. But what a shame it is that so many embraced him, took to him, took his money, while he looted their souls as he sadly looted the soul of JPII. There may even be a deeper mystery to JPll and Maciel.
Gee, this is all a shock.
Gee, this is all a shock. (sarcasim)
Jason has been a prophetic
Jason has been a prophetic voice in the wilderness, crying out, unheard by "the monarchical church" for a quarter of a century! My prayer is that Pope Benedict can hear him and heed his call better that his predecessors. However, both this Pope and the last were raised in authoritarian cultures that molded the institutional denial upon which their rise to power is founded, be it government or church It is so easy to be seduced by the money, reassuring certainty, and manipulative charm of a cult-like group formed by a "charismatic" leader while submitting one's conscience to those in authority. Just look at the outrage the institutional authorities have heaped upon their critics over the ages. The articles written by Jason Berry in Florida, the articles written in The Boston Globe of recent history come to mind. As a clinical social worker, I have seen and heard so much from those who have been harmed, both by the perpetrators and the leadership who blamed them, the victims, for naming the behaviors that damaged so many souls. Pray that the purifying wind of the Holy Spirit cleanses the darkest corners of secret institutional entities.
We can argue about the source
We can argue about the source of the wider sexual abuse crisis, but it is evident that Maciel's crimes weren't overlooked or enabled by a proportionalist theology. Maciel was an orthodox defender and promoter of the institutional Church (and more then likely an enemy of proportionalists). His crimes were downplayed by leaders of the Church who shared an orthodox theology that emphasizes the power of the Church. When the Church's rightness is understood as a given, then Church leaders must downplay, deny or ignore those things that indicate the fallibility of the institution (it would scandalize the laity to acknowledge these flaws). Priestly sex abuse undermines the authority of the Church by demonstrating that a leadership position in the Church and loyalty to the institution are not equivalent to virtue and more importantly rightness. Responding to sex abuse is not a problem for proportionalists, because they are not convinced of the Church's perpetual rightness and can tolerate the ambiguity of a good institution doing evil things. It is a problem to accept from a more traditional perspective because it suggests that total submission and obedience to the institutional church are dangerous and leaders in the Church are not always right. Looking more at why Maciel's behavior was ignored by those at the highest level of our Church may offer the most accurate view of why sexual abuse was so consistently ignored by those in all forms of leadership in the Church.
You are correct that the
You are correct that the abuse crisis has nothing to do with proportionalism. The sex abuse crisis had to do with activity that was against the law. I don't agree with proportionalism but I doubt any proportionalist worth his salt would defend such activity in any way.
But you are wrong when you talk about institutional leadership & goodness. Priests & bishops are human & as such are subject to temptations. One would hope priests were good people but unfortunately many are not really all that good & holy. Real goodness is rare among the members of the human race. "Many are called but few are chosen."
Jason, this is yet another
Jason, this is yet another brilliant article. If we had more journalists like you, we would have a much better world.
In Catholic schools during my
In Catholic schools during my childhood, we were taught that, when we have sinned, God calls upon us to confess our sins, do pennance, and amend our lives. More serious sins called for more serious pennance.
In the clerical sexual abuse scandal, I don't see that any of the responsible parties has fully confessed their sins. Most of the responsible parties (bishops and their supervisors) continue to whine that they took the best available advice from their experts, a statement that is patently false.
I don't see that any of the responsible parties has done serious pennance.
I don't see that any of the responsible parties has amended their lives.
The responsible parties continue to demonstrate that while the commandments, laws, and decent behavior are things that they regard as obligations of the laity, these don't apply to priests, bishops, and popes. They have blood on their hands. They ignore Jesus' statement about millstones and ropes around their necks. They ignore the statements of several saints who commented that the road to hell and the floors of hell are both paved with the heads of bishops.
And the bishops don't even seem to wonder why tens of millions of Catholics are leaving the church for other shepherds.
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