life-after-RC

The Eighth Circle

A good piece by Nicole Winfield (AP) ended with a quote that was picked up as fodder for a National Catholic Reporter editorial. Yes, I'm linking to a solid piece from that paper that speaks to the elite myopia of a small group of JP2 fans, an attitude that rankles those who love the Church and hope for justice:

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who was Pope John Paul II’s secretary of state, second only after the pope in Vatican’s power rankings, provided a clear answer today to anyone who might yet be wondering why and how the sex abuse crisis continues to intrude on news of church events, even the beatification of a pope.

Following is a segment of a story filed earlier today by AP writer Nicole Winfield:

“Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican's powerful secretary of state under John Paul, has been accused in particular of having been Maciel's most ardent protector and supporter in Rome, at one point allegedly shutting down the canonical process against him.

“Asked Thursday in Rome to comment on the Legion scandal, Sodano told The Associated Press that it wasn't the time to speak about it.

"’How can you, in such a great moment, get into such peripheral issues when the world is applauding the pope?’ Sodano said on the sidelines of a Vatican exhibit honoring the late pope. ‘I'm stunned.’"

What’s stunning is that Sodano, who indeed not only protected Maciel, but also benefited handsomely from the Maciel largesse that was lavishly dropped around the Vatican, has not himself been banished. Sodano at one point took it upon himself to proclaim that the Vatican had satisfactorily ended an investigation against Maciel, who not only abused scores of his own young seminarians but fathered at least three children by two women. That would have fit the Sodano script nicely, except that it wasn’t true.

That MO -- lying with authority and bravado -- goes hand-in-hand with the MM style that helped the congregation flourish for so long. There may have been other times in history when members of the hierarchy were as corrupt and self-serving as this, but that doesn't make it any less appalling.

Maciel's methodology survives

A couple months old, but new to me--but be warned, I cannot vouch for the veracity:

THE VATICAN’S “INNER CIRCLE”

Almost 80 wealthy businessmen, captains of industry, or directors of multi-national corporations, met on January 22 and 23 at the Vatican. This international religious souvenir conference was the result of an invitation from the odorous “Legionaries of  Christ.” Housed in the Domus Santa Maria, a six-story building located so close to St. Peter’s Basilica you can smell the incense, the participants did not travel all that way only to say two Our Father’s and three Hail Mary’s.

The purpose of this conclave: to squeeze “one to two billion euros” out of them in order “to help the church meet the challenge of a renewed presence in the media landscape.” Among them were several French patrons, including Claude Bébéar (honorary president of AXA), Michel-Yves Bolloré (older brother of Vincent), Jean-François Hénin (former director of Crédit Lyonnais), and Gonzague de Blignières (CEO of Barclays Private Equity).

Sex and the Internet

These “spiritual” heirs of Fr. Marcial Maciel were given the responsibility of bringing together this papal “inner circle,” and of organizing the event. The Mexican priest, who founded the Legionaries of Christ in 1941 and passed away quietly in 2008, succumbed to evil temptations throughout his life. Enthusiastically so, since he was involved with at least two women and three children. As though possessed by the devil, this odd cleric was equal parts drug addict, plagiarist and pedophile.

It took the church more than sixty years to realize all this and to condemn his “serious and immoral conduct.” All the while, the establishment of a vast system of corruption festering in the Vatican allowed Fr. Maciel to obtain favors from the Roman curia. For charitable purposes, no doubt.

Quickly coming off smelling like a holy rose after the condemnation of their spiritual leader, the Legionaries of Christ are being entrusted by the Vatican with a sacred mission. They must “evangelize the masses” through modern and reliable media.  That is why they need the money.

Small donors or employers

It was his hagiographer, the aptly named Jésus Colina, director of the Catholic news agency Zénit, who welcomed the pious employers. At this first “Catholic Davos,” the wealthy attendees are being invited to contribute, by means of foundation grants, to the creation of “large Catholic media enterprises”

Bébéar has written a check for one million euros. In turn Hénin has shelled out 1.2 million to obtain God’s grace. These initial checks will be used to launch and operate an “internet platform.” There is some urgency. A document sent to participants states, “The foundation of our civilization is at risk.” Heavens!

As a final effort to persuade them, these “Catholic sponsors sensitive to the cause” are entitled to one “private evening (visit) to the Sistine Chapel,” a “dinner in the prestigious surroundings of the  Vatican Museum,” a religious talk with “Fr. Lombardi, spokesman” for the  pope, and to top it all off,  an “angelus with the Holy Father, Benedict XVI.”

But there is always a kill-joy. Not unexpectedly, the slick and holy are unhappy. “It’s a mafia,” confesses a cardinal. “Maciel may be gone, but his methods have survived him.”

A Roman prelate, as always under the secrecy of the confessional, believes that “the Legionaries are taking advantage of the the current weakness of the pope to reclaim their small business interests. And yet, that was why Cardinal Ratzinger (later Benedict XVI) chased them out of Rome.”

While undoubtedly breaking with a certain Mafia tradition, they have donned a third philosophical cassock: “An octopus, like the Phoenix, will always rise again.” Afterall, it is for the greater glory of God.

[Didier Hassoux writing for Canard Enchaîné » du mercredi 23 février 2011, p.4.]

Ten Reasons to Worry about the Legion

In case the Movement doubted its perfection, there are many who are still willing to tell everyone how great the group remains, despite its founder, despite the massive defections, despite the closing schools, despite the lack of leadership and despite the fact that it will take years to sort through the constitutions to see what can be salvaged. Fr Moreau is the latest to discern that God wants him elsewhere, and Monk left decades ago, but both assure us that the Movement is awesome on stilts.

Jeannette responds specifically to Monk's list of "10 Reasons to Like the Legion of Christ" with a reality check (and my additions are in red):

1. Professionalism. [I beg to differ, because every discipline they enter has a penumbra of questionable credentials, hijacking of other's initiatives and the grave side effect of making alert Catholics paranoid about what apostolates they can trust to be Legion-free]
2. They attract people who think they're the best and brightest. In Catholicism, we don't actually consider this a good thing. In fact, we refer to Pride as one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
3. Professional celebrations and Well Fitting Garments! Again, in Catholicism, Vanity isn't a plus. [I'll take the shabby garments of the Cure of Ars any day. As for Gregorian chant, all we ever had in RI or GA was a single piano, a couple of guitars and nouveau hymns in Spanish -- did we miss something?]
4. Numbers. They're popular! Again, not an actual virtue in Catholicism. [And further, now we know those numbers were not only massaged, but the whole "sell sell sell" mentality was fueled by lies about "memos from the Holy Father!"]
5. Those Legionaries who aren't willing to practice Legionism? They're banished to Quintana Roo, where they do a pretty good job of practicing Catholicism [and providing photo ops of humble, pious natives for whenever a fundraiser comes around] 
6. Lots of news outlets! This isn't really a major sin, but it's just not something that Real Catholic orders usually trumpet [post scandal, of course, we find that owning news outlets was a crafty move to allow the Legion to play gate-keeper with the facts, and selling off NCR and F&F would undermine the point, no?]
7. Many Schools (many currently closing, many are accredited by fake accreditation groups (like NCE). Education doesn't appear to be acknowledged by real schools, when students attempt to get transcripts [and this point is further undermined by the notes from General Chapter that said that the primary purpose for the existence of schools is not education but recruitment] 
8. Loyalty to the Pope. Seriously?  Not in 1956, when Luis Ferreira was fed laxatives so that he couldn't do his job during the Great Blessing, nor when Maciel snuck back in after Pius XII's death. Nor in 2005, when the LC leadership produced a paper from "the Vatican" saying there was no investigation (in fact, Msgr Scicluna was at that time already interviewing "more than 20, less than 100" people in his investigation of Maciel. Nor in 2006, when the Pope was compared to Pilate for his censure of Maciel. They don't appear to be respecting the May 1, 2010 letter at this time either. Does Legionism have a different definition of loyalty, or do they maybe have a different pope??
9. Efficient fundraising. Ooh, yes, this is definitely a Legionist virtue [and yet how many claims exist that the intention for which the money was raised was not its ultimate destination? How much have they really sent to Japan for the relief of tsunami victims? And what about the new fundraiser to pay for their "free housing" for 3rd world bishops at JP2's beatification?]
10. Attract many youth. Unfortunately, recruiting the young is actually a cause for alarm to many of us because it's a polite way to say "preying on youth because they don't recognize red flags as well as wiser adults do," and often, children are encouraged to keep secrets from their parents in sd, etc. which violates "Honor thy father and mother." [Furthermore, when complaints about intergenerational abuse remain unanswered and unresolved, their broad access to youth adds another red flag to the whole setup.]

I do love my brother Monk, who in his combox suggests a truce for Holy Week, which I respected, but one cannot allow the ten points to go unanswered. As for the three additional points provided by one of his readers, those are Catholicism 101 -- which can exist apart from the Legion. The question remains: what unique and beneficial elements do the Legion provide to the Church, and as of yet, apart from its scandalous foundation, we have yet to answer it. Charism to be determined (CTBD). Peace.

UPDATE: Frank offers his own response, which he posted at Monk's site as well.

Jack –

I have always believed that you bring a unique perspective to the entire Legion/Regnum saga. Though I don’t always agree with you, I have always believed (still do) that yours is a voice worth hearing. With that in mind, it is with great disappointment that I read your “10 Reasons to Like the Legion,” as your reasons are patently absurd. Rather than focus on the entire list, I would like to focus on the second reason you offer: “They attract great vocations: One can complain about the methodology but historically they have had a great ability to attract the best and the brightest.”

Now Jack, I would like to offer you the benefit of the doubt here. Perhaps you wrote this in a hurry without thinking through the logical implications of your statement. If you did, and will acknowledge such, then we have no issue. I, at times, have been guilty of the same thing. However, if you really believe this, then you, and any Legionaries who believe this, should prepared to defend this assertion.

Do you really believe that this year’s newly-ordained Legion priests are superior to those priests ordained for the dioceses of New York, Arlington (VA), Denver, Witchita (KS), or any other diocese? Are they superior to the men who will be ordained this year for the Dominicans, Oblates of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fraternity of Saint Peter, Jesuits, or Fathers of Mercy? If so, please explain. Where is your evidence that Legionaries have superior education, talents, credentials, and abilities when compared to the men of other orders or dioceses?

You, Jack, are the one who made the assertion that Legionaries are the “best and brightest.” Again, where is your evidence? Has the Legion yet produced a theologian on par with Ratzinger, de Lubac, or von Balthasar? How about philosophy. Where is the Legion equivalent to von Hildebrand, Gilson, or John Crosby? Or in canon law, is there any Legion priest whom you would rate as an equal to Raymond Burke or Edward Peters? And since you are impressed with the Legion’s well-tailored vestments, let’s examine their liturgical achievements. Can you name a single Legionary liturgical expert on par with Josef Jungman, SJ, Msgr. Klaus Gamber, or Giles Dimock, OP?

Regardless of whether you consider the Church-related disciplines (theology, philosophy, liturgy, etc), or the secular disciplines (law, medicine, architecture, psychology, etc), the Legion has yet to produce a single man who has either achieved a broad-based respect from his academic peers, or has produced any definitive body of work that is commonly referenced by fellow scholars.

Take the Legion’s Institute for Psychological Studies. While the Legion, in typical poser fashion, attempts to thrust itself on the forefront of Catholic psychology, they have yet to produce a single first-rate intellect in that field like Conrad Barrs, Anna Truwe, Greg Popcak, Ray Guerrendi, or Richard Fitzgibbons. For an order with 60+ years of history, the Legion’s academic and scholarly achievements lie somewhere between astonishingly thin, and outright barren.

You may not realize, Jack, but you stepped on a landmine with your “best and brightest” assertion. One of the things I, and many others, find so irksome about the Legion is their corporate arrogance. Through that thin veneer of faux-humility, I saw up close and personal how the macielists believe that they are superior to other clergy. In reality, Legionaries are basically grifters in Roman collars, taking and using the genuine work, success, and achievements of others and appropriating it to themselves.

To that end, perhaps we have stumbled upon a single, genuinely Legionary achievement: when it comes to being takers and users, Legionaries truly have no equal anywhere in the Catholic Church.

Jack, please reconsider your position. As one who has respect for your opinions, I find this completely beneath you. If you can respond to my request for evidence, without questioning my motives, I eagerly await your response.

"Legion is awesome, but I'm out"

News from Atlanta:

Holy Saturday
April 23 2011

Dear Friends and Family,

    Easter greetings from Malinalco Mexico.
    I have been enjoying this beautiful part of Mexico for a week now with some of the most faith filled people I have ever met. Two roomed, dirt floored homes full of human and supernatural joy. Walking down a dirt road from Tlecuilco about half an hour ago I passed Maria with her horse and donkey. She is about 80 years old. A widow. Every day she loads sticks and branches from the forest around Tlecuilco and leads her two pack animals about 3 miles to town to sell it as firewood. She was heading home when I passed her. She saw my priest collar and smiled at me. She took my hands and kissed them and said “Dios es bueno, Padre, Dios es bueno.” Then she kept walking.
    God is good indeed! Eight and a half years ago I was ordained a priest in Rome as a Legionary of Christ. There would be no justice in trying to sum up here in this letter all the beautiful experiences of these years as a Legionary. I can say that not a day has passed that I have gone to bed feeling completely fulfilled and happy to be Christ’s priest. I love being a priest and will be one till I die. I came to this priesthood through the Legion of Christ.
    The Legion has given me so much: a structure that molds priestly hearts, so many great men that have been brothers and fathers to me, hours of patient listening and formation and the opportunity to live close to the Holy Father for three years in Rome. It is a wonderful thing to be able to travel to many countries around the world and be in family as soon as you walk into any Legionary house. The charity we live is exemplary.
    As a priest I have come into contact with so many great people in the Washington DC area, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, and North and South Carolina. Woodmont Academy, The Institute for Psychological Sciences, Holy Spirit Prep, Lifeteen at Covecrest and Pinecrest Academy have welcomed me warmly into their communities and both served me and allowed them to serve them as a priest. I am so grateful to all of you for your love and respect.
    One of the greatest gifts I have received through the Legion is the contact with the members of the lay movement Regnum Christi. Solid, real, and fun-filled families and individuals that have taken their Christian vocation so seriously. I thank God for putting so many of them in my life. The Movement has been a gift for these people.
    Last week, before Palm Sunday, I took the first of several concrete steps to discern what God is asking from me in my priesthood. Fr John Connor, LC, the territorial director (provincial) for the Legion’s Atlanta Territory has always been close and fatherly to me since he took office less than a year ago.  I so appreciate his attention and spiritual advice. I met with him and we agreed upon a special program for me for this next year. In the afternoon of the same day I met with Archbishop Gregory and got his first approval to implement the plan. On August 15, I will begin serving the Archdiocese of Atlanta full time. My official status will be a Legionary priest in exclaustration for discernment. I will not be initiating the incardination process. I will, however, be completely at the service of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. This exclaustration will last till June 2012. During this time I will not be living as a Legionary in community, nor will I be identifying myself as a Legionary. The Archbishop has not yet informed me of the assignment I will hold.
    Some of you may have already heard about this move I am making. Rumors and news like this move fast! I wish I could tell more people in person, but that just cannot happen in time. I wanted to write this letter to make clear the true nature of this decision I have made. I am afraid that some well-intentioned, but perhaps overly zealous folks will paint my actions as a criticism of the Legion of Christ. Please do not take it this way. I am pursuing what I believe may be a call from God.
    I hope nobody takes my actions as a sign that they should consider leaving Regnum Christi. A move like that can never be made just because somebody else does it. It is very personal and between each person and Christ. It needs to stay personal. It should only be made in the context of a real purity of intention - that of serving God as He wants.
    I am happy to talk about this with anyone who wants to. Until August 15 I can be reached at pmoreau@legionaries.org. I will have a new email address after that.
    God bless you and Happy Easter!

Yours sincerely,
Fr Paul Moreau

"Gospel charity" is firmly in place, making sure that he doesn't detract in the slightest even as he shakes the dust from his sandals. We wish him every blessing, and a great deal of prudence as well, for when he encounters those ardent RC members in the region who remain confused by this deeply mixed message. (No doubt, Abp. Gregory is very grateful to be receiving another much-needed priest, but he cannot bring any baggage. That means the door must close firmly/cheerfully on this topic and he must hit the pavement running. Good luck with any deep healing this set-up allows.)

"Hey, he deceived everyone!"

In a National Review piece that tackles those who are conflicted about the upcoming beatification of John Paul II, George Weigel first dismisses those who have reservations about the man:

The people complaining about a “rush” are typically “progressive” Catholics who never had much use for John Paul II because he didn’t turn Catholicism into another liberal Protestant denomination; or ultra-traditionalists who lament the fact that he didn’t restore the French monarchy, impose the Tridentine Mass in Latin on the entire Church, and burn dozens of German theologians in the Campo dei Fiori; or ill-informed journalists who can’t stop playing “gotcha” with the Catholic Church. Their criticisms are not taken seriously by serious people.

Yes, I know those camps of people exist -- and they can be annoying because they don't think collegially, nor do they understand how difficult it is to shepherd a billion people while keeping them engaged in the essential work of God in their midst. I get it, but I don't like his sweeping and contemptuous dismissal. While usually I'm a rather docile sheep, attitudes like his bring out my inner crank and I have to fight the desire to rebel out of spite. Honest response, sorry. I've said numerous times that I find JP2 and entirely saintly man -- but that misses the point here.

Then, more specific to our topic of inquiry:

What are we to make of John Paul II and the sordid case of Father Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, a man whom the late pope supported and who turned out to have been a pathological personality?

As I wrote in The End and the Beginning, John Paul II was clearly deceived by Maciel, who was a master deceiver. The relevant questions here, in terms of John Paul II’s beatification and its judgment that he lived a life of heroic virtue, are whether John Paul II’s failure to see through Maciel’s deceptions was willful (i.e., he knew about Maciel’s perfidies and did nothing about the situation), or venal (i.e., he was “bought” by Maciel), or malicious (i.e., he knew that Maciel was a sociopathic fraud and didn’t care). There isn’t a shred of evidence that would sustain a positive answer to any of those questions. To even think that such could be the case is to utterly miss the character of the late pope.

To focus so much attention on Maciel at the time of John Paul II’s beatification, as if his case offered a privileged window into a 26-year pontificate that changed the history of the Church and the world, is rather like obsessing on the disastrous raid on Dieppe and the bombing of Dresden at Winston Churchill’s funeral. It’s grotesquely disproportionate, from any serious historical point of view.

This sort of answer begs the question, "what is it that is so insidious about MM?" and in answering that, we come to a few points that need to be highlighted:

• Although Weigel laments the "four month lag" in the Vatican's grasp of the news cycle, MM's case is different, so that doesn't apply. This has to do with decades of corruption that ought to be acknowledged. Ratzinger did speak of it bluntly, asking for prayers that he wouldn't flee from the wolves (meaning the wolves in his own curial circles) and warning that he would take on the filth in the hierarchy if elected pope: the point here being if Ratzinger knew of the widespread corruption, then JP2 must have known of it as well;
• Inherent in this argument that MM was such a good deceiver is the cavalier corollary: that he had to have acted alone, deceiving everyone, and I find this insulting. In order to bolster JP2's reputation, it helps to shrug one's shoulders to say, "Gee, we were all flat-footed on that one; but he's dead now so let's move on." That may be appropriate for JP2 who may well have been kept in the dark (until his enlightening lunch with Wanda Poltawska) but unfortunately that's the very lifeline that many are latching onto -- especially 1. rank and file Legionaries, 2. still-ardent RC's, 3. various superiors in the Movement, and 4. ultimately the key players who made the scam successful. (Interestingly, a 5th category might be mentioned: those who were duped by the Movement into carrying their water for a time -- a category that would include GW, which might explain his attitude.)
• To heap the guilt on MM alone and to chalk the scandal up to his cleverness alone misses the very point that led us into the darkness in the first place. Those who collaborated in the works of darkness (within the Legion or the curia) seem to get a pass, and the internal structures that facilitated the cult remain. And to add insult to injury, once again those who suggest that there's more to this saga than one con artist are "not to be taken seriously by serious people."

Happy Easter to you too, George. It's like gall on a sponge to those who thirst. While I find John Paul a most remarkable and heroic man, it's cheerleaders like this who actually manage to dampen one's enthusiasm for the inevitable. Even Christ tended lovingly to the one stray lamb when the rest of the flock was fat, smug and happy--and no doubt Our Lord understands now that not all naysayers are those who "didn't have much use for that pope" -- but rather those who put a great deal of confidence in his desire to shepherd them all. Perhaps too much.

"Who's that lady by the casket, Ma?"

[I've added an update below]

I just read Deirdre Mundy's comment in which she says the Legion is highly jazzed about the upcoming beatification of John Paul II, so much so that they are taking all the students from the Apostolic Schools to Rome for two weeks to soak in the celebrations. Assuming this is true, I find this truly bizarre. It's not that I'm blaming that pope for the bulk of the crisis (yes, he dropped the ball, but there was a very effective form of triangulation going on as well) but I'm appalled at the total lack of sensitivity that the Legion brings to the situation.

• It was JP2 who was pwned into calling MM an "efficacious guide to youth;"
• It was JP2 who was pwned by curial officials who cut off key information;
• It was JP2 who told us that "the whole world should be RC" when it is a cult;
• JP2 lived a life of heroic virtue EXCEPT for dropping the ball on the Legion;
• JP2 taught us how to die well but against the lurid backdrop of the priest scandal;
• JP2 took on fascists and communists but sadly will be remembered for this crisis.

And there in the square, on the surrounding streets, cheering the loudest, marching in their double-breasted glory will be the sons of Maciel, tone deaf to the fact that they are one of the most serious blots on this holy man's pontificate. I think that years ago on this blog we likened this to "the other woman" showing up at a gentleman's wake, hugging his widow and children and telling them what an amazing man he was -- really! Clueless about the tastelessness of her presence at that moment, blind to the grievous suffering she had caused them all -- the one dark chapter in an otherwise happy family story.

The "other woman" is a child of God, just as Legionaries are; the "other woman" has a tremendously valuable soul and a vocation that the world needs, just as each Legionary does -- the point here is not that they're less loved by God or any of us, but that this excitement is in extremely poor taste and their vocal, visual presence is awkward at best, and insulting if you really think about it.

If they think they can get mileage out of John Paul II's affection for them, it may not be in the direction they imagine.

UPDATE: CNS has a piece online covering this particular topic.

A Legionary priest who attended the April 29 tribute to Pope John Paul agreed. While the revelations about Father Maciel have been painful, he said, they haven't affected the admiration and esteem people feel for Pope John Paul.

The priest, who asked not to be identified, acknowledged that spirits at the Legionaries' headquarters were a bit "dampened" these days, as the order undergoes a thorough investigation and reform ordered by Pope Benedict XVI. But as hard as it is for the Legionary priests and seminarians, he said, "maybe it had to happen this way."

There was no sign or mention of Father Maciel as the tribute to Pope John Paul got underway. The founder's photo has been removed from the walls of the seminary and university, and Legionary books and other publications were under review to make sure there is no "inappropriate reference" to Father Maciel.

There was one minor exception at the April 29 event, probably unnoticed by the organizers. A Legionary booklet on Pope John Paul, printed in 2005 and available at the auditorium entrance, closed with a quotation from Father Maciel extolling the spiritual qualities that made Pope John Paul a saint.

I still think it misses the point -- which is not whether JP2 is a saint, but whether the Legion gets how badly their visible and enthusiastic presence at this event twists the knife concerning the scandal. But then, many don't get it, as Raymond Arroyo referred to the "grousing" that was taking place in some very limited circles.

Maciel the Albatross

The continued existence of the Legion will always cause the wider world to remember the blot on the papacy of JP2, since MM was the name and face most closely connected to that pope. Newsweek reminds us:

The signature case is that of the late Mexican priest Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the controversial conservative religious order the Legionaries of Christ. John Paul II was a great patron of Maciel, admiring the religious order’s unapologetic fidelity to Catholic teaching, its loyalty to Rome and the papacy, and its success in generating vocations among younger Catholics.

Yet in the mid-1990s, charges began to surface that Maciel’s public face concealed a deeply flawed private life. A complaint was filed in Rome with the office headed by then-cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, today Pope Benedict, alleging that Maciel had sexually abused a number of former members of the order. That case was tabled until late 2001, and no action was taken until after John Paul’s death.

Even when Ratzinger’s staff began to become convinced there was fire behind the smoke, other senior figures in John Paul’s regime gave Maciel aid and comfort. Maciel accompanied John Paul II on several foreign voyages and was extolled by top church officials as a role model for his work with youth. At one stage, the most powerful department in the Vatican, the Secretariat of State, denied there was any case against Maciel, at the very moment Ratzinger’s office was reaching the conclusion that Maciel was indeed guilty.

Under the new pope, the dam broke. In May 2006 Benedict XVI ordered Maciel to withdraw to a life of “prayer and penance,” and the Legionaries acknowledged his responsibility for a wide range of abuses and acts of misconduct, including that he fathered children out of wedlock with at least two women with whom he maintained relationships.

In the eyes of critics, the Maciel case illustrates a pattern of denial and obstruction of justice on sex abuse during the John Paul years.

I have another thought on this, though, having listened to this lovely report from Vatican Radio. [Take a moment to absorb it, please.] It gives such a heroic and global backdrop to John Paul's life that it causes me to pause. Karol lost his mother while he was young and his father before he had fully matured, he worked hard, he watched friends die, he endured massive sufferings, he fought Nazis, then Communists, and built a culture of faith amidst the arid atheism of his home country.

Every bit of this was through prayer, guidance by Our Lady, and sheer faith that God wanted more from His children. The philosopher who knew that the human person had such potential, such possibilities and such a heroic side even when he struggled against enormous political odds couldn't possibly have taken seriously the fact that some priests were so pathetic as to diddle with boys. Really? Men might be tempted to take a bribe to allow their aging mothers access to hot water or a first storey flat (and then there were the Orthodox priests cutting deals with the Communists to get the Catholic Churches, etc.) but MM was engaged in such vulgar trivialities that I can see it never made his mental radar screen. Same with most of the priests.

And having outlasted the Evil Empire, having seen the disintegration of liberation theology and having offered the world the depth of his personalism and theology of the body -- now he has to be remembered for this albatross? A narcissistic paederast who paid off the curia so he could play bedroom games?

And the Legion continually likens itself to Holy Mother Church, when in fact it will itself be the footnote on an era, the black spot that will never go away. This albatross will be the unspoken word in every introduction and the dark cloud over every initiative. Really, friends -- start fresh, and help with the rehabilitation of the Church's reputation, and offer the sincere act of filial piety for the sake of John Paul II that MM could only pretend to make. Wouldn't that prove that you love JP2 more than Maciel's kingdom?

"Ecce Homo" -- a timely reflection

From the combox. (Perhaps at each phase of the revelation, one could ask, "Cui bono?")

On my way home from mass yesterday while I was reflecting upon the reading of the Passion of our Lord, a most unpleasant memory pushed itself forward. In May 2006, the Vatican, after studying and weighing the evidence gathered by an investigation conducted by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, suspended maciel from all public ministry. The Pope took this action because there was sufficient evidence to do so.

And the legion's public response regarding the conclusion of the Vatican investigation of the accusations made against maciel? “Facing the accusations made against him, he declared his innocence and, following the example of Jesus Christ, decided not to defend himself in any way.”

The legion superiors in essence claimed that a sinless man was unjustly punished. How does this square with their claiming obedience to the Holy See? Worse, how dare these superiors compare mm's suspension to our crucified Savior! The comparison is a most blasphemous form of covering up.

This response from the legion superiors tells us what to expect from the legion – it will do anything to survive. And let's not forget that the same superiors who issued that statement in 2006 are still in positions of authority in the legion today. 

Maybe I find myself still upset by that public response by the legion because (as I've recently learned) I'm just a  “white picket fence” Catholic. So are there any Catholics higher up the ladder of respectability offended by the legion response? Are any l/r members offended? Do l/r members even know of this statement? Just asking, because I still don't get how anyone can continue to give credibility to anything a legion superior says, no matter if he's at HQ or if he's a mere section leader.

Longtime readers may remember that I pointed out the audacity/blasphemy here. Beginning with the Legion's response to the papal action:

Father Maciel, with the spirit of obedience to the Church that has always characterized him, has accepted this communiqué with faith, complete serenity and tranquility of conscience, knowing that it is a new cross that God, the Father of Mercy, has allowed him to suffer and that will obtain many graces for the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement.

That the Legion immediately characterizes him as an ever-faithful martyr is very telling. In an email to be widely distributed to supporters, a Legionary priest wrote, “Nuestro Padre [affectionate nickname members use, meaning “our father,”] had asked God to give him a final cross before his death, so that he may die nailed to it...!!!" He is offering all for the Legion and the RC. Imagine the fruits that we will harvest thanks to his faithfulness...!” Does this analogy mean that the pope himself is Pontius Pilate, however unwitting?

Another missive sent to another section notes: “I am sure you are hearing and reading in the papers about the Vatican position toward Fr. Maciel. Please keep him in your prayers throughout this further persecution. Today's gospel was certainly fitting, ‘If they hated me, they will hate you.’” Not a doubt about his innocence, simply Maciel as victim.

 

I think I've found the rub

I'm pulling some portions out of a couple comments -- not to pile on anyone (JP2fan -- we really appreciate your willingness to talk through some things) but to show the contrasts. In essence, this may be a "glass half-full/glass half-empty situation that comes from one's own prism of experience.

JP2 wrote:

When the revision of the Constitutions began, I did tell my Superiors that my biggest concern wasn't the actual alteration of the text - which is actually quite rich, spiritually speaking - but the alteration of the culture that had been created by the founder.

While this is a good point, the aside (that the constitutions are nicely written) provides a real point of contention for others. Aaron wrote about his tremendous zeal for the Legion and revealed that he would have even defied his parents if it came to that -- since what he saw of the Legion was so compelling:

Observer, I dont think you should bring the blame(is that the wrong word?) back to yourself: the legion is a cult and a program of effective measures were taken to ensnare you. The only part of that program that we are "guilty" of is that we were willing to believe in good and willing to participate in good, and the Legion was too good to be true. I certainly blame my vocational recruiter - his aggressive program of recrutiment, the means of captation, I also blame the superiors and formators who carry out the plan of indoctrination. Like all cult members, like all who are caught in scams - we were duped.

This is the point -- what value is there in the beautiful Catholic language and sacraments and culture if they were the means to an insidious end? Those who can still admire the beautiful words in the Constitutions have to take ownership of the fact that MM (and cohorts) knew how to play people with that very kind of Catholic imagery.

It does no good to say (in 2011) that certain things look alright at face value if one hasn't adequately faced how the game was played back in the day. If this isn't done, we're simply talking past each other.

Forgive a diversion ...

...but I think this illustrates a commonality about those who embrace lies.

  

Notice the progression:

1. man escapes from mind-control group;
2. man is asked by group to stop talking about his "isolated" negative experience;
3. man perseveres in revealing the lies inherent in the group;
4. history proves him right, showing his revelations were accurate;
5. group members say "so what" and ignore the plight of real victms;
6. group denigrates him for his fetish with the past, time to move on (take note, especially, on the shiftiness towards the case of Alger Hiss).

Please, no matter where you come down on the political spectrum, let this illustration strengthen your resolve to embrace the truth. The slippery response (and the evasiveness about real victims) is a classic response about those who going places -- building utopias -- but cannot stop to console the actual bodies in their path.

Consider this parallel:

"I have been ridiculed for being interested in the past by historians."

"We are ridiculed for being interested in orthodoxy by those who claim to represent it."

[And as long as you're already somewhat diverted, kindly take note of an important prayer intention for Wednesday. Of course, we'll be embarking on the Big Novena for the intentions of our readres on Good Friday.]