"Regnum Christi and the Legion of Christ are basically one thing"

Now, how many of those beautiful ladies have left the "consecrated" life? And what will they do with that unfortunate picture with MM standing in front?

Btw, it's inaccurate to position life as a 3gf in the same league as the consecrated virgins in the early Church. The real CV's always made their dedication to God personally through the local bishop -- as they do to this very day:

The Consecration of a Virgin is one of the oldest sacramentals in the Church, and one of the fruits of Vatican II was the restoration of this profound blessing on virgins living in the world. The promulgation of this restored Rite for women living in the world was on 31 May 1970.

Through this sacramental, the virgin, after renewing her promise of perpetual virginity to God, is set aside as a sacred person who belongs only to Christ. The acting agent in the Consecration is God Himself who accepts the virgin's promise and spiritually fructifies it through the action of the Holy Spirit.

This sacramental is reserved to the Bishop of the diocese. The consecrated virgin shares intimately in the nature and mission of the Church: she is a living image of the Church's love for her Spouse while sharing in His redemptive mission.

The consecrated virgin living in the world embodies a definitive vocation in itself. She is not a quasi-Religious, nor is she in a vocation that is in the process of becoming a Religious institute or congregation. Nevertheless, she is a consecrated person, with her bishop as her guide. By virtue of the Consecration, she is responsible to pray for her diocese and clergy. At no time is her diocese responsible for her financial support.

The consecrated virgin living in the world, as expressed in Canon 604, is irrevocably "consecrated to God, mystically espoused to Christ and dedicated to the service of the Church, when the diocesan bishop consecrates [her] according to the approved liturgical rite." The consecrated virgin attends Mass daily, prays the Divine Office, and spends much time in private prayer. She can choose the Church-approved spirituality she prefers to follow.

Supporting herself by earning her own living, the consecrated virgin is not obliged to take on any particular work or apostolate. Usually, consecrated virgins in the United States volunteer their time to their local parish, diocese, or Church-sponsored association. Some volunteer their time also in civic responsibilities.

Comments

[Mary Ann]

How false the voices are, how hollow and forced. How glassy the eyes and stiff the smiles. Everything is false. The theology, the education, the characterization of charism are all ridiculous. The only thing true in the whole slip is what Bannon says: The Legion and REgnum Christi are one. SOMEONE PLEASE CLUE THE VATICAN IN TO THAT FACT!

[Mary Ann]

They look like Scientologists.

[Anon out of RC]

I still do not understand how the Church approved the RC consecrated women when they do not follow the consecration rules set forth by the Bishop. Did Pope JPII know that these women were not being consecrated by the Bishop but just taking promises like the regular RC ladies?

[Steve]

One of my good friends has a daughter up in NE in the candidacy phase of the programme. She and her friend just visited the Challenge clubs in Raleigh, NC. Her dad reported that she and her buddy were fully aware of all the mess going on with LC/RegC, but were on course, inspired and inspiring, all in anticipation of some 20+ ladies getting ready to become 3gfs in just a few weeks.

My friend had expressed some concerns a few months ago. He now seems at peace with the whole operation.

Funny how things work out.

[giselle]

That would be a few weeks from now, late March 2009?

[THE_Br._Dan]

I JUST realized, so many of the women parted their hair on the left! Don't tell me they had a "rule" for that too!!!

[Anon]

I have heard that Susan Bertola, the RC woman featured in the u-tube clip, has left RC. Can anyone verify?

[SQ]

Anon,
I don't know for sure. I knew her 2 years ago here in MI. She helped with something. I remember asking for her a few weeks later and there was hemming and hawing about her whereabouts. I never saw her again. I figured she had been transferred.

She was a lovely lady. Thank you for mentioning her - it reminded me to pray for her. :)

[Pete Vere]

0.50 into the clip, where all the women are standing for a group shot, is the priest standing with them Maciel?

[giselle]

Si, Paco.

Even from a distance he looks a little smug (but that could just be me).

[Sam I Am]

Open letter to my RC wife

TKC!

To my beloved wife,

Since you’ve decided that you will never abandon Christ i.e. leave the Regnum Christi Movement, I’ve decided that it’s best for our relationship if I just fully embrace the spirituality and methodology of RC rather than fight it.

Therefore, I’ve decided to lead a double life and carry on an affair with one of my co-workers. Since it doesn’t seem to bother you that Fr. Maciel led a double life and you continue to follow in his spirit by adhering to the statues, norms and prayers that he has devised, I can only conclude that it won’t bother you if I start dating Carol while at the same time expect you to remain faithful to me. On the other hand, you’ve put the “kingdom” before our marriage for so long, I’ve started to view your own involvement in the Movement as adulterous in a certain sense. You have expected me to understand your calling from all eternity for the past 10 years; as such, I’ll expect you to understand where I’m coming from.

Please don’t worry. The kids will be fine. Actually they don’t even have to know. Most of the kids in K4J or Challenge or Conquest don’t know about Fr. Maciel’s vicissitudes so there’s no need to burden ours with my own shortcomings. And why should our home life be affected anyway? Look at all the good that I do for the family. Let’s focus on that and ignore my other life. You’ve been able to compartmentalize the private life of Maciel and all the good that God has done through him, you should be able to do the same with me.
The fact that you continue to give my money to an organization that has squandered millions of dollars of well-meaning people tells me you won't mind if I spend some more of it on Carol.
Who knows. It may even turn out for the best. Doesn’t God write straight with crooked lines? Doesn’t he bring good out of evil? If I’m late for work or have to go out for a long time on the weekends, please remember: believe all the good you hear and only the evil you see (which will be never if I’m careful).
Thank you sweetheart. I'm counting on your charity and serenity.

Love,

Sam

[Lauretta]

Great letter, Sam. It really brings out the reality of the truth of this situation.

[anonymmous]

Susan Bertola is NOT consecrated anymore :)

[Anon2010]

Well, this is very sad. Sam I Am, it brings me to tears this morning. I'm so sorry that you are suffering and Im so sorry that your wife has put her need for RC above the well-being of you and your children. It's a sacramental abuse and our holy legion catholic priests instigate this destruction of a holy sacrament by creating the wedge between you and your wife. I am guilty and I have already apologized to my husband for the hell I caused him for many years as he wrote the checks day after day - as he sat on the sidelines night after night, year after year - as he suffered loneliness at the loss of his wife's love and affection because I transfered my love to the priests and the movement. Deep down, I knew it was wrong. But it was like "precious." I didn't want to give it up. I searched for it, longed for it, prayed for it. It was evil and it could have destroyed my marriage. By my patient husband stood by me through all of it. The husbands and wives who put up with the sacramental abuse of their marriage are the true saints in all of this. Those on the inside should take note. One of these days, your wife or your husband will walk away from you - for good. What will you be left with then? A divorce? Well good luck! Because legionary priests don't love bomb poor, broke women or men. It doesn't matter how beautiful or handsome you are. What will you be left with? Nothing. Why? Because your RC sisters and brothers in Christ won't want you either. The smear campaign will begin. It always does when legionaries have no use for a member.

I hope that what you are getting out of it now is worth all the suffering later. But then you did it all for Christ, right?

[giselle]

Remember: those handsome Legionaries tell the women that the Movement will save their marriage, and even if their husband is not on board, the fidelity of the wife to her RC commitments will save him (and the children) in the end -- not to mention the threat that if her children leave, their souls will be lost to the world. Such a diabolical twist.

(And now, what about that vocation from all eternity? The "incorporation" has been downgraded to an "association;" does the divine promise get throttled back as well?)

[Mary Ann]

First, RC is said to have been approved as an "apostolic movement" - sort of like the Knights of Columbus. The consecration stuff probably wasn't even in the deal.

Second: Sam, man up. Quote some Scripture to your wife. Take control of the funds and of your children. Even if the group were good, you would have the right to demand different behavior and to control your kids' activities. However, I suspect that your letter was a satire - at least, I hope it was.

[bill]

the thing that stood out to me was the music - they totally ripped off bruce hornsby's "valley road". which is hilarious if you think about the lyrics.

[DF]

The RC doesn't actually claim that these ladies are canonically consecrated, do they? I thought "consecrated" was more of a colloqial usage, and that strictly speaking these are third degree lay members of RC who have taken non-binding promise to live celibacy.

If that's the case, there wouldn't have been any Church approval of their status as "consecrated virgins". But of course the use of the term consecrated on a day to day basis sends a not so subtle false message to the 3gfs that they are morally and canonically bound to their situation (at least until they get sick or depressed and require care, at which point they'll be released of their bogus obligations and handed a one way bus ticket home).

[Anonymous]

In the actual statutes- the ones in the 120's something that Rome did see, they make promises. To be dispensed from those promises it only requires a letter stating the desire to the Director General. It does not require his approval according to the statutes. Write the letter and go... However what Rome needs to protect at the very least is that those who go beyond a certain number of years should be due financial support should they decide to leave proportionate to number of years served.

[SO DONE]

Br. Dan...No, 3gf do not part their hair on the left. But they can never wear it up in a pony tail unless they are "doing sports."

Isn't it interesting that what comes out of their mouths is almost identical to what Legionaries say? It really is a type of brainwashing. There is nothing authentic about their sentiments.

[SO DONE]

DF, My understanding as a 3gf was that I was just as consecrated as a carmelite nun. Only years later did I realize that was totally bogus. But on the inside, that's the line they give you. I think a bishop needs to go to each 3gf center and explain to them EXACTLY what their status is and how nobody is looking out for them.

[Patrick Madrid]

I wonder if the proper royalties were paid to Bruce Hornsby for using his song "Every Little Kiss" on this video.

[Ides of March]

Sam,

I am assuming your letter was satire as well; however satire or not the subject of the satire is true enough and the pain behind it real enough. And the temptation to give up or worse, I think, is not uncommon, i.e. you’re not alone.

I believe the best way to win a spouse back is to show that one can thrive outside the movement. Let her know and see how deep a man of prayer you are and that you are working on becoming a great father and husband. Draw her in to your circle of influence, non-RC events and non-RC friends etc… In other words win in her back with your example or die (to yourself) trying. That’s my plan anyway.

[Anna]

Sam I Am - your pseudo letter to your wife is pathetic. Your wife commits adultery so that makes it ok for you to the same? Then you talk about "my" money - you chauvinist little piggy!

Because the movement is bad it is all right for you to air your dirty laundry in public? What a petty approach. At least you have came to the right blog to do it.

[Anon2010]

Royalties? Good question! Perhaps someone should look into that...