Is the Legion of Christ’s Regnum Christi Movement Currently Attempting to Take over Christendom College?

                           Is the Legion of Christ’s Regnum Movement

             Currently Attempting to Take Over Christendom College?

 

Dr. Timothy O’Donnell, President of Christendom College is being asked to resign by involved parties of the current “sexual abuse scandal.” Will Ken Ferguson, Vice President of the college, be Dr. O’Donnell’s replacement if he steps down?  If so, is he the RC/LC selected candidate to complete the take-over?

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The intent of the following is not to make accusations, but to ask questions.

Consider these questions and links: (emphasis added below).

• Instaurare, (Christendom’s Magazine) edition of 2013, page 20.

“Christendom College welcomed Ken Ferguson, C.P.A., as its new Executive

Vice President…”

https://issuu.com/christendomcollege/docs/instaurare-issuu/20

 

1. How does this background piece mentioned in the article add to a possible future president?

“He (Ken Ferguson) later joined Dino DeLaurentis, where he financed

several feature films including “King Kong” and “Blue Velvet.”

 

• How and what words does Wikipedia use to describe the movie, Blue Velvet?

– Strong sexual and violent content, voyeurism, violent rape, mutilation, sadomachochism, severed human ear, pornographic, fellatio)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Velvet_(film) – (Caution: Very explicit graphic content

 

 

• What Regnum Christi projects has Ken Ferguson worked on before Christendom?

 

“The Brian Bisgrove Project

brianbisgrove.blogspot.com/p/book.html

Nov 7, 2011 – In 2005, Fr Alvaro Corcuera, LC, General Director of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi Movement…, of which Brian was a member… by Steve McEveety, Hollywood producer and head of Mpower Pictures™ and Ken Ferguson…

“In 2005, Fr Alvaro Corcuera, LC, General Director of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi Movement, of which Brian was a member, on learning about Brian Bisgrove’s story, suggested to Joe Cunningham that he write a book about Brian as a prelude to a movie and his canonization as a saint in the Catholic Church.  “In 2006, Joseph submitted a script draft for a documentary…. to Mpower Pictures™, headed by Steve McEveety, Hollywood producer and head of Mpower Pictures™ and Ken Ferguson…”

http://brianbisgrove.blogspot.com/p/book.htmlINTRO –
“He (K. Ferguson) later started-up MpowerMedia LLC for 5 years, acting as CEO, worked as a CFO at Primus Telecommunications Group, and helped found Beach Mill Productions, LLC. His companies have produced such feature films as “Bella” (a Regnum Christi project).

 

https://www.christendom.edu/2015/04/10/leaders-in-non-profit-business-management-to-mentor-students-at-christendom/

 

• Catholic blogger, Simcha Fisher and her husband, Damien breaks the story about Adele Smith’s rape off campus.
  • Adele Smith – Christendom student from the class of 2012 https://www.simchafisher.com/tag/adele-smith/

 

• Quick summary by The Remnant:
  1. “Hoping to jump back into the journalistic spotlight, Simcha Fisher, a once popular writer for the National Catholic Register, who was summarily fired for her crude online behavior, discovered a series of allegations against Christendom College.
  2. However, although Fisher was within her rights to bring these accusations to the attention of Christendom, her solution that Christendom loosen up its rules regarding interactions between the sexes was an unjustified attempt to strike back at the conservative Catholic culture by which she had been chastened in the past.

• Turning to her blog, Fisher attacked Christendom, not only for its alleged mishandling of the very serious matter of abuse, but as a Catholic institution attempting to follow traditional Catholic ethics.

1. Christendom initially doubled down and said that the accusations against the college were inaccurate and exaggerated, but at the same time offered an apology to anyone who had been harmed.’
2. Fisher appeared moderately satisfied that there was some response, and then the matter went quiet for a few days.
3. But then something weird happened.

• Christendom College responded again with a stronger admission of guilt and a thank you to the Fishers for giving the abused a platform to present their accusations.
• However, Christendom’s response emboldened Fisher (and her husband, who seems to be Fisher’s little helper in the whole process) and has prompted her to call for the resignation of Christendom President Timothy O’Donnell, an action that would no doubt draw nationwide media attention to Fisher and her husband’s detective work.  (bold, underline emphasis added)

 

The Remnant Newspaper – Simcha Fisher and Christendom College …  https://www.remnantnewspaper.com › Home › Fetzen Fliegen – Jan 27, 2018

 

1. What words of Ken Ferguson’s did the Remnant consider emboldened the Fishers’ comments that re-ignited the situation:

“We invite these victims to come forward and be heard,” said Ferguson. “We value their insight on concrete ways we can make this campus as safe as possible for women. And we ask, if possible, for their forgiveness. I want to extend my gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Fisher for giving these women a platform to share their voices with us.”

… Those seeking to meet are invited to reach out to Ken Ferguson at (540-636-2900) or by email at ken.ferguson@christendom.edu.

https://www.christendom.edu/2018/01/24/college-extends-support/

• Requests for O’Donnell’s resignation, suggested by Simcha, is picked up by other media. For example:

 

KEVIN OLMSTEAD | The Warren Sentinel

Top of Form

Front Royal Town Councilman John P. Connolly calls on   Christendom College President Timothy O’Donnell to resign in the wake of the college’s handling of past sexual assault cases. Connolly graduated from Christendom in 2008.

 

FRONT ROYAL — A town councilman who graduated from Christendom College used his time for comment Monday night to call for the removal of Christendom’s president in the wake of the recent accusations that his administration mishandled sexual assault complaints from students.”

 

https://theriver953.com/christendom-makes-changes-amongst-calls-        presidents-resignation/

 

 

• Which two “previously-owned” Legion of Christ national media organizations carried the story to the national level?

 

The National Catholic Register and Catholic News Agency

 

• http://www.catholicworldreport.com/2018/02/05/as-alumni-claim-sexual-assault-is-mishandled-christendom-college-vows-to-improve/
• Front Royal, Va., Feb 5, 2018 / 03:45 pm (CNA/EWTN News)

 

• the (Register) newspaper was sold in 1995 to Circle Media, a publishing outlet under the auspices of the Legion of Christ,

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/the-register-at-90-forming-and-informing-catholics-with-snap-vigor-and-cour

–    National Catholic Register newspaper formerly owned by the Legion of Christ (Circle Media) was “acquired” by Eternal Word Television Network in 2011

–     Wonder why many believe that behind the scenes, it was the other way

around – that the Legion acquired EWTN? Many believe that several

members of the EWTN Board have ties to the Legion.

 

• Who are some of the parties involved?

1. Simcha Fisher – Former National Catholic Register reporter (Former RC/LC owned publication under Circle Media.)
   • Simcha Fisher Simcha Fisher (1974 – 2014) – National Catholic Register

www.ncregister.com/blog/simcha-fisher/simcha-fisher-1974-2014

 (Blog April 1, 2014) – (Simcha wrote her own obituary in the article above)

• “Simcha Fisher is a cradle Hebrew Catholic, freelance writer, and mother of eight young kids. She received her BA in literature from Thomas More College in New Hampshire. She contributes to Crisis Magazine and Faith & Family Live!”

https://www.crisismagazine.com/author/fisher

• Faith and Family Live (Was Regnum Christi affiliated through Circle Media).
• Simcha wrote for Alethia – https://aleteia.org/2016/11/04/simcha-fisher-takes-leave-of-aleteia/

• (Many believe Simcha was fired by NCR along with Mark Shea.)
  1. National Catholic Register reporter:
     • Peter Jesserer Smith –Brother of alleged rape victim, Adele Smith, has been a staff reporter at the National Catholic Register since July 2013.

 

1. Christendom Advocacy & Support Coalition (CASC) a private support group for “alleged victims” headed-up by Adele Smith and Donna Provencher, VP. Calling for O’Donnell’s resignation.

• Contacts listed:

Adele Smith, (main victim) President: adele.smith@casc.services or

Donna Provencher, Vice President of Communications & Victim

Outreach: donna.provencher@casc.services,

Bridget Randolph is Vice President of Public Policy.

https://www.simchafisher.com/2018/01/25/alumni-accept-new-christendom-apology-call-for-odonnell-to-resign/

Questions:

• Would it be wise for someone who financed the sexually abusive film, Blue Velvet, to assume leadership at the college in the midst of a sexual abuse situation?
• Doesn’t it seem that Regnum Christi/LC helped fan the story to the national level?

 

LEGION of CHRIST/REGNUM CHRISTI

Connections at Christendom:

• Board Members with affiliations with RC/LC:

1. Eugene Zurlo of Kiawah Island, South Carolina was a Board Member of Christendom and now serves on the Board of Advisors.

• 008-Instaurare-fall by Christendom College – issue

https://issuu.com/christendomcollege/docs/2008-instaurare-fall, page 8

• “For the first time, Board Member Gene Zurlo…”
• “Inspired by Regnum Christi spiritually, Zurlo is committed to…”

 

1. Luanne D. Zurlo – Current Board of Director. Daughter of Eugene Zurlo.

• christendom.edu/about/board-of-directors/
• Luanne Zurlo is the co-founder along with Fr. Luis Garza, LC of a global organization – Worldfund – aka the World Education and Development Fund (WEDF).
• • Garza was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico. He has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Stanford University. He entered the Legion of Christ in 1978.
  • Garza became Vicar General of the Legion from 1992. In that office Garza is said to lead efforts to investigate charges of sexual misconduct brought against Legion founder Marcial Maciel although he had known about the abuses for years and chose to cover them up.^[2]
  • Garza resigned from the post of Vicar General in 2011 and was appointed Territorial Director for the United States and Canada.^[3]
  • His older brother Dionisio Garza Medina is the CEO of Tenedora Topaz. His younger sister Roberta Garza Medina is the editor of Milenio magazine in Mexico City.
  • Fr. Luis Garza, L.C. is believed to be living presently in the Philippines after being accused of sexually abusing a minor in Mexico during the 1990s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

 

• Luanne Zurlo, executive director of the WEDF and organizer of the

  dinner… (The Legion’s Gala Dinner held yearly in NYC) …

http://blogs.21rs.es/trastevere/2010/05/30/la-noche-de-gala-de-    slim-y-maciel/

• Convened by the World Education and Development Fund (WEDF), the billionaires and businessmen from Mexico and the United States gathered to “honor Carlos Slim Helú, president of Teléfonos de México, SA de CV”. According to the account that one of the assistants gave to this weekly, the presence of Maciel was something unexpected for many.
  1. “The surprise was that Father Maciel was the one who gave recognition to Carlos Slim,” says the assistant to that dinner, who speaks on the condition that his identity is not revealed.

• http://www.kintera.org/htmlcontent.asp?cid=40023 (Fall 2004) – More on the Gala:  Fr. Maciel, Luann Zurlo + Fr. Luis Garza’s older brother
  • Opening remarks by Luanne Zurlo, Executive Director of World Education & Development Fund, Inc. WEDF, aka Worldfund.
    1. This Gala event fund raises for the Legion of Christ’s Mano Amiga schools. “Mano Amiga founder, Fr. Marcel Maciel, LC delivered another powerful and emotional speech…”
  • Co-Chairs included: Dionisio Garza Medina, (Fr. Luis Garza’s older brother who is the Vicar General of the Legion), Chairman and CEO, Alfa, S.A. de C.V.
  • Vice-Chairs included: Charlotte and Eugene Zurlo. Luis Garza Medina, LC
  • In 2007 one of Worldfund’s programs, the Inter-American Partnership for Education (IAPE), became a Clinton Global Initiative. https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=29603845&privcapId=29602994&previousCapId=661827&previousTitle=Citigroup%20CIB

 

1. e) Tax Return 2009 – Worldfund / World Education and Development Fund – WEDF
   1. Officers, Directors, Trustees, etc.
      40. LUANNE ZURLO EX. DIR. & PRES. 40.00 hours/week
      41. LUIS GARZA MEDINA (LC Vicar General)VP/DIRECTOR 0.50

https://worldfund.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/990-ending-sept-2010.pdf

https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=29603589&privcapId=29602994Douglas Dewey, Vice Chairman of the Board

1. • Douglas  Dewey
   • Mentioned on Regnum Christi Website:

http://www.regnumchristi.org/en/missionaries-take-manhattan/

https://www.regnumchristinyctnj.org/index.php/2017/12/20/angels-in-the- city/

1. Gene D’Agostino –  Mt. Pleasant, SC

“In their hunt for such a community, the D’Agostinos encountered two men: Christendom board member Douglas Dewey and former board member Eugene Zurlo, …”

https://www.christendom.edu/news/instaurare-magazine/a-candle-in-the-darkness/

 

Modus Operandi for an RC/LC take-over for a school:

• Usually RC/LC makes sure the school has been going for at least 2 years and is self-sufficient. They prefer it be built-up with other people’s money, not theirs.  Sometimes, they start a school with Regnum Christi members, who serve as a secret “front group” and who devote hours and their personal finances to get it going.
• Then RC/LC replaces the original people on the board and those in executive positions with their own people RC members or LC personnel.
• The school then becomes an elite school for the very wealthy.
• Usually families/parents who put their blood, sweat and tears into building something special for their children, can no longer stay at the school because they can not afford the increased tuition; parents lose their investment of years of time and energy. They feel betrayed when this happens.
• Usually the take-over happens without the original founders being aware that a take-over has occurred. Or they become aware after the fact.  Membership in the movement is usually considered “secret”; most people do not know who is or who is not RC/LC affiliated.
• Regnum Christi members are usually coached (spiritual direction) by LC priests as to how to accomplish the takeover.
• RC members are interested in building a Kingdom for their own people. Many of their priests only tend to RC members.  It is an exclusive club unless public relations require them to make some adjustments to look good.
• Concerning schools taken over:

(Jason Berry wrote) …” got several calls from parents in Atlanta who had children at The Donnellan School, the assets of which had been sold by the archdiocese to the Legion the year before…

I had got similar calls in recent years from parents elsewhere unhappy with the direction of their schools under Legion control or in the Legion’s sights — from Dallas, Cincinnati, northern Kentucky, Milwaukee, San Diego.

More recently, I’ve heard from parents in Naples, Fla., and Calgary, Canada.

What is the Legion, on a supposedly evangelical mission to “re-

Christianize the Catholic church,” doing to upset so many people in

so many places?

The “open letter” says my story “argues that the Legionaries make a practice of taking over schools that others have worked to start.” Exactly so.

Talk to the parents in Cincinnati who lost control when they suddenly found their board taken over by Regnum Christi and given to the order.

Or talk to parents of an independent school in Calgary newly awakened to the possibility (fear?) of taking direction from the Legion.

Or talk to San Diego parents who have fended off the Legion.

Now the Legion may certainly have inspired lay leaders of Regnum Christi to try to get a school going.

But the other parents they involve are seldom aware they are part of a “front group” working for eventual control by the Legion and are shocked when it happens.

“Novices Accuse Catholic Order of Intimidation, Pressure” NOVEMBER 28, 2014REGAIN, Jason Berry

https://regainnetwork.org/2014/11/28/novices-accuse-catholic-order-of-intimidation-pressure/

 

1. Warren Carroll, Christendom’s founder, had a vision for the college – no more than 450 students. A large percentage of the student body were home schoolers, and there have been a tremendous number of vocations which have been forthcoming from the school over the years.
2. It is said with the new library; the upkeep alone is equal to 3 professor salaries. Since then the tuition has gone up making it harder for original students to stay on.
3. It appears since Ken Ferguson and some of the monied board directors have come on board, there is an effort to greatly enlarge the college at a sizeable expense.
4. Ken Ferguson is purported to have said that the homeschooling market has been tapped out and that Christendom wants a more diversified student population – in LC parlance, could this mean less Catholic. In other Legion schools i.e. the Highland School in Dallas, 20% are not Catholic. http://www.thehighlandsschool.org/about/fastfacts.cfm.
5. One of the Legion’s private schools, Oak Lawn Academy in WI has an annual tuition of $40,000 for high school. http://oaklawnacade

 

Questions if RC/LC takes over:

• What will happen to the vocations currently coming out of Christendom?
  • Will they go to the Regnum Christi Movement instead of our dioceses?

• What will the student body look like if very few Catholic homeschooling

families can afford it?

• Don’t large homeschooling families ensure a vibrant student body well formed

in the Catholic faith?

• Could one of the reasons why the Legion might have their eye on this college

(as well as Notre Dame in Indiana) is that it would be attractive to their

elite Mexican families and wealthy Americans to have a school outside of

the nation’s capital?

• Being in Northern VA, wouldn’t the Legion have a strong base from which to

recruit new members into the Movement, and solicit funds in a wealthy

area that might otherwise go to the Diocese?

• Isn’t the Legion infamous as an order for spreading its sexual abuse – first the

Founder, Fr. Marcel Maciel, LC (RIP) who so scandalized the Church in

the last century, and then the Vicar General, Fr. Luis Garza, LC?

• Haven’t there been many more scandals including Fr. Thomas Williams, etc.
• And other parents from around the world who have come forward with abuse accusations concerning their children?

 

Concerned Catholic

March 11, 2018