Legion of Christ

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The Legion of Christ is a Catholic religious congregation established in 1941 in Mexico by Fr. Marcial Maciel. It enjoyed the favor of Pope John Paul II, possibly in part because of its stand in facing contemporary challenges. It is currently one of the Church's fastest-growing congregations, with a presence in 20 countries, and over 650 priests and 2,500 seminarians, besides the 65,000 members of the Regnum Christi, its lay movement. Critics cite recruitment from their schools of children identified as having vocations to the priesthood and aggressive fundraising required of its priests as two reasons for such rapid growth, particularly in Latin Countries. It also operates several schools in North America as well as in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

Contents 1 The founder 2 Ethos 3 Politics 4 Formation 5 Papal support 6 Controversial recruiting practices 7 Apostolates 8 Reading list 9 External links 10 References

[edit] The founder

Marcial Maciel was born on March 10, 1920 into a devout Catholic family living in a fiercely-anticlerical Mexico. On June 19, 1936, Maciel—a young seminarian at the time—felt called to establish a new religious order, and in 1941, with the support of the bishop of Cuernavaca, Bishop Francisco González Arias, he founded the Legion of Christ. Maciel was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop González Arias in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City on November 26, 1944, after which he continued to build up the Legion and its lay companion, Regnum Christi.

Maciel was asked by Pope John Paul II to accompany him on his visits to Mexico in 1979, 1990, and 1993, and was appointed, also by Pope John Paul II, to the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the formation of Candidates for the Priesthood in Actual Circumstances (1991). He has been a member of the Interdicasterial Commission for a Just Distribution of Clergy (1991), the IV General Conference of Latin American Bishops (CELAM) (1992), the Synod of Bishops on Consecrated Life and Their Mission in the Church and the World (1993), the Synod of Bishops´ Special Assembly for America (1997) and, since 1994, a permanent consultant to the Congregation for the Clergy. The golden anniversary of his priestly ordination was celebrated on 26 November 1994, with 57 Legionary priests ordained on the anniversary's eve. Presently, Fr. Marcial Maciel also serves as Chancellor of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, which is based in Rome.

In January of 2005 Maciel, at age 84, was succeeded by Alvaro Corcuera, LC as General Director of the Legion shortly after the reopening of a sex abuse allegation by the Vatican. He now lives in Cotija, Michoacán, Mexico.

Maciel was removed from his position by the Vatican in 1956 and reinstated in 1959 following allegations that he was addicted to a morphine drug known as dolantine.

Since the 1970s, Marcial Maciel has been accused of having repeatedly sexually abused other congregation members, including young children. Maciel's accusers include a priest, a guidance counselor, a professor, an engineer, a lawyer and a former priest who became a university professor. The men, seven Mexicans and two Spaniards, described themselves as former members of a favored group, known as the "apostolic schoolboys." The abuse allegedly occurred over three decades beginning in the 1940s in Spain and Italy, where boys and young men were taken for schooling. The abuse, they said, involved some 30 boys and young men and extended over at least three decades.

Of the nine men making the accusations, one subsequently retracted his story, claiming it had been a fabrication intended to damage the Legion. The other eight continue to maintain these allegations. Fr Maciel and the organization deny the accusations. According to the ReGain organization, as many as 24 men have come forward with accusations of sexual abuse against Fr. Maciel. Fr Maciel and the organization continue to deny the accusations. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), led by-then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, examined the allegations. Shortly after some media reported the reopening of the investigation in late 2004, Fr. Maciel stepped down as leader of the Legion. ^[1]

On May 19, 2006 the Vatican published a communique for press, instructing Maciel to retire to a life of "prayer and penitence". ^[2] The statement said Maciel had been "invited" to withdraw to "a reserved life of prayer and penitence and not carry out his ministry in public". The statement said that the investigation was dropped because of his "advanced age [and] frail health.^[1]

In Mexico, the Legionaries said in a statement that he had "accepted the instruction with faith, total calm, with a clear conscience knowing that it is a new cross which God, the Merciful Father, has allowed him to suffer". It said that Maciel declared his innocence "and, following the example of Jesus Christ, decided not to defend himself in any way." ^[3]

[edit] Ethos

Members of the Legion take vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty, as well as private vows not to criticize the actions or the person of the superiors and to inform the superior if anyone else does and they take a vow of humility not to pursue any particular position. The Legion's spirituality can be described as three loves: love for Christ, love for Mary, and love for the Church and Pope.

Love for Christ is, for Legionaries, a personal experience. Through the Gospel, the Cross, and the Eucharist, Legionaries come to know Christ intimately, and love him in a passionate way by embracing him as their model of holiness.

Love for Mary flows from imitating Christ; the Blessed Virgin is loved as both Mother of the Church and of the individual Legionary's vocation. Legonaries consecrate their spiritual and apostolic lives to her care, and seek to taken on her virtues of faith, hope, charity, obedience, humility, and cooperation with Christ's plan of redemption.

Finally, there is Legionaries' love for Church and Pope. The Church is loved because it is the Body of Christ, and the beginning of his Kingdom on earth. Legionaries see the Church both as she currently stands and as Christ wants her to be. Thus Legionaries honor her by faith, submit to her in obedience, win souls for her through evangelisation, and put her above all other earthly things in their lives. This love of the Church leads many in the Legion to speak of being "always in step with the Church, neither ahead nor behind." It also explains the Legionaries' special affection for the Pope, who is supported in his charism of primacy and magisterium. All bishops in communion with the Roman Pontiff, as the Apostles' successors and teachers of the Catholic Faith, are likewise honored.

[edit] Politics

Many have argued that the congregation incorporates right-wing and conservative politics. The Legion, however, states that its focus is not on political alliances nor activism, but on advancing the Church's social agenda as articulated by the Holy See. Its priests are particularly active on bioethical issues; the Legion's emphasis on bioethics is demonstrated by the fact that its Pontifical Atheneum in Rome, the Regina Apostolorum, is the first university in the world granting bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in bioethics.

The congregation has been compared to Opus Dei because of its views and their mutual fidelity to the Church's Magisterium.

The congregation is pro-life. The Legion of Christ, like the Catholic Church, is also against homosexual activity as it considers the act a sin, and collaborates with psychologists who treat same-sex attraction as a disorder (see reparative therapy).

The Legion as been close to conservatives, like José María Aznar (ex president of Spain) from the Popular Party, Marta Sahagún de Fox (wife of Vicente Fox, ex president of Mexico) from the National Action Party. It has been very close to the richest families in Latin America like the Cisneros family in Venezuela and the Slim Helú family and the Garza Medina family in Mexico. The Wall Street Journal wrote an interesting article on this issue in January, 2006. The Journal says the budget of the Legion is 650 million dollars per year.

[edit] Formation

As a whole, the Legion is dedicated to advancing the Church's mission in the world, and to this end submits candidates to a rigorous formation of four dimensions: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. This formation is very controversial, and critics charge that the Legion is producing "robots" who all speak and behave in the same way.

Critics charge that some guidelines restrain members from sharing their inner thoughts and feelings with people they encounter, including their own family members: "Always display happiness and serenity as a manifestation of inner richness. At the other extreme, avoid all sign of depression, insecurity or timidity. Do not display a worried, sad, melancholy or disgusted face, or show an exaggerated form of happiness." as well as: "When receiving family visits, always appear happy, cordial, attentive, grateful and satisfied with the vocation that God has granted you." ^[4] In letters from Marcial Maciel to his followers, he describes the loyalties a legionary should have: ^[5]

177. The first duty of a legionary is to love and esteem the Legion. As Nuestro Padre says, it is not a sin to love our Mother who is with all her being dedicated to the expansion of the Kingdom of Christ. On the other hand, when we do this, we are not laboring blindly for we have before our eyes the splendid fruits that the Legion has produced for forty years, the formation of its men and the radiance of its apostolates which confirm that it is work of God and of the Church.
178. To love the Legion is to believe in it and in all that which makes up its specific charism - spirituality, discipline, apostolic methodology. To love the Legion is to intimately know it, accept it in all its fullness, without reticence or diminution. To love the Legion is to actively pledge oneself to it, living its spirit and enriching it with the contribution of all of one’s personality. To love the Legion is to feel oneself fully realized within it and to make it an essential part of one’s own happiness.

Contact with the family is severely restricted as well. High school seminarians are permitted to visit home in few cases:

276. During periods of summer vacation for fifteen days. During this period the Rector and, if the number requires it, the Vice-Rector - each accompanied by another religious - should visit apostolics in their homes to attend to them spiritually and to cultivate the family.
277. During the Christmas holidays for three days. However, all apostolics should celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the vocational center and should do the same during the last day of the year.
278. For the name day or corresponding birthday of their parents for one day. This visit will, however, be subject to the approval of the Rector based on the individual environment of each family.
279. For their parents anniversary for one day.
280. For the wedding, religious profession or priestly ordination of one of their siblings for one day.
281. On the occasion of the death or serious illness of a parent, sibling or grandparent for three days.

[edit] Papal support

Since its founding, successive popes have expressed support for the Legion. When Maciel visited Rome in 1946, Pope Pius XII expressed a keen interest in the undertaking and gave it his personal blessing. In light of the order's achievements, particularly in education, Pope Paul VI was pleased to award it the "Decree of Praise" in 1965. The most enthusiastic support has, however, been that of Pope John Paul II, who in an address, picked out the qualities which have made the Legion so successful:^[6]

“

[One] trait which distinguishes your charism is apostolic fervour. show this in all the many works you have undertaken, especially in education, evangelization, social communications, the spreading of the Church's social teaching, the cultural and human promotion of the disadvantaged, and the training of diocesan priests. In all of this you strive to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, who constantly renews the face of the Church with gifts and charisms which enrich and strengthen her. In a secularized world such as our own, built in large part on neglect of transcendent truths and values, the faith of many of our brothers and sisters is sorely tried. Because of this, there is a need today more than ever for a confident proclamation of the Gospel which, casting aside all crippling fears, announces with intellectual depth and with courage the truth about God, about man, about the world. To you, Legionaries of Christ and members of Regnum Christi, I repeat the words of St Catherine of Siena which I proposed to the young people at the World Youth Day: "If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!

”

The Legion's strong commitment to papal authority leads many to believe that the order can look forward to good relations with future occupiers of the Petrine office, though the recent disciplining of the founder leaves this doubt.

The close relationship between Maciel and Pope John Paul has been cited as one the reasons that Vatican investigation regarding sex abuse allegations made against Fr. Maciel proceeded extremely slowly although the first allegations were provided to the Pope in the late 1970's.

[edit] Controversial recruiting practices

In the United States bishops have barred or severely restricted the Legion and Regnum Christi in six dioceses: St Paul-Minneapolis; Los Angeles; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Richmond, Virginia; Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana; and Columbus, Ohio – because of its recruiting practices. ^{[7] [8] [9]} Members of Regnum Christi, under supervision of the Legionaries, have organized various ministries, such as youth ministry and small faith communities, that parallel the ministries of the local parishes. Critics feel that it separates persons from the local parish and archdiocese and creates competing structures.^[7]

Critics also cite the Legion's bias in favor of recruiting wealthy and/or socially prominent individuals and families. Legion priests tend to be drawn almost exclusively from the upper classes, and once ordained, often move in very exclusive social circles. Critics say assistance and aid to the poor by members of the Legion appears to be tokenism, especially when comparing the number of poor children it educates to the number of wealthy and socially elite children that come out of its schools. ^{[10] [11]}

The Legion has also been charged with recruiting children and instructing them not to tell their parents. ^[11][7]

[edit] Apostolates

The Legion has many Apostolates for charity and religious dissemination. Mano Amiga, an apostolate serving from Mexico to the Balkans, funds Catholic schools for underprivileged children, from elementary school to high school. Funding for these schools also comes from several of the prominent Legionary schools throughout the world. At the collegiate level, the Legion funds several technological universities with heavy emphasis on financial aid, all incorporated into the apostolate Red Anahuac.

The apostolate Un kilo de ayuda, "a kilogram of help", was founded by graduates of educational institutions run by the Legion. It organizes the collection of food at grocery stores for the needy. Another apostolate, Brigadas, consists of young people building roofs in poor villages.

[edit] Reading list

• Marcial Maciel: Christ Is My Life, Sophia Institute Press, 2003. ISBN 1-928832-97-0
• Marcial Maciel: Integral Formation of Catholic Priests, Alba House, 1992. ISBN 0-8189-0629-4
• Anthony Bannon: Peter on the Shore, Circle Press, 1996. ISBN 0-9651601-0-6
• Patrick Langan: Founders, Circle Press, 1998. ISBN 0-9651601-1-4
• Jason Berry, Gerald Renner: Vows of Silence : The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II, Free Press, 2004. ISBN 0-7432-4441-9
• Angeles Conde, David Murray: "The Legion of Christ: A History" Circle Press, 2004. ISBN 0-9743661-2-9

[edit] External links

• Legion of Christ
• Pope John Paul II's address to Legionaries of Christ
• Athenaeum Pontificium Regina Apostolorum
• Vocation.com - an LC-run website
• Legionaries: Unofficial Site
• Legionary Facts
• National Catholic Register Weekly newspaper run by the Legionaries
• New Order for a New Millennium - AD2000 article
• ReGain Network organization critical of the Legionaries
• Life After the Regnum Christi
• "Vatican disciplines group founder" - Reuters article
• Los Legionarios de Cristo: Testimonios y Documentos Inéditos

[edit] References

Catholic Congregations (incomplete list -- please edit)
Congregation of Holy Cross ♰ Legion of Christ ♰ Marianites of Holy Cross ♰ Sisters of the Holy Cross ♰ Sisters of Holy Cross ♰ Servi Jesu et Mariae