Legionaries of Christ acknowledge founder’s ‘inappropriate’ behavior

News Resources Tools Columns Documents ACI Group

Contenidos del sub-menu

Comments: 33

Father Marcial Maciel Degollado

New Haven, Conn., Feb 3, 2009 / 01:29 pm (CNA).- Responding to unconfirmed revelations of misconduct by the Legionaries of Christ Founder Fr. Marcial Maciel, the U.S. spokesman for the Legionaries of Christ has acknowledged unspecified actions that “weren’t appropriate for a Catholic priest.” However, he insisted that Fr. Maciel “was and always will be the father of the Legion.”

The blog “Exlcblog” claimed that Fr. Scott Reilly, the Legionaries of Christ Territorial Director in Atlanta, Georgia announced to those in the Territorial Direction that Fr. Maciel had a mistress, fathered a child, and lived a double life. The blog claimed that the Legionaries of Christ is therefore renouncing Father Maciel as their spiritual father.

CNA contacted Legionaries of Christ spokesman Jim Fair, but received no specific confirmation of any allegations.

“We’ve learned some things about our founder’s life that are surprising and difficult to understand,” Fair told CNA on Tuesday.

“We can confirm that there are aspects of his life that weren’t appropriate for a Catholic priest.

“Obviously he had human failings but it remains true that through him we received our charism, which has been approved by the Church.

“Our commitment remains and we‘re going to go forward and love Christ and serve the Church,” he remarked.

Asked to verify the specific allegations, Fair replied:

“Fr. Maciel died over a year ago and obviously whatever has happened is between him and God and God’s judgment and mercy, so we’re going to let him take care of that.”

CNA asked Fair to verify whether the Legionaries of Christ were distributing information on the allegations through their regional directors.

“We communicate internally, but I can’t make any comment beyond that,” Fair replied.

“I know that there have been rumors about are we somehow denouncing him. Obviously we are not. Fr. Maciel was and always will be the father of the legion.

“One of the mysteries of our faith is that God sometimes works through flawed human beings.”

In 2006, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, citing Fr. Maciel’s advanced age and declining health, decided to forgo a hearing into allegations he sexually abused around 20 different teenage recruits to the Legionaries of Christ as far back as the 1980s. The Congregation invited Fr. Maciel “to a reserved life of penitence and prayer, relinquishing any form of public ministry.”

Fr. Maciel died on January 30, 2008.

Comments: 33

Subscriber comments:

Published by: exLC Freedom Fighter
White Plains, NY, USA 06/20/2009 12:07 PM EST

Just back away to a safe distance and let it die on its own. It won't give up without a fight so be careful it doesn't try to drag you down with it. Pray that the innocent flee from it before it's too late. Who said "I am Legion!"

Published by: Rev. T. Deutsch
Duluth, MN 02/07/2009 02:00 PM EST

Response to Ed Peters:
I am not aghast.
In my 15 yrs experience as a priest I have always found the Legionaries to be a rather "vacuous" Religious Order as a whole.

Published by: Carol
indiana 02/06/2009 08:19 PM EST

Are you kidding me? Does anyone seriously believe this organization is going to survive this? Seriously? Picture trying to enlist new recruits-once they get the whole story do you think anyone in their right mind is going to say "sign me up!"

Published by: Debbie
London 02/05/2009 11:43 PM EST

Dear LCs, RC members and friends,

We share your shock and pain, and think about you and pray for you.You are brave and you are not alone.

Published by: Ellen
Ft Wayne IN 02/05/2009 01:10 PM EST

SOmething is seriously amiss when someone with such serious allegations against him is allowed to remain in charge of a religious order for 10 years, with no one investigating.

Published by: Maryssa
MI 02/05/2009 12:35 AM EST

I can only say that I am a little relieved to hear that inroads are finally being made into exposing truths that have lain dormant WAY too long. I must say that what we are hearing currently is only the tip of the iceberg. In that vein, I hope we all pray for the remaining members, that their minds, hearts and souls will be prepared for the future cleansing that is about to engulf their order. It's ABOUT TIME!!! Too many souls have been affected and continue to be harmed (to be disclosed at a later date).

Published by: patricia
mexico 02/05/2009 12:23 AM EST

Rate: Regular

Father Maciel helped me find God and I´ll always thank him for that. I bet Im not the only one. He could have mistakes but he is a great man

Published by: Jennifer Denver
Chicago 02/05/2009 12:07 AM EST

The many good people of the RC and good priests of the LC need to step back ans consider whom their organization is patterned after. most organizations take on the characteristics of their founder. Are secrecy, egocentric policies and double speak part of LC and RC? Does the LC take the road of least resistance like its founder - ie: go after people with money and position versus serving the poor and the homeless? I like alot of the RC people and some of the LC priests, but they are trying to form a new Church which looks more like their founder and less like the Roman Catholic Church.

Published by: Joseph Thomas
Chicago 02/04/2009 11:57 PM EST

Rate: Very Good

There are many good priests and people in LC and RC. BUT Wake Up! Your founder was a myopic fraud and created an institution in his own image. THINK! What are the LCs main goals - in practice... make money, gain power, and recruit young men to be priests. WHY? Your founder was a self centered pedophile who ran off witha woman fathered a child, spent money while asking others to live poverty. How many other pedophiles are beign covered up by the SECRECY which your founder BUILT into the organization to cover up his own many sins. NO transparency just obedience to a pedophile and who knows how many more have been covered up...oh for the good of the Legion. MONEY - you got it then you are important. How many missionary effors does the LC take part in FULL TIME - not a token trip for a few days. HEAVN forbid the double breasted suit gets a little dirty...MONEY is the desire of the Legion. They won't take a parish to help a diocese, but they will go after their big donors...how many people in RC are on welfare? How many are millionaires or well off? THINK. Good people of RC and good priests of LC get out and rejoin the Church, help build the community within your local parish. You have been sphisponed off by a myopic organization seeking to cover up its own sins and glorify itself - like your founder. LC tries to build the Kingdom of the Legion within the Church, a parallel Church instead of building up the Kingdom of God. WAKE UP!

Published by: soutenus
houston, tx, USA 02/04/2009 11:48 PM EST

In response to Jesus M. and his comment, "And as he once said: If Christ didn’t defend himself why should I?”

Jesus was innocent. Obviously Fr Maciel was not innocent. BIG difference. I thought that comment was very misleading when Fr Maciel said it.

I hope this news helps RC and LofC focus more on Christ and less on "Padre Nuestra"
Yes, he will always be the founder of the LofC; obviously no one can change that.
Let us pray for ALL involved (VICTIMS included) and the repercussions in the secular world's view of this and their guilt by association mentality.

Published by: Mike Drabik
Toledo, Ohio 02/04/2009 08:52 PM EST

Let the truth be spoken - no matter how hard it may be or what it shows. If the Leigionare's are of God then nothing can stop them; if not then nothing can prevent their fall.

Published by: Teresa
Fargo, ND USA 02/04/2009 07:56 PM EST

Are you really falling for this latest LC ploy? Think about it, folks. The LC has to save face. Maciel had been exposed as a homosexual and pedaphile, and was quietly sent away. As the founder of a religious order, that's a huge black mark! How could the LC deflect these horrible allegations against their founder? Solution: invent a scandal of a differnt nature that will be more easily accepted and forgiven - an affair with an adult woman that produced a child. The LC could still look to their founder as a manly, though flawed man - but at least his flaws were natural. And the Regnum Christi families will find forgiveness because they will believe that Maciel had an affair with a woman. Well, I don't beleive any of this. Don't forget the ORIGINAL accusations against Maciel: he used his clerical power to force sexual relations with young men and adolscents. That's the REAL Maciel.

Published by: Raúl Martínez Páez
Mexico 02/04/2009 05:05 PM EST

Catholic New Agency...
Who wrote this?
I mean ¿who? the person...
I think, This is not ok... Because it is an scandal, and its too recent... the prudent thing was to at least wait more days in order for this to e clarified. Not to publish this, and now. I think that someone is doing intendend bad things here

Published by: MICHAEL LATO
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 02/04/2009 04:22 PM EST

Rate: Regular

Irrespective of whether the allegations are true or not, it is a fact that Fr. Marcial founded a great organization which is genuinely trying to bring Jesus Christ to the world. I shall certainly not be casting any stones!

However this case brings into focus the church’s need to re-examine its rule which excludes married men from the priesthood. Most of the parish clergy in our western church for the first one thousand years were married men. They were ones who were clearly involved on a day to day basis in the development of the church bearing witness to Jesus Christ on the front line of society.

I have no doubt that in the future the Roman Church will once again allow the ordination of married men_ a view which is accepted by some Cardinals. Other rites which belong fully to the Catholic Church such as the Coptic, Melchite and Maronite do have married clergy.

Jesus Christ did not exclude married men from the priesthood so it is very difficult to see why anyone else should.

Published by: regnum christi member
LA 02/04/2009 03:32 PM EST

Rate: Excellent

I think we need to keep in mind how in shock all Legionaries and Regnum Christi members are about this news. We must pray for all of them that they may continue to serve Christ, to serve the Church, to persevere in the mission to bring souls to Christ and that they may become holy men and women that God has called us ALL to be!

Published by: Ma.Luisa A.de C
México/Coahuila/Torreón 02/04/2009 03:18 PM EST

Pues si está noticia es cierta, nadie puede juzgarlo,además el P.Maciel fue un hombre que se pudo haber equivocado,pero si ponemos en una balanza todo lo que nos dejó, y la cantidad de hombres y mujeres que lo unico que queremos es seguir a Cristo, y mejorar este mundo.Por favor ya dejenlo en paz.

Published by: Sharon M Keddy
Halifax,NS, Canada 02/04/2009 03:10 PM EST

Rate: Very Good

God chooses His own pencils and, if He chose a flawed one, who are we to argue. We are only obliged to pray for mercy for his soul.

God Bless the Legionnaires!

Published by: Joan L. Roccasalvo
Bronx 02/04/2009 02:38 PM EST

"Inappropiapte behavior" differs in kind and extent, from scandal. This is scandalous behavior, and it should be reported as such.

Scandalous behavior tears down the Church. Once again, this is what we must endure together: to suffer as a Church when one of our members gives scandal to the world which looks on and accuses Us of being a "corrupt church."

Published by: Barbara Dorris
Saint Louis/MO/USA 02/04/2009 01:47 PM EST

Rate: Regular

We are glad that the truth is fianlly emerging about Maciel and this secretive, trouble organization. We hope that anyone who has been hurt will seek help and begin to heal from thee horrific crimes.
Barbara Dorris
Outreach Director
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

Published by: Hernando Casans
Madrid 02/04/2009 12:15 PM EST

Rate: Bad

Saint Paul, Saint Agustin did not have a great beggining, thank God, there is a chanse even for those with an irregular middle term

Published by: Jesus M C
SLP/SLP/Mexico 02/04/2009 11:32 AM EST

Rate: Regular

I don't understand how a "catholic" agency can support this kind of actions that pretends only to discredit such a great apostolic work just to earn some money. Father Maciel will always be the spiritual founder of the Legion even if everybody stills attacking him. And as he once said: “If Christ didn’t defend himself why should I?”

Published by: MD O'Neil
Aurora, IL USA 02/04/2009 09:25 AM EST

St. Paul, once converted, did not lead a "double life."

Matthew 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
Matthew 12:33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.

Luke 6:44 "For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.

Published by: Myles Keogh
Fort Riley Kansas 02/04/2009 09:18 AM EST

If these "unclaimed revelations" are proven true then it is very disappointing and sad news with regards to the mistakes that Father Maciel made. However Our Lord works in mysterious and incomprehensible ways. Only He can bring light out of the darkness of sin. Whatever sins Father Maciel may or may not have committed are between him and Our Lord and does not change the fact that God used Father Maciel as vessel to create and bless an order that is at the forefront of reigniting the Church's evangelization efforts while remaining loyal to the Holy Father and the Magesterium of the Church.

Published by: Gabriel Espinosa
Monticello 02/04/2009 06:20 AM EST

"Let he without sin throw the first..."
Who said that?

Published by: Noel
Australia 02/04/2009 06:07 AM EST

Let him rest in peace. Today, even the dead have no peace because of sensation making news.

Published by: Theresa J
New Zeland 02/03/2009 07:07 PM EST

I look back on my time of decernment with Regnum Christi as one of the happiest times of my life and i am eternally grateful to how Fr. Marciel has affected my life. Whatever happens, he remains in my heart a great man, who despite his weaknesses as a person God used him despite of it all to raise up a great work for the Church.

Published by: Ray Ryan
Essex, Ct 02/03/2009 06:35 PM EST

Moses was a murderer
David an adulterer and murderer.
All of us are sinners-Fr. Maciel is a disappointment and a sinner. The sort of guy Jesus came here to save. Let's let God judge and learn from Maciel's weaknesses. God Bless Raybo

Published by: Isaac
MA/USA 02/03/2009 06:34 PM EST

So what was really announced? How can they cling to a founder who has clearly broken his own vows? We are all flawed but that doesn't justify us breaking cannon law or man's laws for that matter.

St. Francis was a man of the world but that all changed when he experienced God. Not so with Maciel, clearly it was one rule for him another for the other LCs.

Published by: Matthew Hysell
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 02/03/2009 06:23 PM EST

The various religious orders and congregations have saintly founders: the Jesuits, St Ignatius of Loyola; the Sisters of Providence, Blessed Emile Gamelin; the Dominicans, St Dominic de Guzman.

Why anyone would want to belong to a religious institute founded by someone who would never be canonized is beyond me. Talk about a "flawed human being" is fine, but as a religious founder, this would be a first, and hopefully one that will be suppressed.

Kyrie, eleison.

Published by: Robert Weisenburger
Pemberville Ohio 43450 02/03/2009 05:58 PM EST

How about an apology to all of the victims that have been ignored and isolated. Or how about an apology to the Vatican for the claims that Fr Maciel was an innocent lamb being led to slaughter when he was disciplined

Published by: ex cofounder
canada 02/03/2009 05:49 PM EST

"Inappropriate" is a very generous description of his behaviour. If you call having a mistress inappropriate, what do you call sexual molestation of vulnerable young boys over many years? What word are they going to use to describe that slip-up? "Unflattering" behaviour?

Published by: Free at Last
St. Louis, MO 02/03/2009 04:43 PM EST

According to Mr. Fair the only thing that has happened here is Fr. Maciel has lost his chance for canonization. His response is absolutely ridiculous and I hope the good people involved are not buying this. Hard questions need to be asked and answered, like who knew about these things and was it covered up. Will there be a public apology for their treatment of the poor men that were abused by Fr. Maciel? Please spare us the "mystery of our faith..." and speak the TRUTH because now is the time.

Published by: Edward Peters
Ann Arbor MI 02/03/2009 04:40 PM EST

I am aghast at such a vacuous response by the Legion to this story.

ADD A COMMENT (Your e-mail will NOT be published):


NAME:
CITY/STATE/COUNTRY:
EMAIL:
COMMENT:

PLEASE ENTER THE SECURITY CODE DISPLAYED ABOVE:
Chars:

* Thanks for your comments. The number of messages that can be online is limited. Length should not exceed 1500 characters. CNA reserves the right to edit messages for content and tone. Comments and opinions expressed by users do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of CNA. CNA will not publish comments with abusive language, insults or links to other pages.

ADVERTISING
CNA does not necessarily endorse these advertisers. Please proceed with discretion. If you feel that a website announced has inappropriate or offensive content, please send it by e-mail to catholicna@catholicna.com