Bishop Watty Comments
By ReGAIN Staff based on Catholic News Agency Article
Bishop Ricardo Watty Urquidi of Tepic, Mexico, one of the five Apostolic Visitators to the Legion of Christ has given a statement regarding his experience and in it he offer his personal suggestions for future action:
Bishop Watty Comments:
Bishop Ricardo Watty Urquidi of Tepic, Mexico, one of the five Apostolic Visitators to the Legion of Christ has given a statement regarding his experience and in it he offer his personal suggestions for future action on CNA News:
Bishop Watty lamented the double life of Father Marcial Maciel, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ and he said that the results of the Vatican investigation would soon be released.
He stated that the founder was a very troubled individual who caused much harm, and that he was a very immoral person, who was not in accord with the Gospel, not even human dignity.
Bishop Watty included a statement of the necessity of reaching out to the victims of Fr Maciel’s abuse, both inside and outside of the Legion adding that the Pope was in agreement with this.
He said that the entire structure of authority within the Congregation of the Legionaries needs to be rebuilt and made to be more in accord with the way authority works in the Church, that is to say, more evangelical. He also said in his comments that the Legion’s formation program also needs to be reviewed and revised.
ReGAIN Editorial Comment:
Regarding Bishop Watty’s reference to the Legion’s formation program, along with many ex Legionaries, ex Regnum Christi members, family members and other interested parties we share concern about the Legion and Regnum Christi continuing their aggressive recruitment and formation programs during and beyond the investigation considering that the Vatican has already recognized that the founder committed actual crimes and manifested a life devoid of scruple and of genuine religious sentiment, that there is a need to redefine the charism of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ and to change the statutes.
How can the Legion or Regnum Christi(who are also going to have their own investigation) consider themselves to be in any position to offer spiritual formation programs for anyone until after the Vatican Commissioner appointed by the Pope has implemented the necessary changes to bring them into harmony with the Holy See?