life-after-RC

Follow the money

Anyone who is familiar with Pure Fashion is welcome to jump in and correct my analysis here, but I'd like to break down for you the financial side of this apostolate, which in the surface does a substantially good job of promoting modesty for young women.

In Atlanta, there were 60 models, each of which had to pay $450 to participate. Additionally, each young woman had to raise $1000 in sponsorship from friends, family and businesses. Then each participant was responsible for selling 20 tickets to the fashion show at $40/each.

Thus we have each girl bringing in $1000 + $450 + $800 = $2250 x 60 for a net total of $135,000.

Now what does that money go for?

The clothes are donated.
The accessories are donated.
The hair-styles are donated.
The venues for meetings are free (i.e. Pinecrest).
The speakers are in house, meaning volunteers.
The photography for the event is donated (and if participants want pictures, they are purchased separately).

The $40 ticket price ostensibly covers the venue. So we'll separate out that money to conclude that the Legion walks away with $87,000 each year.

I am not indicting the concept in the least -- modesty is woefully lacking in our culture and all who have seen Pure Fashion indicate that the clothes are lovely and the setting very classy (Ritz Carlton is the perfect backdrop for any mother-daughter luncheon, wouldn't you say?)

The problem is that this is a highly elite apostolate (how many social stratas can come up with this kind of cash for participating, much less a circle of friends who can provide the $1000 in donations?) that it seems to feed the troubling profile of the Legion which takes more than it gives (and caters to quite a high-brow clientele).

Now when I was a member, we were always passing the hat for donations for the seminarians (toiletries, sox, underwear, etc.) and our motherly hearts were touched. But methinks that an astute shopper could take this $87K and buy enough shaving cream and knickers for many, many years.

Nota bene: the numbers were sorely down this year in Atlanta. While over 3000 attendees were seen in the past, barely 1000 tickets were sold (cha-ching $40,000) causing organisers to scramble to give away the rest to make the place appear successfully full. Alas, still hundreds of seats lacked occupants.

Never fear, the Legion was never at risk of going into the red over these young ladies. The lower stratas of the population may not ever get the word on modesty through this brain-child, but the hopes for a "trickle-down" effect, no doubt, will allow all these hard-working participants to sleep well.

The RC hamster wheel

This testimony corroborates my experiences exactly. In fact, after all the members of our women's team left, one by one, over the course of several years, we had a get-together. It was glorious. We talked for hours, and regained the friendship that we had had years previous -- before the relationships had been hijacked by the "needs of the Movement." We could just share stories, ask about the children and extended families, comment on parish life, and sincerely love one another for who we were and the life we shared -- the good, the bad, the ugly.

The only thing that I would add as a significant point about this experience is that the "needs of the Movement" superceded all other needs. Thus, if for some reason a person couldn't serve the apostolate, for instance pregnancy/birth, illness, family crisis, or some such, then the Eye of Sauron would turn away and find other workers for the Kingdom. There would be the surface niceties (some meals provided, Mass cards sent, and inquiries about progress towards health and strength) but the point was really to keep in touch so that when the member got back on her feet, she'd be plugged back into the schema. If things looked dire, then the "locusts" would move on, realising there was nothing further to be gained by their attention.

This sounds dark and cynical, but years of experience made me realise that those in crisis or need had nothing to benefit from the Legion. It was a one-way street -- those who couldn't contribute were cast off. Some charity. Some charism.

Think on this a while

Kind readers: so many ask about what they perceive as "bitterness." Why can't people just move on? Don't they see the great "good" that the Legion provides? Why do so many disgruntled ex-members have to grumble and fuss? Isn't it a beef with orthodoxy and obedience? Please give this testimony due regard:

My mother told me the news while I was standing in a phone booth in the old kitchen of the General Direction. I was preparing a special dessert for the brothers of that community for the feast of the epiphany in 1992. Mom was crying as she told me that her mother, my grandmother had died that day of cancer. Although it had been a long road of intense suffering, the news I had of her declining health came in fits and starts by letter, and always with at least a week of delay due to international mail delivery to Italy.

The night before, I had had a dream that my grandmother was talking to her sister, who had died some years before. My grandmother was crying, and her sister told her, “Bernadette, don’t cry, your Antoinette is happy.” Antoinette gave her a white lily. When I told my mother this, she said that my grandmother used to adhere to a kind of superstitious idea that when you dream of white, it means death.

I was extremely close to my grandmother. When she was widowed in the early 1970s, I was the young grandson who went to stay with her at night so she would not be afraid. I continued to do this, into adulthood, on occasion, since we had grown so close. We cherished each other’s company. When I decided to join the Legionaries of Christ, she did not understand. Although deeply religious, my grandmother could not understand the bizarre lives lived by Legionaries. With no prospects of visits home for a very long time, my final departure became a huge thorn that tormented her in silence.

My only contact with her in the eight years that I was in the Legion during the last part of her life consisted of an occasional moment on an infrequent phone call home, and a few letters that she wrote mixed in the English and French she had learned both in elementary school in Quebec and working as a maid in my upstate New York town before her marriage. It was so little, and did absolutely nothing to deepen or spiritualize our relationship. It just hurt—plain and simple.

My mother told me in a letter of her cancer, and that there was nothing to be done. She had just experienced a miracle of improved vision with cataract surgery and yet now her new sight was too be blurred by morphine and pain.

Bernadette did not accept my leaving as a sacrifice. I was the one who believed that Christ asked this sacrifice of me—then I forced her to make the sacrifice against her will. She wanted me to come home, offering to pay my airline ticket with the meager social security retirement check on which she lived. But when my mother asked this favor of my Legionary superiors, she was told that this was not the way in the Legion and it would not be fair to the other brothers.

She suffered the excruciating pain that cancer brings—pain that morphine cannot touch, begging all the while to see me. I only found this out years after leaving the Legion. I have never resolved the fact that I betrayed her love for me and it haunts me constantly. I cannot speak of her with my parents. I cannot visit her grave. I have nothing to remember her by, not even a trinket. My family members divided her things among themselves in my absence. I have never been offered anything by any of them. Maybe they blame me more than they say for adding to her pain.

My superior on that Epiphany day in 1992, Fr. Thomas Williams, a highly favored young man in the Legion, who went home to the United States every year to visit his family. After drying my tears in the kitchen phone booth, I went into the dinner celebration and told him privately that my grandmother had died. He told me he was sorry and would pray for her, and the celebration went on. I continued to serve the dessert to the community. It was the last time that I spoke of her passing in the Legion. And it was never mentioned to me by anyone. I lived the pain alone, and I continue to do so.

I do not write this testimony for pity, but as a tribute to so many of my brothers who lost loved ones and could not give them the attention that they deserved in their last moments. This was due to the strict rules of the Legion—and yet the greater injustice is that the rules were applied unevenly and cruelly: some Legionaries were less equal than others. I salute those less equal and share in their pain from the past.

Glenn
April, 2008

Charity-bombing

Someone sent this to me today (from Father Patrick Butler, LC):

There is a battle going on inside of us, a battle between our attraction to the goodness and brightness of God’s ways and the seduction of evil. A drama unfolds: Some choose to come to the light that the Incarnation of the Son of God brings into the world, and some choose to remain attached to their evil ways. God’s extreme love for me, revealed in Jesus’ coming into the world and in his passion, death and resurrection, invites me to respond to love with love.

Conversation with Christ: Jesus, you have come into the world because you love me, because you SO love me. Your love moves and inspires me. Although I am weak and incapable of loving like you, I desire to respond by loving you as much as I can, loving you and those around me with a generous love.

Resolution: Considering the greatness of God’s love for me, I will attempt to love God in others in a more generous, effective way today.

Amen. What critics of Regain neglect to realise is that we were once members of this group. We sat through recollections, reflections, and retreats. We went to spiritual directions from priests to receive this sort of teaching -- exactly.

We are not freaks, heretics or liars. We simply came to the conclusion that there was a disconnect between what the priest told us in such meditations and what the Legion lived as a whole. That was an essential point in our discernment process. What we've done with that information varies, but we were once in the pews with all the rest.

Btw, most emails that come to me are cleverly composed on faulty addresses, so that no real dialogue can take place. The grenades of "charity" are launched from hidden foxholes. Not very convincing.

White Pines

The diocese of Chicago is home to White Pines Academy, which has been borrowing space since its opening in 1996. April 2nd is the date of a ground-breaking for its own site. This statement has been offered by the chancery:

“A Legionaries’ school will present another model of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and I am sure that many parents will desire this kind of education and formation for their children.”

Is it me, or is that a really tepid endorsement? Really look at the words:

"another model"

"many parents will desire this"

It doesn't say it's good, or even supported by the archdiocese, but it is what it is. Lukewarm in my book. Now the opening sentence of the local paper's article is itself quite stunning, given the hubris of the group:

"The Legion of Christ, one of the lesser-known Catholic religious orders, is preparing to begin construction of a new school in Lemont."

It continues with information some would prefer left unsaid:

"The Legion of Christ has not been without controversy. Its founder, Rev. Marcial Maciel of Mexico, who died recently, was accused of sexual abuse and disciplined by the Vatican although never charged. The Legion of Christ denies the accusations.

The order has also been criticized by former seminarians and others for being too rigid, secretive and competitive. In St. Paul the archbishop barred the Legion of Christ from working in the archdiocese and prohibited its associated lay movement, Regnum Christi, from using archdiocesan property or parishes for its activities.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests denounced Maciel for years. In 2006 Pope Benedict XVI ordered Maciel to cease his public ministry. The survivors network founder and president, Barbara Blaine, lives in Chicago and expressed concern this week about the religious order because of Maciel. 'We are very worried about the safety and well-being of kids in this unhealthy atmosphere and hope that parents will thoroughly research the troubled and troubling history of the legion before enrolling their kids here,' she said."

OUCH on both counts.

What does a Legion degree imply?

Interestingly, in most Mexican universities, you have to do six months of social work to get your degree. But graduates from Anahuac are forced to get 18 donations for the Legionarios before they receive their degree. Now I must be a cynic to point out that this sounds both unethical and self-serving, but then I'm one of those disgruntled ex-members that must be an enemy of the Church to think such things.

How the Legion harvests fruit

By its nature, the Movement attracts loyal, zealous and humble Catholics who want to build the Kingdom of Christ. So far, so good. The realities of every apostolate show that each one must not only be self-sustaining, but also provide funds for the greater Movement, i.e. the Legion. In this way, there are heavy shades of Amway, so that the money always grows, and is never depleted by ... the needs of the faithful. So be it. But what of the frut? Who provides the fruit?

Those in the Legion food chain who are uncorrupt believe that the real mission of the group is to bring Christ to those who need Him most. They are willing to do the hard work to make this possible, which doesn't involve classy luncheons, well-heeled social events, and the cocktail crowd (the chosen Legionaries will take care of that necessary bit of the apostolate, thanks). No, some work is in the thankless trenches where humility is the order of the day. And what the work itself doesn't teach about that virtue, the Legion will.

"I am outraged. Some years ago, a group of prominent citizens [in one South American country] started a school in one of the most imporverished areas in their city. They started with primary, now have studies up to high school. They put all their love and effort in this school. Everything was done with private donations, not a single penny was put up by the Legionarios. The school now has hundreds of students.

"It is one of the 'Mano Amiga' entities. All of a sudden they took the school away from the group that founded and administered this project. Literally stole it, to make it part of their 'corporate group,' Fundación Altius. Look it up in the internet. Many tears were shed, but everyone obeyed. The former administrator was left without a job."

Ah yes, this is the fruit of the Legion. Best face forward, slap the logo on anything that succeeds, and attribute the success to the methodology. If this happened here, how many other places did the same story unfold? The Regnum Christi members learn humility and industriousness, and the Legion has one more photo op for the gullible donors in the US.

Note: all the lay faithful who subscribe to the Legion's version of "gospel charity" will never know the truth, because stories like this must never be repeated. That goes for the woman fired from this school; that goes for the RC member who reads this post.

Consider the source

In looking at the coverage of the death of Maciel, Zenit offered this, and this, and this. Only the vaguest references to any "irregularity," without explanation. This is why Legion sources cannot be trusted for accuracy, and this is why the Legion sought "mass media apostolates." To be the messenger assures the ability to form the message. Thus, the Register and Zenit cannot be trusted to relay the message of what the Holy Father wanted with Corcuera on May 15th. In fact, the only quote Zenit offers is the RC site for interpretation. A closed loop, to say the least.

Discussion board

Surely the removal of the discussion board must be related to the lawsuit. Remember, on that board, there were negative comments about the Legion of Christ. That cannot stand, since any negative remark about the Movement must be made by an enemy of Christ Himself. So, in their Christ-like manner, legal action had to be taken. It all fits the charism of love. Feel the love, and perhaps you could offer a donation to help the Regain staff pay their enormous bills for having tried to help those who suffered.

The problem with spiritual direction

Regain has an interesting article on its site, called "Guide to Life." The article references a Legion-sponsored site for men leaving the Legion and trying to make it outside the seminary. The point of the quotes they use is to show that what we take for granted as common sense has to be spelled out for these fellows, many of whom haven't made a decision in years, and who have been sheltered 365 days a year. For example:

Since the Legion recruits very young people into its ranks, some as young as twelve, many former members have never had a checking account. Therefore, the site must explain that “cash — paper or coin money is useful, but in today’s world, a majority of purchases of over $50 is made by check or credit card.” It adds, ”You’ll also need a bank account in order to deposit your job payments or to cash checks.” It notes that parents will “naturally be extremely helpful” in setting up such accounts.

It must point out that “a debit card is essentially a card used to retrieve cash from your checking (or savings) account” as well as explain the importance of producing a credit history and what credit cards are and how to use them: “Credit cards are essentially short term and high interest loans made to private individuals for private purchases. They are useful in helping you cover high upfront costs such as buying a used car, a major appliance or some other major expense for which your current checking account simply could not cover.” According to this site ex-legionaries are not aware that “ employers pay their workers every two weeks,” so credit cards might be necessary to cover any financial shortfall.

Ex-legionaries must be told that they will be expected to work at least 40 hours a week at a job “unless of course your parents are willing to put you through a graduate degree program.” Apparently they do not know that “there are many types of ‘jobs’ in the American economy: those you can walk into immediately and those that need a more formal interview process to begin with.” But for either type, they are told, “you will want to make a good first impression on potential employers as well as learn as much about them as possible.”

All solid advice. The problem I'd like to point out is not with the fellows who leave, but with those who remain and are ordained priests. These will be the men guiding the souls of men, women and children -- how on God's green earth can they help direct others when they've never been taught the basics of Life 101?

Imagine a father of three coming to discuss ethics in the workplace and how to manoeuvre around some difficult personalities or assignments on the job. Imagine a mother wondering about taking a part-time job and how it will affect the family. Imagine a teenager trying to figure out what is necessary to fulfill his responsibilities to his family while being mature about school decisions.

In each of these settings, one might find a priest well-schooled in theology, grounded in philosophy, and experienced in discipline. But if he doesn't know that paychecks come every two weeks, that jobs require a series of interviews or that you shouldn't buy a car with a credit card, then either 1. the layman isn't going to take his spiritual advice very seriously; or 2. he will take it seriously and pay in human terms.

[On second thought, if the point of spiritual direction and the confessional is simply to press members to give more time, donate more money, and recruit more children, then the LC priest doesn't need to know the ins and outs of secular life. One answer fits all: support the Movement!]

Please consider this

The Legion has been sketchy about where Maciel died and elusive about any concrete details. The place of death has been offered as Naples FL, somewhere in Wisconsin, and Houston, TX. Then there was a comment about "the difficulties in moving his body out of the United States" which could mean any of the following:

1. perhaps he was in the US illegally and his visa had expired;
2. perhaps the LC's present at the deathbed did not inform the police or local authorities in the manner indicated by law because of MM's illegal status;
3. perhaps there was no medical doctor called to certify MM's death and cause;

Surely, it's all speculation, but not foreign to the way the Legion has often skirted the law, or held it in outright contempt. It would be good for all RC members to do an examination of conscience to see what they've been told in apostolic dialogue or spiritual direction about secular rules. Yes, often they are burdens, a pain in the neck, and hobble apostolates unduly. But it is wrong to say that the pursuit of the "Kingdom" is so important that rules must be broken. Render unto Caesar, and all that. This goes for diocesan procedures as well as parish guidelines. No matter what, good folk don't lie, and they follow rules. Anything else is unjustifiable elitism and part of the problem that flows downhill from a compromised founder.

A familiar strategy

Since I am a faithful Catholic and want to understand the Church's teaching on marital love, I have always followed the work of the Couple to Couple League. Sadly, in 2004, the couple in charge were edged out in a quiet way, replaced by others who first kept the change quiet. Then the news sifted out. A campaign of confusion took place, explaining that the methodology of the founders was inadequate for the next generation, and massive changes began to sweep across the apostolate. The steps were:

1. The couple was indicted by new leaders as "stuck in an old mentality" and discredited;
2. The New Evangelisation requires slick graphics and an embrace of new realities (i.e. working mothers, economic challenges to large families, etc.)
3. The entire NFP product was repackaged along the lines of the theology of the body;
4. Rank and file teachers were highly suspect of the changes and expressed discontent;
5. Methodology of the founders is reinstated as essential to the mission.

The initial discrediting of the Kippleys and their work, followed by a shift which endorses their vision is inevitable. Please remember that when the Legion infiltrates a group, they must steal the fruit and claim it as their own in order to prove that the Methodology is "blessed by God."

The truth is that the Kippley's work, like the Sellors', is simply the fruit of their own apostolic zeal coupled with God's grace. Snazzy magazines, a large bank-roll, and rolling out the TOB carpet (as good as it is) will never replace the hand-holding and patience of a couple who works one-on-one with other couples.

CCL was never about efficiency, which means that it will never fit the Legion paradigm. There's no firm confirmation that the apostolate has been taken over completely, but all the handwriting on the wall points to a strategy that is easily recognisable and troubling.

Where is Maciel?

There is troubling news about the Model Legionary:

"[A collaborator at Regain] was informed by an immediate member of the Garza Medina
family, that MM suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. He is obviously out of any important activity."

Where are the urgent prayers from the lay faithful, from his sons, the Legionaries, and his children, the members of Regnum Christi? Shouldn't they be informed?

Stirring the Pot

From the TimesOnLine

Pope Benedict XVI has instructed Roman Catholics to pray “in perpetuity” to cleanse the Church of paedophile clergy. All dioceses, parishes, monasteries, convents and seminaries will be expected to organise continuous daily prayers to express penitence and to purify the clergy.

Vatican officials said that every day each parish or institution should designate a person or group to pray that the Church rids itself of the scandal of sexual abuse by clergy. Alternatively, churches within the same diocese could share the duty. Prayer would take place in one parish for 24 hours, then move to another parish.

Vatican watchers said that there was no known precedent for global prayer on a specific issue of this kind. There are about one billion Roman Catholics worldwide.

The instruction was sent to bishops by Cardinal Cláudio Hummes of Brazil, head of the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy. He told L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, that he was acting in the Pope’s name. The Pope wanted Catholics to pray for the “mercy of God for the victims of the grave situations caused by the moral and sexual conduct of a very small part of the clergy”, he said.

Officials said that the prayers were in addition to support for legal action against paedophile priests by their victims and a code adopted two years ago by the Vatican to try to ensure that men “with deep-seated homo-sexual tendencies” do not enter seminaries to train for the priesthood.

When Cardinal Ratzinger stood in for the dying John Paul II at the Good Friday procession of Easter 2005, he stunned the faithful by deploring publicly “how much filth there is in the Church, even among those in the priesthood”.

A month later he lifted the legal protection that the Vatican had given to Father Marcial Maciel, the Mexican founder of the Legionaries of Christ, who was accused of sexual abuse of youngsters. Maciel was banned from saying Mass or speaking in public.

UPDATE: Another media source makes very same association.

Do you understand what is at stake?

The Legion is suing Regain. The Legion is rich; Regain is dirt-poor. Regain was the sincere effort of a few ex-LC's to hold hands, unravel their experiences, and try to make sense of the Legion's true mission. In order to pursue that healing, it required that the ex-members forego their training in "gospel charity" (never speak poorly of the Legion and report anyone who does) and speak freely, compare notes, connect dots, and provide life-lines for others who found themselves similarly shredded by their experiences.

Sidestepping "contempt of court" charges by stringing out the case and extending deadlines whenever possible, the Legion is trying to force Regain to go belly-up. They demand:
1. stop revealing our private norms which hurt our image;
2. stop criticising us in a public forum, such as the internet;
3. hand over your computers so we can see who has criticised us and who has collaborated with you.

Now, as never before, would be a good time to show your appreciation for the courage of these men. This is not a question of defining "charity" or "cults." It is a time to defend an individual's right to speak and associate freely. Where is the justice if Regain is forced to disband and apologise? Where is the Bill of Rights when courts consider stifling "internet-therapy" for the sake of a congregation's public image? Since when can a group masquerade as Catholic when it bullies former members into painful silence?

Kindly pray over making a donation, large or small. Many wounded families have been helped by Regain. Many ex-LC's and RC's have rebuilt faith and friendships after leaving this toxic group. Without Regain, they would have suffered in atomised silence -- and there are many more in need of the collaborative wisdom of this shoe-string operation. Thank you in advance.

Thought police on a roll

It's obvious Barbara Nicolosi was never in Regnum Christi, because there she would have learned not to undermine the momentum of Legion-backed projects. The Legion wants Bella to succeed, and so all contrary thoughts must be silenced. Barbara had the audacity to pan the movie, and so now the RC lackeys must pan her -- personally if necessary. Pile on, amigos. The Kingdom depends on Bella!

According to their emails: -Yahoo (#1 web portal in the world): Bella is #1 highest rated by the people. (Gee, I wonder how that happened...)

And then word travels in this wise: 10,000 tickets to BELLA have been purchased by GOYA FOODS for your use this weekend! This is a free gift from Goya Foods to New York. (All showings Saturday/Sunday. Manhattan only. See Times/Locations below. First come, first serve). Goya foods believes in the message of Bella and wants New Yorkers to experience the movie for FREE when it opens this weekend in Manhattan.
Bring anyone and everyone you want and spread the word. Pick up tickets at the box office or look for people wearing Bella or Goya t-shirts.

The executive producers of Bella and Goya Foods finalized these details yesterday and we've been asked to help, so please get the word out. This will be awesome. (In other words, LC/RC officials paid us a visit and made a deal we couldn't refuse.)

That's not a groundswell of fan support, but a nudge from a money-source trying to find fans. Very different animal, folks.

They stuffed the boxes at the Toronto Film festival, so that there were more votes than bodies in the audience. They are buying out theatres and strong-arming members and supporters to buy batches of tickets, they are encouraging all "good Catholics" to vote at designated sites, they are skewing everything to PROVE that this movie (deserved or not) is a phenomenon. (Well, it is that, but it's shades of Maciel's book revisted -- when they bought almost the entire first run and claimed it "sold out!" The books were actually warehoused or given as gifts.)

Honesty is not a strong suit in the Movement, because "pious folk" can break all kinds of rules for Jesus, because He [hearts] RC Best! (xoxo)

What are the "fruits" of the Legion?

A common defense of the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement is the reference to the numerous thriving apostolates – known for their orthodoxy, vigor, and relevance to living the faith in the modern world. I was very involved with many of these apostolates for over seven years – leading some, hosting others in my home, and encouraging as many people as possible to participate in them as tools of formation. There were groups dedicated to mothers, to young boys, young girls, teenagers, marriage prep, fathers and sons, women in the workplace, and married couples, just to name a few. Regardless of your age, sex or state in life, Regnum Christi had thought of an apostolate that would serve your needs and bring you closer to the heart of the Church. Or so it appeared.

The Myopic Goal of Apostolates

In truth, the apostolates were the brainstorm of members, since each weekly meeting involved finding a practical response – a way to make concrete a virtue or lesson found in the Sunday Gospel passage. With thousands of creative members, inevitably many good ideas were hatched and encouraged, linked to the resources of the Movement and, if successful, given the blessing of being called an official Regnum Christi apostolate. Success was measured by its attractiveness to the community, by the number of people it drew, and by its economic success. The understanding from the start was that all apostolic endeavors were to be not only self-sustaining, but ultimately were required to provide a material benefit to the Legion – either in vocations, in donations to the Legion, or preferably, both.

Invitation to join a novena

On 29 September, 2007 those who are interested may begin a novena that will culminate on the Feast of the Holy Rosary, 7 October, 2007.

Besides the prayer below, one could add the Rosary (or a decade, or a single Hail Mary, or simply a sincere aspiration!) attend Mass, or make a sacrifice of your choosing. Those who are uncomfortable with prayer may wish us well and lift your hearts in whatever way is possible. There are so many intentions associated with the work of Regain, not the least of which is the current lawsuit. In this and so many things, and we are confident that God and His truth will ultimately prevail.

____________________

The novena prayer:

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet. Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart, and for this special favor which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: (mention request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son. If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused. I know, dearest Mother, that you want me to seek God's holy Will concerning my request. If what I ask for should not be granted, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.
I offer you this spiritual "Bouquet of Roses" because I love you. I put all my confidence in you, since your prayers before God are most powerful. For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus, your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

We like it this way?

A news source close to the Legion residence in Westchester County, NY commented on the lawsuit against ReGAIN and included this prize quote:

There’s no doubt that the Legion evokes strong feelings. Many conservative Catholics — not to mention the late Pope John Paul II — adore them. Others insist that they are reactionary and want to erase Vatican II reforms.

I had lunch a few months ago with a Legion priest — smart and funny — who readily admitted that the Legion is big on discipline. Everyone parts their hair the same way because that’s how they like it. Others are free to feel differently, he said.

That's got to be the most idiotic response ever offered. These are the best and the brightest, the future of the Church, as they like to think. And they like the comfort that parting the hair a certain way provides? They really do check their critical thinking skills at the door.

Sincere smiles?

I wonder if these men are bound by their proprietary norms to always smile (since the face belongs to others). It doesn't look like it, and of course Dominican constitutions are available to others. Why not the Legion's?

Cheering up the founder!

Poor Maciel. His detractors seem to have the upper hand and even the CDF fell for their lies. B16 has assumed the mantle of an enemy of the Church and the esteemed founder has been sentenced to a private life of prayer and penance.

His ever loyal sons are thinking of ways to make Nuestro Padre feel better in his exile, and what better than a spiritual bouquet of sorts, reminding him of the love and affection of even those he sent packing over the years. Ex-Legionaries who still faithfully carry the water want to help out in the following way:

Thy Kingdom Come!

I send you a warm welcome and the assurance that you you are in my prayers. I hope you are all well. Although I don't know everyone very well, I am sure we are all very grateful to the Legion, whatever the reasons for our leaving might have been.

As you all know, the Legion needs us even more during these times -- not only our efforts, but more impotantly our prayers and from time to time our support.
The initiative that I am proposing is a type of "gratitude album" to send to Nuestro Padre, who is now entering the final stage of his life. And what greater happiness than knowing that many of us owe a great part of our spiritual life and of our formation to him and how grateful we are to him?

What is needed:

1. A photo. You would have to send me a photo of yourselves (alone or with your family, fiancee, work. . . whatever)
2. Full name
3. City and country
4. Number of years that you were in the legion and dates (example: 13 years, 1992-2005)
5. What you are currently doing (studies, work. . .)
6. A brief thank-you: a short expression of gratitude to Nuestro Padre and the Legion (no more than five lines)

For now that is all that would be necessary. I don't know how this strikes you, but I believe it would be a nice gesture. I welcome any suggestions any of you might have. Similarly, I have only a few contacts, so if you can send this message to other ex-legionaries who are grateful to the Legion and Nuestro Padre, please feel free to forward this message to them.

May everything be for the glory of God. In Christ and the Movement,

[signature]

Now, this could be one of a few things.

1. a sincere effort by a former legionary to cheer up Maciel (unable to believe the charges could be true)
2. a campaign to counter ReGAIN down the road to compile a list of non-dis-gruntled ex-LC's
3. a precursor to a fund-raiser (ok, now I'm showing my cynicism)
4. a reading of the "pulse," as in "how many supporters are out there amidst all the enemies of Christ?" and "Where are they so we can assemble them in a counter-photo op one day?"

I have a better idea:

Let's assemble spiritual bouquet of our own? Those who think that the LC is harassing its victims and pressuring detractors to be silent can send Mass cards and cheques to:

REGAIN, INC.,
BOX 3213
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22302

or by pushing the button found here

Now that would cheer up a worthy man immeasurably!

Kindly consider a donation

While it is impossible to access Regain at present through the main page, this link will take you to the page where donations are solicited. The judge gave Mr Lennon thirty days to find a lawyer and, no doubt, this defense will cost him dearly. Remember that the members of Regain offer all their time to exiting members of the Movement for free. Their dedication impacts their finances, their other work, and their families -- but it is a labour of love.

When most of the LC's left, they had to sort out their lives on their own. Often, the struggle to exit the Legion was one-sided, that is if the Legion itself decided that the member was "lacking a vocation." That meant a tap on the shoulder, a quick conference, and a bus/plane ticket home -- no explanation, no good-byes, no counseling. Same for consecrated women.

Another sort of exit is initiated by the member him/herself. In that case, there is a wrenching, a grief, and an emotional free-fall when his/her world is no longer tenable in a group that was previously their entire world, their family. Often they leave, promising not to detract, or simply wanting to put their lives together which is fundamentally impossible until they make sense of their years in the Movement.

The other client of Regain is the family member who gradually sees the toxicity of the Movement and its effects on the family or entrenched member/s. These folks love the Church, but are bewildered by how a group that can look so good be so divisive.

If any of you have been helped in any way by the dedicated members of Regain, I beg of you to indicate that support by donating here. Please spread the word -- this is an important cause, and Regain is broke. Thanks.

One Vow to Rule Them – How the Legion Lives Gospel Charity

Having been a member of the Regnum Christi Movement associated with the Legionaries of Christ, I can attest to the emphasis that the group put on “Gospel charity.” It was presented as the paramount virtue, essential to the smooth operation of the mission of the Legion, and deeply imbedded in our way of life through spiritual direction, confession, and apostolic dialogue. Gospel charity was so important that the priests took a private vow (and consecrated members made a “promise” before God) in addition to the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. Thus were they bound to its practice in a two-fold way: they promised never to criticize the Legion, and to report to their superiors anyone who did.

Even the rank-and-file members enthusiastically embraced this aspect of the “charism,” making sure not only that fellow RC members were entirely positive in their relationship to the Legion, but also pointing out to their directors Catholics friends outside the group who may not have “appreciated” the gift that the Movement offered the Church. Knowing how back-biting and idle gossip wounded Our Lord, we complied readily – for any criticism of a work of God (approved by the Church, we were always reminded) bordered on blasphemy. “Building the Kingdom” meant flushing out its enemies, who could be recognized by their words and attitudes.

Bullying Critics in Order Safeguard Love

Having explained Gospel charity as interpreted by this group, we come to an extraordinary application of it, in that the Legionaries of Christ have just sued a group called ReGAIN, offering a $1.5million bond for access to its data. ReGAIN – a loose association composed of former Legionaries and RC members as well as concerned family members and friends – offers assistance to anyone negatively impacted by this Movement, is being accused of undermining the Legion’s mission by means of discussing the rules and methodology of the group.

The action doesn’t come in a vacuum, of course, since the Vatican has in recent years taken much time to deliberate over the accusations against the Founder of the Legion of Christ, Marcial Maciel. After taking scores of depositions concerning his alleged sexual abuse of minors, his manipulative way of guiding souls, and his duplicitous way of “building the Kingdom,” the Church acted in May of 2006, issuing from the Holy See Press Office a Communiqué that eschewed a trial of Maciel, because of his advanced age, but retired him to a life of prayer and penance.

A key phrase in that Communiqué which both sides seized upon was the following: "Independently of the person of the Founder, the worthy apostolate of the Legionaries of Christ and of the Association 'Regnum Christi' is gratefully recognized." Legion supporters insisted it was a blanket endorsement of the Movement consistent with the support it had always enjoyed in the past. Others put more emphasis on the word “independent,” surmising that the support would now be contingent on the Legion’s effort to separate its mission from the personality of the Founder.

Silence the critics

On August 22nd, the Legion of Christ will appear in the Circuit Court of Alexandria, VA to demand a pre-trial seizure of property of members of ReGAIN, including computers, files and emails referencing Legion documents. This is a transparent effort to silence a group that has effectively revealed damaging evidence about the Legion. The ReGAIN organization, composed of former members of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi Lay Movement, has been forthrightly dedicated to helping others understand this controversial group and recover from the widely-documented psychological trauma associated with membership.

Stating the damage to the Legion of revealing these “proprietary materials, including letters and other documents compiled by Legion members intended only for internal dissemination and discussion,” a bond of $1.5m has been offered for the defendants’ files, and ReGAIN is additionally charged to reveal all contacts with the Legion past and present, to reveal the true identity of anonymous posters on a discussion board, and for ReGAIN to remove all references to the Legion’s constitution, which the Legion doesn’t want publicly accessible. Using techniques common to Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and the Scientologist sect, the Legion of Christ has for years harassed its detractors, undermined them professionally, and indicted their credibility as loyal members of the Catholic Church.

More information at www.regainnetwork.org

The Kingdom of God

I'm reading the beautiful book by Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, and today came across this intriguing passage:

The basic idea is clear: The ‘Kingdom of God’ is not to be found on any map. It is not a kingdom after the fashion of worldly kingdoms; it is located in man’s inner being. It grows and radiates outward from that inner space.”[1] He later says in that inner space, “kingdom of God means ‘dominion of God,’ and this means that his will is accepted as the true criterion. His will establishes justice, and part of justice is that we give God his just due and, in so doing, discover the criterion for what is justly due among men.”[2] Ultimately, the Kingdom of God becomes present “now” insofar as each of us converts from self to make the gift of self and so become another Christ. As Christ, we have come to do the will of the Father in obedience even to the Cross. The Kingdom, then, is not a theocratic structure but “a person, with the face and name of Jesus of Nazareth, the image of the invisible God.”[3] “To pray for the Kingdom of God is to say to Jesus: Let us be yours, Lord! Pervade us, live in us; gather scattered humanity in your body, so that in you everything may be subordinated to God and you can then hand over the universe to the Father, in order that ‘God may be all in all’ (1` Cor. 15, 28).”[4] This does not offend against becoming and being one’s true self, and the secularity of life. Rather, on the contrary, it establishes secularity, since the free act of self gift to Christ in the act of faith is the establishment of the (relative) autonomy (theonomy) of the human person as citizen and the common good. The kingdom is not at the eschatological end, but now, and growing, in so far as each of us is being transformed into Christ by becoming self-gift to God and to others.

I'd like to see what the Movement will do to accomodate this, since part of their charism is to embrace the particular devotions of the reigning pontiff. It would seem as though spiritual direction (real spiritual direction) would take precedence over the kind offered now, where the directee is guided to give names, money, ideas, influence, and support to all visible "apostolates" of the Legion.

Connecting

For those starved for communication with other former members of the Movement, I believe www.xlcrc.com is available. The other site will return -- I don't know why it's not available, but I don't think its absence is a permanent state of affairs.

The House always wins

There is an intriguing thread at exlegionaries which asks former members to unravel the game -- how they allowed themselves to be coopted by the Movement so that they couldn't escape.

Tattoo asks: "When did the gates close behind you? How did it happen? What was said? By whom? Try to remember and tell the story of the first sip of kool aid."

What people have to realise about the Legion is that it is like a gambling establishment -- it is in business because it wins enough to make the enterprise worthwhile. If a candidate enters and stays, he is in the alternate universe (parallel church) of the Legion and lost to the Universal Church. If he goes home, he is humanly and spiritually compromised by the game -- often feeling a failure, suffering the wedge placed between him and his family, and on occasion angry and unable to pray because the Movement has been "broker" so long.

The responses to this thread are chilling, but instructive. It's good to unravel the methodology of the scheme. Thereby, it becomes possible to reconstruct a healthy life reconnected with family, friends, and God.

Just while Regain is down for repairs

Parsing Orthodoxy: What are the Priorities of the Legionaries of Christ?
By Giselle Sainte Marie

Many have followed closely a very public exchange [1] among three Catholics on Fox News. Sean Hannity has his reservations about some Church teachings, especially in the realm of sexual matters, and invited a well-known priest, Fr Tom Euteneuer in for a chat. Host duties among television’s “talking heads” are surely very different from those in the home, and the guest was battered, buffaloed, and bruised – after which the priest maintained that as guardian of the Sacraments, he would indeed withhold the Eucharist from Mr Hannity for his public obstinacy. His rational is explained here:

Just for the record, Sean Hannity really is a dissenting Catholic and a public scandal to the Faith. He should be rebuked by his pastor or bishop, not by me, but since that has not been forthcoming in his decade or so of public dissent on radio and TV, somebody in authority had to say something. Hannity, as we know, is shameless on birth control, and judging from the interview, he hasn’t even the vocabulary to rationally defend his position in the face of his Church’s clear teaching [2].

Now it should be noted that Fr Euteneuer is the head of a widely honoured (or vilified) organization, Human Life International [3], which works tirelessly to fight against abortion, the sex slave trade, and promiscuity around the world. Its track record is highly visible and consistent, supporting Church teaching as well as the dignity of women and children, and constantly on guard against government programs which undermine the family.

While conservative Catholics were peeved at the rough handling of this clergyman – by one who was himself a former seminarian and member of the Church, they were stunned when Fox analyst Fr Jonathan Morris, LC piled on, defending Mr Hannity from what he called the “shockingly poor judgment” of his guest. He continued, noting:

The unfortunate event reminded me of the bigger question of the fast-eroding credibility among religious leaders in our nation and its causes [4].

That comment alone beggars belief, coming as it does from an ardent follower of Marcial Maciel, LC, founder of his religious congregation who on that very day was under subpoena in Mexico. Maciel and the present head of the Legion, Alvaro Corcuera were both solicited to answer 38 questions about troubling trends of sexual conduct still associated with the Legionaries of Christ, culminating specifically with the recent alleged abuse of a four year old boy. This is the same founder, previously hailed as a “model for youth,” who is now stripped of the ability to act as priest in public for credible accusations of child molestation himself. This is the same order that led to roughly one hundred testimonies to be given to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith concerning sexual improprieties, spiritual manipulation, and possible illegal drug use.

And yet, in Fr Morris’ sunny world, it is not the publicly censured Maciel who has contributed to the erosion of credibility of religious leaders – rather it is the inappropriate and ill-considered words of priests such as Fr Euteneuer who are the problem. This was truly a baffling display of hypocrisy.

A particular dimension of this heated exchange involves the important element of fraternal correction and how it is properly administered. Specifically, Fr Morris attacked Fr Euteneuer for not admonishing Hannity in private, resulting in an explanation from Fr Euteneuer that he indeed had made an effort to do so [5]. But that allowed Fr Euteneuer to bring up an important point:

May I also point out that you did not employ with me the same standard of “fraternal correction” that you expected me to employ with Mr. Hannity. I at least made the attempt to speak to him about this issue in private without success; you, in contrast, went immediately to the internet to take me to task. I do not intend to understand your motives; I can only evaluate what I see in your actions [6].

Fr Morris responded quickly that he had indeed made such a private attempt, which Fr Euteneuer firmly denied. Thus we have one priest saying, “Yes I did,” while the other maintains, “No you didn’t” and we must fall back on the question of the established credibility of both men.

There is no reason for Fr Euteneuer to lie – and he has been known for his integrity for years. On the other hand, Fr Morris has a checkered past in this area, most notably with a public censure from angry Muslims.

Representatives of an east London mosque used by several of the terror suspects reacted angrily yesterday to what they called a "sick stunt" by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News channel. Mohammed Shoyaib, the imam of the Musjid-e-Umer mosque in Walthamstow, complained that he and other elders were tricked by a representative from the cable channel, a priest who said he was working for the Vatican and wanted to talk peace.

"He introduced himself as priest working in Rome," said Mr Shoyaib. "Then he said he was working for peace in the world, that all faiths should work together for peace, that he needs a united message of peace for the American people. Only later he said he was from 'a sister network of Sky News', but never mentioned Fox."

The man spent several minutes conversing on camera with the imam and elders, but they reacted furiously when they learned he was Father Jonathan Morris, a religious pundit for Fox News… Mr Morris denied he had misled the local community but, in the face of criticism, he hastily left the scene [7].

First of all, being the vice-rector of a Catholic seminary (which Fr Morris is) can in no way be confused with “working for the Vatican.” We could allow for the fact that non-Christians could assume that the city of Rome and Vatican City are interchangeable, but the misrepresentation was more than his Church credentials – it involved his employer’s identity as well. Fr Morris disputes the details, maintaining that he was more forthright, but eventually agrees that he hadn’t mentioned his Fox affiliation at the outset. [Additionally, it is interesting that his vocation is to “work for peace in the world,”[8] rather than to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It may have been a mental reservation for the sake of ecumenism, but perhaps his mission is different than that of most Catholic priests.]

A subsequent response of Fr Morris included the following admonition to Fr Euteneuer, reminding him of how difficult it is for all religious leaders to be taken seriously.
When we hear television evangelists wonder out loud whether Ariel Sharon's stroke might be God's judgment on him for making territorial concessions to the Palestinians, we lose trust. When, year after year, we listen to self-proclaimed prophets predict the day and the hour of the “end-times,” we lose trust. When we turn on the television and hear preachers promise heaven on earth if we give, give, give to the Church — their church — we lose trust. When we hear mainline Protestant pastors and their associations throw Biblical tradition to the wind and make wishy-washy statements about faith and morality, we lose trust.
The non-Christian religions are in even worse shape regarding leadership credibility. Is there a single Muslim imam who stands out today for his national leadership toward peace? What Muslim scholar can we trust to speak with scholarly proficiency and universal authority about the alleged peaceful nature of Islam?
The Jewish community in America is so splintered and disjointed on themes of dogma and religious tradition, it is difficult to find anyone who speaks for the majority, or even for the masses [9].
And yet, after such statements attacking the religious leaders outside the Catholic Church, Fr Morris claims to be swamped with support from the very people he criticized:

Particularly interesting were the hundreds of messages I have received yesterday from non-Catholics, including many pastors, and non-Christians. In these notes you expressed your commitment to collaborate with both of us as we strive together to build a civilization of truth and love [10]

The “civilization of truth and love” is a nearly trademarked statement of John Paul II, whom Fr Euteneuer loyally follows on every topic. Why would non-Catholics and even non-Christians side with Fr Morris to pursue John Paul II’s dream – against one of the most orthodox of priests who promotes solely the Catholic view of human sexuality. It is a complete non sequitur and makes no logical sense. I don’t believe that Fr Morris got those emails – not ten, and certainly not hundreds. Not for the sake of the “civilization of truth and love.”

The sordid drama continues with a public back-and-forth on the internet, between the two priests and among the lay faithful who are bewildered by the surprisingly unorthodox position of a priest from such an “orthodox” congregation. Men and women are having difficulty explaining the compromised action of such a loyal member of the clergy, and thus this is where it is important to remind them of some important “unorthodox” decisions by the Legionaries of Christ.

Shrewdly Advancing the “Kingdom”

Politically, the Legion has always been very astute discerning who the power brokers are in a given time and place and ingratiating themselves with them. In Chile, Augusto Pinochet was a highly controversial figure tied to repression not only of the poor in his country, but also of the Church. He was clearly tied to the assassination of at least six Catholic priests and the torture of many more priest, nuns, and lay faithful.

While the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, rebuffed efforts of the persecuted Church to give testimony to John Paul II, the Legion of Christ also turned a blind eye to the military dictator, choosing rather to seek vocations among Chile’s wealthy Catholic families who may have been loyal to Pinochet. The Legion’s access was dependent on Cardinal Sodano, who was Apostolic Nuncio to Chile during Pinochet’s regime, and with whom Maciel had a close relationship.

The people know of [Sodano’s] "reports" to Rome and of his excessive attachment to the military regime. Also well known are his biased criteria in recommending the appointment of new bishops. In the offices of the nuncio "black lists" operate, there are rewards for services rendered, people seeking promotion, people falling in and out of favour [11].

I personally heard testimony of the tremendous success of recruiters in Chile years ago – a success that would have been impossible without the favour necessary from the compromised Apostolic Nuncio. While one might say that the Legion was simply being “wise as serpents” to use such access to “build the Kingdom” under the nose of repression, the overall result was intense scandal by those Catholics who were sorely persecuted by their lack of favour within the halls of power.

Moving to Mexico, the Legion had the ear of Marta Sahagun, the wife of Vicente Fox, who is a member of the Regnum Christi Movement. This was impressive to many ardent RC members, who saw such a highly visible citizen in their ranks and committed to the same apostolic works on which they worked so diligently. Unfortunately, although her first marriage has subsequently been annulled (in 2005), Fox’s first marriage was not, and neither Vicente nor Marta were free to marry when they wed privately in 2001. Her irregular situation didn’t seem a problem to the Legion in view of her tremendous visiblity – which must have added its own scandal to the loyal Catholics struggling to emphasise the importance of Church teaching on marriage to their own children and grandchildren [12].

Another highly visible ally of the Legión will be visiting Atlanta this summer for the Youth and Family Encounter, Eduardo Verástegui (born José Eduardo Verástegui Córdoba).

Say his name in Mexico, and everyone will know who you are talking about. Now he's making his breakthrough in the States. His name is Eduardo Verastegui. He has tons of fan clubs and thank goodness Google translates pages since the majority are in Spanish [13].

Besides his steamy soap operas and modeling career (which even included posing nude), he has recently had the chance to work with Jennifer Lopez (J-Lo) which delighted him. He is a man of contrasts – wearing a rosary and insisting the he prays regularly, dancing with seductive women in sensual videos, and hoping for marriage in which he will fulfill his dream of having exactly three children (not exactly a Catholic view of collaborating with God to unfold His plan) [14]. But the Legion now has access to a hot and rising star who can combine devotion to the Blessed Mother with participating in the very troublesome industry that causes Our Lady so many tears.

Of course, the Legion cannot be held accountable for all the private decisions of its members, but in the case of Marta Sahagún de Fox and Eduardo Verastegui there is no explanation of limited support, of separating the virtuous actions from the questionable actions, or even acknowlegment of moral challenges to their elevated vocations. They are exploited in sum for their visibility and used as fodder for Legionary recruiting.

Another troublesome ally of the Legion is Mel Gibson, an ardent Catholic although out of communion with the Holy See. Legionary priests hovered about the set of The Passion of the Christ, running errands and ingratiating themselves to the cast. This familiarity never led to offering Mass, because of course Gibson never participates in the Novus Ordo liturgy to which the Legion must dedicate itself. Nevertheless, the Legion used this proximity to offer “inside” information on the meaning of the crucifixion of Christ (for those who may not know about the basic tenets of the faith), to be included in the closing credits, and ultimately to set up an office at Icon Productions back in Los Angeles.

Again, while Mel Gibson offers an extraordinary example of using faith in the arts and standing up for unwelcome message in Hollywood, the Legion never offered an explanation of why they would collaborate with a schismatic Catholic, or when such collaboration is allowable. They allowed the celebrity of the vehicle to bring them into contact with other power brokers despite confusion and scandal over the method.

Orthodoxy Presumes Basic Integrity

The Methodology of the Movement is its greatest strength, according to its members, and it emphasises the growth of its own ranks at any cost because, to the Legion, the end justifies the means. There are consistent, well-documented cases of the following methods used regularly by members:

· Misleading guests about the sponsorship of various events (LC/RC is so misunderstood, we couldn’t let it get in the way!)
· Lying to others in order to get journalistic access to their true motives (hey, everyone in the business does it!)
· Bait and switch tactics in order to recruit potential members (once they’re in the door, we’ll reveal why we really invited them!)
· Using in-house school directories for promoting RC apostolic activities (when these girls encounter Jesus, they won’t care how we got their phone numbers!)
· Using fabricated stories to solicit funds from benefactors (God will reward them for their generosity, despite how we use the money!)

All of these have been cited numerous times by those who have had associations with the Movement. Rather than saying that small lies are justified for the sake of the greater good, one should rather ponder the words of Jesus, Who said, "For if you are not faithful in that which is little, how shall any one give you that which is great?" (Luke 16:11).

Additionally, the Movement is dedicated to targeting particular souls for the good of the Kingdom, and thus the ulterior motives of the recruiters allow for a utilitarian view of friendships, which undermines authentic charity. From the Constitutions of the Legion, we find their modus operandi:

Art. 3 Means of apostolic action

101. Working with leaders in different branches of human and social life is an essential element in the specific charism of the Regnum Christi Movement. As a way of winning them over to Christ, keep in mind the necessity of responding to their most sensitive concerns, which are not always necessarily religious at a given moment, and try to invite them to those apostolic activities which the Movement promotes that are most representative and of the greatest human or social breadth .

102. Recruitment is achieved by cellular action and through open means of recruitment whose possibilities are practically limitless. All should work on this with enthusiasm and discretion.

103. Recruitment happens in stages, going successively from kindness to friendship, from friendship to confidence, from confidence to conviction, from conviction to submission.

This five segment approach – called captation – was part of every section, and members are accountable monthly to show a list of recruits, indicating the stage where each person was. Recruits were carefully selected for their wealth, status, or other gifts that would benefit the Legion, and then “won over” – ostensibly to Christ, but always through the Movement. It is hard to imagine complete sincerity when an ulterior plan governs relationships in such a discreet, utilitarian way.

Of course a friendship is not normal when one side has an end-game and the other is in the dark. To assume to know what the vocation of another person is requires more than self-assurance – it requires holy omniscience, smacking of pride.

The Legion also exercises pride when it pays lip-service to an action of the Holy Father, while “knowing better” than he about what is true. This has been the response of the Movement from the top down after the May 2006 communiqué suggesting that, due to outstanding and credible charges of molestation, the founder would be best served by a life of penance rather than undergoing a trial. All members have been instructed in how this is a misunderstanding of a holy man, is redolent of the Church’s persecution of Padre Pio, and which places them – if not materially, then spiritually – at odds with the finding of the Bishop of Rome. The outward obedience shot through with their spiritually obtuse attitude must surely disappoint the Vatican officials who made the judgement [15].

Thus, this “orthodox” congregation has consistently exemplified dishonesty, pride, manipulation, and rampant duplicity – for the sake of building the Kingdom. It has chosen fidelity to the founder over sincere loyalty to Rome, high-pressure apostolates at the expense of family unity, and relationships with celebrities and power brokers over defending Church teaching. What is baffling is how outside observers consistently assume – because their outward acts of piety conform to traditional practices – that everything about them must be straight arrow. It has been the effort of many over the years to try to explain that the window dressing lacks substance.

Ultimately, the only thing surprising about the words of Fr Jonathan Morris, LC is that he displayed his hand so forthrightly. There is no doubt that the Legion approved all his columns and positions beforehand (it’s standard procedure for all public statements or papers) and now they must be reeling at the negative response. So be it. Despite their next move, kindly ponder this one, and consider whether it reveals a pattern of shallowness and intrigue rather than the action of a true friend of the Church.

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usTWwSbpWRc&eurl=
[2] http://spirit-and-life.blogspot.com/
[3] http://hli.org
[4] http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258291,00.html
[5] http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258501,00.html
[6] http://www.hli.org/article_open_letter_to_fr_morris.html
[7] http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1844066,00.html
[8] http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,208282,00.html
[9] http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258291,00.html
[10] http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258501,00.html
[11] http://www.chile-esmeralda.com/documents/vatican_opts_for_impunity-%2099.htm
[12] http://www.sectas.org/Secciones_Especiales/visitajpii/david_Petesburg.htm
[13] http://www.yfe.org/program.html
[14] http://www.eduardoverastegui.com.ar/ingles/noticias/noticias_ingles_pag_01.htm
[15] http://regainnetwork.org/article.php?a=47245965

Pseudo orthodoxy

Over the years, supporters of the Legion have been compelled by cassocks, pious devotions, lip-service to the Pope, and cherubic seminarians. Each of these seem to be pawns in a game to appear orthodox while masking other ends which are at odds with following Christ.

The Legion undermines family, honesty, local ecclesial authority, friendship, free will, and authentic discernment -- all for the sake of "building Kingdom." This cannot be. Why are the smoke and mirrors so effective? Why do we repeatedly excuse lapses in virtue as irrelevant in the cause of "holiness"?

My latest article makes a small attempt to connect the dots. I'm glad to see that the Wanderer agrees, as do the bulk of HLI supporters.

The cojones of Fr Morris

It says on his site:

From 2002-2004 Father Jonathan served as a theological advisor to Mel Gibson in the making of the feature film, the Passion of the Christ. He advised the grass-roots promotion of the film in the United States and Europe.

This is bogus. The LC's were basically schlepping coffee around the lot as a way of making themselves useful. Why would Mel, a schismatic, take advice from a newly-ordained priest aligned so closely with Rome? Inside the Vatican wrote who the real advisors were -- I'll go look it up.

Advised the grass-roots promotion?  If the Legion encouraged its members to see the film and to have friends see it too, does that qualify as "grass roots promotion?" That is not resume material in the normal world. I took my kids -- should I add it to my CV?

The Legion is delusional. Period. More:

In November of 2005, Father Jonathan covered the youth riots in Paris, France. He went on the scene of the rioting neighborhoods and spoke to the Muslim youth about the social and religious undertones of the conflict. At the same time he initiated an exclusive interview with the Imam of the Grande Mosque of Paris.

The police don't even go into those sections of Paris -- they are off-limits to non-Muslims. And is that interview the one he got through lying? The one the Imam complained bitterly about because Fr Morris misrepresented his affiliation?

He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on December 24, 2002 in Rome, Italy. In June of 2004, Father Jonathan graduated with high honors with a licentiate degree in moral theology (ethics) from Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome where is currently a doctoral candidate in the same institution.

Ordained 4+ years ago, doctoral candidate now, and ALSO vice-rector of the school? What value is there in the school if the vice-rector has just graduated, has no doctorate, and is off jet-setting for face time with Big People (or schlepping coffee?) Most likely the school association is for the sake of making him credible to Fox's audience, but he couldn't be there that much with the resume events really taking place...