"Legionaries of Christ will obey whatever the Pope says"

Friday, April 23, 2010

"Legionaries of Christ will obey whatever the Pope says"

The five bishops who have carried out the operational phase of the Apostolic Visitation on the Legion of Christ are about to deliver their reports to Rome. From Spain, Vida Nueva reports that Fr. Maria Jesus Delgado, the head of the Legionaries of Christ in Spain, says the congregation is willing to "everything the Pope may indicate" including a curator or even dissolution of the Congregation."

The following excerpts from the interview are my rough translation from the original Spanish.

In the interview, the head of the Legion in Spain says the Legionaries are going through a very difficult time; pain and suffering is running deep. "Silent tears are being shed." He goes on to say that the Apostolic Visitation is a grace form God “We needed it, like a breath of fresh air in a troubled time. Our basic attitude has been an immense gratitude to the Pope and the Visitors. In Spain it has been Ricardo Blazquez, who has spent time with us, living and praying with us. He knows us as we are.”.

When asked “there is talk of a cardinal as a commissioner for the congregation. Are you ready for that?” Fr. Delgado replied: “One of the principles of our spirituality is the love for the Church and the Pope, it is not just theoretical, but practical, and involves obedience to all instructions, including the wishes of the Holy Father. Yes there is openness and a willingness to totally accept whatever the Pope indicates.”

Another possibility is the dissolution of the Congregation. Do you foresee that happening? “As a possibility, anything is possible. But, I do not think it will happen. However the Pope has a free hand to intervene in the manner it deems appropriate.”

How could Fr. Maciel conceal his 'double life' for so many years, despite the rumors, accusations and even research? “We have asked ourselves this so many times – not just because of media inquiries. It is very difficult to understand when you have not lived inside. We are talking about the founder, for whom we had enormous respect…. I never got any bad example from him and it’s hard to be suspicious when you have seen nothing to make you doubt. He had a blank check, total confidence. I am sure that high percentage of us knew nothing – the founder was very private about his persona life.

Could someone have known? "hat’s possible. If someone did know, they are in a difficult situation. We should not pre-judge, but we will have to decide if it is known, what policy to follow."

Are you aware that from now on more is going to be demanded of the Legion not only in the social milieu but in the Church? “Yes, more will be demanded of us and perhaps also we will be better liked. We must accept and adopt a commitment to greater holiness of life. And we must show that through our witness, our example and our holiness."

More information at No. 2704 New Life. If you are a subscriber, see the full interview here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: The Legionaries will never be better liked as long as they are manipulating millions of dollars from unsuspecting Catholics.; April 23, 2010 at 8:09 PM

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The story that inspired "Driving Straight on Crooked Lines"

“A long time ago, a Monk set out on his travels accompanied by his assistant, a Brother. Night was falling when the Monk told the Brother to go on ahead to find lodging. The Brother searched the deserted landscape until he found a humble shack, in the middle of nowhere. A poor family lived in the hovel. The mother, father and children were dressed in rags. The Brother asked if he and the Monk could spend the night in their dwelling. “You are most welcome to spend the night,” said the father of the family. They prepared a simple meal consisting of fresh milk, cheese and cream for the Brother and the Monk. The Brother felt moved by their poverty and even more by their simple generosity.

When they finished eating, the Monk asked them how they managed to survive in such a poor place, so far away from the nearest neighbors and town. The wife looked to her husband to answer. In a resigned tone of voice he told them how they managed to survive. ‘We have one cow. We sell her milk to our neighbors who do not live too far away. We hold back enough for our needs and to make some cheese and cream-that is what we eat.”

The next morning, the Brother and the Monk said their good-byes and set out to continue their journey. After the Monk and the Brother had walked a few miles, the Monk turned to the Brother and said, “Go back and push the cow off the cliff!” “Father,” the Brother replied, “they live off the cow. Without her, they will have nothing.” The Monk repeated his order “go back and kill the cow.”

With a heavy heart, the Brother returned to the hovel. He worried about the future of the family because he knew they depended on the cow to survive. His vow of obedience bound him to follow the orders of the wise Monk. He pushed the cow off the cliff.

Years later, the young Brother became a Monk. One day he found himself on the same road where he found lodging so many years ago. Driven by a sense of remorse he decided to visit the family. He rounded the curve in the road and to his surprise, he saw a splendid mansion, surrounded by landscaped gardens, in the place where the hovel used to be. The new house exuded a sense of prosperity and happiness. The Monk knocked on the door.

A well-dressed man answered. The Monk asked, “what ever became of the family who used to live here? Did they sell the property to you?” The man looked surprised and said he and his family had always lived on the property. The Monk told him how he had stayed in a hovel on the same spot, with his master the old Monk. ‘What happened to the family that lived here?” he asked.

The man invited the Monk to stay with him as his guest. While they ate, the host explained how the family’s fortune changed. “You know Father, we used to have a cow. She kept us alive. We didn't own anything else. One day she fell down the cliff and died. To survive, we had to start doing other things, develop skills we did not even know we had. We were forced to come up with new ways of doing things. It was the best thing that ever happened to us! We are now much better off than before.”

This is a blog of the memoirs of an Irishman - from Dublin - who is a former member of the Legion of Christ.

"Driving Straight on Crooked Lines: How an Irishman found his heart and nearly lost his mind" is available on Amazon.com and other outlets.

I look back at the events in the Legion that made me who I am today. It's a fun read with a serious message: positive change can come from adversity.

When I first heard the story of the Monk and the cow, my job - a job I truly loved - was eliminated at the multinational corporation which employed me. My cow was taken away from me, through no fault of my own. The person who told me the story was suggesting I could find new peace, happiness and financial well-being in my adversity, just as the family did when the Monk stole the cow.

A few years later, revelations about the double life of Fr. Marcial Maciel the Founder of the Legionaries of Christ, killed another cow in my life and in the lives of tens of thousands of people.

There is a Spanish saying: "God writes straight on crooked lines". "My Legionary Life" is about trying to not get lost in the crooked lines of our own - or others - making. It is about discovering the straight lines that reveal the true purpose for which we exist.

It is the the story of the first Irish Legionary of Christ to set foot in Mexico. It begins in Dublin, Ireland, passes through Spain, then Mexico, Italy, the U.S.A and Gabon, in Central West Africa.

When I am not writing, I make a living as an international managment consultant.

The Monk who Stole the Cow

Friday, April 23, 2010