Short-circuiting justice

Trastevere has an explosive piece, which I'll be tweaking all day (help appreciated). For now, Googelle offers this:

The papal delegate for the Legion of Christ, Cardinal Velasio de Paolis, with the invaluable help of Alvaro Corcuera and other superiors of the LC, appears to be weaving a blanket to cover the lofty aims of the Legion, the sexual abuse of its pederast and criminal founder, and engage in a renewal of a system that is taking in water on all sides, without promoting a serious investigation of other cases of pedophilia and abuse--not only by the founder of the order--and, what is even more serious, by incomprehensibly neglecting to deal with the victims who reported abuse during their time in the Legion and are still crying and waiting for justice.

Madrid, January 24, 2012 (For Trastevere) .- Twenty months after the Vatican made public a harsh condemnation of the criminal activities of the predator Marcial Maciel that would put in question the very existence of the charism of the Legion of Christ, a report that was filed with the Pope Benedict XVI and reported by the Visitators, and after the very Reverend Velasio de Paolis, then still archbishop, was appointed by the pope as papal delegate to bring order to the Legion and Regnum Christi (we still awaiting the findings of the tour for this movement of lay people and consecrated by Bishop D Ricardo Blázquez, who has presented it in a timely manner to their superiors, and whose ife is practically the same in substance in the Legion).

Following the annual collective ordination within the order, the congregation has been asked (without training or knowing what they're doing) to slowly review their constitutions, of course without a clearly-defined charism, and in the face of a continuing trickle of dropouts and withdrawals due to fatigue, helplessness and hopelessness.

But worst of all is that D Velasio de Paolis still definitely has the bull by the horns, without explaining the mission entrusted to him by the Pope and most unfortunately, criticizing those who still continue to denounce what has happened and is happening--and trying to say in essence, "the dog has died, no more rabies."

It's the battle of David against Goliath, in which the papal delegate--instead of being judge or impartial referee--seems increasingly abducted by the Macielist system, and though this mission and the trust of  Benedict, is doing a disservice to the credibility of the process begun with the appointment and subsequent report of the visitors.

In this situation of despair and helplessness, one cannot ignore the complaints and increasingly higher voices of those who are calling for justice and real change. In this vein, The Association of Assistance to Those Affected by the Teachings of the Religious Congregation Legionaries of Christ, chaired by former LC Emilio Bartolomé and also founded the former lc Patricio Cerda, has posted a new report today on his blog, stating with great detail the case of Javier Legorreta and the action taken by former vicar of the LC, Luis Garza Medina, as an example of what has been, is and remains the repugnant Macielist system launched by the chief predator and his acolytes. [It is published here.]

"I Was The Vicar of Marcial Maciel"

[THE VICAR GENERAL covered up pedophilia and other scandals]

"Vicar" means substitute, one who supplies for another; according to the Dictionary of the RAE: "You have the the standing, the power and authority of another person, a substitute." Luis Garza Medina, is a man most emblematic of the Legion. Born in Monterrey, Mexico, the son of one of the nation's most powerful families, and has been for decades one of the most powerful (the first in the shadows) in the congregation.

He was captivated by the mission, and his career was meteoric, allowing him to occupy leading positions within the Legion.

Leaving behind all the stories which may or may not be true, I will focus on the cover story and relate that to which, sadly, I was witness.

In my student years in Rome, as is true of many young people today, you had to combine study and work. In addition to the work to take proper care of the house, it was up to me to be responsible for the kitchen for many years.

At the same time, I developed my pastoral work with the leading parishes of Rome. My mission was to talk with pastors and get them to open the doors of their parishes to us, and there our seminarians would go and teach catechism. The aim was to attract people of those parishes to the Regnum Christi Movement.

It was an interesting job, with many experiences of all kinds. I also received much criticism for the obscurantist way with which, they said, Legionaries acted, which at that time I did not understand.

One afternoon, visiting soup kitchens Caritas of Rome, met a group of young people who did volunteer work, feeding, cleaning and helping in the best way the "Barboni" (beggars of Rome). That was surely excellent work, I thought, but the same that the Legion does through its formation of the laity ...

I met a guy, named Francesco, with whom I formed a great friendship.

As always when you get home, I had to report to my superior in the apostolate, Fr Juan Jose Arrieta and what I was doing to make contacts.

Mentioning the case of those and other young people, it seemed like a wonderful opportunity to start a youth group of Regnum Christi, which we were trying to form in Rome.

Then Fr. Arrieta told me to submit this information to a young Roman, Javier Legorreta.

Legorreta was a young man beloning to the Regnum Christi consecrated, who shared the usual gift of eloquence, and was in charge of working with young people. He had been sent to Rome after having spent several years working in northern Italy as a companion of Father Hernan Jimenez, who was a career recruiter.

One afternoon, I called Francesco and he said he needed to talk to me urgently and we met in the parish that the Legionaries have on the Via Aurelia, near the house General.

When we started the dialogue, let me something that left me stunned ..

- "Javier Legorreta, sexually abused me" (This is what he clearly told me.)

- "I've discussed with my father, and told me to talk to you without delay" -.

That evening, I came home and went immediately to look for my superior, Fr. Juan Jose Arrieta, but did not find him. PEARLS WE HAVE ANOTHER DAY THIS PRIEST, PASTOR OF GUADALUPE CHURCH OF ROME.

I could not talk to anyone about this, so what I did was go to my room and write a letter that I put in two envelopes clearly indicating that it should not be opened by anyone but only by Fr. Arrieta, because the Legion had a habit that many of the things that came to superiors were reviewed by Brothers in whom they put their trust, but since this was a delicate case I did not want anyone else to read it.

About 10:00 at night while preparing to go to bed, there was a knock on my door and was Juan Jose Arrieta, who invited me to go to his office.

He asked me a series of questions and immediately put me in contact with Fr. Luis Garza, who lived in the same house, almost next door to the General House of the Legion, as the Vicar of PEDERAST Founder.

I spoke with LUIS GARZA by phone, and he wondered about the veracity of what I had written and I said yes to everything, it was something I couldn't comprehend in my right mind but that's what this guy had told me.

The boy's parents were good friends with a priest, who was then rector of one of the most influential Catholic universities in Rome, who asked that this not be taken in the media to avoid scandal and recommended to seek ways to solve it with the congregation.

The next day Javier Legorreta was sent to talk to me and I simply said what Francis (Francesco) the victim had told me.

The Fr. Luis Garza took hold directly of the situation at hand, and asked me to talk to family, insisting that none of this come out in the media or be known publicly. Obviously I was burdened about the vow of obedience, by which a member must obey his superiors without question.

Fr.Luis Garza asked me to tell the family that Legorreta was a Mexican boy, that they had nothing to do with him, and please do not do anything that might damage the image of the Legion and the Church.

He also promised me that Javier Legorreta would be expelled from the third degree of Regnum Christi the level and would no longer be consecrated.

Imagine my surprise when, in 1998, I was sent to work in Spain as a career recruiter and I met Javier Legorreta along with another man in a village in Navarra.

Javier told me that he was working in Germany for AIN ("Aid to the Church in Need"), the Spanish acronym of the prestigious institution created by the German priest Werenfried Van Straaten, known as the "the bacon priest."

The following year I was sent to Rome, and was back with Javier Legorreta, who came to visit the Legion house to meet with the founder and other superiors ... I was still astonished!

Where was the expulsion of Legorreta that Luis Garza promised me?

Is not this perhaps a case of blatant cover-up?

All of this was sent in writing to the Apostolic Visitor, Bishop Ricardo Blazquez at the meeting I had with him and know it was KNOWN BY THE RECTOR OF THE PRESTIGIOUS CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY IN ROME.

I offer this testimony because I want to know the truth about the cover-up perpetrated in my day by those who were my superiors, and they did nothing more than hide it, DELAY, BUT NOT ATTEND TO THE NEED OF THE VICTIMS, in this case, Francesco.

I wanted to purge this from my memory, but in January 2011, I received a phone call from a priest from Germany, saying he belonged to AIN ("Aid to the Church in Need") and he asked if would be available to travel to Germany and testify in their favor in a lawsuit they had against Javier Legorreta.

I said I would have no problem in attending, so that on January 19 I received a formal letter from the lawyers representing AIN, to be in Germany, (the document that you attached).

For various reasons I'll tell, as usual tactic of the Legionaries in the end I could not attend the trial, which finally took place and the last I heard was that Javier Legorreta had reached an agreement with AIN, to leave their employ.

In the meantime of all this, Legorreta had several meetings with Fr. Javier García, who asked him to retire to Mexico.

Luis Garza, as well as with the case of the founder of the Legion, did everything possible to keep this away from the public, and the cover-up of this case demonstrates for all to see that they have always acted in the same way. AND THIS IS A SAMPLE FIRST BUTTON. MANY BUTTONS ON THE BOX AND WHICH WE WILL GO PUBLIC BY EXPOSING THEM.

I give this testimony as a means of taking responsibility, for only when the truth comes to light can we assure that such incidents do not reoccur.

This recent case is not 50 or 60 years old, as in the case of the founder, but a case that happened only 10 years ago, but we see that despicable actions concerning the behavior remains the same: No help for the victim, acquit the guilty.

LUIS GARZA, THE VICAR, IE, the caretaker, is in charge and was responsible for the CONCEALMENT OF MANY CASES OF ABUSE WITHIN THE ORDER ... ...

We will continue every week offering evidence demonstrating the veracity of our public charge, using other cases with the permission of the victims that have in our possession and that demonstrate the complicity of some church leaders who, in turn, were informed and did no.

Final note: Out of respect for privacy, for the victim's name has been replaced with a pseudonym. "

[This testimony is dePatricio Cerda, who has authorized Trastevere for full and immediate publication. And I would add that the issue of AIN, which mentions, proved once again that the policy of transparency required by Benedict XVI remains unfulfilled in many cases. I will narrate in the coming days with more detail this action.]

Will D Velasio de Paolis acknowledge this account this time, or continue to give no answer?

Comments

[****]

The longer the Legion takes to settle with the original victims, the more it is open to getting this kind of publicity. They need to cut to the chase, publicly and quickly.

This is something the Vatican clearly required in its May 5th statement.

That it is taking this long is simply not acceptable. If the Legion can't come clean on the first cases, it certainly will not be able to deal with the problem as it occurs (as it inevitably must, given the prevalence of this problem in society) elsewhere.

[Justice]

Evil must surely surround the Legion and all Regnum Christi members who REFUSE to acknowledge these abuses and crimes!

People are SUFFERING and the LC/RC don't give a rats ass about anyone but themselves!

CLOSE THE DOORS TO LUIS GARZA'S LEGION OF LIES! NOW! WAKE UP BENEDICT!

There is no baby in this filthy tub.

[AnonObserv]

Just so the readers understand where this is headed. Part of De Paolis's rationale for not removing superiors, for not carrying sanctions out against those who permitted the MM state of affairs to fester for over 60years, or any 2nd generation spin-offs of the same, was that there simply was no specific evidence handed on to him, nothing concrete enough with which to process a case.

The gravity of this case is not so much the coverup, i.e. in the name of avoiding scandal- for we well know the Church at large was still in the middle of a major upheaval at this time regarding how much transparency was required to ensure all due diligence was carried out. Only with the Dallas charter, 2002, did we see a sea change in the basic criteria for handling sex abuse cases.. In this, the Holy See has only gradually been adjusting.

The gravity however is shown in the outright negligence in carrying out due justice (his expulsion). The outright use of deceit with the family and those wanting just remedy. And any lack of followup regarding pastoral care of the victim. Let's keep in mind- the accused is not a priest, not a religious, but one under the supervision of the LC, and the place where he would have access to victims. To dismiss him, it was only a question of sending him away immediately- no dispensations were required at all.

Now let's put the timing together. By the time, the case of MM as launched by the Hartford Courant, was in full swing. Who was responsible, blow by blow, for every move of the LC in this time? The same person, the Vicar General, Luiz Garza.

The LCs will see all this as just more attacks--- , they will end up communicating however by such attitudes that the standard of serving the LC for its own sake occupies a higher standard for them than that of Gospel. When no one is held accountable for anything, when all is kept silent so as not to disturb the peace of the members, you arrive to this very sad end result. It is an anti-witness to the Gospel and the true state of religious life.

[giselle]

You know, the red flag that went up for me when reading it for the first time was the action of Fr. Arrieta. I found it curious that he told the writer to call in this fellow specifically, as though he knew that there was a situation that called for his "touch." It was merely intuition, for the second reading doesn't show that there's any connexion, but it was a very uncomfortable thought. Was that fellow the only one in the region (Rome!) who could deal with the youth? Almost sounded like a set-up.

[Another ExLegionary]

those friendships aren't just for fun, they serve a purpose - whether the concerned lc's if he embraces the methodology, or his superiors' if not. The superiors never let a friendship exist for its own sake.

[Mary Ann]

I love the expression, "There's no baby in this bathtub."

Don't people know that no one can be commanded by obedience to do something immoral, or to omit a moral obligation?

Patricio Cerda said he had a great friendship with the victim. Not great enough, evidently.

The parents are guilty, also. Everyone is just protecting themselves and their own reputation under the guise of protecting the Church.

[Mary Ann]

Also, justice is not expulsion. Expulsion just transfers the trash so that others get injured. Justice is prosecution.

[The Monk]

AnonObserv

Good points!

Mary Ann | January 27, 2012 at 01:53 PM

"no one can be commanded by obedience to do something immoral, or to omit a moral obligation." Of course not. Unless the subject of the order has a deformed conscience, a sense of blind obedience, and is perhaps in denial about prior history. That's a part of the LC problem.

In my answer to Scipio, in the preceding thread, I suppose I'm trying to illustrate the process of how a conscience gets deformed as a result of direct manipulation by one's superiors....who, in turn, have had their consciences deformed....

Vicious circle.

[Giselle]

I must say that this inter-generational problem (combined with the stability of existing leadership) is why all the business models in the world cannot make it right. There is no charism to provide an authentic mission for this congregation, and a heap of toxic obstinacy to boot.

[AnonObserv]

Mary Ann: Expulsion from a religious institution, removal from office, are all canonical penalties and considered sanctions in canon law. Expulsion achieves the additional end not to permit someone to use the guise of religion to further their abuse.

I think what you mean by prosecution are the criminal penalties proper to the civil arena. Turning ecclesial cases over immediately to the civil arena by ecclesial mandate was fruit of the Dallas 2002 charter. I do not know if European ecclesiastics are ready for that as of yet- perhaps so after Ireland. My point being, in 1998, at the very minimum, expulsion from the group and his access to youth, was what required by any Church official of that time period.

It damages seriously LG's credibility for being the innocent and 'naive' point man for MM's case in public forum of the late 90's.

[The Monk]

Giselle,

So far, the Vatican thinks it's "fixable." They have a long track record with even bigger scandals and worse situations.

By "business" models (I suppose you mean "organizational models") can be useful to identify structural problems and suggest a new, healthier, transparent structure. I'm not sure I've seen anyone suggest they can remedy the core spiritual component and the understanding of the evangelical counsels.

The issue you really bring up is the "credibility" of the Church. I still believe the Lord's promise to be with her no matter how much she tries my patience. It's not easy, never was, and it's not getting any easier. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, there doesn't seem like there is a lot more we can do to speed the process. I can't believe that Card. De Paolis' pace is not noticed by the Vatican PTB.

[bruce]

makes one pause over how true and unworldly the truth is as it rises to the top of a dung heap.

i'll take it any way i can get it.

[Santiago]

Anything new?

Patricio Cerda has published this several times in the past years (2008, 2010,...). Just google his name and translate his interviews. I doubt it will be more explosive now than it was then.

[giselle]

While the facts may not be new or shocking, the difference now is Garza on the record pleading innocence and DePaolis on the record investing trust in the current leadership. The two dates you supply were before the current Church policy had crystallised.

[Santiago]

Facts?

Patricio Cerda has been giving several interviews in recent years about this. Now now he says: "I wanted to purge this from my memory, but..."

[WiserThanEver]

Right after they announced Garza would be the Territorial Director for the U.S., I recall an article posted by Jim Fair that talked about what a great man Garza is. The insiders venerate him. I think that the powers in Italy protect him because they don't want ANY trails leading to the Vatican. On a separate note, if the FBI is indeed investigating the Assistant Music Director at the Apostolic School in Indiana, why couldn't they dig deeper into the other activities of the Legion? Who knows, Mexico, drugs, maybe there's money laundering... Again, the Legion doesn't want any negative media. Maybe that's what they
deserve. Where's the FBI when you need them?!

[WiserThanEver]

Why can't these sex abuse cases be handled in court? Priests DO go to prison. They cannot lie in court.

[pete vere]

AnonObserv - While expulsion from a religious institute, removal from office, etc. are all canonical censures, they presume one has some sort of canonical standing to begin with.

What I'm not clear about is the following: What is Javier Legorreta's canonical standing with LC/RC?

Come to think of it, what is the canonical standing of any member of RC/3gf/3gm?

[Aaron]

Santiago, I think the new part of the article is the involvement of Aid for the church in need and their handling of Legorreta.

I can understand what he means by not wanting to have this in your life (to purge yourself of the past) but sometimes what we want to do and what we ought to do are two different things.

"Turning ecclesial cases over immediately to the civil arena by ecclesial mandate was fruit of the Dallas 2002 charter" regarding this, I encountered a problem when trying to get the legion to process my case in 2001 (note that Luis Garza was the first legionary who knew about what happened to me, and he handled my case in a worse way than Legorreta: he disbelieved me without having ever met me and allowed the abusive priest to continue his ministry in a shool).

The Dallas charter does not apply in ireland, the irish charter does not apply in Rome etc. While there is an obligation here for the diocese to report crimes immediately to the police, the irish legion, for example, can get avoid this because any accusations are dealt with in Rome even if you report it to the highest LC superior in Dublin. Note that there is NO file about me or my reporting the abuse to the police or to the legion etc in Dublin LC building, in fact there is nothing about me at all.

The Dublin archdiocese advised the legion, in my case, about what it should do, but it had no ability to enforce any charter. In that regard I have involved my home diocese and Dublin Archdiocese, the Irish Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church and also to an extent the Conference for Religious in Ireland. This 3rd party involvement has put a spotlight on the LC response to me.

I hate to think what might have happened had I tried it alone.

The Legion does NOT report abuses to the police. I know of one victim who reported historical abuse as a teenager (still a minor)by a LC priest only last year and the police have not been contacted. (Note the abuse happened some time ago, it was only reported last year).

They did not contact the police in my case, but then there was the possibility that I was 18 when it happened (it was close to my 18th birthday, maybe before or after) so it may not technically have been abuse but an assault...

So the bottom line is that the Legion considers ITSELF to be the greatest victim in all of this. In that regard its treatment of victims is entirely legin focused: damage control, minimise economic loss, feel-good by meeting some victims to give them a pat on the back.

When I met Alvaro I made some suggestions about how to prevent abuse: let every LC read my account and learn how the LC system was used for abuse - this will flush out past abusers and bring awareness to the current victims still in the Legion. He did not like that idea at all, he did not want the LC to know about what happened. He said that they had done something that should work: every LC is aware of the consequences of being caught and knows the full process of any report.

Although, I doubt that what they are told and what happens is the same thing.

[Seeking Truth]

Aaron, Where can we read your account of what happened? I have been reading this blog for a year or so now and although I am very familiar with the fact that something terrible happened....I would appreciate your story. Thank you for your honesty and your sincerity. The truth disseminated is the only thing that is going to make a difference.

[Aaron]

Hi truth, there are three relevant letters below, it isn't easy reading, but I would really appreciate it if RC and LCs can get hold of it - I think awareness of what happened, the particular mechanisms, can prevent abuse and help victims.

http://www.regainnetwork.org/article.php?a=47245905

http://www.regainnetwork.org/article.php?a=47246073

http://www.regainnetwork.org/article.php?a=47246152

[Seeking Truth]

Aaron, I believe every word. And my heart hurts with the reading of it. The fact that you are willing to relive your assault to protect others is an indication that your heart is mending. Your words are cries for justice. Justice to God first of all. How He must delight in your courage.

Are you still considering suing? Lawsuits have an added benefit of news coverage. None of us can experience freedom without the truth. None of us can face the past or choose our future without the truth of things. Your actions are very self-giving.

Does anyone know about Alvaro's path to the Legion? Did he meet Maciel as a young boy? He sounds so broken.

Aaron, while being the one called to relive what is unspeakably painful, your commitment to the truth speaks of such love for others. God is healing you.

I pray for God's continued gentle cleansing of your wounds.

[Aaron]

Thank you seeking - yes I was and am motivated by something that i learnt growing up. Perhaps it was part of growing up in terrorism and the troubles in Northern Ireland, but injustices continue while the good keep silent in their despair.

I knew, by my own conscience, that I had to try to prevent others from hurt or I would share, somehow, a guilt. But naively I also thought that those closest to the problems would share my view.

I am deeply aware, now, how also - perhaps primarily - my speaking out has been for my own benefit, my healing and I hope it has helped others and has not been completely selfish.

Alvaro was famously singled out by Maciel from the moment the met when Alvaro was a teenager in the Faro youth club in Monterey. Maciel told him he had a vocation for sure and he followed every step of his LC "vocation".

I don't think that Alvaro was also abused, if he was he has repressed this memory. I could speculate horribly that he is one of Maciel's children... stranger things have happened in the Legion.

[The Monk]

Aaron,
Alvaro went to the Irish Institute in Mexico City. He knew MM from the third grade elementary school. That Faro story is apocryphal. His family, highly respected in Mexico City, was close to the LC. His parents were outstanding people - the finest you could meet.

[WiserThanEver]

Aaron: I am with Seeking Truth. You have a wonderfully courageous spirit and I admire your conviction. Digging out these dark memories must be extremely painful but telling your story will warn innocent people to stay away from the troubled Legionaries of Christ. Had you stopped telling your story, I never would have known about their abuses when I hopped onto this blogspot a few months ago. I also thank Monk for his accounts of the
Legion. I think more victims don't speak out
out of fear. The Legion told me they have
money and power. They introduced me to some influential people. But to me, Purity of Heart, living out the Beatitudes is the ultimate goal. I could see right away that they were hypocrites. My SD told me that being gay is disordered and yet I sense that many are not only homosexual in the Legion, but are pedophiles, criminals. IThis is a problem with the entire Catholic church, their hypocrisy and ability to turn their cheeks. They say, "be humble" and yet they speak so arrogantly and look down on those whom they think have nothing to offer. Pure pride, greed, gluttony, lies and everything opposite of how Jesus said we should be! Keep telling your story! Go on a travel circuit telling your story. Band together with many and go to all of the major diocese. Get media attention. I imagine many would be
supportive!!