Vatican gives definitive approval to statutes of Regnum Christi

ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 6, 2025 / 17:20 pm

The Vatican has approved the statutes of the Regnum Christi Federation (RCF) “in a definitive manner.” The RCF’s General Directive College stated Feb. 5 that the recognition “reaffirms the validity of the path traveled and strengthens the commitment to live our charism with confidence and courage, in communion with the Church and at the service of the mission.”

The RCF defines itself as “a spiritual family in the Catholic Church made up of lay members, consecrated men and women, and the priests and brothers of the religious congregation of the Legionaries of Christ.” 

The apostolate is governed by the General Directive College, which is made up of the directors of the Legionaries of Christ, consecrated men and women, plus two representatives of the laity (with a voice and consultative vote), assisted by a plenary assembly.

The Holy See, through the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, expressed the hope that the new statutes “will help promote the common charism” and foster “collaboration in view of the mission entrusted to them by the Church.”

The official recognition of the Catholic Church is the conclusion of a renewal process that began in 2010 after numerous incidents of sexual abuse and the abuse of power came to light involving in particular the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, Marcial Maciel. In 2019, the federation’s statutes were approved “ad experimentum” (on a trial basis) for five years.

During the RCF’s First General Convention in 2024, its members approved the statutes as “adequately expressing” the charism and functioning of the institution. The statutes were presented to the Vatican, which, after examining them, finally approved them definitively on Dec. 16, 2024.

“This approval represents a recognition by the Holy See that gives solidity and stability to the federation. At the same time, the future general conventions of the federation will have to evaluate the experience of the statutes and will be able to make any necessary modifications and submit them for ratification by the federated institutions, and for approval by the Holy See,” explained the General Directive College, headed by Father John Connor, director general of the Legionaries of Christ.

The RCF board’s statement concluded by thanking God for the Holy See’s decision while inviting all members to “read the statutes and to reflect on them in prayer” in order to live their mission faithfully and safeguard their own charism.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.