life-after-RC

The last dissenting voice

Dear Father Superiors and Consecrated: Again I have to raise a dissenting and dissonant voice to publicly distance myself from selling UNID universities. These are the reasons:

1. [Through these schools] we have the opportunity to evangelise 25,000 young people. [I] The Legionaries battle the ways of the world through their contact with college kids, and you, the above, have sold--without the consent of a chapter or through consultation with the Legionaries--their ability to evangelize 25,000 young people (each year).
2. The Legion still has enormous amounts of property and works which they can sell before selling their apostolic projects [ii].
- La Differencia (terrain on the hill opposite the Anahuac)
- The Inter-Americas Cultural Center in Tlalpan. (The land is worth a lot of money, and there so much money is spent on educating each person).
- La Casa Tres (complete with jacuzzi)
- The "Reino" houses there in the hills and forests, in Guadalajara and Monterrey.
- The retirement homes in Ameca meca, Las Penas, Chipinque
- The vacation home in Termini (only used 3 months a year)
- The property attached to the European University of Rome (which has a value of over $50 million)
3. Why does it have to be the UNID? Is it because there we only educate the children of railroad personnel ... and children of carpenters?

Father Superiors, the Legionaries came to know of this sale through the press. Who is responsible? Where is the transparency? What will be the new Legion's place in the Church which not only fulfills the orders of the Pope but also their own wishes?

The Legion belongs to the 900 priests and the 500 consecrated members, and they have not been consulted on the sale of their works. We seem to have changed leadership, but the culture initiated by Fr Maciel still reigns in this congregation.

I had nothing to do with this sale. It outrages and embarrasses me because it is a manifestation of elitism. It is not in keeping with the Gospel or the doctrines of the Church.

I apologize to the young people we have failed.
I remain,
The Last Dissenter,
P.Peter F. Byrne L.C

[i] 1132. The poor and the young are the wealth and hope of the Church in Latin America and their evangelization is therefore a priority (Puebla Document)

[ii] There are priests dedicated to small groups of children. In Dublin there are 3 priests, two religious, and twelve volunteers honored for their full-time dedication to fewer than 200 children. These children are not poor ($ 40,000 to be paid at the academy) or in need of spiritual care (because they come from Catholic schools). Why not sell this academy (which also loses money) in order to invest in the UNID, and also allow these people to
work with young people? Elsewhere there Mexica priests with 100 youth and 50 youth groups in his kingdom .. Why not dedicated to working with youth 25.000 UNID? Is it possible that is because they are children of workers and not worth the same as the
Anáhuac souls of priests having 3 Poniente time completely?

The original (corrections welcome):

Estimados Padres Superiores y Consejeros,
De nuevo tengo que alzar una voz disidente y disonante para públicamente distanciarme de la venta de las universidades UNID. Estas son las razones:
1. Son 25,000 jóvenes que teníamos la oportunidad de evangelizar. [i] Los legionarios batallamos en el mundo entero por tener contacto con jóvenes universitarios y ustedes, los superiores han vendido, sin el consentimiento de un capitulo ni la consulta con los Legionarios, la posibilidad de evangelizar a 25,000 (cada año).
2. La Legión tiene todavía enormes cantidades de propiedades y obras que puede vender antes de vender proyectos apostólicos[ii].
- La Diferencia (terreno en la colina enfrente a la Anáhuac)
- El Centro Cultural Interamericano en Tlalpan. (El terreno vale mucho dinero y allí no se educa a una sola persona).
- La Casa Tres (con todo y jaccuzi)
- Las casas de Reino que hay en las Lomas, en Bosques, en Guadalajara y Monterrey.
- Las casas de retiro en Ameca meca, Las Penas, Chipinque,
- La casa de vacaciones en Termini (que solo se utiliza 3 meses al año)
- La propiedad adjunta a la Universidad Europea de Roma (que tiene un valor de más de 50 millones de dólares)
3. ¿Por qué tuvo que ser la UNID? ¿será porque allí solo se educan a los hijos de ferrocarrileros … e hijos de carpinteros?
Padres Superiores,
Los legionarios llegamos a saber de esta venta por medio de la prensa. ¿Dónde está la corresponsabilidad? ¿Dónde está la transparencia? ¿Dónde está la nueva Legión que va al paso de la Iglesia y que cumple no solo los órdenes del Papa sino también sus deseos?
La Legión pertenece a los 900 sacerdotes y las 500 Consagradas y estos no han sido consultados sobre la venta de sus obras. Parece que hemos cambiado una cúpula por otra y que la cultura caciquesca iniciada por el P.Maciel sigue reinando en esta congregación.
Yo no tuve nada que ver con esta venta. Me indigna y me avergüenza pues es una manifestación de elitismo. No corresponde al Evangelio y no corresponde a la doctrina de la Iglesia.
Pido perdón a los jóvenes a quienes hemos fallado.
Me quedo,
El Ultimo Disidente,
P.Peter F. Byrne L.C

[i] 1132. Los pobres y los jóvenes, constituyen, pues, la riqueza y la
esperanza de la Iglesia en América Latina y su evangelización es, por
tanto, prioritaria- Documento de Puebla

[ii] Hay sacerdotes dedicados a grupos minúsculos de niños. En Dublin
hay 3 sacerdotes, dos religiosos, doce consagradas y doce voluntarios
a tiempo completo dedicados a menos de 200 niños. Estos niños ni son
pobres (pagan 40,000 dólares por estar en la academia) ni necesitan de
estas atenciones espirituales (pues vienen de colegios católicos).
¿Por qué no se vendió esta academia (que además pierde dinero según el
director) para invertir en la UNID y además poner todas estas personas
a trabajar con los jóvenes? En otras partes de Mexica hay sacerdotes
que tienen 100 jovenes o 50 jóvenes en sus grupos de Reino.. ¿Por qué
no se dedicaron a trabajar con los 25,000 jóvenes de UNID? ¿es posible
que sea porque son hijos de trabajadores y no valen lo mismo que las
almas de la Anáhuac Poniente que tienen 3 sacerdotes a tiempo
completo?

"Manipulate or die"

This exLC has spent much time unwinding from the Legionary spin he lived, and pondering the toxins at the heart of the Movement. Consider this recent post, which has many important points:

I wanted to follow up on the idea in my previous post that it is essential for a legionary to manipulate others. The fact is, twenty four years in the congregation gives you a chance to know a lot of people and a lot of legionaries. It was a real Noah's ark.

We were all thrown  into the same boat. Some made it to the deck, some navigated, some took the helm, and the great majority swabbed the deck. I swabbed.

But what was it that got you to the deck? What was it made you stand out and make it to the top? Everyone that entered had talents. Some more than others. That was no guarantee that you were going to be called to the deck. There had to be another quality that was sought after, something that made you stand out.

Leadership qualities were a must. But it was in the definition of a leader that we find so many answers. A leader in the Legion (in practice, not in theory) is anyone who is able to manipulate other to the desired end.

I mentioned a priest I knew who had many personal problems, but was given a pass on these and honored because he was so successful in getting rich people onto the boat. The quality that dictates success is to win people over to the cause, get inside their minds, convince them, no matter what the cost to you or them.

It is a very calculating way of doing things. You need to plan, get to know the person, play on his or her weaknesses, and promise rewards. It is very much akin to the Prosperity Gospel so common in Brazil where evangelical churches preach prosperity under the guise of God's blessing. It's more subtle in the legion, but it's there. Maybe it's not material blessings in this life, but it is eternal salvation.

And those who are able to latch on to this way of doing things are the ones that survive, or persevere in legion lingo.

If you don't get it, you are marginalized or pushed out. It's as simple as that - manipulate or die.

The striking thing is the vision of personal holiness preached in the legion is not rewarded.

I knew another priest who was a real example of authentic priestly zeal. People loved him for this. There were no limits to his generosity. He would dedicate hours to confession, visit the sick, council anyone who asked, and spend quality time in prayer. But he was marginalized, because he wasn't getting the required fruits. He was ridiculed by other legionaries as being a new St John Vianney. And that was sad: a man who was truly on fire for the Lord and for souls was treated as second rate, or lower.

The number of superiors and other honored legionaries I knew who had very visible faults but were given great prestige was countless. Sometimes I would hear mid-morning snoring coming from their rooms. Others would waste time on unholy practices on the computer; nothing immoral - just not measuring up to the standard they preached of using time well.

I don't know if you can call it a double standard. In a way it was. But it didn't matter how many vices or defects you had, as long as you were bearing the right fruits: money and vocations.

Just a final word on marginalizing. The Legion is good at creating place to send unwanted priests. The Mission Territory of Quintana Roo in Mexico is the best of all. But there are administrative positions created, auxiliary posts, and so many other places to send non-productive priests or religious. I held a lot of these posts. But I could never be satisfied with that. I wanted to be more productive. I wanted to feel more fulfilled.

I do feel more fulfilled now than ever. Parish life is very rewarding. I try very hard not to manipulate people. I listen to them and offer solutions, and respect their freedom. After all, that is what God does. 

Response from a 14-year "distraction"

This was left in the combox by "Marie," but deserves better visibility. She has summarised the legitimate grievances of the 3gf very well:

It is a sad day when Cardinal Paolis calls the consecrated women a "distraction". I was in the 3rd degree for over 14 years. I left a week after I learned of Maciel's corruption. Does Paolis think that it is just a mere distraction for us to try to start a life in the world when one is in her  30's with no resume, barely a degree from a foreign university and with no money in the bank! What a simple distraction. Are we to ask forgiveness for the burden we have caused him or the Legionaries? Unfortunately the Cardinal and the leaders at the top want to blame the 400 women that have left since this mess came to light! Nice try!

I have yet to hear a public apology from the Legionaries for the pain, deceit and manipulation they have caused to all the former consecrated women. I have yet to hear Father Alvaro asked forgiveness for the beautiful letter he sent us after Maciel's funeral saying M was blessing us from heaven, eventhough he knew all the Truth and deception at that time. What about the lie of 2004 were we were made to celebrate the approval by the Pope of ALL our Statues and norms? Only to try to get out of this one by saying in 2009 that there was a confusion and that the consecrated were following the wrong book of norms apporved by the Holy Father which did not include all the numbers? Why did Father Alvaro not stopped all his Legionaries that were our chaplains who made us follow all the norms including the most trivial details of our lives as the will of God approved by the Pope? Or perhaps he could have stopped the Legionaries from giving us retreats based on these Statues? What about the continuous cover up of Maciel's double or triple life when it came to his mistress in Spain? To know that a Legionary bought the apartment for her as Father Luis Garza mentions in a conference after the truth had come out is simply unacceptable. Let us not forget the last cover up of Father TW? Father Alvaro once again calls it a mistake that he regrets yet he did not remove him from teaching theology to so many people. What kind of conscience does a priest have when knowing of immoral acts for over a decade seem trivial enough to allow him to be inactive and worst yet keep promoting father TW as a key note speaker in conventions for lay members just a few years ago? Last but not least what about the cover up against former Legionaries of sexual misconduct?

I also read Fr. Thomas Berg's article. Thank God for him, yet I saw a Legionary Father Charles S. commented on how the members that remain should be respected. I would like to ask him what does he think of the way the women who left and joined Totus Tuus are been treated? What charity! Good fruits right? They have tarnished the reputation of all of them and all the ones that have left before them without mercy. I know many of these women who like me gave all for the cause of the "Kingdom". Who directed centers, schools and fundraised with little rest and sparing no sacrifice. All to make of these women the number one enemy, the unfaithful rebellious bunch! Nothing has changed -- they crush all dissent and fill the minds of those who once were their sisters fighting side by side for years as temptations for them if they have any contact with them. Evil that is all I can say.

I have spoken with 2 of the members from Totus T, and I am happy to report that they have been approved and supported by Cardinals and Bishops in 3 countries. In my opinion they are the real reform, they are the women who want to keep their conscience clean, who still want to serve the Church despite all the corruption and lies they found themselves in for so many years. They have seen the light truly by the grace of God and are able to continue their lives seeking to rid themselves of this cultish mentality. I wish them the best and my admiration and support lies with them. Hopefully more and more will be able to break away, it is not easy not at all as most of you can imagine. I can sincerely say that I consider it a blessing to be out to be at peace with my conscience.

I am sorry for the lengthy comment, there is so much more to say about this but is time not to break the silence.The Truth really is what makes us free!

I am convinced that no good fruits will come with  the same leadership  in place and while people remain in darkness trying to hold on to a corrupt institution which continues to inflict upon the faithful so much harm.

Peace to all and freedom in the real faith and love of God.

Abuse in precandidacy

Nicole Winfield has published another article on the Legion situation. This one covers the abuses in the Precandidacy (PC) program in Rhode Island.

Former PCs have posted their stories on the 49 Weeks blog.

 

(Posted by Deirdre Mundy at Giselle's request.)

Corrected with proper location for PC. Sorry for the mistake! -DM

Making school plans

Parents always need to stay one step ahead, and even though the 2011-12 school year hasn't ended, we're all mulling over the options for next year. With the changes in the Movement, some schools are closing, others combining, and others staying the course. Where will we place our children, we wonder...?

Before anyone considers a boarding school under the watchful eye of Legionaries or 3gf's, kindly consider this testimony of a girl who went to the pre-candidacy in RI. I'll pull just a few segments, beginning when she came home (hoping to return). The bold is my own:

I woke up the next morning a different person.  I had left home as bubbly, happy, irrepressible, irresponsible 14-year-old.  I came back a much older, sadder, more serious, and shyer 16-year-old.  I was coming back to a different family, too -- I now had a younger brother.  Everything seemed weird and different -- like it wasn't at all the family I had left, but a new family I was going to have to adjust to...

[If my parents yelled at me or criticised me} I could clearly see that their anger was more about what was going on in their own lives than it was about  me.  They weren't saying calculated things to "test" me.  They were just doing their thing, and sometimes they weren't as gentle as they could have been.  It no longer bothered me.  I realized that I had had a lot more "harshness" from my formators than I had ever had from my family.  Besides, I had changed overnight from the girl who dissolved into tears over everything.  I felt like I had no feelings at all.  I felt annoyed when people looked for an emotional connection with me, trying to share feelings or hug me.  I didn't want to be touched anymore.  And my feelings were a shameful thing I didn't want to share...

Pretty soon even I was able to recognize that I was deeply depressed.  The only emotion I felt was a deep misery and loneliness.  I called up the one former classmate whose number I had.  She was very understanding.  "When does it get better?" I asked.  "I'll let you know," she said.  She told me of others who had turned to alcohol or drugs to numb the pain after going home.  I was shocked...

The other person [who saved me] was my little brother.  It was so different to have someone who needed me.  No longer was I "forming myself" just for the sake of forming myself.  I had to smile even if I felt sad, not because it was the right thing to do, but because Joseph needed a smile from me.  I had to leap up and help, not because I had been assigned to help, but because he needed help right then and couldn't wait.  He was generous with smiles, appreciation, and hugs.  I didn't feel comfortable hugging anyone but him, but he reintroduced me to the world of touch and it was so comforting.

This is a young woman who came home, only to find that she had been lied to -- she wouldn't be invited back, although she worked hard on the things they told her that would enable her to stay. Imagine the ones who stayed. Read it and see what you can do to make healthy decisions for your children, and bring this information to light for others.

ADDENDUM: I'll add a few more excerpts, below.

Good memories only!

A former PC offers this guest post:

News has come out from the girls’ boarding school in Wakefield, Immaculate Conception Academy, that the school is closing.  Enrollment and tuition are down, and the Movement can no longer afford to keep it open. Meanwhile, the precandidacy program is moving to Michigan. The girls will attend Everest Academy in Oxford, while maintaining their own program.

This change means that the girls will be attending school with “normal” teenagers, including boys. It’s a big step along a process of loosening the restrictions on the precandidates. Recent rules changes have included a reduction in the amount of prayer time expected, a change in the dress code permitting pants on outings, and an increase in the amount of phone time with family.

A current consecrated wrote on Facebook:

In the US, as I understand, they also want the PCs to be more in contact with the "real world", not as sheltered, so that they mature as is normal. They will be a group apart, but will go to class with the school at Oxford, as the letter explains. . . . So that's part of the reason why they're going to Michigan, it's not only because of the Movement's economic situation.

Economics do seem to be a factor, though. They insist they will not be selling the school building, but “haven’t decided yet” what to use it for. 

Caroline Wilders, the outgoing director, posted about the change as well:

With this announcement comes another one which you probably have already heard about: Immaculate Conception Academy is relocating to Michigan at the end of this school year.  The PCs will live at the Oxford center and will attend classes at Everest Collegiate. This was a plan that has been in the works for some time. As the enrollment has gone down, tuition has decreased, and in the changing world we live in we needed to find ways to adapt our excellent program to the changing needs of the adolescents who attend the PC. . . . In addition the geographical location is more central and therefore closer to the majority of the students’ families enabling more frequent family visits.

The new director will be Margarita Martinez, a former precandidate who has been consecrated for sixteen years.

As a former precandidate myself, it does sound like good news. Things are opening up a bit, so that the girls are able to be exposed to some influences outside their formators’ control. However, is it really any more than a cosmetic change? Will the girls be discouraged from forming exclusive friendships with each other and “outsiders,” from talking with male classmates, or from telling anyone about what it’s like in the PC program? So far the voices coming out of the precandidacy have the same tone they always had, still upbeat and optimistic despite having been forced to make this drastic change. How can we ever know if that’s real?

As a “last hurrah” for the school, they are hosting a reunion of all former PC’s this Memorial Day weekend. It’s supposed to be “just like the old days,” with a similar schedule and activities. They are opening up a dorm for the former PC’s to stay in. Many former precandidates have been very excited about this chance to relive the good times, while others hope to go for some sense of closure.

I think it is nice that, after years of ignoring former precandidates, forbidding current PC’s to write to us, and pretending we don’t exist, they are finally opening their home to us. On the other hand, it isn’t free. They are estimating a cost of “about $150” for the weekend, including “the expenses such as eight meals, busses, electricity and water, etc.” For those who choose to stay in a hotel and furnish their own food, there will be a smaller fee. Is this a gift to us, or a fundraising attempt? Those who are going are also taking up a collection to give the precandidates a gift, such as a statue of Mary, to take with them to Michigan.

Many of the women invited were looking forward to sharing negative as well as positive experiences with their old classmates. But it’s beginning to look as though, just like old times, that sort of talk will not be welcome. The coordinator of the event, a former precandidate, wrote on the Facebook wall of the event:

Also, for everyone’s general information.........I realize that the issue of Regnum Christi is like the elephant in the room. I, as much as anyone, have questions. Father Luis Garza will be doing questions at 11:15 on Sunday for anyone that wants to come...........I think this would be maybe a good time to come up with any questions you may have that are unanswered. Rather than ruin everyone’s great memories of what we received and put a cloud over the fun we could have..........lets save it for the questions period. If you didn't like your PC experience, don’t come............I mean this in all charity. But this event is for those of us that want clarity, closing, to reunite, have fun, relax, etc...........Hopefully this way, these issues can be addressed without upsetting others around us. Cant wait to see everyone there!

Posting of links to the ReGain website were also deleted.

After hearing all of this, I decided I had no interest in attending. But many of the disaffected former precandidates who had been invited instead formed their own Facebook group, in the hopes of sharing their stories and finding closure on their own. Perhaps that will be a positive result of this reunion.

Challenging priorities

We've flogged many ideas here concerning the Legion, which is the point of the blog -- to distinguish those areas in which the methodology is failing to be Catholic or even charitable. Last night, a question arose in the combox about TW's purported plan to return to ministry after a year's hiatus, perhaps in a diocese. The point of the query was to understand why this would be different than other clergy who had converted, bringing family members with them.

Canonist Pete Vere responded:

It would depend upon several factors:

First, does he desire to remain in the clerical state, or will he discern a call to return to the lay state (perhaps to be with and marry the mother of his daughter, assuming she is free to marry)?

Second, is there a diocese willing to take him in, whether permanently or on a temporary/probationary basis?

Third, is he free to leave LC and/or resume the practice of his priesthood? Cardinal De Paolis, Fr. AC or another lawful superior might have some concerns that lead to restrictions being imposed on Fr. TW.

Where will Fr. TW's physical health be in a year's time?

There are simply too many potential variables to speculate at this time.

Additionally, there's a big difference between a married non-Catholic minister who is received into the Catholic Church and subsequently receives Catholic ordination, and a validly-ordained Catholic priest under vow/promise of chastity/celibacy who conceives a child through an illicit extra-marital relationship.

In the first scenario, the former episcopal priest is presumed to have conceived his children lawfully within a valid marriage. The fact he was received into and subsequently ordained in the Catholic Church likely means that he was never Catholic in the past (or left as a child with his parents or guardian), meaning he was not subject to canon law or a vow/promise of celibacy/chastity at the time of the conception of children.

Therefore, there is no scandal involved with the former episcopal priest since it's pretty much assumed that married couples make love, which leads to the conception of children. In fact, openness to to lovemaking open to the conception and raising of offspring is a requirement for the valid exchange of marital consent (c.f. canon 1055). In fact, I would argue that by loading up RC parents with apostolate that takes them out of the home and away from the family for many hours a week, the movement may have undermined this fundamental of the marital relationship.

This allows us to revisit the troubling issue of priorities, which we all struggled with when not under strict obedience (such as in the Legion or "consecrated" houses). Those who had families were always pressured to give more to "the Kingdom" by hosting events, starting clubs, attending reflections and retreats, and mining friends and family for vocations. Thus, we had to choose between family life and the "vocation" to Regnum Christi. Of course, they could be combined if we had children who were eligible for the clubs, making a sort of two-fer: spending time with kids while fulfilling a commitment to the Movement. Otherwise, we were heaving food at them, exhorting them to be good, and running out the door.

Obviously, Dicken's character, Mrs Jellyby, comes to mind [Bleak House-go to 4:30 mark] who is so consumed with the poor starving babies in Africa that she neglects her own children -- and causing her own to "wish Africa was dead." But beyond the harried housewives in RC, it would seem that the same disordered priorities were exercised by the superiors of the Legion.

While realising that many of us are suffering from TW Fatigue, we will boil down the latest revelations to three main points:

1. Nobody can judge Fr Williams soul, but there are those in authority who are charged with judging his actions--and we pray for their discernment;
2. The primary wrong about which members of the Church are legitimately angry is the duplicity through which those in authority covered up a grave breach of trust;
3. The secondary concern is related to the Movement's inherent flaw through which member's are encouraged to neglect their legitimate duties in lieu of L/R priorities.  

To wit, Fr Williams said: "I foolishly thought that I had left this sin in my past, and that I could make up for some of the wrong I had done by doing the greatest good possible with the gifts God has given me."

This statement has been parsed already on many levels, but as an illustration of the third point, consider what he believed "the greatest good possible" to be. Not the quiet duty to family and integrity, which would require humility and oblation, but visible preaching and vaunted teaching. Where could have have gotten such an idea?

The Efficiency Model of Evangelisation (TM)

Pete Vere dug through his archives and found an enlightening comment from March, 2010:

There is more to the LC RC controversy, the "Unique Methodology" supposedly developed by Father Maciel was almost an carbon copy of the Latter Days Saints Community Methodology. Having lived amongst Mormons for over 9 years, I recommend every RC member to read Judy Robinson's book "Out of Mormonism" to discover Fr. Maciel's methodology is not unique at all.

When I confronted the leaders of the RC Movement at our LC school in the suburbs of St. Louis, I was told at first, "How ridiculous, RC is completely Catholic, and what a ridiculous accusation! How could you possibly compare it to Mormonism?" Then I explained I was not saying the theology was like the Mormons, just the methodology. They replicated the Mormon methodology to the tee. A RC woman's lifestyle in the "movement" was so identical to a LDS member's lifestyle in their movement, I challenged a RC leader to read "Out of Mormonism", and then tell me what she thought. This woman was a staunch defender of Fr. Maciel, and everything RC. She called me back 3 days after reading "Out of Mormonism", you're right, she said, "We're not Catholic, we're Mormon!" She was horrified by the exact replication.

I confronted the Priest, Fr. Edward Hopkins, at first he denied any similarities, saying he had heard the accusations of cult-like coincidences, then he said," but the Mormons? Why would you ever say we were like the Mormons? I said I had lived amongst Mormons for over 9 years, visited the temple many times, and the similarities are more than uncanny, their methodologies are identical. Then he shut the door, and explained to me that the Mormons are the fastest growing church in Mexico, so Fr. Maciel mimicked the methodology to stop the hemorrhaging from the Catholic church to the Mormons, and said they were taking what was good from the Mormon Methodology, and leaving the bad, like it says to do in the Bible." That was when I left, I find nothing redeeming from the Mormons.

Mormons are encouraged to do what the call "organized shunning" to punish church members who disagree with Church leadership. Organized shunning is for the erring church member's own good they say. The organizational structure is almost identical, Fr. Edward would not have denied the similarities at first if he had not known I had so much familiarity with the LDS movement, then making excuses for it made me think I am not the first person to see the correlations. I was soon shunned for speaking the truth, even thought Father the similarities were glaringly obvious to anyone who ever spend time with LDS movement members.

The similarities are so many, I highly recommend RC members read "Out of Mormonism" by Judy Robertson, the irony was that the women who accused me of making a ridiculous claim was so outraged that she had been fooled by Fr. Maciel that he had come up with this "Unique Methodology", he had claimed credit for devising a system that has been in play within the LDS movement for over 100 years. She seemed to be able to believe the pedophilia claims were false, but now after reading "Out of Mormonism" she could not longer believe the "Unique Methodology" was original, as we have all learned his supposed
"original" writings were also plagiarized. So, nothing was unique, or original, or honest it seems.

I left because I felt an enormous fraud was being enacting on the unsuspecting members of this RC movement, and their own blind loyalty was perpetuating it. I also felt uncomfortable when I was told that Father Maciel asked that his devotees not begin efforts toward his canonization till at least 30 years after his death. What saint would even propose that he would be considered for sainthood? One unifying characteristic of saints was their profound humility, Fr. Maciel seemed to lack humility entirely. Well as the old saying goes "you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool, all the people all of the time."

The occasion was a recent post concerning Mormonism, specifically the scam concerning its foundations, which occasioned a glib response, dismissing the revelation as irrelevant (reminding me of LC responses to all revelations). But, if you take this story (which sounds plausible) and add to it another, you'll find a more curious mix.

I was with Jose Barba and Juan Vaca a few years back, and they were around at the inception of Regnum Christi. They said that MM simply reached over into Opus dei to take its methodology for prayer, and those became our "commitments" daily/weekly/monthly/yearly. I can attest to their total similarity.

Then when you add the recent expenditure, you'll see the "charism" consists of:

• Mormon psychology;
• Opus dei discipline;
• Business-speak definitions.

Voila -- You have a "unique" Catholic Movement that will save the Church!

ADDENDUM: And back to the ubiquitous mention of "fruit," remember that borrowing/plagiarising methods that work in other settings helps get a jump on those numbers (that the Legion's supporters find so compelling) seems to short-circuit the Holy Spirit. Who needs a divine mandate if MBA's and cults can combine to create a dynamic work of God?

The Legion deformation of conscience

I am taking Aaron's latest comment (with a little editing) as a new jumping off point, since it ties in with the staggering hypocrisy inherent to the latest scandal: The Legion's enthusiastic promotion of a priest (a moral theologian who writes about knowing right from wrong) while knowing that he was engaged in grave sin. He knew it, they knew it, and the Papal Delegate knew it -- and yet his visibility remained until called out by the secular media.

I believe very strongly - and have for a long time - that LCs are seriously deformed.

Their conscience is compromised, and this has very serious consequences: LCs idea of right and wrong is all contained in books and it is all goverend by the LC maxim: with permission you can do anything.

They infer that something is wrong simply because it is done without permission.

There is an abdication of the individual in deciding whether something is moral or not: the answer is to be found sometimes in a book -- but usually through the decision of a superior.

As a superior you get to decide what is right and wrong for your subjects, this relativistic decision making also allows you to permit yourself exceptions.

I am finding it hard to express clearly what is wrong, but basically the LC breaks that part of us that knows between right and wrong, that part we - dare i say it - feel even as kids...

In that regard there is no such thing as a good LC. Everybody's conscience is compromised.

When we leave the Legion we can still have an element of this - indeed it is hard to fix. That is why some exlcs may seem insensitive, or perhaps desensitised.

Empathy and sympathy are difficult, and sometimes faked, other times simply numbly ignored.

Hopefully the real world, and regaining family ties etc help restore this deformation, but it is difficult and not automatic.

I know an exLC who would listen to my sympathetically, and then go on holiday with my abuser, enjoying his company.

I suspect that some exLC have no hesitation in reporting back to former superiors what they see or hear that may affect the Legion - the habit of spying/reporting etc is hard to shake off - we feel our egos rewarded. They don't care if this means a huge betrayal of trust, in fact the juicier the betrayal the more important they will feel.

The Legion of christ does not simply take advantage of its members, it changes them. It has a very terrible sense of morality: the ends ALWAYS justify the means, anything can be done with permission.

This is obvious with Thomas Williams. That he had affairs and a child is little biscuits compared to his profile. The only problem here is that he GOT CAUGHT.

I'm sure there was probably relief that he was not fiddling with the boys... it may have been a indication of even greater confidence...

WHEN will it be shut?

Amen to the last. I can speak to sharing this sense even from being a rank-and-file RC member. Any rumbling of conscience was quelled with reminders of the pope's approval -- and whether true or not, that papal endorsement was given to any number of particular initiatives, which we were to promote and support no matter what.

Even along the way, the L/R membership has looked to the Magisterium to lead them -- with the appointment of a delegate understood to be a "sign of support," and with the ongoing reform being sold as a reason to stay. This is the point that I tried to make (however lamely) at the end of the interview, when the woman asked why the Pope won't shut this group down. I tried to explain that even if the Church never shut down the Legion (which would be disappointing) it cannot shut down our common sense:

• just because it exists, we don't have to remain in it;
• just because they continue to recruit doesn't mean we need to hand over our children;
• just because various pastors give them authority doesn't mean we have to join their apostolates (or refrain from speaking out in truth);
• just because they say they are reforming doesn't mean we cannot criticise them;
• just because they remind us of ongoing approval doesn't mean we have to like the group;
• just because they profess charity doesn't mean we approve of their behaviour;
• just because superiors offer guidance doesn't mean it needs to be followed (when it contradicts what remains of conscience);
• just because a Legion writes a book on morality doesn't mean it's a reliable guide.

I think all readers have pondered obedience and Magisterial limitations over the years -- so that our understanding has greatly matured in a Catholic sense (I know that I have, in order to salvage my faith!) This shallow, lock-step conformity has passed itself off as Catholicism for decades, when it has been nothing but a charade. God reigns, the Church is true, and we cherish the deposit of faith -- but authentic human freedom allows for us to shred this nonsense and to look for a better use of human reason, which God gave us so that we might serve him in dignity.

To that end, we must call out the Legion for its deformation of conscience, and beg the Church -- with or without the help of the Papal Delegate -- to bring this group into conformity with the Truth.

Distillation of TW affair

When comment threads get unwieldy, I think it helps to start fresh -- simplifying navigation by boiling down the thoughts, which have been very helpful. These seem to be the important points:

• It is deeply tragic that a priest has broken his vows, but as important as the matter is, it is the surrounding duplicity that is of far more concern, especially from a group that is trying to reform after decades of monstrous deceit;
• The most troubling element of the affair itself is that the child is referred to as "hers." For a congregation that associates itself with the New Evangelisation, they have dropped the ball grievously on this point, since fatherhood is a particular area where the culture is lacking;
• Since it has been admitted that the child was born some years ago, recent events (book tours, speaking engagements, television appearances, promotional material) had to have been approved with the full understanding of the monumental hypocrisy involved;
• Either TW did this alone, or the Legion was complicit -- and although they refuse to say when they knew, in such a case the refusal is damning in itself;
• We also know that the Legion only acted when their hand was forced by Patricio Serda, despite their laughable insistence that this, too, was the result of an internal investigation -- if that were the case, then it would have come out a long time ago. The timing is clear: they could no longer maintain the pretense;
• Cardinal dePaolis' response, "these things happen" beggars belief. One expects to hear that when sportscasters are announcing a quirky aspect to the game they're covering -- not from a "Prince of the Church" when responding to a grave breach of trust in a theological matter;
• The fact that TW taught Moral Theology at a seminary while harbouring such a secret is deeply unsettling; but another professor of moral theology scandalised LARC readers years ago by saying that the sexual abuse suffered within the Legion was known to him and not that bad;
• For years, TW has been the model Legionary, the "poster boy" as it were, filling the gap left by the previous model Legionary -- MM himself; since the Legion hierarchy cannot find a model Legionary who is a man of integrity, are the superiors deliberately telegraphing something, or just confounded in their choices?
• It has to be noted that once again the temptation from within the L/R ranks is to cast aspersions on those who are horrified by this tragic news. Their own reactions are deflected so that critics are called mean, scandalous reactions are called "judgemental," and there is the hasty [irrelevant] call for forgiveness;
• Yahoo showed that "Legion of Christ" was trending along with Ashton Kutcher and Paris Hilton, proving the breadth of this scandal in the most secular corners. While we're faced with a "gay president," massive unemployment, sky-rocketing debt, the shredding of religious liberty, and growing Christian persecution world-wide, the Church is in the spotlight for a baby-daddy story;
• The Legion says it's trying to reform itself, but we're faced with a group whose superiors are still in place despite decades of duplicity and cover-up, whose papal delegate doesn't speak their language (although he was appointed in 2010, he was not told of this story which was known by the hierarchy) and then the story is cast as a reason for pity, not outrage;
• The perverse psychology of this cult insists on denying the truth of things -- and shuts down authentic human responses when the lies are discovered. There is no hint of self-knowledge in this group, their spokesmen are untrustworthy and their formation material is utterly unreliable. It remains for anyone to show why they should exist, when the fruit they bring to the Church is consistently, deeply compromised.

If there are other points that should be considered, feel free to put them in the combox, and we'll expand the list. It is essential that we highlight the duplicity, for that is the common thread in all chapters of this tortured saga.