Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Is a Papal apology appropriate when Benedict XVI visits Mexico next month?

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As Pope Benedict's visit to Mexico (March 23 - 26) approaches, a drug gang unfurled banners in the Mexican city of Leon Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit next month, telling rival traffickers to keep out and keep the peace during the papal visit.
Archbishop Jose Guadalupe Martin Rabago of Leon urged members of organized crime and drug trafficking to repent and work for peace in the country. 
Meanwhile, Bernardo Barranco V., a writer, specialist in Religion and Vicepresident at the "Centro de Estudios de las Religiones" in México (CEREM) comments on the apparent absence from the Pope's schedule of a meeting with the victims of the late Fr. Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legionaries of Christ.
The article, which I've paraphrased, translated, and abbreviated below, appears on Mr. Barranco's blog and in "La Jornada" a publication of Mexico's National University (UNAM).


"Benedict XVI in his recent trips has included space and time to comfort and meet with victims of sexual abuse. He did on his trip to the United States and Australia (2008), Portugal and Malta (2010), UK and Germany (2011). Worldwide images show the Pope shocked, embarrassed and close to the victims of clerical pedophilia. In Malta he cried even before the victims related their testimonies and stories of abuse by priests. There the Pope himself condemned the unspeakable crimes. How Benedict XVI in his recent trips have included space and time has been given to comfort and meet with victims of sexual abuse. This he did on his trip to the United States and Australia (2008), Portugal and Malta (2010), UK and Germany (2011). Images that have been around the world we have the Pope shocked, embarrassed and close humanely with victims of clerical pedophilia. In Malta he is seen crying even before the testimonies and stories of victims of abuse by priests. There the Pope himself condemned the unspeakable crimes. However, the agenda for the Papal trip to Mexico shows the absence of such a gesture to the victims of Marcial Maciel. We do not know if the theme will be included in his messages, but the omission is striking, especially since Marcial Maciel and the Legionaries of Christ are of Mexican origin. We do not know if the former Legionaries themselves would be willing to meet with the Pope because by now these acts have been used more as a show of symbolic contrition rather than effective measures against abuse. But, at the end of the day, they have been gestures of reconciliation and forgiveness. It is remarkable and somewhat worrisome not to see such an “obvious” encounter on the Papal agenda. Is it a sign or an inexcusable omission? It is another offense added to the decades long contempt with which the former Legionary accusers were treated by the Church bureaucracy and the complicity of powerful Mexican businessmen, politicians as well as many in the media? It is true that on his last trip to Germany in 2011, the Pope's approach showed its limits. The Network of Victims of Sexual Violence in Germany branded the meeting that the pope had with two women and three men, all alumni of Catholic educational institutions, as hypocritical.......

.....If the Pope has come into contact with victims of clerical abuse in many other countries, why not in Mexico? There is another hypothesis that is oriented to the serious internal crisis faced by the Legion of Christ. Do not forget that the restructuring of the religious order is in the hands of the pontiff himself, has been questioned by his warmth and slowly, because they persist, according to internal critics, practices lies and manipulation. The performance of Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, Pontifical Delegate for the Legion of Christ, has been questioned and put under suspicion the exasperating tone has led to a gradual abandonment of those constant Legionnaires who expect a more vigorous and profound renewal. De Paolis seems installed in a comfort zone that has led him to confront those sectors most aperturistas legionaries and renovators. In the last two years of 59 mint official priests have left the legion, although there is talk of more than 100. Similarly, the consecrated women of Regnum Christi, 156 have low caudate and have even formed a new congregation called Totus Tuus female, under the protectorate of the Chilean episcopate.
However, no hypothesis is sufficient to explain the Pope’s lack of attention to the noble and remarkable struggle of the victims of Marcial Maciel."

The Maciel scandal lies dormant below the reality of Catholic life in Mexico. Certainly the Legionaries of Christ and the members of the lay organization Regnum Christi, would prefer to move on, dedicated to their process of renewal. The deviations of the founder are a source of great pain and sensitivity. In general, it seems to me that the faithful who are aware of the scandal are quite content to separate the sins of the founder and his personal life from the good works realized by the Legionaries and Regnum Christi. At a time when the Catholic world has been convulsed with clerical scandals "moving on" seems to be a reasonable and pragmatic solution.
However, it's a fine line between "moving on" and giving the impression that the Congregation, and hence the Church, has no compassion towards the victims of this particular scandal. Most objective commentators would agree, I think, that the Legion's response has not been proportionate to the magnitude of the scandal. It's almost as if they don't quite understand the profound upheaval caused to the lives to so many hundreds if not thousands of people affected by the founder. This may not correspond to reality - but it is most certainly the perception conveyed by the Congregation's minimalist response.
Personally, I'm not sure that a public meeting between the Pope and Maciel's victims (which ones exactly?) would achieve the desired objective granted the media circus which no doubt it would occasion. Perhaps such an encounter would do more harm than good within the Mexican environment. A meeting with a group of victims (not only those of Maciel) might be helpful and even necessary. Either way, Mr. Barranco raises a good question. The Vatican - and the Legion - could use the occasion of the Pope's visit and the tremendous welcome he will be afforded by the Mexican people to bring some sense of closure to the awful saga initiated by the founder of the Legionaries of Christ. Then, everyone could get back to the business of moving on.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Group exodus in Regnum Christi a portent of change outcomes?

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Malen Oriol, the leader of about 600 “consecrated women” in Regnum Christi, the lay movement associated with the Legion of Christ, has announced her resignation.
"Consecrated women" lead lives of celibacy and service to the Church and the Legion’s efforts.
Oriol revealed that many of the “consecrated women” of Regnum Christi are approaching their local bishops, looking for ways to live out their vocation apart from the troubled religious order.
I am not surprised by Malen's decision - she has the precedent of her two brothers who already left the LC. 
Her resignation letter is written with a lot of class, dignity and no overt sign of bitterness. Reading between the lines, I detect more "evidence" of internal lack of confidence in the organization's willingness - or ability - to change. 
It would seem that the serious critics of some major Legionary superiors and the Vatican's delegate, Cardinal De Paolis, with regard to  the change process (or the lack thereof) may be more informed than I had hoped. 
Maybe this exodus (first reports suggest 30 women have left "en masse"; others suggest the final number will reach 200) is a portent of how the organizations will "change" - they will effectively cease to exist and perhaps "re-emerge" in a new "foundation." Or, just as likely, hundreds of well-intentioned priests, seminarians of the Legion, and consecrated persons in the lay movement will find themselves (eventually) extremely disappointed in the Church's inept reaction to the dilemma caused by the late founder of the Legionaries, a Congregation that not so long ago seemed to be a shining star in the Church's firmament.  This, if it comes about, will be no small test of the Faith in the institutional Church  for the formerly loyal members of the Legion and Regnum Christi.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Documentary: Foundation in Ireland

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The Legionaries of Christ have just published a video documentary (embedded below) on the foundation of the Congregation in Ireland. It's a nice trip down memory lane for anyone involved with them especially during the period from 1959 through 1969. It starts with Bundrowes House in County Donegal, then Hazelbrook House in Malahide, Co. Dublin, Belgard Castle in Clondalkin, Co. Dublin, and, finally, the purpose-built Novitiate in Leopardstown, Co. Dublin.

The video documents a trip to the different sites by Legionary priests Fintan Lawless, Jude Furlong, John Devlin, Donal Corry, Thomas Moylan, Anthony Bannon, and Michael Ryan. Michael and I joined in 1962 at Hazlebrook House.

It was nice to see an "In Memoriam" credit at the end for three deceased Legionaries who were involved in the early days in Ireland: Frs. John Coady, Manus McIlhargey, and Francisco Yepez.

In my book, "Driving Straight on Crooked Lines," I've commented on Fr. Bannon, his tough "right-wing" spirituality and and his role in the foundations on the USA side. He's totally true to form in the video. Still driven.

Fr.. Michael Ryan became a professor in the Legionary college in Rome and is quite true to form.

Fr. John Devlin became Maciel's long time companion and secretary. He must have stories to tell beyond the history of the foundation in Ireland. He has health issues.

Frs. Jude Furlong, Thomas Moylan John Walsh, Fintan Lawless, and Donal Corry haven't changed much over the years, in the sense that they still see the world as they did back in the days of the Irish foundation: always positive, always very "spiritual" in a "pious" sort of a way. Fintan, as I recall, was the least overtly "spiritual," forever ready for a heated argument. Interesting that he's now working in Brazil.

It was nice to make their acquaintance again via the video: I have good memories of all of these men.

Astute observers will note the presence in the video of several Mexican priests and brothers including Juan Jose Vaca one of MM's victims. I have no doubt that several of them (I'll refrain from naming them) were well aware, at the time of the Irish foundation, of Marcial Maciel's perversions. They came to Ireland to help start the foundation.... and to pass on a myth that many of them had to know was a total whitewash of the truth. The rest of us, somewhat in the spirit of the sixties, swallowed the dream hook, line and sinker whether we stayed on for many years or we left early on.

There is much to think about based on the characters who appear in the video. To dismiss the documentary as "rewriting the history" of the Legion, as some commenters claim is ingenuous. The story of the Irish foundation is an important chapter in the history of the Congregation. The commentary provides myriad telling insights that provide a good amount of context for those who have "ears to hear and eyes to see."

In my book,"Driving Straight on Crooked Lines: How an Irishman found his heart and nearly lost his mind," I documented my experiences at Hazelbrook House and Belgard Castle. I've commented on Fr. Bannon, his very conservative and tough approach, and the consequences of his understanding of the Legion's methodology in his role during the foundations of the Legionaries in the United States. He's totally true to form in the video. Still driven.

Fr. Michael Ryan became a professor in Rome and is also true to form in the documentary.

Fr. John Devlin became Maciel's long time companion and secretary. He must have stories to tell beyond the history of the foundation in Ireland. He has health issues.

Frs. Jude Furlong, Thomas Moylan John Walsh, Fintan Lawless, and Donal Corry haven't changed much over the years, in the sense that they still see the world as they did then: always positive, always very "spiritual" in a "pious" sort of a way. Fintan, as I recall, was the least overtly "spiritual," forever ready for a heated argument. Interesting that he's no stationed in Brazil.

I enjoyed becoming reacquainted with these men via the video. For the most part, I have good memories of our time together.

Astute observers will note the presence in the video of several Mexican priests and brothers including Juan José Vaca one of MM's victims. I have no doubt that several of these men who appear in the documentary (I'll refrain from naming them) were well aware, at the time, of MM's perversions. They came to Ireland to help start the foundation.... and to pass on a myth that many of them had to know was a total whitewash of the truth. The rest of us, somewhat in the spirit of the sixties, swallowed the "dream" hook, line and sinker whether we stayed on for many years or we left early on.

There is much to think about based on the characters who appear in the video. To dismiss it as "rewriting the history" as some critics do is ingenuous. The foundation in Ireland is an important chapter in the history of the Congregation. The documentary provides telling insights and context for those who have "ears to hear and eyes to see."