The withdrawal of the Legion of Christ

[1holycatholic]

The withdrawal of the Legion of Christ

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THE LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST

Over the past few months, the Legionaries of Christ have been forced to shut down minor seminaries, merge religious communities, transfer schools and close a university…

ANDRÉS BELTRAMO ALVAREZ
ROME

It’s the largest institutional retreat of the last years. The biggest internal restructuring since the scandals which have involved its founder, Marcial Maciel Degollado.

Until not long ago, the Legion was considered the religious institute enjoying the greatest growth, both financially and in terms of memberships, in the years following the II Vatican Council. It only took five years and a founder guilty of all sorts of immoral acts, including sexual abuse on children, for the machine to dramatically stop.

The spokesman of the congregation in Rome, Andreas Schoggl, confirmed that the adjustment measures respond to the lack of vocations, the impact of the international economic crisis, the need to maximize resources and the public scandals.
…

:compcoff:

 

[cephas161619]

Originally Posted by Vatican Insider - La Stampa
The withdrawal of the Legion of Christ

THE LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST

Over the past few months, the Legionaries of Christ have been forced to shut down minor seminaries, merge religious communities, transfer schools and close a university…

ANDRÉS BELTRAMO ALVAREZ
ROME

…

42 priests and 151 seminarians (including priests and novices)

…

We are not made for maintaining centres, the congregation must be dynamic. Now it is time to manage resources and staff as properly as possible, and we must do it very seriously", said Schoggl.

42 priests and 151 seminarians, including priests?? So does 151 include the 42 or not? *

How can you manage resources if you don’t maintain centers? Aren’t you doublespeaking, Fr. Schöggl?*

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Interesting. Especially the difference in past numbers leaving. Perhaps it would be best for them to quietly die out rather than cause any more scandal.

 

[JaMc]

From what I’ve read about the L.C. itself, it’s a good, orthodox order, which aspired to be something along the lines of what the Jesuits used to be. However, there was also a strong “cult of personality” around Fr. Maciel. Now that his immoral acts have become public, it’s only inevitable that the order he founded is going to suffer.

I think, really, they have two options: (1) minimize the memory of Fr. Maciel’s role in the order, stop promoting his writings, quit displaying his picture in LC literature and facilities, etc., and, if someone brings him up, use it as a “teachable moment” of how even a terrible sinner can, nonetheless, accomplish something good; or
(2) dissolve, and re-establish with a new name, but similar structure, rule, etc., to continue their work, but sever the connection with Fr. Maciel.

 

[sojo]

The result of the Vatican visitation was that they were ordered to remove all of Maciel’s pictures from their various sites, to eliminate many of his writings from their instruction, and no longer require that their Seminarians and lay organizations read them (they were only barely behind the scriptures in honor before all this scandal). They were also instructed to reorganize so as to provide more transparency among other things.

They were also required to update their history on their website and in their public literature to include the fact of Maciel’s disgrace.

But to be fair, the Order had already removed the pictures and stop pushing the Maciel books before the visitation… and the slide down began anyway.

We must pray for the poor priests, seminarians and lay people who are trying so desperately to keep the faith in the charism of their order. Personally, I don’t hold much hope for the Order as a whole.

Some say that the writings of Marciel are good and orthodox, but the Vatican has said that is not enough to counteract the fact that the founder was rotten to the core. After all, even the devil can quote scripture.

 

[ringil]

It’s really sad,

I hope they get things in order. I met a priest in the airport once and I was impressed by his humility and kind manner. I thinked him for following his vocation.

God bless the priest of LC- they do really need to distance themselves from the unfortunate Marciel. Given the gravity and continuous nature of his sins- I believe that his writtings must be stained with inequity.

 

[barb_finnegan]

It’s really sad,

I hope they get things in order. I met a priest in the airport once and I was impressed by his humility and kind manner. I thinked him for following his vocation.

God bless the priest of LC- they do really need to distance themselves from the unfortunate Marciel. Given the gravity and continuous nature of his sins- I believe that his writtings must be stained with inequity.

I’m with you, ringli. I also hope that the Legion can ‘get their house in order’.

Back in the spring of 2006 I had a Legionary priest and seminary Brother visit me in my home. I had been a financial supporter for many years, and this was the first time I ever had any of the priests or seminarians come to visit me. It was very nice-I showed photos of some of my European pilgrimage trips, and the priest showed me pictures of his own ordination to the priesthood in Mexico (he was from the Canadian Maritimes). At the end of the visit, we took turns having pictures taken out in the front yard.

I’ve also been to their Profession Mass in Cheshire twice (1999 and 2006).

I hope and pray that the Legion can be ‘purified and purged’ of Maciel’s influence, and be a new force in the Church, as the Jesuits once were.

 

[Trogo]

I know alot of L.C. priest for my two sons and daughter go to one of their pk3-8th grade schools. They are “one” faithful dedicated order of priest to the Kingdom. They were definitely crushed when this came out and I’m sure felt abandoned. They have shown great perserverance, humiltiy, and Love for each other and their neighbor. They have come to my home to bless it and my family. They really do aspire to live in holiness and I can not say enough of the formation of my children. My oldest should be an apoligist. God Bless the Legion and my prays go out to them everyday.
Trogo.

 

[skonopka]

The Legionary priests have been an immeasurable blessing to my family–especially my son. We now know many Legionaries (brothers and priests) and they are some of the most faithful and knowledgable Catholics we have met. The youth programs are also the best I have seen (Catholic or Protestant). I imagine the Legion, purged and healed, becoming a dream ministry aid for our parish priests. May it be!