tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90066732508861228032024-02-07T01:16:50.995-05:00The Monk who Stole the Cow<a href="http://www.monkwhostolethecow.com/2008/09/testimonials-driving-straight-on.html">Testimonials Driving Straight on Crooked Lines</a>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.comBlogger286125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-87906399644634007822014-03-12T00:27:00.003-04:002015-06-27T10:46:25.574-04:00The Legion. RTE's documentary about the LegionariesThis documentary is, I think, the best account that I have seen about the role of the Irish in the expansion of the Legionaries of Christ.<br />
<br />
Mick Peelo and his team (<a href="http://www.rte.ie/tv/wouldyoubelieve/av_index.html" target="_blank">"Would you believe"</a>) did an excellent job. Their greatest merit is that they let the facts speak for themselves. It lasts 52 minutes.Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-65254547748335638582014-03-09T23:34:00.003-04:002014-03-09T23:34:49.320-04:00The story of Fr Marcial Maciel, a priest who founded the Legionaries of Christ in the 1950s despite being under investigation by the Vatican for sodomy, fraud and drug addictioThis documentary, "The Legion" is available for viewing for the next 21 days. It tells the story of Fr Marcial Maciel, a priest who founded the Legionaries of Christ in the 1950s despite being under investigation by the Vatican for sodomy, fraud and drug addiction. The documentary lasts 52 minutes. It features testimony from me, several former Legionaries, and a couple of Legionary priests. http://www.rte.ie/player/us/show/10260914/
Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-88964905124717098562014-03-08T14:57:00.000-05:002014-03-08T14:57:08.379-05:00Background information on "The Legion" a documentary from Irish National Television (RTE)As the Legionaries of Christ, known as 'the Legion', was setting up in Ireland in the late 1950s, the founder of this new religious order, Fr Marcial Maciel was under investigation by the Vatican for acts of sodomy with boys, fraud and drug addiction. Despite what the Vatican knew about Maciel, he was allowed to establish a congregation in Ireland and recruit young, enthusiastic Irish men to build the Legion empire from a minority Spanish-speaking Congregation into a powerful international movement within the Catholic Church.<br />
<br />
Archbishop John Charles McQuaid facilitated the establishment of the Legion in Ireland, but concluded in a letter in 1970 that "there is a creepiness and secrecy about this whole group that is a constant worry to me." McQuaid's successor, Archbishop Ryan banned them from recruiting in Dublin because of their " lack of freedom of conscience, alienation from parents and undue pressure." Despite the ban, two young Dublin lads secretly consecrated their lives to the movement just six months after they left school. They were told to tell no one, not even their parents.<br />
<br />
It took over six decades for the Vatican to intervene, finally condemning Maciel in 2010 as a criminal and a fraud. The Vatican also recognised that the conduct of Fr Maciel gave rise to "serious consequences in the life and structure of the Legion such as to require a process of profound re-evaluation." This month the Legionaries of Christ conclude their extraordinary general chapter which is the culmination of a three year consultation process and marks the beginning of a new way forward. So, what went wrong, what needs to change and can the Legion change it?<br />
<br />
Maciel personally tried to recruit the broadcaster Mike Murphy, who remembers: "He came to the house and he tried to get me to join. I'd love to say I had my suspicions, but I didn't instinctively warm to what they were doing." Mike's two brothers and his sister were convinced, however, and enthusiastically enrolled.<br />
<br />
Genevieve Kineke believes that the Legion " is a "construct that Maciel put in place specifically to con people out of their money and to con families out of their children." Genevieve was recruited into the movement in the US in the 1990s.<br />
<br />
"In the Legion, we were always told that a lie is not a lie if the person you are talking to doesn't have the right to know the truth. Even bishops were lied to." says Glen Favereau, who spent 14 years in the Congregation. Fr Andreas Shöggl, the Legion's European Superior, says that Glenn is almost quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Sometimes people don't have a right to the truth and you don't have an obligation to tell the truth, but these are very exceptional cases." Paul Lennon, an ex Legionary priest, believes that for the Legion "Truth is just a commodity and they learned that from Fr Maciel."<br />
<br />
In this programme Mick Peelo traces the first Legionary who set foot in Ireland in 1956. Now a lay man in California, Federico Dominguez tells the real story about why he came to Ireland. He was Maciel's former Secretary and a whistleblower who was banished to Ireland in 1956 by Maciel, who called him "a traitor to the Legion," after Dominguez passed on information about Maciel's crimes and corruption to the Vatican.<br />
<br />
The first Irish recruits, Jack Keogh and Paul Lennon, talk about what attracted them to this new movement and how, for over 20 years, they collaborated in a culture of secrecy and deception. Isaac Chute from Cork, who joined in the early 1980s, speaks about how his personality was changed by the Legion. "When I joined the Legionaries of Christ I was a very normal happy-go-lucky kid and, over time, they kind of moulded me into something that I wasn't."<br />
<br />
The following appears on <a href="http://www.rte.ie/tv/wouldyoubelieve/" target="_blank">RTE's "Would You Believe" website</a> (© RTÉ 2014-RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Ltd, Registration No: 155076, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland.)<br />
<br />
One of the first Irish recruits, Fr Owen Kearns, who publicly vilified Maciel's victims and accusers in the late 1990s, talks openly about this and the impact on him when he discovered the truth about the founder. "I cried. I lost 7 pounds in 7 days." He explains why he still remains a Legionary today. "God did use a seriously flawed criminal, a sociopath, an abuser and through him set up this, such that when we met it, we knew this is from God." Genevieve Kineke disagrees: "That's not how the Holy Spirit works. God doesn't use paedophiles in order to build congregations."<br />
<br />
In 2008, over 200 documents relating to the Legionaries of Christ were leaked from the Vatican. This programme looks forensically at these documents in the context of what was happening with the Legion in Ireland over the years. The documents show that efforts were made by senior Cardinals in the Vatican in the 50s and 60s to get rid of Maciel, but they were prevented from acting because of "interventions by eminent figures."<br />
<br />
The Vatican's seal of approval enabled Maciel to continue to operate for over sixty years unimpeded and with impunity. Five successive popes publicly endorsed Maciel, despite repeated warnings. The leaked documents point to three popes in particular, Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II, whose combination of inertia and support not only allowed Maciel to continue, but elevated him to "Poster Boy" status in the Catholic world. "I didn't question it, because why would I question something that John Paul the Second was praising? " says Marita de Palma, who was a consecrated lay women in the movement. She was eventually expelled from the movement for discussing its practices with her mother and attempted suicide.<br />
<br />
Popes John XXIII and John Paul II will become saints on 27th April.<br />
<br />
Some of the Irish who joined the Legion and those they recruited believe it is a cult within the Catholic Church. Disillusioned former members believe that the problems run so deep that the Legion cannot be fixed. But the Vatican and the Legion believe there is hope. Fr Schöggl: " If you see some cult-like characteristics, it is not because the Legion is a cult, but because there have been several circumstances, several weaknesses, deficiencies that made us act in a way that was not correct and (we have to) identify them and get rid of them."Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-77249901231410465882014-03-06T18:28:00.000-05:002014-03-06T18:31:23.956-05:00Background on "The Legion" a documentary from Irish National Television (RTE)<div class="tr_bq">
<br /></div>
The following information appears on <a href="http://www.rte.ie/tv/wouldyoubelieve/" target="_blank">RTE's "Would You Believe" Website</a><br />
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">© RTÉ 2014-RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Ltd, Registration No: 155076, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland.</span></i><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
As the Legionaries of Christ, known as 'the Legion', was setting up in Ireland in the late 1950s, the founder of this new religious order, Fr Marcial Maciel was under investigation by the Vatican for acts of sodomy with boys, fraud and drug addiction. Despite what the Vatican knew about Maciel, he was allowed to establish a congregation in Ireland and recruit young, enthusiastic Irish men to build the Legion empire from a minority Spanish-speaking Congregation into a powerful international movement within the Catholic Church.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Archbishop John Charles McQuaid facilitated the establishment of the Legion in Ireland, but concluded in a letter in 1970 that "there is a creepiness and secrecy about this whole group that is a constant worry to me." McQuaid's successor, Archbishop Ryan banned them from recruiting in Dublin because of their " lack of freedom of conscience, alienation from parents and undue pressure." Despite the ban, two young Dublin lads secretly consecrated their lives to the movement just six months after they left school. They were told to tell no one, not even their parents.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
It took over six decades for the Vatican to intervene, finally condemning Maciel in 2010 as a criminal and a fraud. The Vatican also recognised that the conduct of Fr Maciel gave rise to "serious consequences in the life and structure of the Legion such as to require a process of profound re-evaluation." This month the Legionaries of Christ conclude their extraordinary general chapter which is the culmination of a three year consultation process and marks the beginning of a new way forward. So, what went wrong, what needs to change and can the Legion change it?</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Maciel personally tried to recruit the broadcaster Mike Murphy, who remembers: "He came to the house and he tried to get me to join. I'd love to say I had my suspicions, but I didn't instinctively warm to what they were doing." Mike's two brothers and his sister were convinced, however, and enthusiastically enrolled.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Genevieve Kineke believes that the Legion ". is a construct that Maciel put in place specifically to con people out of their money and to con families out of their children." Genevieve was recruited into the movement in the US in the 1990s.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
"In the Legion, we were always told that a lie is not a lie if the person you are talking to doesn't have the right to know the truth. Even bishops were lied to." says Glen Favereau, who spent 14 years in the Congregation. Fr Andreas Shöggl, the Legion's European Superior, says that Glenn is almost quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Sometimes people don't have a right to the truth and you don't have an obligation to tell the truth, but these are very exceptional cases." Paul Lennon, an ex Legionary priest, believes that for the Legion "Truth is just a commodity and they learned that from Fr Maciel."</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
In this programme Mick Peelo traces the first Legionary who set foot in Ireland in 1956. Now a lay man in California, Federico Dominguez tells the real story about why he came to Ireland. He was Maciel's former Secretary and a whistleblower who was banished to Ireland in 1956 by Maciel, who called him "a traitor to the Legion," after Dominguez passed on information about Maciel's crimes and corruption to the Vatican.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
The first Irish recruits, <b>Jack Keogh </b>and <b>Paul Lennon</b>, talk about what attracted them to this new movement and how, for over 20 years, they collaborated in a culture of secrecy and deception. Isaac Chute from Cork, who joined in the early 1980s, speaks about how his personality was changed by the Legion. "When I joined the Legionaries of Christ I was a very normal happy-go-lucky kid and, over time, they kind of moulded me into something that I wasn't."</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
One of the first Irish recruits, Fr Owen Kearns, who publicly vilified Maciel's victims and accusers in the late 1990s, talks openly about this and the impact on him when he discovered the truth about the founder. "I cried.I lost 7 pounds in 7 days." He explains why he still remains a Legionary today. "God did use a seriously flawed criminal, a sociopath, an abuser and through him set up this, such that when we met it, we knew this is from God." Genevieve Kineke disagrees: . ".That's not how the Holy Spirit works. God doesn't use paedophiles in order to build congregations."</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
In 2008, over 200 documents relating to the Legionaries of Christ were leaked from the Vatican. This programme looks forensically at these documents in the context of what was happening with the Legion in Ireland over the years. The documents show that efforts were made by senior Cardinals in the Vatican in the 50s and 60s to get rid of Maciel, but they were prevented from acting because of "interventions by eminent figures."</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
The Vatican's seal of approval enabled Maciel to continue to operate for over sixty years unimpeded and with impunity. Five successive popes publicly endorsed Maciel, despite repeated warnings. The leaked documents point to three popes in particular, Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II, whose combination of inertia and support not only allowed Maciel to continue, but elevated him to "Poster Boy" status in the Catholic world. "I didn't question it, because why would I question something that John Paul the Second was praising? " says Marita de Palma, who was a consecrated lay women in the movement. She was eventually expelled from the movement for discussing its practices with her mother and attempted suicide.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Popes John XXIII and John Paul II will become saints on 27th April.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Some of the Irish who joined the Legion and those they recruited believe it is a cult within the Catholic Church. Disillusioned former members believe that the problems run so deep that the Legion cannot be fixed. But the Vatican and the Legion believe there is hope. Fr Schöggl: " If you see some cult-like characteristics, it is not because the Legion is a cult, but because there have been several circumstances, several weaknesses, deficiencies that made us act in a way that was not correct and (we have to) identify them and get rid of them."</blockquote>
</blockquote>
Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-62246516939552093272014-03-06T17:48:00.000-05:002014-03-08T15:02:24.148-05:00"The Legion" a documentary on the spectacular rise and fall from grace of Fr. Marcial Maciel, to be presented by Irish National Television (RTE)"Would You Believe?" an <a href="http://www.rte.ie/tv/religion/" target="_blank">Irish National Television (RTE) religious affairs program</a> will air a special episode on Sunday 9th March, at 9.30pm on RTÉ One.<br />
<br />
In "THE LEGION," Mick Peelo tells the story of the pivotal role that Ireland played in the spectacular rise and fall from grace of The Legionaries of Christ and their disgraced late founder, Fr Marcial Maciel Degollado LC.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Fr Maciel, who died in 2008, hid in plain sight for over five decades, and flourished, under five successive Popes as an embezzler, womanizer, drug addict and pedophile, secretly fathering at least three children by two different woman, while being revered by his followers and championed by Rome as a living saint."</blockquote>
<br />
Peelo interviewed me for the documentary, based on his reading of my autobiography <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Driving-Straight-Crooked-Lines-Irishman-ebook/dp/B00ILXSERE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1394145958&sr=1-1&keywords=driving+straight+on+crooked+lines" target="_blank">"Driving Straight on Crooked Lines: How an Irishman found his heart and nearly lost his mind."</a> He told me he thinks the book is mandatory reading for anyone trying to understand Maciel's relationship with the Irish, since it relates the first-hand experience of the first Irish Legionary to set foot in Mexico.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"RTÉ Religious Programmes aim to Reflect, Interrogate, Celebrate and Explain the religious, ethical and spiritual life of contemporary Ireland. We broadcast over 100 hours each year on both television and radio, including documentaries, discussions, interviews, festival features and worship programmes, reflecting the full diversity of religious belief and practice in Ireland.<br />
All of our output can also be found online, either on the RTÉ Player, the RTÉ Radio Player or on the websites of our various strands: WOULD YOU BELIEVE?, THE MEANING OF LIFE, THE MOMENT OF TRUTH, BEYOND BELIEF and THE GOD SLOT."</blockquote>
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WuZAS9EmnAk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-29006715236975014522014-02-14T18:07:00.000-05:002014-02-14T18:07:01.087-05:00The General Chapter of the Legionaries of Christ: a new beginning?Father Marcial Maciel, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, whom I first met in 1962, was the greatest fundraiser of the modern Roman Catholic Church. Many of the first Legionaries he attracted excelled in recruiting young men to religious life in an era when vocations were plummeting. He counted on the support of the Vatican, Cardinals, and Bishops. Wealthy lay people supported his pragmatic approach to solving problems. With their donations, he founded schools, seminaries, universities, and numerous charitable organizations. He convinced me to dedicate twenty years of my life to the service of the Church in Latin America.<br />
<br />
My book “Driving Straight on Crooked Lines” was first published April 10, 2010. When I wrote it, I knew that on May 19th 2006, Pope Benedict XVI had ordered Maciel to retire from the priestly ministry to a life of prayer and penance because of the credible accusations of sex abuse levelled by some of Maciel’s first seminarians. Maciel died on the 30th of January, 2008, when he was 87 years old.<br />
When I was writing my memoirs I did not know that, in fact, Maciel was a notorious pedophile, and that he had fathered several children by different women. While I agonized over my decision to leave the Legion he already had a secret family of his own. My former hero is now regarded as one of the greatest con artists of the twentieth century. His life epitomizes many aspects of the clergy abuse crisis that continues to plague the church.<br />
<br />
For decades, the Cardinals in charge of Vatican congregations, and perhaps Pope John Paul II, ignored the persistent allegations that Maciel was an imposter and an abuser. The man I, and most of my Legionary brothers, thought was a living saint was a morphine addict, a serial abuser of young seminarians, and the father of several children.<br />
<br />
When Maciel died on Jan. 30, 2008, the Legion leadership, most of whom I knew well from my time in the congregation, announced that the founder we called “Nuestro Padre” had gone to heaven. I wondered if their optimistic judgment with regard to his final destination was based on some better understanding of the facts. I suppose I too was in denial. The revelations regarding his private life were just too painful. It was so hard to accept that I had been duped on such a profound level. In February 2009, the Legionaries revealed that Maciel had a daughter. Later, they issued a vaguely worded statement of regret to unnamed victims, sexually abused by Maciel. This statement came four years after he had been removed from ministry by Pope Benedict.<br />
<br />
At the time of Maciel’s death, the Legion had an estimated annual budget of $650,000,000 supporting 700 priests and 1,300 seminarians.<br />
<br />
In March 2009, Pope Benedict XVI decided to begin an “apostolic visitation,” a sort of Vatican audit, of the Legion of Christ and their lay organization known as Regnum Christi. The visitation was mandated by Benedict after the congregation’s major superiors admitted in early 2009 that Maciel had lived a morally depraved double life, fathering at least a daughter and perhaps other children from at least one mistress, and sexually abusing young seminarians.<br />
<br />
The apostolic visitation was carried out by five Vatican appointed Bishops. Upon its conclusion, Pope Benedict XVI decided to continue to help the Legionaries of Christ by appointing Archbishop Velasio De Paolis (whom he later elevated to the rank of Cardinal) as a “pontifical delegate,” with the task of guiding the congregation of the Legionaries of Christ through a process of revision, profound re-evaluation, and renewal.<br />
<br />
The process of renewal culminated in that is known as a “General Chapter,” which began on Wednesday, January 8, 2014. After three years revising their charism, the Legionaries must approve a new constitution and choose new leadership to effectively put an end to the era of their founder Marcial Maciel. The revised constitution, which will be submitted to Pope Francis for approval, is expected to be an expression of a common vocation, a common ideal, a common mission, a common path to healing, and an impulse to strive in common striving for the fulfillment of God’s plan for the congregation, for all the members and for the service to the Church. The new leadership will dictate what path the Legionaries of Christ will set on, in the coming years.<br />
<br />
This process will technically put an end to the Vatican's oversight of the Congregation, a process that has been underway for the past three years. It remains to be seen whether the Chapter will mark a credible new beginning, or whether it becomes a sickening and demoralizing exercise in public relations to cover up the inability of the “old guard” to change.<br />
<br />
Based on how slowly the wheels of justice turn in the Church, I never expected any major, discernible change in the Legion – including a renewal of the leadership – until the General Chapter. The results will depend on the collective wisdom of the Chapter Delegates, their willingness to change, and, most importantly, their credibility with newly-elected Pope Francis. I think it is only realistic to suggest that sustainable change probably will not occur in this generation. It will take many years to overcome the dysfunctional culture inherited from Maciel.<br />
<br />
As an experienced management consultant, and as a former Legionary, there are many suggestions I would like to have offered to the Chapter Delegates – if they were interested in my opinion. Therein, I think, is one of the greatest weaknesses in Legionary culture: it is a culture closed in on itself, circulating the same beliefs in a never ending loop, devoid of critical thinking. Legionaries never seem to want outside advice - especially from former Legionaries who, in general, have been systematically shunned once they leave the order.<br />
<br />
The structure of power within the Legion needs major rethinking. Personal conscience needs to be respected in the spirit of Vatican II and the teachings of Pope Francis. The vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience need to be reinterpreted and aligned with the “best practices” of the Catholic Church. The private vow made by Legionaries to never criticize a superior and to inform the superior general of any transgressions to this vow they might discover, needs to be permanently buried in the scrapheap of their history. One could argue that such a vow provides a sense of organizational cohesion – but it has been indelibly tainted by the manipulative mind of the founder and has no place in a renewed Legion.<br />
<br />
If I were to see the Legionaries make a sincere and sustained effort to ask for forgiveness (not just collectively, but as individuals) to all former Legionaries, and to Regnum Christi members, I might believe that genuine change is possible for them. Many of us, who in good faith joined the Congregation giving of our blood, sweat, and tears, during many years because we believed in the Church, and the Legion. When we discerned our true vocations, according to our individual consciences, we were shunned, calumniated, left entirely to our own devices, and regarded as traitors. This shunning is the essence of their dysfunctional behavior and symptomatic of so many flaws in the Legion’s foundational culture. A functional family would wish to be reconciled with all of their brothers and sisters.<br />
<br />
Despite the deep hurt caused to me by Marcial Maciel, and by the actions and attitude of many Legionary superiors, I hope the Legionaries can find their way to true reform. Many of my former companions are good men, and good priests, whom I have always considered as brothers. We lived together in a very dysfunctional family. Now that the sins of the father are public, the pretense, the lies, and the dysfunctional understanding of the religious vows need not continue. It is time for a new beginning. I hope they are up to the challenge and I wish them well.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-23090838626267093672014-01-08T17:06:00.000-05:002014-01-08T18:36:10.759-05:00Legionaries General Chapter starts today in Rome: a "must-see" interview for the delegatesThe troubled Legion of Christ religious congregation began its much anticipated General Chapter in Rome this morning. This meeting, comprised of 61 Legionary priest delegates, will elect new leaders for the first time since Marcial Maciel its founder was revealed to have been a pedophile, a one-time drug addict, and a con-artist. The meeting will also formulate new Constitutions which the Congregation must present to Pope Francis for approval. And the Congregation must define its "charism" within the Church.<br />
<br />
This process will technically put an end to the Vatican's oversight of the Congregation, a process that has been underway for the past three years. It remains to be seen whether the Chapter will mark a credible new beginning, or whether it becomes a sickening and demoralizing exercise in public relations to cover up the inability of the “old guard” to change.<br />
<br />
Just before Christmas, Fr. Felix Alarcon, a Spanish priest, resident in Madrid, gave an interview to “Religion Digital.” For those who understand Spanish, the testimony of this intelligent, humble man is intensely moving, and entirely credible.<br />
<br />
Felix was abused by Maciel, witnessed his drug abuse, and was “exiled” to New York after confronting the founder of the Legionaries. After his ordination to the priesthood he left the Legion and found refuge in the diocese of Rockville Center New York. While there he suffered in silence for some 15 years, profoundly affected by the abuse. Following his meeting with another, former Legionary priest, he became aware that he was only one of several young men abused by Maciel. That realization combined with hearing Pope John Paul refer to Maciel as a useful model for young people, helped him decide that he should go public with his testimony. He allowed himself to be interviewed by reporters Jerry Renner and Jason Berry. He co-signed a formal letter to the Vatican sent by his former Legionary brothers who were also abused.<br />
<br />
His testimony has been discreet, humble and clearly not attention seeking. He has long since forgiven Maciel and seems to have ‘reconciled” some elements of his past with the Legion following a visit from Fr. Alvaro Corcuera, Superior General, who visited him in Madrid in order to beg forgiveness. It is amazing to me that Felix was never interviewed by anyone from the Vatican. No doubt someone influential did not want the testimony of a priest on the record. I am less surprised that he was shunned and calumniated by the Legion. That is standard operating procedure for all Legionaries formed in the Maciel system of power.<br />
<br />
The interview Fr. Felix gave to Religion Digital ought to be mandatory communal viewing for the delegates to the Legion’s General Chapter. His story is disturbing and yet, all things considered, almost hopeful. He knows there are still some good men in the Legion who have had nothing to do with Maciel. They face a difficult dilemma and Felix wishes them well. He is a staunch supporter of Pope Francis whom he hopes will steer the Legion in the right direction.<br />
<br />
I’ve always suggested there would be no major, discernible change in the Legion – including a renewal of the leadership – until the General Chapter. Now, it’s crunch time. The results will depend on the collective wisdom of the Chapter Delegates, their willingness to change, and, most importantly, their credibility with Pope Francis. Sustainable change probably will not occur in this generation. It will take many years to overcome the dysfunctional culture inherent since the foundation. Maybe, the Holy Spirit will provide some support.<br />
<br />
As an experienced management consultant, and as a former Legionary, there are many suggestions I would like to offer the Chapter Delegates – if they were interested. Therein, I think, is their greatest challenge: Legionary culture is closed in on itself, in a never ending loop, devoid of critical thinking. They never seem to want outside advice - especially from former LC. The structure of power needs major rethinking. Personal conscience needs to be respected in the spirit of Vatican II and Pope Francis. The vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience need to be reinterpreted and aligned with the “best practices” of the Catholic Church. <br />
<br />
If I were to see the Legionaries make a sincere and sustained effort to ask for forgiveness (not just collectively, but as individuals) to all former Legionaries, and to Regnum Christi members, I might believe that genuine change is possible for them. Many of us, who in good faith joined the Congregation giving of our blood, sweat, and tears, during many years because we believed in the Church, and the Legion, and later discerned our true vocations according to our individual consciences, were shunned, abandoned, calumniated, and left entirely to our own devices. This happened to most, even after many years of dedicated service. This shunning is the essence of dysfunctional behavior and symptomatic of so many flaws in the Legion’s foundational culture. A functional family would wish to be reconciled with all of their brothers and sisters. <br />
<br />
I am not entirely optimistic, but I am willing to await the results of the General Chapter. Meanwhile, I hope that the interview with Fr. Felix gets the exposure that it deserves among Legionaries, former Legionaries, Regnum Christi members, and sympathizers of the organization. His message, I think, provides a sense of “closure” on the sick past while providing a glimmer of hope for a healthier future.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/H-7q0s4d1_w" width="560"></iframe>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-45866644856717401312013-10-19T09:49:00.001-04:002013-10-19T09:49:28.728-04:00Legionary of Christ priest, Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, named Titular Bishop Legionary of Christ priest, Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, LC, was named Titular Bishop of Villamagna in Proconsulari while remaining Secretary of the Governorate of Vatican City State.<br />
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In August, 2013, the Pope appointed Fr. Vergez Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State.<br />
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In a letter to Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Pope Francis said that “in consideration of such tasks” required of Fr. Vergez in his position with the Holy See, he has decided to elevate the priest to the episcopal order.<br />
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I mentioned Fr. Fernando in my memoir "<a href="http://www.drivingstraight.com/" target="_blank">Driving Straight on Crooked Lines</a>" in the context of the founder's strategy to establish the Legionaries in positions of power:<br />
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In 1975, Pope Paul VI called Pironio to Rome to head the Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes – the Roman Curia responsible for everything concerning Religious Congregations. A talented Spanish Legionary, <b>Fernando Vergez</b>, was assigned to him as his personal assistant. This was part of Fr. Maciel’s plan to install his Legionaries in strategic offices within the Vatican. Concurrently, Roberto Gonzales, another Mexican Legionary, served as secretary to Cardinal Biaggio – who took care of all business related to Bishops. And for about a year, I too had served as a secretary – to Cardinal Raimondi, who was in charge of the canonization of saints. Having his people work with strategic Vatican leaders was one of the many ways Fr. Maciel kept his finger on the pulse of the Church. It was part of his tactics to ensure Vatican acceptance of his new Congregation.</blockquote>
Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-51656462168657711062013-10-08T13:19:00.002-04:002013-10-08T13:19:30.098-04:00Legionaries announce much anticipated General ChapterMembers of the Legionaries of Christ will begin their extraordinary general chapter on January 8 to elect new leaders and approve a new constitution. This even will be an important step to renew the embattled order. Benedict XVI had ordered the reform and reorganization of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi, its lay branch, after revelations that their founder, the late Fr Marcial Maciel Degollado, had fathered children and sexually abused seminarians.<br />
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Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, appointed by retired pope Benedict XVI in 2010 to govern the order, announced the date of the opening of general chapter in a letter to the 953 priests and the hundreds seminarians of the Legion of Christ on October 4.<br />
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The chapter, he wrote, “comes at the end of a long journey of spiritual renewal and will have as its principal purpose the conclusion of revising the constitutions”, which set out the nature and purpose of a religious order, the way new members are brought in and formed, and govern all aspects of the members’ life together. The constitutions adopted by the delegates – expected to be about 60 priests – must be approved by Pope Francis before they take effect.<br />
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Fr Benjamin Clariond L.C., said that as of December 31, Regnum Christi has 85 consecrated men and 655 consecrated women.<br />
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A separate letter to the consecrated members of Regnum Christi movement, communicates that a general assembly for the consecrated men would be held on November 25 to December 1 and for the consecrated women on December 2-15.<br />
<br />Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-63008897818000411502013-09-09T16:42:00.002-04:002013-09-09T16:52:45.349-04:00Therapy and Coaching for former members of Regnum Christ and the Legionaries of Christ<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;">It's been a long time since my last post! The inactivity is due in large part to a very heavy workload involving a lot of international travel. On the other hand, there has not been much news of note about the Legion of Christ. They seem to be working through the reform process and getting ready for the very important General Chapter, scheduled for 2014.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have always been concerned by the difficulties faced by Legionaries who decide to leave the Congregation. In general, former priests, and religious - including consecrated men and women - have a tough time returning to "lay life." </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Legionaries and Regnum Christi people face the additional hurdle of feeling "shunned" by their former colleagues and companions. Many of them have told me they found my memoirs "<a href="http://www.drivingstraight.com/" target="_blank">Driving Straight on Crooked Lines</a>" particularly helpful during their change of life. </span></span><br />
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEX2NHVe3ZJp_ydfkfqyzDJbSVc0lMG2-X-W_FWaUh2ezq4bPtB8Hb9GZfUTG3zR_exe1XJWwovUMQBtKt_rQvjeKuLis7_soDpf1XqqIERCb7-wqeHCLOBGYg79gnq9I_PiHtR6VTH8T/s1600/Condominios+Durazno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEX2NHVe3ZJp_ydfkfqyzDJbSVc0lMG2-X-W_FWaUh2ezq4bPtB8Hb9GZfUTG3zR_exe1XJWwovUMQBtKt_rQvjeKuLis7_soDpf1XqqIERCb7-wqeHCLOBGYg79gnq9I_PiHtR6VTH8T/s200/Condominios+Durazno.jpg" width="150" /></span></a><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For residents of Mexico, transitioning out of the Legion, Regnum Christi, or </span>religious<span style="font-family: inherit;"> life in general I am happy to mention that we (<a href="http://www.jackkeogh.com/services.htm" target="_blank">Keogh & Associates Consulting, LLC</a>) have an office in Mexico City specializing in <a href="http://www.terapiatomatis.com/" target="_blank">cognitive-behavioral therapy, coaching, and the Tomatis Method</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #54585a; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #54585a;"><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/MY00194" target="_blank">Cognitive behavioral therapy</a> is a common type of mental health counseling (psychotherapy). With cognitive behavioral therapy, the client works with a psychotherapist in a structured way, attending a limited number of sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking, so you can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way. It is a very helpful tool in treating anxiety or depression. Not everyone who benefits from cognitive behavioral therapy has a mental health condition. It can be an effective tool to help anyone learn how to better manage stressful life situations. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #54585a;">If appropriate, we also complement the therapeutic approach with the <a href="http://www.tomatis.com/" target="_blank">Tomatis Method.</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Dr. Tomatis, a French Ear, Nose and Throat physician, pioneered a multi-disciplinary science called Audio-Psycho-Phonology (APP) over 50 years ago. His work resulted from his curiosity about the vital influence of the human ear on a healthy mind, body and spirit. Tomatis noted that the ear is the first organ to grow</span><span style="color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="border: 0px; color: #514b4b; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">in utero</span><span style="color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">and as a result, a fetus begins to hear sound and learn language from its mother’s voice.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tomatis concluded that overall human health sources from the health of one’s ear. He developed, researched and proved his theory: the voice only produces what the ear hears. His theory was independently confirmed at the Sorbonne in 1957 and became known as the Tomatis Effect.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #514b4b;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Listening is the one foundational skill that impacts all of our other skills. It can be developed and improved at any stage of life. Thousands of people annually around the world have used the Tomatis Method for many needs. Here are some needs and a sampling of those with whom we have worked.</span></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Improve memory, word recall, name recognition</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Calm constant mental chatter</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Bring richness to their language</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Jump start imagination and nourish new ideas</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Strengthen self-motivation and self-esteem</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Establish a positive view of life, easing worries</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Renew relationships, finding fresh joy in living</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Improve communications and work relationships</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Strengthen team and leadership interactions</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Bring clarity and focus to problem solving</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Elevate energy levels, thereby improving productivity</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Stimulate learning and comprehension</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Develop keener awareness of self and others</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #514b4b; line-height: 21px;">Foster collaboration and teamwork</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;">The office is conveniently located in a residential area of Mexico City. Please visit the website for more information on <a href="http://www.terapiatomatis.com/" target="_blank">Coaching Therapy Tomatis Method</a>.</span><br />
<br />Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-739431167350473002013-03-03T18:25:00.001-05:002013-03-03T18:25:30.432-05:00<br />
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<i>Father Jonathan Morris is Program Director of "The Catholic Channel" on SiriusXM radio, Channel 129 and a Fox News contributor. He is the author of "God Wants You Happy: From Self-Help to God's Help" and "The Promise: God's Purpose and Plan for When Life Hurts. Like me, he is a former member of the Legionaries of Christ. </i></div>
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So many people have shared their concerns with me over the recent decision by Pope Benedict to resign. Most are also looking for an opinion. What do I think? Because of a heavy workload I haven't had a chance to put my thoughts on paper. When I came across the following <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/03/01/how-pope-benedict-courage-changed-my-life/" target="_blank">comments from Fr. Jonathan</a> I felt what he says reflects my own point of view very well. That's why I am sharing his thoughts here. I hope you enjoy!</div>
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The ordinary management of the Church is now in the hands of
the college of Cardinals. On Monday, March 4 they will gather officially for
the first time. Their first priority will be to set a date for the beginning of
the papal conclave where 115 electors will choose the next pope.<br />Then the Cardinals will begin to discuss the business facing
the Church. That is expected to take several days. Once the conclave begins
they will vote 4 times a day until they reach a two-thirds plus one majority
decision. In my estimation the conclave is likely to begin on or near March 10.<br />Benedict was unafraid to say that he is old and weak.<br />If the conclaves of the last 100 years are indicative of
what will happen now, this conclave will last between 2 and 5 days. The
installation of the new pope will then take place on or around March 17.<br />For now, however, I wish to reflect on the reasons and
significance informing Benedict's choice to leave the office -- something that
no pope has done in the last 600 years.<br />On February 11, Pope Benedict surprised the world by
announcing he will abdicate his office at the end of the month. He explained,
very simply, that he believed, at this time, the church would be better served
by someone of greater strength of mind and body. He was unafraid to say that he
is old and weak.<br /> While there has since been wild, and often irresponsible
speculation, about an ulterior motive for his decision, we need only look back
at an interview he did with his official biographer Peter Seewald a few years
ago, in which he said he believed a pope could, and in some cases even should,
resign if he is no longer able to carry out his duties. Pope Emeritus Benedict
took his own advice seriously.<br />To understand how Benedict came to his decision, we should
recall that during the long sickness and eventual passing of John Paul II
then-Cardinal Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict, headed the Vatican
department that oversaw cases of clerical sexual abuse.<br /> Cardinal Ratzinger would have witnessed -- first hand -- the
consequences of a long-suffering pope without the full use of his faculties. He
would have witnessed the dysfunctional handling of sensitive and urgent issues
with far-reaching effects on the life of the church and on its members.<br /> In many cases these issues were left in the hands of his
personal secretaries and other Vatican officials without the power or the
courage to act.<br />One of the sensitive and urgent matters he saw tragically mishandled
was the case of Fr. Marcial Maciel, the founder of the once powerful and
fast-growing religious order, the Legion of Christ.<br />When Ratzinger became pope he immediately removed Maciel
from public ministry and sentenced him to a private life of prayer and penance
for misbehavior that included the abuse of minors, drug abuse, misappropriation
of funds, and the fathering of multiple children.<br /> This case is especially present to me, since at the time I
was a member of this religious order.<br />Four years ago, after Pope Benedict acted, and then when I
eventually found out the truth about Fr. Maciel, I left the order and applied
to join the Archdiocese of New York, where, thank God, I am very happy.<br />For many years, I had heard accusations against Fr. Maciel,
but in great part because Vatican officials continued to praise Fr. Maciel,
publicly, I assumed these accusations were patently false.<br /> I now know that during the prolonged sickness of John Paul
II the Vatican already had sufficient evidence against Fr. Maciel. But John
Paul II's handlers, and other Vatican officials, who were running the shop as
John Paul II grew increasingly weak, succeeded in keeping the case quiet.<br /> In practice, this meant many young men and women, who
thought they were devoting their lives to a religious order led by a saint,
were in fact continuing to live in ignorance of the reality that their leader
was in fact a sociopath.<br />Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has made a humble decision to
step away from an office of great authority and responsibility. He has done so,
fully aware, that the Church will be best served by a man capable of making
tough choices. Most of these important decisions, thank God, have nothing to
with sexual abuse.<br /> Important and urgent however, they are.<br /> Thank you, Benedict.</blockquote>
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I join Fr. Morris in thanking Benedict for his courage.</div>
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Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-52027549967743728732013-02-21T11:40:00.002-05:002013-02-21T11:40:48.259-05:00Important chronological details revealed in the Marcial Maciel scandal<br />
<span style="font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/legion-christs-deception-unearthed-new-documents-indicate-wider-cover" target="_blank">An analysis by Jason Berry in the National Catholic Reporter</a> of newly released documents in a Rhode Island lawsuit makes sense of some previously unknown facts buried in the scandals involving the founder of the Legionaries of Christ Fr. Marcial Maciel.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">The thousands of pages of testimony, financial and religious records unsealed by a judge’s order, open a rare view into the Legion culture shaped by its founder. In essence, it seems that at least by 2004, Legionary superiors and Vatican officials became aware of the double life of the founder.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Pope Benedict, dismissed Maciel from ministry in May 2006, but the Vatican communiqué did not specify why nor did it acknowledge the victims. Those explanations only came in 2010, after a Vatican investigation of the Legion prompted by news reports of the order's disclosure that Maciel had a daughter, a fact that was known since 2005.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Jason Berry’s account seems to be factual, balanced, and believable. Reading it enhanced my sense of “closure” with regard to the Maciel saga. If you have followed the history of the Legion up to now, you should <a href="http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/legion-christs-deception-unearthed-new-documents-indicate-wider-cover" target="_blank">read the article</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Whether there is hope for the Legionaries as a phenomenon apart from Maciel, a position Pope Benedict has adopted in the Vatican takeover to reform the order, becomes the burning question. And a major challenge for the next Pope is to find a way to restore the credibility of the Church hierarchy in the face of the ingrained clericalism that has so affected the management of the abuse scandals in the Church.</span></span><br />
Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-76442684825383216052013-02-18T17:46:00.001-05:002013-02-18T17:47:31.988-05:00New Movie about Fr. Marcial Maciel<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to several Mexican news outlets the Mexican <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Luis Urquiza will make his directorial debut with a movie called "Obediencia Perfecta" ("Perfect Obedience.") </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Scheduled for release during Holy Week, 2013, the movie allegedly will describe the life of Fr. Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legionaries of Christ in a fictionalized format. The actors Juan Manuel Bernal and Juan Carlos Colombo will play Maciel at different stages in his life.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not a lot of information has been released about the movie which has been filmed in secret. The fortuitous timing of the release date with the resignation of Pope Benedict will no doubt enhance its success at the box office while serving to cast more doubts about what and when the Vatican knew about Maciel.</span></span>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-79965922187773209542012-07-10T18:03:00.000-04:002012-07-10T18:03:00.233-04:00Historic Reconciliation in Belfast, Northern Ireland<span align="left" style="text-align: left;"></span><br />
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<span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.cooperationireland.org/" target="_blank">Co-operation Ireland</a> is the leading peace-building charity on the island of Ireland. Established as "</span><span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cooperation </span><span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">North" in 1979, it has created opportunities for groups from the two main religious communities in Northern Ireland and from both sides of the border to come together. They have learned about each other's traditions and cultural backgrounds in order to help build a society based on tolerance and acceptance of cultural difference.</span></div>
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<span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">As I tell in my memoir, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.drivingstraight.com/" target="_blank">Driving Straight on Crooked Lines: How an Irishman found his heart and nearly lost his mind</a></span><span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> from 1982 - 1984, I served as founding Executive Director for </span><span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cooperation North in the US. One of my first decisions was to rename the organization "Cooperation Ireland."</span></span></div>
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<span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">On June 27, at en event hosted by<strong>Cooperation Ireland</strong> at a Belfast theater, in a profound gesture of peace in Northern Ireland, Queen Elizabeth shook hands with a former IRA commander who is now deputy first minister of Northern Ireland. In 1979, Martin McGuinness was IRA chief of staff when the group blew up the yacht of Lord Mountbatten, the queen's cousin, killing him and two children. The President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins also attended. Peter Sheridan, current Chief Executive Co-operation Ireland said,</span></div>
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<span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Today is, in the words of [Irish poet] Seamus Heaney, a day in in which hope and history rhyme. It is a significant milestone on the road to reconciliation on this island and between our two islands."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spanning locations across the globe, "Driving Straight on Crooked Lines," also tells the story of the inner workings of the Legion of Christ which I was involved with (before Cooperation Ireland.) Some have described it as a dysfunctional, cult-like organization, which suffered from the influence of its dysfunctional CEO.</span><br />
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<span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It is often moving, frequently funny, very entertaining, and always memorable."</span></span></blockquote>
<span color="#b16b18" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3" style="color: #b16b18; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-9257537107837951282012-06-07T15:19:00.001-04:002012-06-07T15:19:19.335-04:00Of Marx and Maciel and Hyperbole<br />
A post at <a href="http://angelqueen.org/">Angelqueen.org</a> (a pro-<a href="http://www.fsspx.org/en/presentation/about-us/" target="_blank">Society of St. Pius X</a> blog) and quoted over at <a href="http://www.life-after-rc.com/2012/06/the-marxist-angle.html" target="_blank">Life-After-RC</a>, suggests:<br />
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'if we take up a long-forgotten but once-influential case-study, we shall soon discern that the parallels between the L.C. and old-fashioned Marxist-Leninist gangsterism are too numerous to be overlooked."</blockquote>
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I agree that there are parallels between communist organizing tactics and some of the strategies "(old-fashioned Marxist-Leninist gangsterism" in the colorful works of the author) by Fr. Maciel, founder of the Legionaries of Christ. To some extent these parallels give credence to the author's observation with regard to the oft-commented "activism" noted among the Legionaries<br />
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"no chance must be lost to keep the rank-and-file as purposelessly busy as possible. In this, as in so much else, those who run the Legionaries of Christ have proven remarkably devoted students of Marxist-Leninist praxis."</blockquote>
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As I write this morning, my business partners in Mexico tell me that traffic in the business section of Mexico City has ground to a standstill because of a major demonstration staged by the teacher’s union in protest of (much needed) Government proposed educational reforms. In the United States we don’t get quite the same exposure to powerful left-wing movements. And we get very skittish with anything, however mildly, associated with "communism."<br />
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Granted that there is a connection between LC "methodology" which was mostly made manifest in the first editions of the <a href="http://www.regnumchristi.org/english/" target="_blank">Regnum Christi</a> organizational manuals, I'd like to suggest we can run the risk of exaggerating the "communist angle" in our critiques of the Congregation. Hence, I'd like to share some recollections from my personal experience of Fr. Maciel (founder of the <a href="http://www.legionariesofchrist.org/eng/index.phtml?height=900&width=1440&sw=1&sw2=" target="_blank">Legionaries of Christ</a>) from 1962 - 1982, hoping to contribute more light than heat. I've also posted the gist of these remarks over at the Life After RC blog.<br />
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I recall Fr. Marcial commenting, quite often, on the declining influence of the Church in Latin America (1950-60s) which he contrasted with the impressive gains being made by communism. He talked (and read newspaper articles to us) of the dedication he saw in communist university students (I vividly remember an example from elections in Brasil) who demonstrated real commitment to their cause in the face of apathy on the Catholic side. I think, an impartial, non-religious, observer wanting to change the world in the first half of the twentieth century, in terms of effective methodology, would turn to the Communists, not to the Christians.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dedication-And-Leadership-Douglas-Hyde/dp/0268000735" target="_blank">Douglas Hyde’s book "Dedication and Leadership"</a> is, I think, an excellent primer on the relationship between dedication and leadership. Hyde, who on March 14, 1948, handed in his resignation as the news editor of the <i>London Daily Worker</i>, ended his twenty year membership of the communist party. The following week, in a written statement, Hyde announced that he had renounced Communism and, with his wife and children, was joining the Catholic Church. Subsequently, he sought to find something in Communist methods that could be adapted to serve nobler causes. I’m sure those ideas influenced Maciel whether he personally read Hyde’s book or not. (If it wasn’t translated into Spanish, he obviously did not.) Maciel would agree that if you make little demands, you get little response. Hyde pointed out that the personal example of dedicated commitment to a cause is a more powerful recruiting tool than ideology. That dovetails with Maciel’s early thinking as I heard him articulate it.<br />
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Hyde repudiated Marxist ideology while suggesting there are positive lessons to be learned from the methodology. For instance: recruit people who are already idealistic. Then, if you want to get people involved, demand a lot from them. Promote a big cause (save the Church in Latin America, for instance.) By aiming high even the most humble of tasks (cleaning the toilets) suddenly takes on a deeper and higher meaning. Remember that the best personal relationships with exemplary individuals are more important than ideology in gaining new recruits. And, above, all, “activism” is essential: get your people engaged, doing things, giving public witness, from the get-go.<br />
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I often heard Maciel discuss the effectiveness of an organization based on "cell groups." In a sense, that’s how Jesus and St. Paul operated as they started a somewhat “underground” movement. The notion of organizing through cells, as I recall, was fundamental to Maciel’s early concept for the Regnum Christi movement. Where the Communists differed was they were able to create dedicated leaders who could operate independently of their larger group structure. Maciel always insisted on absolute fidelity to the Pope.<br />
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So, there is much to criticize in Maciel’s life and, once again, there are serious and troubling errors in the Legion. However I think that focusing superficially on some organizational aspects, shared no doubt with the best of communist recruitment and leadership practice in early twentieth century Latin America, can quickly become a populist red herring. “Leadership and Dedication” by Hyde is an excellent book – and relevant to anyone interested in the concept of contemporary leadership. It also illustrates where Fr. Maciel derived some of his organizational thinking. The Legion's traditional focus on relentless recruitment, hyper-activism. and using people as a means to obtain an end, however noble, are the results of this approach and are the ones most in need of reform.<br />Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-72965013081890426632012-06-06T11:59:00.000-04:002012-06-06T11:59:10.490-04:00Scapegoating the Catholic Church<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fr. Gordon MacRae who writes <a href="http://www.thesestonewalls.com/" target="_blank">These Stone Walls</a> from his prison cell, has just reviewed a book - in which he is often mentioned. The book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Springs-Eternal-Priestly-Breast/dp/1462072410/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337149687&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Rest of the Story: Hope Springs Eternal in the Priestly Breast</a>" by Fr. James Valladares, is a research study on procedural process for priests. It casts casts light on the case of Fr. Gordon MacRae and the state of due process for Catholic priests falsely accused. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;">Most priests know nothing of procedural justice. Any priest can be falsely accused at any time by anyone for any reason or none.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fr. MacRae concludes:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"The wounds of the priesthood must be healed, but they cannot be healed as long as only one side of the story is told. It is a fact that vulnerable people were once harmed at the hands of a small number of Catholic priests several decades ago. It is a fact that child sexual abuse in our society was and still is a reality of epidemic proportions. It is also a fact that scapegoating the Catholic Church does little to cast light on this topic and does nothing – absolutely nothing – to protect children in our broken culture."</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He also comments,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Over just the last year, some prophetic and courageous voices have emerged in the Catholic public square to stem the tide of unjust vilification of the priesthood. Let’s hope these voices reverberate throughout this time of crisis and conflicting agendas to inspire others. Father George David Byers has joined in with some courageous recent posts such as “The Judas Crisis . . . Follow the Thirty Pieces of Silver.” Ryan MacDonald has once again added to this trend with “Bishop Takes Pawn: Plundering the Rights of a Prisoner Priest.” So has David F. Pierre, host of The Media Report, with his “Bombshell Report” about false accusations and his “Exclusive Report” about new evidence in my own case.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These writers of just and merciful Catholic conscience have made me proud to be a priest, and have given meaning to the suffering inherent in 18 years of wrongful imprisonment. Our reluctant Catholic press would do well to put aside its “Father Maciel Syndrome,” and follow their lead to cover this story."</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can find links to the articles Fr. MacRae cites on "<a href="http://www.thesestonewalls.com/gordon-macrae/james-valladares-the-rest-of-the-story-hope-springs-eternal-in-the-priestly-breast/" target="_blank">These Stone Walls.</a>" </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-23233413911724721132012-05-25T12:39:00.000-04:002012-05-25T12:39:33.593-04:00"Vatileaks" include the Legionaries of Christ. Vatican threatens legal action<br />
Thursday of this week, the Vatican announced the sudden removal of the president of the Institute for Religious Works (IOR), otherwise referred to as "The Vatican Bank."<br />
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Apparently the Board voted unanimously of “no confidence” in Ettore Gotti Tedeschi. Anticipating the decision, he resigned. Gotti Tedeschi, whose primary job is head of Spain's Banco Santander's Italian unit in Milan, is also being investigated for leaking IOR confidential documents to investors. The Holy See is heading into a July meeting of Moneyval, a Council of Europe committee that will determine whether it has complied with international norms to fight money laundering and terror financing. Moneyval investigators have been looking at the transparency of IOR’s finances. Gotti Tedeschi is faulted for not keeping the board of superintendents apprised of the work of the bank, among other failings.<br />
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Although he was appointed to the position just over two years ago, rumor had it that Mr. Gotti was a pawn in the strategic moves of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State. Pope Benedict wanted Gotti to clean up the bank which has been the sources of controversy in terms of the transparency of its financial dealings.<br />
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Meanwhile, the Vatican Gendarmerie, headed by General Domenico Giani, claims to have identified the person who allegedly is the source of the leak of about one hundred of Pope Benedict’s personal documents to the Italian journalist, Gianluigi Nuzzi, who used them to publish a book called “His Holiness,” released in Italy last Saturday.<br />
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The controversial book seeks to give credence to rumors swirling in and around the Vatican. Some see the book as a direct attack on the Pope. The book seems to suggest that Pope Benedict was wrong in his choice of Cardinal Bertone as Secretary of State and that he was wrong not to force his resignation.<br />
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Many are troubled that someone would have leaked documents which were supposedly reserved to the Holy Father and related to particularly sensitive matters. Most of the documents relate to Italian affairs although <b>documents related to the alleged cover-up of Father Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, are mentioned</b>. Vatican finances, the Pope’s personal account number at the Vatican Bank, some of Cardinal Bertone’s dealings, the group known as “Communion and Liberation,” the Jesuits, scandals at the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, Italian politics, and the traditionalist Society of Pope Pius X, founded by French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, also feature.<br />
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The pope's butler Paolo Gabriele, was arrested in Vatican City on Friday, suspected of leaking the documents. It is said he had been under surveillance for weeks and was caught red-handed with documents he should not have had. Papal spokesman Federico Lombardi confirmed to Italian news service Ansa that Gabriele had been found "in illegal possession of confidential documents."<br />
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Gabriele is in the custody of the Vatican's secretive judicial system, which is separate from the Italian judicial system. His arrest took place just hours after Gotti Tedeschi was ousted for allegedly "failing to fulfill the primary functions of his office."<br />
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One of the abiding memories I have of my time in Rome and my (albeit limited) contacts with two Vatican Cardinals is the amount of gossip generated in such a relatively small operation as is the Vatican state. It strikes me as interesting that the two people involved in this week’s news are laymen. I find it strange that the Pope’s “butler,” apparently well liked and trusted in the Vatican household, would have been in a position to choose and leak specific selected documents which, in their totality, seem to make a strong case against the judgment of the Pope and which would seem to serve to fuel whatever rivalry exists between former Secretary of State and current Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano and the current Secretary of State, Cardianl Bertone. The Vatican says that Nuzzi's book is criminal and has warned that it intends to take legal action.<br />
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<br /></div>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-53500639862781212412012-05-16T17:39:00.001-04:002012-05-16T17:39:57.516-04:00Oh, what a tangled web! The Legion's latest scandal.<br />
After ordination, a Legionary priest enjoys a sense of accomplishment. He has survived trials and tribulations including Postulancy, Novitiate, Juniorate, he has earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy and has studied sacred theology for at least four years. He probably spent up to three years in the field, practicing his future work, as a Legionary “intern.” He has prayed for at least three and a half hours out of every day. He examined his conscience twice a day and reflected in total silence on his having been called by God “from all eternity” during his annual week of spiritual exercises. He has gone to confession at least weekly, he has sought spiritual direction at least once a month, and he has devised countless plans and programs to “reform his life” under the guidance of his superiors.<br />
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Now he has a sense of “mission accomplished.” He is ready to take on the world with a new sense of acceptance, and mission. He is intimately convinced that he has one of the most important vocations known to man: he is a Legionary priest, faithful to the Pope, highly trained, multi-lingual. He can say Mass, administer the sacraments, and forgive sins. As an ordained priest he has a little more freedom than he did as a seminarian. He is a “big boy” now and he probably feels that his superiors trust him and respect him. Perhaps, soon he will become a superior himself. When he joins a new community he will get to know some of his peers better and enjoy a sense of camaraderie. His busy life, the belief that he is saving souls, the increased contact with others outside the Legion that it affords, help to keep him from feeling lonely. He knows that his love for Jesus is enough. He even persuades himself that he is “in love” He is happy and fulfilled. And all of this works, for a while.<br />
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Depending on his age and whether or not he was fast-tracked to ordination, the repressed instincts of his adolescent years start to re-assert themselves. He may eventually realize that the land he is now working in is not his own. He misses the connection with his family, and he has lost contact with friends he had before becoming a Legionary. He knows that the foreign language he speaks so well is “foreign” to him. Maybe he is no longer sure what culture he belongs to. Is he Irish, Spanish, Mexican, Italian or is he “a citizen of the world?” He resents the fact that people place him on a pedestal. They assume that he is holy, wise, perfect, and beyond temptation. He enjoys the innocent and light-hearted way that women flirt with him because they trust his chastity and celibacy. He intuits that because he is “not available” he is more attractive.<br />
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Now that he is less obsessed with his own formation and vocational discernment he begins to reflect on what he now knows to be true about the founder of his Congregation. He never saw anything to cause concern – but he knows he was not looking. He was trained never to criticize a Superior. He begins to become aware that he is not big on critical thinking skills. People share with him their concerns about clergy abuse, the impact the Fr. Maciel scandal has on their faith, their sincere criticisms of his Legionary formation. Depending on his maturity and self-confidence, he notices that some things don’t seem quite right. He talks about “trust” but he doesn’t really understand the concept because he has never learned to trust his brother Legionaries in the deepest sense of the term. Now that he is older and more experienced, he sees that several of his superiors have been manipulative of him and others. He wonders who knew what, when, and who should have been more forthright with him about the private life of Fr. Maciel. How many of his companions were abused, whether physically or emotionally, and never said anything. Why did so many of the founding Legionaries deny the accusations about the founder? He believed them and not the gossip from the outside world. He begins to feel betrayed and certainly less sure of the internal story he has been telling himself for so long.<br />
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Thank God he was trained to handle this situation! He knows this is the devil seeking to destroy his vocation. He may mention this in spiritual direction and he finds it relatively easy to live in denial. Above all he knows that if he remains very busy, he won’t have time to think negative thoughts. There are so many souls to be saved! Speaking of saving souls, he admires his peers who work on the missions, mostly in south east Mexico. He thinks of them as hard-working, dedicated, fervent priests totally involved in hands-on pastoral work. He secretly envies their more “laid-back” style although he thinks they should be more “integrated” with their Legionary vocation. Much as he admires them, he knows they are not cut out for the important work he does with the “elites.” He is saving their souls too and besides, he gives them the opportunity to help save the world with their example, their leadership, and their money. When the doubts come back, he prays, stays very busy, and falls back on that old denial workhorse.<br />
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Eventually, some Legionaries begin to yearn for the intimacy that their mandatory celibacy has denied them. As priests they are exposed to the joy they see in happy couples being married. They experience the happiness of other people’s family celebrations. They see how parents are nourished by the love of their children. They see couples who trust each other despite their failings. They became aware, again, of something missing in their lives. Returning to the loneliness of a small community doesn’t make it go away. They wonder if they will miss the friends they have made when inevitably they will be moved on to another assignment precisely because they are not really supposed to have “friends” in the normal sense of the term. Whether or not they like the new assignment is not supposed to matter. But it does, because not all individuals fit well in a certain community or social environment. Our hypothetical Legionary’s view of life which was stark black and white begins shifting to shades of gray. <br />
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Meanwhile, all the criticism of Father Maciel, and of the Legionary superiors, including Cardinal De Paolis the apostolic delegate in charge of reforming the Congregation has caused friends of the Legion to be more circumspect in what they talk about with their Legionary priests. It has become common to hear some of the most faithful Regnum Christi people complain of being used and “sucked dry” by the Legionaries who they consider to be excessively relentless in their pursuit of new recruits and funds. The pedophile scandals have caused lay people in general to be more cautious in the invitations that they extend to a priest. Breaking with a long tradition, Father is no longer automatically placed on a pedestal. He wonders what people think when they see him dressed, nearly always, in his clerical garb. He figures this is a great way to witness to this commitment to the Lord. But he can read the mistrust in people's glances, the way mother's instinctively grasp their child's hand a tad more firmly when he is near. Inside he is beginning to feel profoundly lonely, a loneliness he finds difficult to describe and even more difficult to talk about. He misses his ties with his extended family and would like to be closer to his brothers and sisters but, more often than not, they don’t live nearby. He knows they resent his being so “absent” from their lives although they feel honored to have a Legionary son. He wonders why they sometimes seem to be so “anti-Legion” and he senses they have a better understanding of the situation than he has. He hates how Fr. Maciel let him down and he wonders if the Legion can ever be the congregation he thought he had joined.<br />
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By now, our priest longs to be appreciated for who he is beyond his priestly and his Legionary role. People don’t seem to understand that he is a human being with feelings who needs to connect intimately with others by sharing his joys, sorrows, and tears. Sure, he loves his band of Legionary brothers but he has come to be aware that he longs for authenticity with another human being. It must be great to be able to express ones innermost thoughts, share a genuinely warm hug, and have a shoulder to cry on. But the unwritten rules of the priestly lifestyle, the vast amount of Legionary rules and norms designed to perfect him and protect him from temptation, and his over-arching role as a priest to protect the power of the Catholic Church have forced him to keep himself aloof from women.<br />
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I suspect most priests experience much of what I’ve outlined above. At some point, some of them meet a woman who sees their essence and humanness, whose very presence and understanding invites him to share his true feelings about life in general. At first she may be a shoulder to cry on or she has a cause he will fight for. He realizes how totally emotionally immature he is and how he is clueless when it comes to intimacy. He remembers coming across publications suggesting that in order to be celibate priests need to have genuine, healthy relationships with women. That’s something that has always been frowned upon and prevented by his Legionary lifestyle. He fears that he has become aware of truly important realities late in life. Typically, he will deny to himself that his feelings for this special woman could affect his priestly vocation. He is already well used to managing denial. Furthermore, this is not easy stuff to bring up in spiritual direction with a fellow Legionary because he knows his superior will be made aware of his “crisis” and he will probably moved to distant destination post haste. So he keeps quiet, stays busy and begins to question everything. He wonders if celibacy and priesthood are not separate vocations. What would happen if he were to act on his newfound feelings? Initially he may not be able to name it but if he thinks its love he will most likely deny this to himself.<br />
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Inevitably, for some, there occurs a sudden breakthrough into intimacy, regardless of how expressed. I'm not talking about "normal" temptations with regard to chastity. Those he can handle. The "intimacy" issue is much bigger, much more difficult. A Legionary knows that if he were to fall in love, his options are extremely limited, although he tends to think that no matter how far he might stray "emotionally" he will be able to manage. He will want to recommit to his priesthood and the strict Legionary lifestyle he lived in the houses of formation. That will probably be his first instinct. Besides, he feels too "old" and perhaps too useless to leave and find a new job. What would his parents and friends think? For the past twenty years or so he has been trained to believe that women are the root cause of most of his temptations and that to abandon his vocation sets him on the road to hell. Our Legionary priest is having quite a decent mid-life crisis!<br />
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The widely reported cases of clergy abuse are gnawing at his own sense of identity. The betrayal of his founder has grievously damaged his belief in the Legion. How much more can he take? Will the Legion ever be "reformed?" Can he and his companions ever get over the scandal? Does the Vatican Delegate know what steps to take? Have his superiors truly got his best interests at heart? Fidelity to a priestly vocation is never easy, even in the best of circumstances. Now people are telling him he belongs to a cult, founded by a pederast. He doesn't feel the support he used to feel from other Catholics and his beloved congregation is openly and harshly criticized. He is tired having to recruit, recruit, recruit, and he's less convinced that he is recruiting for the right cause. No wonder he might need a shoulder to cry on, a loving hug, and someone to "really" talk to. Someone who understands and appreciates him.<br />
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This is quite a dilemma for a fairly young Legionary priest. If he has been subtly coerced into following an uncertain “vocation” and knows in his heart that he has never truly been permitted to entertain doubts though a coercive regime of spiritual direction, and manipulative pressure from various superiors, spiritual directors and perhaps even the founder himself, he may discern that God is calling him elsewhere. This process of discernment will be the most difficult he will ever undertake in his life. If he has “fallen” and has engendered a child, the die is cast. All things being equal, his loyalty must now be to the child and to the mother. This decision may be easier to make but no less difficult. A priest in this situation will be rejected by the hierarchy and by most of his peers. In both cases, the priest will feel shunned by his fellow Legionaries. They may profess support and understanding, but in reality he will be expelled from the system and from the collective memory. The priest’s dilemma is compounded by his dependency on the Church and his congregation for everything from his food and lodging to the fraternity of his peers, and his very identity. If he comes from a fairly traditional Catholic family, this dependency is woven into his genes.<br />
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Most Legionaries who face the intimacy debacle may seek to recommit to their priesthood. Some few may manage to suppress their feelings and manage a clandestine relationship that is inherently unfair to themselves and their partner. The former need serious professional counseling in order to address the intimacy issues. The latter have my understanding but not my respect. They set themselves up to cause great scandal and damage to many souls. And they usually need a co-dependent relationship with their superiors.<br />
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I imagine that much of the above applies to the sad case of Fr. Thomas Williams. Beyond the personal tragedy (Fr. Williams is also being treated for cancer) and the inevitable suffering of the protagonists, I am troubled by the apparent lack of action by his religious superiors. It is clear that they have been well aware of his situation for some time. Why was he allowed to continue teaching and preaching for so long after conceiving a child? Did they not think that this situation would eventually come to light? How could they have been so out of touch with reality to miss the obvious connections that have to be made with the reprehensible conduct of the founder? Did they not realize how their mishandling of this case would further undermine their already limited credibility? Fr. Williams is not beyond reproach; he has accepted responsibility for his actions. What about his superiors? Do they not deserve even more blame?<br />
<br />
It's clear that current Legionary leadership for whatever reasons dictated by their consciences -and probably Church authorities, - sought to cover up Fr. Maciel's abuse, relationships and child(ren). Perhaps they sought to avoid scandal to Legionaries, seminarians, their families, benefactors, and thousands upon thousands of faithful Christians. It's also not clear that they fully understood the extent and gravity of the founder's conduct. Nor has there been enough unambiguous expression of compassion for the victims of Fr. Maciel's abuse. Since the revelations about Fr. Maciel were made public, at least seven Legionary priests, accused of serious abuse which has been reported to the Vatican, seem to have been able to continue unscathed and unidentified within the Legion. These men deserve due process, although the Legion itself has made it clear that their "delicta graviora" are serious and credible. As if all this were not enough, now we have learned that Fr. Thomas Williams, one of the most notable of the American Legionaries, a "public figure" (unlike the other seven) fathered a child and was allowed to continue in his ministry for a number of years apparently with the full knowledge and consent of the major superiors. No doubt there may be compelling pastoral reasons to explain this lack of decisive action, although I can't think of any. However, in management terms, I think the "three strikes and you're out" rule is applicable now. Unless there is some extraordinarily compelling rationale offered for this lamentable and apparently self-serving behavior major leadership changes need to happen now.<br />
<br />
Eight hundred Legionary priests and twenty six hundred Legionary seminarians - together with their families and benefactors - must have a tremendous sense of anxiety. When will the next Legionary scandal hit the headlines and who will it involve? How can these good men be expected to trust the decisions of their superiors and the Vatican itself? The fact that so many of them do continue to trust the Vatican and its management of the Legion of Christ, despite recent events, begins to suggest a worrying lack of critical thinking and a totally dysfunctional understanding of obedience. Yet, there is only so much a professed religious can do in the face of major institutional reluctance to change. The harsh reality is that most men caught in this twisted web don't have too many options. No doubt they will soldier on, doing their best "to save souls" while remaining faithful to their perceived vocation. It is past time for the Vatican and its delegate to show some leadership that is less "other worldly." When and if they remedy the leadership situation (the easy part) they need to examine the whole issue of "intimacy" in the formation of a celibate clergy. The Church needs more priestly vocations. It's not like seminaries around the world are bursting at the seams. Legionary priests and seminarians deserve a chance. Times have changed and it's time to get our sainted heads out of the sand.<br />Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-80866909576532724512012-05-15T18:48:00.000-04:002012-05-15T18:48:21.286-04:00Let the one without sin cast the first stone<br />
The Legion of Christ religious order was hit today by another scandal after one of its best known priests, the Rev. Thomas Williams, an American moral theologian, prominent author, lecturer, and television personality admitted he had fathered a child.<br />
<br />
Fr. Williams said in a statement he was "deeply sorry for this grave transgression" against his vows of celibacy and that he would be taking a year off to reflect on what he had done and his commitment to the priesthood.<br />
<br />
The Legion has been beset by scandal following revelations that its late founder, the Rev. Marciel Maciel, fathered three children and sexually abused his seminarians. Maciel died in 2008 and in 2009 the Legion admitted to his crimes.<br />
<br />
Williams, the author of "Knowing Right From Wrong: A Christian Guide to Conscience," taught theology, promoted his books and lectured.<br />
His personal website, which lists his numerous books, speaking engagements, articles and appearances as a CBS commentator, has been taken down. Fr. Williams, who is currently undergoing medical treatment for a form of cancer, said he’s likely to spend his year with his parents in Michigan.<br />
<br />
In an email sent to all Legion priests that accompanied Williams' announcement, Fr. Luis Garza, who heads the Legion in the U.S., said he was relaying the news with great sadness given the Legion's recent turmoil. He said, “I hope that you will join me in praying for all those who have been affected by his actions, and for Father Williams during his time of prayer, penance and renewal of his priestly ministry.’ Fr. Oscar Nader, the territorial director for Italy, (Williams resides in Rome), sent a similar message.<br />
<br />
I don’t have much to add except to say:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
I wish the Legionary superiors would have been as immediate and forthright in their communications about the scandal caused by their founder, Fr. Maciel. </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
A priest, especially one who is as well known as Fr. Williams, who has gravely sinned in his ministry is a difficult challenge. Trust has been broken. Spiritual lives may have been destroyed. The hierarchy, Legionary superiors, and his fellow priests now have to live with and help their "fallen" brother. In marriage both parties are married "for better or for worse." A priest is part of his community for better or for worse. So, just as spouses have to try to love each other even despite grave failings, so must the Church, through the Bishops, superiors, and the rank and file faithful love their "fallen" priests back from sin.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
Fr. Williams has contracted serious responsibilities with his child and the child’s mother. As a parent he must do what is right for the child. It will be no less a challenge to work for reconciliation with the Church family as well. No easy task.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
Hence, I note that I appreciate Fr. Garza asking others to join him in prayer for Fr. Williams and for those affected by his actions. We have heard much from the Catholic Church hierarchy regarding the need for healing and reconciliation for the victims of priests and for their accusers. We rarely hear of prayer requests for brother priests who have fallen yet we glibly profess in our Creed that “we believe in the forgiveness of sin.” </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
More than one priest has been heard to exclaim “God always forgives; man sometimes forgives; the Church never forgives.” That cannot make us proud.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
Some of those who comment on the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi have already unleashed predictable mudslinging and are engaging in judgmental analysis of Fr. Williams, a case that provides more grist for their mill. I’d like to suggest that we are dealing with a tragedy: a mother, a child, and a priest-father who no doubt have been going through a living hell for the past three years. In “<b>Driving Straight on Crooked Lines</b>” I wrote, “In the Gospel of John, in the New Testament, we read the story of a woman caught in adultery. This story, beloved for its revelation of God's mercy, is found only in John. It was almost certainly not part of his original Gospel. The law condemned the woman’s sin, and therefore people condemned her. However, Jesus didn’t condone her sinful act - instead, he called for the one without sin to cast the first stone. In this, Jesus invites us to reflect on ourselves, before we dare to judge others. It reminds me of Saint Augustine’s comment, pointing out we’re in danger from both hope and despair - we can have a misguided optimism that tells us, "God is merciful, do as you please," or a despair that says, "there’s no forgiveness for the sin you have committed." John’s story shows we should keep these two tendencies in balance. Jesus doesn’t explicitly forgive the woman, but by not condemning her, and telling her not to sin again, forgiveness is implicit.” </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
With regard to our criticism of individuals involved with the Legionaries of Christ, I say let’s sober up and stop dethroning God from the judgment seat. Let’s reflect on our own human frailty before we so arrogantly choose to dare to judge others.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
Frankly, I think it’s despicable to use Fr. Williams in order to engage in more puritanical muckraking and self-righteous criticism of a religious congregation that Benedict XVI explicitly wants to save. Do the Legionaries have serious problems? You bet! Was Fr. Maciel a criminal? No doubt! Has Fr. Williams messed up big time? Obviously! Is the Legion undergoing a process of deep reform? Apparently so. Does all of this give a bunch of whining “Holy Joes” free license to vent their anger, frustration, and personal problems in the name of “healing” and “recovery?” No way.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
As I recall, Jesus advised that “the one without sin cast the first stone.” It is indeed a challenge to advocate forgiveness and reconciliation in this Church of ours. It is said that “Priests carry a treasure in vessels of clay.” Sometimes those vessels get broken. They need healing too.</blockquote>
<div>
<br /></div>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-30050492592969913032012-05-11T15:09:00.001-04:002012-05-11T15:09:32.410-04:00Accusations of offenses committed by Legionaries reviewed by the Vatican<br />
In a <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_VATICAN_LEGION_OF_CHRIST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT" target="_blank">statement to the AP news agency</a>, the Legionaries of Christ said seven cases of Legionary priests accused of sexually abusing minors had been referred to the Vatican's department that deals with sex crimes. (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith).<br />
<br />
The founder of the Legion of Christ, Father Marcial Maciel, sexually abused many boys and young men over a period of 30 years. He was disciplined by the Vatican in 2006 over the abuse.<br />
<br />
The Legion issued the statement to the AP after the news organization approached it with the allegations; the Legion simultaneously sent the statement out to all priests in the order.<br />
<br />
In addition to referring the cases to the Vatican as required by church law, the Legion said it had referred cases to police where civil reporting laws require it. It's not known, if any law enforcement action was taken given the statute of limitations may have expired for such old cases and the alleged abusers may long since have left the jurisdictions.<br />
<br />
According to the <a href="http://www.legionariesofchrist.org/eng/articulos/articulo2.phtml?lc=id-36703_se-243_ca-703_te-475_rx-&csearch=703" target="_blank">Legionaries website</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Over the past few years, in several countries, the major superiors of the Legion of Christ have received some allegations of gravely immoral acts and more serious offenses committed by some Legionaries….<br />…Of the accusations received by major superiors in the years since cases referring to the abuse of minors by priests were assigned to the competency of the CDF, internal preliminary investigations concluded that seven had a semblance of truth; the Legion forwarded these cases to the CDF. Only one case of abuse of minors by a priest refers to recent events; the others are from decades ago….<br />…Two other formal allegations not classified as delicta graviora have also been presented to the CDF….<br />…Furthermore, there have been some accusations of delicta graviora allegedly committed by Legionaries who, after the requisite investigation (canonical or civil), have been declared innocent….<br />…During investigations carried out by civil authorities (where this is the case), or during canonical investigations, and while the case is under study by the CDF, the territorial director and the general director have applied precautionary measures, restricting the priestly ministry of the accused, since the protection of children and of communities is of the utmost importance for the Legion. This, however, is never a statement about the guilt or innocence of the accused.. …<br />…The Legion of Christ reaffirms its commitment to respond quickly to accusations of gravely immoral acts, of delicta graviora, and of violations of religious discipline, using the correct procedure in each case, in conformity to civil laws, rigorously observing canonical procedures, and applying the appropriate penalties and sanctions established in the Code of Canon Law….<br />…It also reaffirms its commitment to continue to foster safe environments for children and young people, especially through the observance of Codes of Conduct for Legionaries, consecrated persons, and lay people who come into contact with children and young people in our institutions. Furthermore, there has been and is contact with outside institutions to improve our procedures and policies for the prevention of abuse. We also comply with civil law and Church norms in each country for the protection of youth….”</blockquote>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">How does the percentage of alleged abuse in the Legion compare to the incidence of sexual abuse in the Church?</span></b><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.legionariesofchrist.org/eng/articulos/categoria.phtml?lc=se-238_ca-449_ci-450" target="_blank">Legionary web site</a> claims that the congregation numbers 800 priests. Currently, seven are being investigated. That is 0.875% of the congregation’s priest-members. How does this percentage compare to the incidence of sexual abuse in the Church? What percentage of Roman Catholic priests abuse older teens and occasionally young children?<br />
<br />
According to the <a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/clergy_sex8.htm" target="_blank">Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (OCRT)</a>, nobody really knows.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/clergy_sex8.htm" target="_blank">OCRT</a> provides the following information. Their website gives a reference for each citation:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"<b>Philip Jenkins</b>, is a professor of history and religious studies at Penn State University, and has written a book on the topic. He estimates that 2% of priests sexually abuse youths and children.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Richard Sipe</b> is a psychotherapist and former priest, who has studied celibacy and sexuality in the priesthood for four decades. He has authored three books on the topic. By extrapolating from his 25 years of interviews of 1,500 priests and others, he estimates that 6% of priests abuse. 4% of priests abuse teens, aged 13 to 17; 2% abuse pre-pubertal children.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Sylvia M. Demarest</b>, a lawyer from Texas has been tracking accusations against priests since the mid-1990s. By 1996, she had identified 1,100 priests who had been accused of molesting children. She predicts that when she updates the list, the total will exceed 1,500 names. This represents about 2.5% of the approximately 60,000 men who have been active priests in the U.S. since 1984. It is important to realize that these are accused priests; the allegations have not been evaluated in a trial. Also, there is no way to judge what proportion of actual abusive priests are included on her list. It may include 40% or fewer; she may have found 90% or more.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Conservative columnist<b> Ann Coulter</b> claimed, without citing references, that there are only 55 "exposed abusers" in a population of 45,000 priests. This is an abuse rate of 0.12%.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Various <b>news services</b> reported that 200 Roman Catholic priests in the Philippines have been investigated for "sexual misconduct and abuses" over the past two decades. That would represent almost 3% of the total population of about 7,000 priests. However, it appears that misconduct includes many offenses, from child abuse to rape to keeping adult mistresses."</blockquote>
<br />
A survey of child and youth sexual abuse within the church issued in 2004-FEB estimates that 4% of the 110,000 priests who served between 1950 and 2002 were abusive.<br />
<br />
The global prevalence of child sexual abuse has been estimated at 19.7% for females and 7.9% for males, according to a 2009 study published in Clinical Psychology Review that examined 65 studies from 22 countries.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Sexual abuse by priests pales in comparison with abuse encountered in US public schools</span></b><br />
<br />
A <a href="http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/misconductreview/report.pdf" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Education report </a> issued in 2004 examined a number of American studies into the prevalence of sexual misconduct by school staff. They found that between 3.5% and 50.3% of students are targets of educator sexual misconduct sometime during their school career. They found that teachers, coaches, substitute teachers were the most common offenders. If this report is accurate, then sexual abuse by priests in the Roman Catholic church, and by other clergy, appears to pale in comparison with the abuse being experienced by children and youths in the public schools.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Pedophilia and Ephebophilia</span></b><br />
<br />
According to the <a href="http://www.childmolestationprevention.org/pages/focus_on_the_cause.html" target="_blank">Child Molestation Research & Prevention Institute (CMRPI)</a> , a national, science-based, 501(c)3, nonprofit organization with offices in Atlanta, GA and Alameda, CA., to be diagnosed with pedophilia, a person must:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Be sexually aroused by, have intense, recurring sexual fantasies of, or be involved in sexual behavior with a prepubescent child or children (generally 13 years or younger);</li>
<li>Be aroused by, have sexual fantasies of, or be involved with a child for at least six months.;</li>
<li>Be at least 16 years old, and</li>
<li>Be at least five years older than the child or children he or she is attracted to.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<a href="http://www.msnbc.com/news/731454.asp" target="_blank">Donald Cozzens</a>, former vicar of priests at the Diocese of Cleveland, OH, wrote in the year 2000 about his experience in the Midwest:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"As a group, [child sexual] abusers tend to be married men who prey on girls, although many pedophiles abuse both girls and boys. Our respective diocesan experience revealed that roughly 90 percent of priest abusers targeted teenage boys [ephebophilia] as their victims. ... Relatively little attention has been paid to this phenomenon by church authorities. Perhaps it is feared that it will call attention to the disproportionate number of gay priests. While homosexually oriented people are no more likely to be drawn to misconduct with minors than straight people, our own experience was clear and, I believe, significant. Most priest offenders, we vicars agreed, acted out against teenage boys." More recently, in 2002, he quoted other estimates that "90 percent to 95 percent, and some estimates say as high as 98 percent of the victims of clergy acting out [are] teenage boys." </blockquote>
<br />
It seems that between 90-98 percent of cases that have come to light in the clergy sexual abuse crisis, are not technically pedophilia because they are cases of homosexual abuse of teenage boys aged 13-17.<br />
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Ephebophilia is the sexual preference of adults for mid-to-late adolescents, generally ages 15 to 19.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/clergy_sex8a.htm" target="_blank">OCRT</a> notes:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"that if the age of consent for homosexual activity were lowered to the age of 16, as it is in many jurisdictions, then many -- if not most -- of the criminal acts by abusive priests would disappear. Most charges by the police against abusive priests would never materialize. Cases of ephebophilia would still represent an ethical quagmire, however. They would be a gross violation of the priest's ordination vows and would be an extremely harmful experience to most of the teens."</blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The on-going reform of the Legionaries of Christ</span></b><br />
<br />
In my estimation, the fact that the Vatican is following up on the claims of sexual abuse by Legionary priests, other than the founder, Fr. Maciel, is a sign that the mandated reform is progressing albeit slowly. It would seem that the Legion is cooperating with the investigation. Several of the first young seminarians who were abused by Maciel claimed that they knew of other young seminarians who were abused. They named names. Many of these men continued in the Legion and became superiors. One of my enduring problems with the Legion is that these men, many of whom I knew well, never admitted to having been abused and, as far as I recall, adamantly denied the reports of Fr. Maciel's misconduct (not related to sexual abuse at the time) during the 1950s. If they were indeed abused, and subsequently, as superiors, covered up for Fr. Maciel, they are a major part of the Legion's problem.<br />
<br />
The media has always been quick to blame current Legionary major superiors for the alleged "cover up". I suspect that what the current leadership may have known probably pales in comparison to the former group. Either way, it would seem that the Legion has been slow to move on the seven alleged abusers - although we don't know this for a fact. The investigations may have been underway for longer than has been revealed. The Legionaries report that investigations cleared some other of the accused priests.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">"Harden not your hearts": when will we hear a heartfelt apology to the victims?</span></b><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.legionariesofchrist.org/eng/articulos/articulo2.phtml?lc=id-36703_se-243_ca-703_te-475_rx-&csearch=703" target="_blank">Legionary communique</a> reads:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
'As the Holy Father wrote to the priests and religious of Ireland, “All of us are suffering as a result of the sins of our confreres who betrayed a sacred trust or failed to deal justly and responsibly with allegations of abuse.” We invite everyone to pray for these brothers of ours and especially for the victims.' </blockquote>
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What irks most people about the Legionary response to the abuse perpetrated by the founder and the alleged abuse of the reported seven priests, is the absence of apparent, public compassion for the victims and a clear intent to try and make amends. Until the Legionaries make some significant moves in this respect their protestations of concern and prayerful remembrance of the victims sound hollow to the general public and to me.<br />
<br />
Why The Legionaries of Christ as an institution seem to consistently avoid expressions of sorrow, regret, and apology for the demonstrated grievous harm perpetrated by some members of the congregation is beyond me. This deafening silence rests credibility from the notion that the Legionaries, as a congregation, are on the road to genuine reform. Individual apologies and regret expressed by some Legionaries is not enough.<br />Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-31071572075007604082012-05-01T22:18:00.002-04:002012-05-01T22:22:49.695-04:00"For Greater Glory" ("Cristiada" in Spanish) is must-see movie!<br />
On a recent trip to Mexico I managed to see the new movie “<a href="http://www.cristiadapelicula.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cristiada</a>.” This movie is about the Cristeros War (1926-1929), a people’s revolt against the Mexican government of atheist President Plutarco Elias Calles and his efforts to secularize the country. Directed by Dean Wright (Lord of the Rings, Titanic, Narnia) the English original titled “<b>For Greater Glory</b>” (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVqFyGuQq-I" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">official trailer in English at this link</a>) is scheduled for release in the US on June 1, 2012.<br />
<br />
In my estimation this movie is a must see for anyone interested in Mexico, Catholicism and, especially, the historical context in which the Legionaries of Christ were founded. The battle cry of the Cristeros was "Viva Christ the King!" No wonder Fr. Maciel came to name his new congregation "Legionaries" whose mission was to further the "Kingdom of Christ."<br />
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I first heard about this Cristero rebellion in 1965 when I went to Cotija, Michocan as one of the two first Irish Legionaries of Christ to land in Mexico. The other Irishman was Fr. John Walsh, LC. We went there with Fr. Maciel, the founder of the Legion, and we stayed with his mother, Maurita, who treated us with the warm hospitality so typical of Mexico.<br />
<br />
Over the years, I heard Fr. Maciel personally tell stories related to the Cristero rebellion and how it impacted his experience of living the faith as a young man in a rural town. The story of the events that took place all over Mexico was ignored in Mexican history books. Despite the fact that some 90,000 people lost their lives in the rebellion, most Mexicans know very little about the causes, events, and outcomes of the rebellion.<br />
<br />
The now disgraced Fr. Marcial Maciel was the youngest founder of a religious congregation in the history of the Catholic Church. Born on March 10, 1920, in Cotija de la Paz - a town of about 5,500 inhabitants located in the state of Michoacán - his childhood took place through the social and religious upheavals that afflicted Mexico during the Cristero Revolution. Cotija was near to the epicenter of the fighting. When he was little, he and his mother went to daily Mass at the shrine of San Juan del Barrio, a chapel on the outskirts of town. As a child he saw Cristeros hanged from the trees. On his mother’s side, he had four uncles who were Bishops. Mama Maurita, as his mother was known, had a brother, José de Jesús Degollado Guízar, who was a General in the Cristero revolt in charge of operations in the western region of Mexico including the states of Michocan, Jalisco and Nayarit. Unlike other Generals he managed to avoid assassination by living in hiding after the war was over. He died in 1957.<br />
<br />
The movie does an excellent job of recounting the largely unknown story of the Cristero war. My Mexican friends who have seen it have been moved by the drama and find it hard to believe how the story has remained untold for so long. As in most movies the director takes liberties with the facts. However, by and large, the drama is true. It tells the story about a time when the Mexican Government tried to shut down the practice of the Catholic faith, how the Catholics took up arms to defend the freedom of religion, and how civil war ensued. There are disturbing scenes in which the the “Federales” attack Catholic churches during Mass and kill priests in the sanctuary.<br />
<br />
Personally, I was impressed at how closely the narrative follows the stories I, and so many other LCs, heard from Fr. Maciel. This is an important movie to be seen by anyone who would seek to understand the circumstances during which Maciel developed his ideas for a new religious congregation. It was a time during which priests were outlawed, Mexican seminaries were based outside of the country, Catholics distrusted the Government, and the position of the Vatican with regard to the rebellion was ambiguous. The United States played an important role motivated mostly by its interests in petroleum and regional stability. Ultimately, the Cristeros were let down by the Mexican Bishops. An early hallmark of Legionary behavior was to ignore Bishops who were not sympathetic to the new congregation couple with intense loyalty to the Holy Father. The Cristero story, I suggest, provides some historical context for Maciel's legacy.<br />
<br />
It is a fairly well known fact now that Fr. Maciel had no great ecclesiastical training. Yet again, the movie provides historical context as how this was entirely possible. The infamous "penal times" in Ireland no doubt produced similar effects. One of the main characters in the movie is a priest, a combination of two historical characters, who takes up arms, is totally ruthless and who (in real life) played fast and loose with his celibacy and tequila.<br />
<br />
The Mexican government did not abide by the terms of the truce negotiated in 1929 to end the war. In violation of its terms, Government forces shot some 500 Cristero leaders and 5,000 other Cristeros. Particularly offensive to Catholics after the supposed truce was President Calles's insistence on a complete state monopoly on education, suppressing all forms of Catholic education and introducing secular education in its place. Calles's military persecution of Catholics was eventually officially condemned by President Lázaro Cárdenas and the Mexican Congress as late as 1935. Between 1935 and 1936, Cardenas had Calles and many of his close associates arrested and he forced them into exile soon afterwards. Freedom of worship was no longer suppressed, although some states still refused to repeal Calles' policies although relations with the church improved under Cardenas.<br />
<br />
The Mexican Government’s disregard for the church, did not relent until 1940, when President Manuel Ávila Camacho, a practicing Catholic, took office. At that time, Fr. Maciel was just 20 years old. Church buildings in the country still belonged to the Mexican government and the nation's policies regarding the church still fell into federal jurisdiction. In exchange for the Church's efforts to maintain peace, most of the anticlerical provisions were not enforced, an exception being Article 130, Section 9, which deprived the Church of the right of political speech, the right to vote, and the right of free political association. The Church legally had no corporate existence, no real estate, no schools, no monasteries or convents, no foreign priests, no right to defend itself publicly or in the courts, and no hope that its legal and actual situations would improve. The clergy were forbidden to wear clerical garb, to vote, to celebrate public religious ceremonies, and to engage in politics. Again, these restrictions were not always enforced.<br />
<br />
The effects of the war on the Church were profound. Between 1926 and 1934 at least 40 priests were killed. There were 4,500 priests serving the people before the rebellion, but by 1934 there were only 334 priests licensed by the government to serve fifteen million Mexicans. The rest had been eliminated by emigration, expulsion and assassination. By 1935, 17 states had no priest at all.<br />
<br />
In 1992 after more than 130 years the Mexican Government and the Holy See reestablished formal diplomatic relations and restored civil rights to the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico.<br />
<br />
The movie sheds a lot of background light on he foundation of the Legion by providing an excellent account of the Cristero War. In 1935, Fr. Maciel attended a minor seminary in Mexico City directed by one of his uncles, the bishop of Veracruz. Because of the religious persecution in that state, the Bishop located his seminary in the capital city. The seminary was clandestine, hidden in the basement of a house in the Atzcapozalco district and the young seminarians resided there in difficult conditions. The house was old with adobe walls and they used some of the larger rooms as dormitories. The first seminarians were crammed in like anchovies in a tin.<br />
<br />
Undoubtedly, myth and folklore have crept in to distort the truth of those early years of the foundation. Those of us, who directly heard Fr. Maciel relay stories of his early years, retold them to new generations of Legionaries. As such, a motivational narrative of his life and times quickly developed. No doubt the ensuing narrative eventually played fast and loose with the facts.<br />
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The film is shot on location in the state of Durango is cinematically beautiful. There are some disturbing scenes depicting the brutality of the Mexican government as well as amazingly uplifting and moving scenes depicting the faith of those fighting for their faith and for liberty. Andy Garcia is a very credible, real life, atheistic General Gorostieta. The remainder of the excellent cast (including Eva Longoria, Peter O’Toole, Ruben Blades, Bruce Greenwood, Eduardo Verastegui and newcomer Mauricio Kuri) provide cameo-style supporting roles. As far as I know, the movie's producer, Pablo Jose Barroso, is a supporter of the Legionaries of Christ. Legionary priests served as chaplins on the set.<br />
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On May 21, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized a group of 25 saints and martyrs arising from the Mexican Cristero War. The vast majority are Roman Catholic priests who were executed for carrying out their ministry. Priests who took up arms, however, were excluded from the process. The group of saints share the feast day of May 21.<br />
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<br /></div>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-87968313060116159412012-03-28T12:17:00.002-04:002012-03-28T12:17:24.508-04:00An Interview with Cardinal De Paolis, Vatican Delegate to the Legionaries of Christ<br />
The Spanish magazine <a href="http://www.vidanueva.es/2012/03/23/velasio-de-paolis-delegado-pontificio-para-la-legion-de-cristo-vengo-a-sacar-a-la-legion-del-tunel/" target="_blank">Vida Nueva (n. 2794, 24.3.2012) published an interesting interview with Card. Velasio De Paolis</a> about his views on the situation with the Legionaries of Christ. The article is in Spanish. Google translate will give those who don't understand Spanish a fair understanding of the content.<br />
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The Cardinal, entrusted with the reform of the troubled order by the Vatican, discusses hot topics like the recent appointment of a new vicar general of the Legion (replacing Fr. Luis Garza), whether or not he would advise a young person join the congregation, the exodus of the "Totus Tuus" group of consecrated women, and the controversy at the ZENIT agency which is owned by the Legionaries.<br />
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Was Maciel, "demon or a poor sinner"? <br />
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According to the Cardinal, theoretically this has already been answered.<br />
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"In the history of the church there have been founders who have not followed the right path. Why have we not yet completely buried Marcial Maciel?<br />We cannot deny that he is the founder, this is a historical fact. He's not called "father" any more and we have asked that his writings not be read in public.<br />Maciel's role should be analyzed calmly. He is most certainly not a good example - but, is he a demon or a poor sinner? If he were a demon, we could not save anything in the Legion. If he was a poor sinner, something good can be done. If we demonize Maciel, we make it difficult to understand the Legion. If we consider him a sinner, maybe we can understand.<br />Can we say that Maciel never sought to do any good? That he never tried to do something useful for the Church? The Legionaries have values such as obedience to the Church and respect for the doctrine which were inculcated by him, that cannot be denied.<br />Maciel made terrible misakes, but they are the result of human weakness rather than malice.<br />We can never justify the sexual abuse, ... we cannot condemn it enough, but it alone does not make him a demon rather than a sinner. ... Pope Benedict XVI has said that Maciel was an enigmatic figure. We are faced with the mystery of the human person, his responsibility, it is a mystery that we eludes us. It is a bottomless pit of sin and grace."</blockquote>
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Most readers will know that Cardinal De Paolis has been much criticized for his slow approach to Legion reform. We don't often get a chance to hear his perspective, in his own words. For anyone interested in the Vatican approach to the Maciel controversy and to the Legionaries, this article is well worth a read.<br />Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-10560781588836600642012-03-20T14:22:00.000-04:002012-03-20T14:23:41.667-04:00Vatican praises steps taken by Irish churchA few nights ago, I saw Aisling Walsh's heart-rending movie "<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B000F8O1IO/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt/278-5057945-9982652?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1" target="_blank">Song for a Raggy Boy</a>" for the first time. The film is based on the true story of a single teacher's courage to stand up against an untouchable prefect's sadistic disciplinary regime and other abuse in a Catholic Reformatory and Industrial School in 1939 Ireland. It is a sad and intensely moving documentary of troubled times in the Church. It is all the more depressing because it is true.<br />
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Today, I was heartened to read some brighter news.<br />
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The Vatican, in a report released today, told Irish bishops they had made excellent progress in enacting norms to protect children following decades of pedophile priest scandals. This seems to be the first time the Holy See has ever endorsed a local Church's efforts to fight priestly sex abuse.<br />
A decade of work by Irish fact-finding commissions into the scandals produced four major reports documenting how bishops moved known pedophiles from one parish to another and to unwitting parishes abroad. Four high-ranking prelates chosen by the pope conducted the inquiry last year, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the archbishop of New York, who investigated Irish seminaries and religious institutions, and Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston, who examined the Dublin Diocese.<br />
The scandals have seriously eroded the faith in Ireland.<br />
In the report, the Vatican said its investigators saw for themselves "how much the shortcomings of the past" had caused an inadequate reaction "not least on the part of various bishops and religious superiors."<br />
The report includes further recommendations to improve the preparation of priests for a life of celibacy and to overcome a loss of trust by lay people in their priests. It also calls for better screening of priestly candidates and for audits of personnel files of religious orders.<br />
The Vatican praises the work of the Irish National Board for Safeguarding Children, the Irish church's own investigatory arm, in auditing bishops' adherence to the church's sex abuse norms. The report urges bishops and religious superiors to continue to provide the church-funded board with sufficient personnel and resources.<br />
At a news conference in Dublin on Tuesday, the top Catholic official in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, welcomed the findings and repeated the church’s plea for forgiveness from victims.Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-81815272750195721292012-02-29T18:14:00.001-05:002012-02-29T18:19:21.246-05:00Is a Papal apology appropriate when Benedict XVI visits Mexico next month?<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As</span> <a href="http://usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/schedule-for-2012-papal-visit-to-mexico-and-cuba.cfm" target="_blank">Pope Benedict's visit to Mexico</a> <span style="font-family: inherit;">(March 23 - 26) approaches, a</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"> 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.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Archbishop Jose Guadalupe Martin Rabago of Leon urged members of organized crime and drug trafficking to repent and work for peace in the country.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The article, which I've paraphrased, translated, and abbreviated below, appears on</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><a href="http://bernardobarranco.wordpress.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Mr. Barranco's blog</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and in </span><a href="http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2012/02/29/opinion/027a2pol" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">"La Jornada" a publication of Mexico's National University (UNAM).</a></div>
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"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.......<br />
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.....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.</blockquote>
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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."</blockquote>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006673250886122803.post-15040324514090950272012-02-15T10:59:00.001-05:002012-02-15T10:59:08.141-05:00Group exodus in Regnum Christi a portent of change outcomes?<br />
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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.</div>
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"Consecrated women" lead lives of celibacy and service to the Church and the Legion’s efforts.</div>
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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.</div>
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I am not surprised by Malen's decision - she has the precedent of her two brothers who already left the LC. </div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">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.</span></span></div>Jack Keoghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382043901379998330noreply@blogger.com0