Regnum Christi, Legion of Christ and "Driving Straight on Crooked Lines"

Friday, July 2, 2010

Regnum Christi, Legion of Christ and "Driving Straight on Crooked Lines"

The following review of my memoir "Driving Straight on Crooked Lines: How an Irishman found his heart and nearly lost his mind" just appeared on Amazon. I don't know the person who wrote it but, I have to admit, I am very pleased to read her comments.

In another posting, I mentioned that some few people suggested that the Legion or members of Regnum Christi would not want to read my book. In fact, the opposite has proved true - I have heard directly from several Legionary priests who say they thoroughly enjoyed it because it helped them make sense of the stories they heard about the founder. Former Legionaries, many of whom I never knew, share the same reaction and flatter me by saying they found the stories "inspirational". By now you will have read Paul Lennon's (author of "Our Father - Maciel - who art in bed") thoughtful review.

This new review from Rachelle is the second written one from a member of Regnum Christi. I am taking the liberty of copying it here because I think it reveals a very healthy and encouraging pattern in the thinking of those who are still involved with the Legion and the Movement. Thank you Rachelle for being wise enough to want to understand the difficulties and for seeking to support Legionary priests who, together with you, face big challenges as they seek to purify the family from the sins of the father. I'm in your corner.

An Excellent Book on One Man's Experience of the Legion of Christ, July 1, 2010
By Rachelle Cournoyer

In the recent scandals involving Father Maciel, I wondered how the founder of the Legion of Christ could have established a powerful order of religious priests and a large lay movement within the Catholic Church while living a double life. Jack Keogh, in these memoires, recounts how he was recruited at the age of 17, and how he poured the energies of his youth founding key institutions in Mexico for the love of Christ. It is the story of idealism, dedication, generous service, and we see Jack flowering under the huge challenges that are given to him. The tension of living in a religious community is recounted with good humor, and anyone who has had the opportunity of living with religious orders will recognize themselves in his funny tales. We see a young order growing through the commitment and enthusiasm of its young men, under the direction of a mysterious. charismatic and charming leader who does not live in the community but drops into it periodically to give it inspiration and direction. Father Maciel is able to draw the best out of his young men, and does so repeatedly, squeezing every ounce of sacrifice from them, while remaining oblivious to their human needs. How Father Maciel betrays Jack Keogh comes like a punch in the gut. But this is not the end of the story, because through resilience, determination, and indomitable spirit, Jack is able to overcome formidable obstacles, put the Legion behind him, and embrace a new life. I recommend this book to anyone wanting a good human story that is full of hope, and to anyone wanting a fresh look at the inside story of the foundation and growth of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi.

I particularly recommend this story to other Regnum Christi members because it will increase our understanding of the challenges that we face and how we can better support our young priests in the Legion in the upcoming Vatican-mandated reformation.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Even though I have yet to read your book, I think this review gives a hint at how someone who did so much evil (Fr. Maciel) was still able to do so much good. It was through dedicated, good intentioned men and women in LC/RC. Some find it preposterious that an order and movement founded by a scoundrel could produce any good fruit. It is simple to understand when one realizes that the vast majority of those in LC/RC (yourself included, Jack, naturally) were, and are, good Catholics, doing great work. The good fruit from LC/RC was produced by these people, despite the evil that Fr. Maciel was perpetrating at the same time.

I understand people want it all to shut down, and that may be what happens in the end. But I would caution people against forgetting/acknowledging the great work many good and faithful Catholics have done during their time in LC/RC. It can be hard to filter that out of the terrible actions of Fr. Maciel, but they are there. It is not the same as condoning or defending what Fr. Maciel did and was. It should in no way diminish the gravity of the crimes of Fr. Maciel, but unfortunately his crimes seem to diminish the good works of those that served under him, adding to the increasing number of people hurt by his actions.

Even though you were hurt by Fr. Maciel, Jack, and eventually left, I am confident you did alot of good during you time in LC, and any good reputation LC had in any circles can be attributed to people like you (both out of LC/RC and still in LC/RC).; July 5, 2010 at 3:28 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, July 2, 2010