The Apology of a Legionary of Christ Leader

 

The Apology of a Legionary of Christ Leader

 

By Offended “Disgruntled Old Former Member”

Feast of the Assumption, 2016

 

In the aftermath of the 2009 revelations regarding the double, triple or quadruple, deceitful and disgraceful life of the Founder, Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado, Legion superiors, writers and publishers, who had excoriated their critics for decades, suddenly waxed apologetic. Strategy dictated that was the best policy: to show repentance, to say the right thing, to do what was expected and… to get it over with. Such apologies, naturally, for the most part, smacked of knee-jerk reactions, jaded routine, or crocodile tears that left many victims unaffected, indignant, further offended or re-traumatized. During that crocodile feeding frenzy the writer received the below apology from a prominent Irish-born American Legion superior who had strenuously defended Fr. Maciel and attacked the victims in The Catholic Register and through other media.

The writer was astonished by the brevity, quasi anonymity and coldness of the apology. Recently reading Pope Francis’ homily on forgiveness he was reminded of the inadequacy of that Legionary of Christ’s note.

It was sent to the private address of the receiver; no letterhead or any other official or identifying Legion of Christ information on the envelope or letter-size page; “LC” is written after name.

Click to open

Letter of Apology LC

                                                             

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Pope Francis teaches:

Pope’s Morning Homily: God’s Forgiveness is given to those with A Cleansed Heart

Reflects on the Nature of True Conversion and Hypocrisy during Mass at Casa Santa Marta

 

ROME, March 03, 2015 (Zenit.org)

(…)

According to Vatican Radio, the Holy Father told those present that the reading (from the day’s Mass) is an invitation from God to conversion by learning to do right.

“You cannot remove the filth of the heart as you would remove a stain: we go to the dry cleaner and leave cleansed,” he said. “This filth is removed by ‘doing’: taking a different path, a different path from that of evil. Learn to do right! That is, the path of doing good.”

(…)

“If you do this, if you take this path to which I invite you – the Lord tells us – ‘though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’. It is an exaggeration; the Lord exaggerates: but it is the truth!” he exclaimed. “The Lord gives us the gift of His forgiveness. The Lord forgives generously. ‘I forgive you this much, then we’ll see about the rest….’ No, no! The Lord always forgives everything! Everything! But if you want to be forgiven, you must set out on the path of doing good. This is the gift!'”

The 78-year-old Pontiff went on to reflect on today’s Gospel in which Christ denounces the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who like many today “say all the right things, but do the exact opposite.”

“They pretend to convert, but their heart is a lie: they are liars! It ‘a lie … Their heart does not belong to the Lord; their heart belongs to the father of all lies, Satan. And this is fake holiness,” he said.

“Jesus preferred sinners a thousand times to these. Why? Because sinners told the truth about themselves. ‘Get away from me, Lord, I am a sinner!’: Peter once said. One of those [the hypocrites] never says that! ‘Thank you Lord, that I am not a sinner, that I am righteous.”

Concluding his homily, Pope Francis called on the faithful to reflect during this time of Lent on conversion, forgiveness and to beware of “pretending to convert, while choosing the path of hypocrisy.”

(Courtesy of Zenith.org)

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I, Disgruntled Old Former Legionary forgive you, Legion of Christ leader who does not know how to apologize:

If you are referring to having branded Maciel’s sexual abuse victims – and the few of us who from day one believed and staunchly supported them- as resentful and envious liars,

I forgive you.

If you are referring to the time you, accompanied by a lawyer and LC spokesperson, tried to intimidate and prevent Juan Jose Vaca and me from delivering papers at the 2002 International Cultic Studies Association’s conference in Enfield, CT,

I forgive you.

If you are referring to your part in the Legion threatening to close down our discussion board -an attack against freedom of expression- and bringing a civil law suit against me and ReGAIN in August 2007, and putting me through hell, appearing in court, and raising funds to defend ourselves for almost nine months against trumped-up charges,

I forgive you.

If you and your fellow Legion die-hards continue to harass me in various ways until my dying day because I have vowed to expose the true nature of the Legion of Christ,

I forgive you

 But don’t forget your catechism, the one you studied for your First Holy Communion: To receive Almighty God’s pardon you must be truly sorry, promise never to commit those sins again and make reparation -which at the moment would be to the tune of $40,000.00 US dollars for legal and $60,000.00 US dollars for personal damages. To quote the immortal words of Maciel survivor, Juan Manuel Amenabar, on his death-bed: “I forgive, but I want justice.”

I am waiting…