Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Juan Pedro Oriol publicly announces his decision to leave the Legionaries of Christ

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Fr. Juan Pedro Oriol is a well-known and highly regarded priest in the Legionaries of Christ. It seems that his brothers Santiago, Ignacio and Alfonso, also priests in the Legion of Christ, have abandoned the Congregation or are in the "process" of leaving. Santiago made a public announcement about his own departure. Juan Pablo, likewise has just communicated his decision publicly in a letter to a major Mexican newspaper where he has been a frequent contributor. The Oriol brothers are from a well known Spanish family; their public departures from the beleaguered Legionaries is not without significant public relations consequences for the Order. Malen their sister still remains a senior member of the Regnum Christi lay movement.

Juan Pedro is a well liked priest who has had great success in the recruitment of new Legionaries in Mexico. He says he will continue as a priest, working in the diocese of Guadalajara, Mexico.

The departure of these high profile Legionaries is significant. Like so many of their peers they were clearly upset when the awful revelations about the Legion's founder came to light. It seems they struggled to find meaning in the scandal and that they tried to help reform the Congregation. However, the reasons given for their decision to leave relate to their dissatisfaction with the process of reform and to the lack of transparency of the Apostolic Delegate Cardinal Velasio de Paolis and Legionary leadership. This is not a good sign.

Comments I have heard and internal documents that I have seen support the perception that Cardinal De Paolis and the Legionary superiors are moving far too slowly and indecisively in the face of the magnitude of the scandal.  I understand that the Vatican moves slowly and that the Legion must convoke a General Chapter in order to institute the reforms Pope Benedict has asked for. However, the powers that be are feeding the fires of speculation that it is "business as usual" in Rome; the "old boys network" continues to call the shots.

I support those Legionaries who chose to remain and implement reform. And I wish those who choose to leave every success. Time will tell how effectively former Legionary priests will transition to diocesan life if they choose that route. Based on my personal experience of Legionary formation and mindset I am not at all optimistic. No doubt some will transition nicely and the Church will retain some great priests. Others are not doing so well in the diocesan priesthood. It is by no means an easy transition. Personally, I don't think many of them will survive. I hope I am wrong.

If I am correct, most Legionary priests and seminarians who are advanced in their formation, know this. Where are they supposed to go if the Legion fails? What are they supposed to do? They face an awful dilemma - to continue with a group whose leadership is taking too long to implement urgent reforms or to leave and face difficulties in their adjustment for which they are ill prepared.

In the past, former Legionaries (especially priests) have been considered as traitors by those who remained. Former companions are effectively ostracized and ill informed speculation about their reasons for leaving is subtly encouraged. Departures and the true motivation of those who leave is not discussed publicly. I once met a former companion of mine, still a Legionary priest, who twenty years after I left claimed to believe that I was still working in Africa! I suspect that is why Juan Pedro Oriol "went public" in the Mexican press so that he could retain some "control" over his story and his reasons for leaving.

Once more, I wish him and all Legionaries well. Meanwhile, the slowness of Cardinal De Paolis and the current Legionary leadership does not bode well for the future of many excellent priests and seminarians. Readers of this blog know that I have been patient and have advocated patience with the process.  Given the snail's pace at which the reforms are proceeding it is very hard to believe that current leadership is embracing the changes advocated by the Pope.  Cardinal De Paolis is acting like a consummate Vatican "insider" while senior Legionary leadership "makes hay while the sun shines". 

If I am right about the difficulties Legionaries who attempt to transition to diocesan priesthood will face, both the Cardinal and the leadership are playing an extremely ill-advised game in which more good men will be manipulated, private leadership agendas will prevail and many souls will be hurt.  Pope Benedict will have a lot of explaining to do since it seems his lieutenants do not share his concern nor his sense of urgency.  Perhaps naively I expected far more from the Legion's leaders. They are fulfilling the most pessimistic prophecies of the naysayers. It's way past time to wake up; the coffee is already burnt. The Church continues to suffer from the lack of decisiveness and transparency of its leaders.

12 comments:

Anon out of RC said...

I also think these departures are significant and I pray these priests continue to serve the Church in freedom and love. It is clear from their departure letters that they only want to follow Christ and serve the Church.

Monk, you said "Others are not doing so well in the diocesan priesthood. It is by no means an easy transition. Personally, I don't think many of them will survive. I hope I am wrong."

Do you have any statistics? All the ones I know who left seem to be doing very well and report that their brother priests who have left are doing well. Maybe it is different in other countries outside of US?

Anonymous said...

Dear Monk who is stealing cows:

You say "However, the reasons given for their decision to leave relate to their dissatisfaction with the process of reform and to the lack of transparency of the Apostolic Delegate Cardinal Velasio de Paolis and Legionary leadership."

Unfortunately, reading Juan Pedro Oriol publich announcement, I did not find this reason? I believe the LC have been fully open, at this point, about the sins of the founder. They also have been open to the fact they also made errors in judgement about how to share this information, and when.

The impression I get is you want nothing more than a public crucifixtion to punish them for the bad things that have happened? They, and indeed all the men and women in the Church NEED OUR PRAYERS! I have yet to see where you ask your audience to pray for all those in autority. Please PRAY! Only by acts and graces of GOD can we make a change! :) God have mercy on us all.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous,

Where are you coming from?

Your comment asking for prayers has been the strategy of lc brass and development office personnel for over 2 years to divert the attention away from the real situation of cowardice and corruption within lc directors. The obvious point is to shift the attention away from the horrible crimes of maciel, the 50 year coverup by lc leadership and the public humiliation of those who bravely withstood public and humiliated attacks by Fr. Bannon, Fr. Kearns and for those in Mexico by large corporations that moved land and sea to bury those who dared to speak "negatively" about maciel and the coverup.

Remember Fr. Kearns said that maciel was attacked because the ex lcs were failures in the lc apostolate and were now trying to defame maciel to hide their own personal failures. What do you have to say about that anonymous?

Anonymous when you learn to stop towing the company line and start to really ask those deep questions in life, you should avoid attacking someone who continues to push for justice. Stop being a voice for the abusers and those who use every means to humilate those who ask for the truth!

I congratulate monk for having the courage to be a voice in the desert. When you have the courage to stand and be a voice for the abused and oppressed, then maybe someone will listen to you.

Anonymous said...

I have spoken with an ex-Legionary priest who is having the kind of difficulty transitioning to diocesan ministry that Monk speaks of. He put it down more to the prejudice that diocesan clergy have against former religious priests in general, however. I do know that he is more forthright and outspoken in defense of the Faith than most, and this seems to have gained him some critics in his diocese as well.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous who is NOT listening to me! :)

I said admit and know and acknowledge the sin. We know P. Maciel was guilty, we know there are problems in the organization. Its amazing how this is turned into a personal attack on me ("maybe someone will listen to you") Fact is, everyone needs prayers, and that is what we should be doing. Why don't you go start building the Church the way you want it? :)

With prayers and respect, -

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous who is NOT listening to me! :)

I said admit and know and acknowledge the sin. We know P. Maciel was guilty, we know there are problems in the organization. Its amazing how this is turned into a personal attack on me ("maybe someone will listen to you") Fact is, everyone needs prayers, and that is what we should be doing. Why don't you go start building the Church the way you want it? :)

With prayers and respect, -

Anonymous said...

Question:

How should we understand the idea/teaching "Condemn the sin not the sinner?"

Anonymous said...

And realistically, it does not take a lot of courage to pass on news that you can read else where. :)

What I was questioning is when we draw conclusions from observations where at least from what is observed the conclusions are not obvious or there is no logical connection. Is this courage? Non-sequitor. -

Anonymous said...

Only hardened LCs, RCs and lc employees afraid to lose their jobs are asking for prayers and forgetting that peace is through justice.

Imagine being a little child in a foreign country. You were abused by maciel on repeated occasions. Then he covers it up right away by turning your accusations into an instant confessional. You were given "absolution" by your abuser and told that confessions are under a very strict seal you can't talk about it. You were so afraid of hurting "the work of God" so you even lied to the Vatican visitors who interviewed you about maciel so much you were pumped up by maciel about him being "a chosen one by God". Now you grow up and realize you were completely duped. You seek justice.

From day 1 you are attacked by bishops and cardinals. You are threatened and LC pr people like Kearns and other come out with vicious attacks on you. No one is listening. You send a personal letter to the Pope on three different occasions. No one listens.

After the truth comes out, LC directors look for strategies to divert the attention away from their own sins as well as maciels. If not, there will be no vocations or donations.

So what is their strategy. We are all victims of maciel (not true). We need prayer. Asking for prayer and not seeking justice is the same as admitting no one is guilty except maciel which is not true and why so many LCs are leaving the nest. One xLC was leaving for Florida and lc people started to say he was gay.

Look I know your pious pleas may come from a good heart, but 99% of the time it is simply hardened LCs, RC people or LC employees trying to save their ship. I know that personally.

So if you really care about the LCs, ask for justice. Otherwise their whole structure will collapse on itself and one tin soldier (Garza) will ride away to his billions in the secret bank account...

Anonymous said...

So far 70 priests have left since the onset of the scandal of 2009. I am in touch with a number of them. I think Monk's "guestimation" of demise is a little irresponsible when from what I can see a very large number if not almost all are ablely traversing the transition to diocesan priesthood.

Remember that comparing this exiting group to those who may have left at another time and under other circumstance and infer some sort of foreboding for these newer departures is inappropriate.

For now at least I ditto Anon @2:27pm, all the exLCs I know are moving forward through the difficulties that a new enviroment suggests, which they knew would come, and finding solutions along the way. Interfacing with the right diocese is also important part of it and that may take some longer than others.

Anonymous said...

Only time will tell if the rrergleg corp priests leaving for diocesan life will thrive there or wind up leaving the priesthood. It is a complicated transition for religious from normal communities who become diocesan. So mych more so for the men from this cult.

I'm sure many will continue to part their hair correctly, smile, and asure everyone their adaptation is going fine. It will take time to deconstruct their legion misformation. If they are luckey they will find a good priest in their diocese, a real spiritual director, or a psychologist who can help them construct a new life.

Ohh

The Monk said...

I'm just back from some extensive business travel. Thanks for the comments. I will address them in a new post... just as soon as I can..