Rome, Italy, Dec 14, 2010 / 12:22 pm
Under Vatican authorization, the head of the Legionaries of Christ announced that he is implementing new changes regarding their deceased founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel. The new norms include not celebrating his birthday, not selling his writings and removing his photos from group centers.
A statement on the Legionaries' website said that current leader, Fr. Alvaro Corcuera, issued the norms on Dec. 6 following the approval of Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, whom Pope Benedict charged with reforming the order last July.
The religious congregation and the lay movement, Regnum Christi, are working to recover from revelations that their founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel, sexually abused seminarians and fathered several children. The discovery led to questions – and an apostolic visitation of the Legion ordered by Pope Benedict – about whether the charism and formation process of the order were affected by the founder.
An apostolic visitation of Regnum Christi's consecrated lay members is ongoing and will conclude in June 2011.