Giving voice to Fr. Maciel’s Accusers before they die off (updated 9/16/2022)

 

                  The Best Kind of Witnesses are Dead Witnesses

would seem to be the Legion of Christ’s motto and method

They have left it to the last moment to attempt outreach and compensation to the victims. And only to the victims who will accept compensation on their terms. Those “bad” victims will not be rewarded for their “stubbornness” – or would that be “the strength of their convictions”?

Some of us got together several years ago in Mexico.

I am aware that the below is an extremely poor testimony to the victims, who spent their lives and money seeking truth and justice -and received very little in return!

Paul Lennon

These are some of the men, a few of whom victims, who fought for decades against Vatican and Legion of Christ Silence regarding the Founder’s disreputable life. González-Parga and Lennon were ordained priests in the Legion; the others left disillusioned in the 1960s as seminarians.

(From right)

Carlos de la Isla, from Mexico, one of the first junior seminarians, apostólicos, recruited by Maciel and who began his studies in Mexico City in the 1940s. Carlos and his two brothers joined the Legion as children. It is a fact that one of Carlos’ brothers was sexually abused by Maciel. The father traveled to Mexico City from the heartland to confront the founder. Maciel, as on many other occasions, found a way to deny, placate and slip away from trouble. From that moment on, someone in the Legion knew about his evil inclinations.  But the Great Catholic Houdini would always find a way out of any tight spot and come out smelling like a rose.

Arturo Jurado, early legionary, victim and witness, was one of those unfortunate seminarians who was manipulated by Maciel into finding drugs for his father beyond reproach in Spain and Rome. He left the Legion in the 1960s after being held in seclusion and silenced by Maciel for years, and made a good living for himself as Spanish language teacher and interpreter in California.  On discovering that he has much in common with José Barba,  he  joined forces with José Barba.  He spent years paying his way to Rome with José to  request Vatican  intervention regarding Maciel’s sexual abuse of his seminarians and many other irregularities.

José Barba-Martín, PhD Harvard in Philology, professor emeritus, ITAM, Mexico City  where he held the chair of Political and Social Institutions.  He of the prodigious memory,  spear-headed the accusers cause, aided by Jurado. Their decades-long saga, after meeting with denial, stone-walling and minimization, finally bore fruit in 2006 when Vatican and Pope Benedict accepted their accusations, made no apology to them, gave Maciel a slap on the wrist and ordered him to a life of Penance and Prayer;  to which unrepentant Maciel paid no attention, continuing to live with his paramour and daughter and traveling wherever he wanted by private plane.

(John) Paul Lennon,  believer, friend and supporter of Maciel’s victims; like Domínguez not a victim of sexual abuse. Joined the Legion of Christ in Dublin, Ireland, at the age of seventeen, considered Irish co-founder by Maciel, ordained to the priesthood in Rome, together with eleven others (among which Bishop Brian Farrell and Cardinal Fernando Vérgez), on the 25th anniversary of Fr. Maciel’s priestly ordination, 26th November 1969. Left Legion in 1984 -before he every heard of abuse-  and since then has been a critic of Maciel’s foundation. He was sued for his troubles by the Legion of Christ in the City of Alexandria, VA, USA in August  2007. One lawyer commented: “Mr. Lennon, you have made some very rich people very angry!”

Francisco González-Parga, known in the Legion as Padre Parga, passed away this year in Guadalajara, Mexico, mourned by his wife, Esther. Francisco was one of Maciel’s sexual abuse victims; an enslavement which began in puberty and lasted into his twenties. He was not one of the original group of accusers but came forward in 2005 when Vatican prosecutor, then Monsignor, Charles Scicluna carried out the first thorough Vatican investigation into Maciel’s sexual abuse of his seminarians in Mexico City. By this time Maciel was 85 and the victims in their sixties. Remember that Maciel founded the Legion in 1941, when he was a 21-year old untrained seminarian, and began sexually abusing the 10 and 11-year-olds under his “pastoral care.”

Maciel’s sexual preference was pubertal males. In some cases, if he found them especially attractive he would continue the relationship into the victims’ twenties. Each older victim believed he was the only object of Maciel’s attention… As Maciel “matured” he sexually abused boys who were not his seminarians, later seducing younger, vulnerable females. It would seem he never had an equal-to-equal relationship in his life. All his relationships were controlling, manipulative and exploitative. (See the author’s Breaking Bad article on this page)

(Seated)

Saul Barrales-Arellano, R.I.P., known to his companions as Brother Charity. An extremely kind and helpful person. The story goes that Saul would lay down at night outside Maciel’s bedroom in Rome, Via Aurelia 677, to prevent others from entering and being victimized. Because he once demonstrated a lack of unconditional support for Maciel, the Saint stopped his ordination as a priest, sending him instead into exile on the Canary Islands where he languished alone for months. He finally got help from his family in Mexico to fly home.  He was a headmaster at a Mexico City school and is survived by his dear Tere.

A Little addendum:

Don Alejandro Espinosa-Alcalá with Aura and Paul Lennon on one of our trips to Mexico. Alejandro is a very active original witness to Maciel’s sexual abuse , and has written about it in El Legionario (2006, edit. Grijalbo, Mexico) and El Ilusionista Marcial Maciel, of which I treasure his dedication. Like other survivors, Alejandro has lived in relative, and sometimes abject, poverty since leaving the Legion half a century ago. It seems that at the eleventh hour Fr. John Connor, Maciel’s successor, has been trying to save face by awarding  “Easter Eggs” of ten thousand dollars to the victims, assisting them in their old age, and/or paying for their funerals.

I had mistakenly pointed out Federico Domínguez in the photo. He is not in the photo, but everything that was said of him is true. At one point, Maciel sent him and some other seminarians to Dublin, Ireland, to study at the prestigious Maynooth College. After some time, Federico became disenchanted with the whole Legion project, left the seminary and married a lovely Irish girl, and “they lived happily ever after” in the USA.

Federico Domínguez, R.I.P., one of Maciel’s writers, circa 1955 he reported to Church authorities in Rome regarding some of Maciel’s questionable behaviors; thus provoking the first major Vatican investigation into the founder and his order, 1956-59; Maciel was exiled for two years, but with the help of allies in the Curia (Pizzardo & Co.), was able to return and consolidate his power and control. About this time Maciel conceived the Private Vows (see Berry & Renner’s Vows of Silence), one of which was the “snitching vow” whereby “Never to criticize the person or actions of the superior, and to inform on anyone who does so.” This vow was apparently abolished by the later Vatican investigation around 2010, the spirit may still prevail among die-hard Legion and Regnum Christi members.

Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church: The Unspeakable Scandals of the Legionaries of Christ

Upon discovering the Pandora Papers on October 3, the most passionate about the news of the Catholic Church were surprised to come across the name of the Legionaries of Christ. This holy family, involved in a vast financial package, is involved in one of the biggest scandals in the field. For several decades, multiple accusations of pedophile sexual assault have been brought against members of the Legion of Christ, made up of about 900 priests and present in Europe, America and Asia

Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church: The Unspeakable Scandals of the Legionaries of Christ

Vanity Fair   

October 6, 2021
Quoted in the Pandora Papers, the congregation of the Legion of Christ has been immersed in dark affairs for several decades. At the heart of one of the biggest scandals of the Catholic Church: Marcial Maciel, its founder, whose actions have been repeatedly pointed out.
A founder in turmoil

Their actions were covered up for a long time before the scandal really broke out in the 2000s, more precisely after the death of the founder of the congregation, Marcial Maciel, in 2008. The Mexican priest resigned in 2006 after several accusations of sexual assault committed between 1956 and 1997. The man had been implicated in 1948 and briefly suspended the time of the opening of an investigation, stopped by the death of Pius XII. After regaining his functions thanks to the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, all the allegations against him in Mexico were automatically relegated to the rank of slander.

Marcial Maciel.

Many years later, in 1998, eight members of the Legion of Christ denounced his actions in the 1950s and 1960s on victims between the ages of 11 and 16. After a vast investigation by Benedict XVI, the Holy See ordered in 2006 the withdrawal of Marcial Maciel who was asked to “lead a withdrawn existence in prayer and penance.” This existence turned out to be full of secrets, some details of which were revealed shortly after his death in 2008. The New York Times then explained in its columns how the founder of the Legion of Christ had led a double life in which he had several identities, managed an immense fortune in all opacity and raised his own daughter. “Poverty, obedience, chastity”. The vows pronounced by each Legionary of Christ before committing themselves apparently had no place in the life led by Marcial Maciel.

At least 175 minors abused

These revelations were truly publicly acknowledged in 2010. An investigation by the Legion of Christ concluded that Marcial Maciel had indeed committed “acts of sexual abuse of minor seminarians” and said he regretted not having believed the people who had testified before. The same year, the congregation underwent a profound overhaul as part of its trusteeship by the Vatican, determined to take the subject head on. Apart from Father Maciel, other priests have been incriminated in this case, such as the French episcopal vicar Pierre Dufour, sentenced to 15 years in prison for “rape and sexual assault” – who had admitted his actions on at least a dozen young adults for several years – and Henri Le Bras for acts committed in the late 1990s.

Le pape François a déclaré en 2019 qu’il comptait faire de la lutte contre les agressions sexuelles dans l’Église catholique l’une de ses priorités.

 VATICAN POOL – CORBIS

In 2019, a new report reported at least 175 minors who were sexually assaulted by priests of the same congregation from 1941 to 2019, at least 60 of whom were attributed to Marcial Maciel. If these acts are recognized, their instigators are still present in the ranks of the Legion of Christ. At least in part. We learned then, still in the same report, that 18 of the 33 religious accused of pedophilia were still in office, but had nevertheless been excluded from tasks related to minors. More importantly, half of the perpetrators were themselves victims of the same abuses. “In this sense, it is emblematic that 111 minors abused in the Congregation were victims of Father Maciel, one of his victims or a victim of his victims,” the report reads. That same year, Pope Francis made the fight against sexual assault in the Catholic Church one of his priorities.

The extent of the suffering inflicted by these clerics is revealed at the rate of the publication of new reports. The last one, dating from March 2021, revealed new figures and the identity of 27 priests. Among them, “two have died without trial, sixteen have been sanctioned, eight are currently in canonical trial and one has received a dispensation from the ministry without trial.”

More broadly, the Ciase (Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church) delivered a report on October 5 led by Jean-Marc Sauvé, former vice-president of the Council of State. His conclusion is alarming: in 70 years, there are 216,000 victims of sexual abuse by clerics and 3,000 predator priests.

Father Maciel’s Vatican Godfather Dies: Cardinal Angelo Sodano goes to meet his Creator

Pope Francis once stated, when questioned about Fr. Maciel and how he had succeeded in deceiving so many people, including Vatican officials, for such a long time and always came out smiling, that Maciel “must had had a godfather in there”.
That Godfather was Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the man behind Pope John Paul II’s throne for many years.

Pope Francis once stated, when questioned about Fr. Maciel and how he had succeeded in deceiving so many people, including Vatican officials, for such a long time and always came out smiling, that Maciel “must had had a godfather in there”.

That Godfather was Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the man behind Pope John Paul II’s throne for many years.

As his death is announced, several important news media, including Reuters’ Philip Pullella, pull no punches

(Bilingüe) WHERE IS THE LEGION OF CHRIST/REGNUM CHRISTI FEDERATION RENEWAL TODAY?

New and Old

(Bilingüe)

WHERE IS THE LEGION OF CHRIST/REGNUM CHRISTI FEDERATION RENEWAL TODAY?

Legion, Regnum Christi, Regnum Christi Federation advocates and simpatizantes may try to convince the public that ReGAIN articles are old hat, that its criticisms are no longer valid,  and that the present religious order is well and truly renewed, with that ever-present Vatican approval. “We are with the Pope, the Pope is with us, the Pope blesses our work” and other such ‘mantras.’

Below we have a mid-September 2019 blog post concerning the very recent Legion Regnum Christi Federation’s Priestly Renewal Retreat[i] by a former LC, now plying his priestly ministry outside the confines of LRCF. First we present ReGAIN’s embellished translation.

As a prelude, we should not forget the analyses of some prominent American Legionary of Christ priests who despaired of the 2010 Vatican headed Legion renewal. Case in question is a very serious article by former LC Fr. Thomas Berg in First Things, 2014[ii]

                                                &&&&&

RENEWAL DRAGGED DOWN BY OLD DEAD WEIGHT

The two-month-long spiritual renewal is for LC priests who have been ordained for six or more years. One small sign of progress is that it was not being held in Cotija, pedophile Founder Fr. Maciel’s hometown and place of pilgrimage for Legionaries, Regnum Christi members and numerous followers to this very day.

Fifteen Legionary priests did the retreat this summer; a small group to foment interaction between the participants. Another good sign. But the good news stops here.

The person in charge was Fr. Eloy Bedia, a faithful disciple of disgraced Fr. Maciel, whose more recent activities include covering up Legionary sexual abuse of Mexican TV personality, Ana Lucía Salazar, and others at the Cancun Instituto Cumbres. Legion heavy-weights from Fr. Maciel’s time and other die-hards have also visited the participants.

Fr. Emilio Díaz-Torre was the director of spiritual exercises. Fr. Roberto González -reinstated some time ago following a long exile in an Italian parish after he had been expelled from the Vatican for revealing secrets re the selection of bishops to Fr. Maciel- was asked to deliver a talk on the Theological Virtues. Former Director General, Fr. Luis Garza, -who disappeared from Rome during the 2010 Vatican intervention- spoke about the Legion’s apostolic renewal. The Legion’s new official historian –Behold, I make all things new!– is a new face on the block, Fr. Jaime Rodriguez. Although, sadly, the new history continues to be incestuously self-generated, without external criteria, just as in the old days when the Founder was still alive and controlling the minutest details.      

In a Word, the reins of renewal are still in the hands of Maciel’s faithful followers. This cast iron  control, still working successfully in the Legion, comes at a price. The religious congregation seems to be suffering in many aspects from burnout and irreversible regression. If they could only slacken the reins and allow new blood and new ideas, there would be less control and more dynamism.

On the other hand, if the young ones keep trusting the old -who are essentially Maciel’s men- there can be little hope. Let’s see what next year’s General Chapter has in store for us.

ARTÍCULO ORIGINAL:

Víctor Pajares‎

en Legioleaks

17 de septiembre a las 05:03

UNA RENOVACIÓN LASTRADA

El bimestre de renovación espiritual es para sacerdotes de 6 o más años de ordenados. Un pequeño avance es que ya no lo tienen en Cotija. Lo han hecho 15 sacerdotes este verano, un grupo reducido para que haya contacto entre todos. Otra cosa buena. Pero se acabaron las buenas noticias.

Su director ha sido Eloy Bedia, fiel colaborador de Maciel, incluso en tapar delitos de agresión sexual contra Analú Salazar y otras personas. Han visitado a los padres otros pesos pesados del tiempo de Maciel y del presente:

Emilio Díaz-Torre dio los ejercicios espirituales. Roberto González fue llamado para dar una conferencia sobre las virtudes teologales. Luis Garza dio otra hablando de la renovación apostólica de la legión. No podía faltar la del nuevo historiador de la legión, Jaime Rodríguez (este es joven); pero la nueva historia sigue siendo endogámica, como en tiempos de Maciel.

En pocas palabras, las riendas de la renovación las siguen llevando los hombres de Maciel. Este control férreo, que está funcionando bastante bien, lleva consigo un precio. La congregación parece sumida en muchos aspectos en un desgaste y retroceso del que no salen. Si diesen paso a otros más jóvenes y con nuevas fuerzas, habría menos control, pero más dinamismo.

Por otro lado, si los más jóvenes siguen confiando en los mayores, en los hombres de Maciel, pues no se puede hacer nada. Veremos el capítulo general del año que viene cómo pinta.


[i] See official LC report re the 2018 Priestly Renewal Retreat in Amecameca, outside Mexico City: https://www.regnumchristi.org/en/legionaries-renew-priesthood-together/

Our article refers to the 2019 LC Priestly Renewal Retreat; no official news of this activity could be found on official LC RC Federation sites.

[ii] https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2014/01/legion-reformed

*Video: ReGAIN ADDRESSES LEGION OF CHRIST’ HISTORY OF SEX ABUSE AND DECEIT

The Legion of Christ owes its existence to a predatory pedophile priest and conman, who survived waves of Vatican investigations through guile and DECEIT. If you fail to see through the Glittering Appearances of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi Movement, you are being deceived today

Wikipedia: Sexual Scandal of Marcial Maciel:

Formal denunciation by the Vatican

On 1 May 2010, the Vatican named a delegate and appointed a commission to review the Legionaries of Christ. In a statement, the Vatican denounced Marcial Maciel for creating a “system of power” that enabled him to lead an “immoral” double life “devoid of scruples and authentic religious sentiment” and allowed him to abuse young boys for decades unchecked.[23]

The “very serious and objectively immoral acts” of Marcial Maciel, which were “confirmed by incontrovertible testimonies,” represent “true crimes and manifest a life without scruples or authentic religious sentiment,” the Vatican said.[23] The Vatican said the Legion created a “mechanism of defense” around Maciel to shield him from accusations and suppress damaging witnesses from reporting abuse. “It made him untouchable,” the Vatican said. The statement decried “the lamentable disgracing and expulsion of those who doubted” Maciel’s virtue. The Vatican statement did not address whether the Legion’s current leadership will face any sanctions.[23] Actions taken by the current Legion leadership will be scrutinized; but no specific sanctions were mentioned. The Vatican acknowledged the “hardships” faced by Maciel’s accusers through the years when they were ostracized or ridiculed, and commended their “courage and perseverance to demand the truth.”[23]

As a result of the visitation, Benedict XVI named Archbishop (now Cardinal) Velasio De Paolis on 9 July 2010 as the Papal Delegate to oversee the Legion and its governance.[24]

 

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