Esposa y Francisco González Parga 2006/2010 Testimonios/ Maciel Victim and Wife Speak out

Sr. Juan Pedro Oriol
P r e s e n t e

Estimado Padre:

Me permito escribirle esta carta, aunque no lo conozco, solamente porque vi en el periódico una crítica que hace usted a la película El Código Da Vinci. Lo que me llamó la atención es al principio del artículo que usted lo dedica al Padre Marcial Maciel, hombre bueno, íntegro y fiel. Estos epítetos me calaron en lo más hondo de mi corazón porque no está usted calificando verazmente a ese señor.  ¿Es Bueno, cuando abuso de más de 100 muchachos adolescentes y aun niños que él había reclutado para la vida religiosa? ¿Íntegro, cuando, por lo que sé de él, ha estado viviendo una doble vida de forma permanente, por décadas? ¿Lo cree usted después de todos esos actos aberrantes de que se le acusa con verdad? ¿Fiel? ¿A quién? Al Papa que lo encubre, a los Legionarios que lo sirven y lo idolatran?, o más bien, ¿A sí mismo? Pero ciertamente, ni bueno, ni íntegro, ni fiel para con Dios. Dios vio todo lo que él hizo, pero de Dios nadie se burla y Dios ya le está pidiendo…

Francisco González Parga, Q.E.P.D. 9 abril, 2022, R.I.P.

CARTA DE LA ESPOSA DE FRANCISCO GÓNZALEZ PARGA XLC

(Letter translated into English below)

EN EL AÑO 2006

Lic. Ma. Esther de González.

Guadalajara, Jal., 28 de Mayo del 2006.

Sr. Juan Pedro Oriol
P r e s e n t e

Estimado Padre:

Me permito escribirle esta carta, aunque no lo conozco, solamente porque vi en el periódico una crítica que hace usted a la película El Código Da Vinci. Lo que me llamó la atención es al principio del artículo que usted lo dedica al Padre Marcial Maciel, hombre bueno, íntegro y fiel. Estos epítetos me calaron en lo más hondo de mi corazón porque no está usted calificando verazmente a ese señor.  ¿Es Bueno, cuando abuso de más de 100 muchachos adolescentes y aun niños que él había reclutado para la vida religiosa? ¿Íntegro, cuando, por lo que sé de él, ha estado viviendo una doble vida de forma permanente, por décadas? ¿Lo cree usted después de todos esos actos aberrantes de que se le acusa con verdad? ¿Fiel? ¿A quién? Al Papa que lo encubre, a los Legionarios que lo sirven y lo idolatran?, o más bien, ¿A sí mismo? Pero ciertamente, ni bueno, ni íntegro, ni fiel para con Dios. Dios vio todo lo que él hizo, pero de Dios nadie se burla y Dios ya le está pidiendo cuenta de sus crímenes; pero aun Maciel tendrá que enfrentarse cara a cara con él en un tribunal donde no se tendrá en cuenta ni su edad, ni su delicado estado de salud. Y, esto, lo más probable es que muy pronto, debido precisamente a su edad.

Le digo todo esto con todo conocimiento de causa, pues yo soy esposa de una de las víctimas de Maciel y brevemente le voy a contar lo que yo viví como fruto de ese abuso, de ese asesinato de un alma limpia que nunca se imaginó encontrarse con un perverso homosexual que lo marcaria para toda su vida.

Cuando yo conocí a mi esposo, hace aproximadamente 33 años, lo empecé a tratar, lo empecé a amar, poco a poco me fue él contando su vida, me dijo a grandes rasgos que cuando él tenía 15 años (ahora tiene 65), el padre Marcial Maciel había abusado de él en un colegio que tienen los Legionarios en Ontaneda, España.

Entendí que él quería ser sincero conmigo y quería contarme todo su pasado para entrar al matrimonio sin ningún secreto. Yo ya sabía que él había sido sacerdote; sin embargo nunca me imaginé los horribles hechos que lo había orillado a dejar el sacerdocio, ni las secuelas y consecuencias que había dejado en su personalidad. Así que, aunque ciertamente me molestó, y me inquietó el conocerlos, seguimos con nuestra relación, nos casamos, y todo parecía normal; sin embargo, lo veía siempre triste, muy cansado, se agotaba con mucha facilidad.

En el primer año de casados, se enfermó gravemente de la uretra y estuvo a punto de morir. Duró 6 meses internado en un hospital de la ciudad de México con una infección tremenda.

Cuando salimos de esa, él seguía triste, enfermo de otras cosas, padecía graves insomnios, semanas enteras no dormía; en una palabra, estaba en depresión permanente, y cuando oía algo sobre el Padre Maciel se ponía muy nervioso, muy alterado, fuera de control, se le secaba la boca, le dolía el estómago y le afectaba en su proceso de digestión.

Yo entendí que las enfermedades y la depresión venían desde el abuso, pero él siempre luchó y se sobreponía para seguir adelante, cumpliendo con los diversos trabajos que tuvo; durante varios años estuvo dando cursos de relaciones humanas, luego abrió un despacho de consejería y dió clases como profesor en el ITESO, hasta que por su estado de salud y agotamiento, llegó el momento en que no pudo ya trabajar.

Entonces yo tuve que enfrentarme por varios años a todos los gastos de la casa, sus doctores y sus medicinas. Tenía que trabajar muy duro. Pues además de que tenía que atenderlo, cuidarlo y animarlo, estaba estudiando mi licenciatura en derecho.

En varias ocasiones durante ese período, cuando su angustia interior declinaba en anemia, por la falta de digestión y los insomnios, mi marido buscó la ayuda en tratamientos con psicólogos, y en la medicina alternativa. La mayor parte de los ingresos económicos que entonces teníamos, iban para el psicólogo que habitualmente no hacía reducción en sus tarifas y era muy caro.

Así que, Padre, debe darse cuenta de que para quien ha vivido ese infierno que nosotros vivimos, por culpa de otro, es muy difícil mantener la calma al escuchar que a ese otro, malvado, lo tienen como un santo, un hombre intachable, como un ejemplo y guía de la juventud, o como un hombre bueno, íntegro y fiel. Y no es envidia, Padre; es indignación al ver la obra de Satanás tan perfectamente urdida para que muchos inocentes caigan en las garras del agente perfectamente camuflado que él ha enviado, vestido con piel de oveja (con apariencia de santo y con sotana) y es triste al ver como hombres de buena voluntad como usted han caído y están incapacitados para ver, pues tienen los ojos vendados, pero aún así se prestan para salir en defensa del depredador, haciéndose sus cómplices.

Yo soy abogada, yo sé lo que es un testigo y una víctima; a usted y a todos los que defienden a Maciel, no les hizo nada más que engañarlos de que era una buena persona; ustedes son testigos de oídas, como se dice en Derecho, pero yo que usted Padre, tendría cuidado de andar ponderando a ese demonio que se viste de luz, que llama a la verdad mentira y a la mentira verdad. Yo que usted investigaba, preguntaba, indagaba, no sea que Dios también a usted le pida cuentas y le tenga que responder: “pues yo creía. . .., pues todo mundo decía. . . . , total, pecados de juventud, a muchos sacerdotes les pasa y ellos no han hecho nada por la Iglesia”, etc. etc. Todos esos argumentos no le van a valer ante Dios.

Por otro lado le quiero decir, que Dios sí es bueno y el sí es fiel y un día Dios tuvo misericordia de mi esposo y nos envió una persona santa que nos llevó al conocimiento de la Palabra de Dios, nos llevó a hacer nuestra paz con Dios, nos llevó a ver a Jesucristo como la única puerta para nuestra salvación y nuestra liberación. Poco a poco Dios mismo, como un padre amoroso, fue restaurando las heridas de mi esposo, fue sanando su corazón, y le puedo decir con toda certeza, que ya perdonó a Maciel y hasta ora por él para que Dios tenga misericordia de él y lo ayude a buscar el arrepentimiento antes de que sea demasiado tarde.

(Paul Lennon comenta párrafo anterior: se refiere a que el que había sido “el Padre Parga” se hizo Evangélico proselitista durante esa época de su vida)

Padre, de verdad deseo que Dios ponga en usted un espíritu especial, un espíritu de revelación que le haga conocer la verdad y que esa verdad lo haga libre (como dice Cristo) y feliz (como dice usted en su artículo).

Lo saludo con afecto y con el amor que Cristo ha puesto en mi corazón

Lic. Ma. Esther de González.

=================

Guadalajara, Jal., 14 de Abril del 2010.

Estimado Padre Álvaro Corcuera:

He pensado mucho para decidirme a escribirle esta carta, pues además de saber que es usted una persona sobre la que pesa un gran número de responsabilidades graves, y más aún en este tiempo en que se les vino como avalancha a los Legionarios la opinión pública acerca de los pecados secretos, delitos y doble vida del padre Maciel, no encontraba la manera y el tono de dirigirme a usted que fueran apropiados tanto a la consideración que me merece su persona como al fin que me propongo.

Le pido al Espíritu Santo que me permita expresarle con plena objetividad, todo lo que hay en mi corazón, sin odio, resentimiento, o espíritu de revancha, con la única intención de ayudarlo a comprender un poco mejor la destrucción y los daños, no sólo psicológicos, sino también físicos, sociales y espirituales provocados por el comportamiento de su fundador, el Sr. Marcial Maciel, en sus víctimas, algunas de las cuales yo conozco.

Yo soy la esposa de Francisco González Parga, a quien usted mencionó en una entrevista que recientemente le hizo el conocido periodista Ciro Gómez Leyva. Usted dijo que lo admiraba; estoy segura que si supiera la lucha por la vida que él ha tenido que afrontar, las dificultades de todo tipo que ha tenido que vencer, y el trabajo de restauración personal que ha tenido que llevar a cabo para lograr su equilibrio y estabilidad emocional y reencontrar el camino de su perfeccionamiento espiritual, lo admiraría mucho más. Creo que la desarticulación y la desestructuración de su personalidad, así como el sufrimiento causado por ellas y soportado en completa soledad durante años, es algo que ni usted ni nadie que no lo haya conocido más de cerca, se pueden imaginar. Yo me casé con él y he estado a su lado por 30 años, yo sé cómo él ha llorado lágrimas amargas al ver que su vida se le fue de las manos y no pudo realizar ninguna de las grandes ilusiones que él tenía en Pro de la iglesia y de la juventud, pues, al salir de la Legión con tantas heridas, se encontraba limitado de muchas formas e incapacitado por la confusión, la desilusión, la ira, el desánimo, las profundas contradicciones y temores de todo tipo que sembró Maciel en su espíritu y en su ánimo ante Dios, sus semejantes y la vida. Por años me ha tocado compartir sus enfermedades, su tristeza y sus temores. Pero para cuando yo lo conocí y pude ofrecerle algo de consuelo y compañía, él ya había vivido años en depresión, lleno de toda clase de enfermedades; la mayoría de ellas psicosomáticas: insomnios, baja presión sanguínea, taquicardias, grave neuritis de carácter carencial que lo tuvo más de un año en cama, sin poder leer, ni sostener una conversación por más de 10 minutos, sin poder ver televisión ni escribir una carta. Actualmente ha perdido casi totalmente la vista y en parte por falta de recursos económicos no ha podido atenderse debidamente. Él ha sido una víctima de Maciel en el sentido más completo de la palabra, así como de todos aquellos que por años no sólo lo encubrieron sino que además lo exaltaron y ensalzaron tanto, consolidando con ello la opinión pública de que quienes lo denunciaban eran unos embusteros, envidiosos y mal intencionados conspiradores que sólo querían satisfacer sus ambiciones de poder dentro de la Legión, y al no permitírselo el fundador, inventaron calumnias abominables contra el santo sacerdote. ¡Qué pena, qué dolor, pero más bien, qué vergüenza deberían sentir ahora, quienes por defender el propio status, o la imagen de la iglesia, de la Legión, o del fundador, se convirtieron, de esa manera, en cómplices conscientes de Maciel! Porque es ya un argumento que a nadie convence, padre Corcuera, el que ni usted, ni los demás superiores más prominentes de la Legión, estuvieron al tanto, si no de todas, sí de muchas de las graves transgresiones y prevaricaciones de su fundador como sacerdote y como hombre.

Y ahora que usted le ha manifestado a Gómez Leyva su intención de venir en Mayo a México y “pedir perdón” a cada una de las víctimas que se atrevieron a levantar la voz al no aguantar más su dolor, a: Arturo Jurado, Pepe Barba, Saúl Barrales, Alejandro Espinosa, y muchos otros, yo me pregunto: ¿A qué viene verdaderamente el P. Corcuera? ¿A qué viene? ¿A ver los estragos que dejó su querido Padre Maciel en un grupo de hombres ya viejos, enfermos, heridos en todas formas, pobres, vituperados por todo el mundo que creyó en las versiones de ustedes y de Maciel, que eran unos mentirosos, unos calumniadores? Y viene a decirles: “¡qué pena! ¡Miren nada más lo que hizo “Nuestro Padre”! La verdad es, P. Corcuera, que me hierve la sangre de indignación, sólo de pensar que usted viniera con esa actitud. Es una vergüenza escuchar todas esas declaraciones que están haciendo ahora los legionarios y los obispos mexicanos en torno a la pederastia de los sacerdotes y los delitos cometidos por Maciel. Más valdría que no dijeran nada. Todos hablan de “pecado” y de “perdón cristiano”. Y no toman para nada en cuenta que las transgresiones de un hombre, cuando llegan a ser delito, se convierten también en un atentado contra la sociedad, en un atentado de “lessa humanidad”, porque como muy bien dijo en la Cámara, la Coordinadora de los diputados del Pan, Josefina Vázquez Mota, “el delincuente se convierte en un promotor de la muerte, pues mata la esperanza de vida al destruir la verdad, y la confianza en la honestidad”. Por esa razón, los delitos se persiguen “de oficio”. Los graves delitos no se deben arreglar solamente en el confesionario, ni un individuo particular puede absolver al delincuente en el foro de la justicia social.

Intentar justificar hacerlo así, me recuerda la historia de un hombre que le robó su carro al vecino. Luego, un buen día se da cuenta de que para estar bien con Dios, tenía que arrepentirse del mal ocasionado a su vecino, y va con el vecino y le dice: “Vecino, vengo a pedirle perdón porque le robé su carro, no sabe usted qué pena me da, de verdad, me duele ver que usted con tanta molestia va y viene a pie a su trabajo, pero mire, ya me dí cuenta del mal que hice y estoy muy arrepentido, de mi mal comportamiento; siento vergüenza de mí mismo y por favor perdóneme”. ¡Hecho esto se va, pero no le devuelve su carro al vecino, sino que sigue utilizando el automóvil robado! ¿Cree usted que Dios y el vecino afectado estarán conformes con esa clase de arrepentimiento? Pues parece que hasta ahora así entienden los obispos y ustedes mismos –los legionarios–, el arrepentimiento. Maciel les robó a estos hombres la vida, les robó la oportunidad de haber construido para sí mismos y para sus familias un futuro digno y feliz; les robó sus ideales, su salud, y hasta su reputación social, su paz y la alegría de vivir, ¡TODO! ¿No cree usted que los que ahora fungen como superiores de la Legión deberían en estricta justicia resarcir a todos y cada uno de estos hombres tanto en lo social como en lo económico de todos esos bienes de que fueron fraudulentamente despojados? Porque toda la vida de Maciel fue un fraude, y engañó dolosamente a todos sus seguidores con falsas ideas y prácticas sobre la vocación, para utilizarlos como señuelo con el que pescaría a manos llenas prestigio y admiración en los medios clericales y avalanchas de dinero en su arcas. Fueron esos jóvenes engañados a los que Maciel ocupó también como esclavos y mano de obra gratuita, para amasar esos grandes tesoros, a los que ustedes ahora se aferran, no haciendo mención en ningún momento de restitución.

Como abogada que soy, sé que desde el punto de vista legal, ustedes están obligados a pagar a las víctimas daños y perjuicios, pero también sé, desde el punto de vista espiritual, que es en el que ustedes deberían saberse mover con objetividad y verdad, que Dios mismo, en Su Palabra, cuando se refiere al pecado, distingue muy claramente entre la ofensa directa hecha a Él, la que Él perdona exclusivamente mediante el arrepentimiento sincero del corazón, y el daño social causado por el pecado, el cual el pecador debe pagar durante esta vida, como una forma de restitución. Esto está evidentemente mostrado en el pasaje que se refiere a los delitos de adulterio y asesinato cometidos por el Rey David (II Samuel 12,1-14).

Cuando usted dice en esa entrevista a la que me he estado refiriendo, ¡Qué pena que Saúl Barrales está enfermo!,… Bueno Padre, ¿usted realmente cree que para Dios y para el señor Saúl Barrales, o para la sociedad, con eso basta? ¿No cree usted que eso suena a pura hipocresía, y apariencias? ¿Porqué no se interesa en informarse qué es lo que tiene (tiene cáncer en la próstata), a continuación se informa en qué buen hospital lo pueden atender debidamente y cuánto cuesta su atención médica ¡Y SE DECLARA DISPUESTO A PAGARLO!? No se queden muy arrepentidos, pero con el fruto del despojo. Infórmense sobre qué pueden hacer prácticamente por las víctimas, y restituyan en justicia; no piensen sólo en decirles un “lo siento” y “perdonen”; ese tipo de disculpas, Padre, no es válido, ni humanamente y mucho menos cristianamente. Eso no es más que fariseísmo e hipocresía.- Me dirá: yo no fui, fue Maciel. Sí, es cierto, hasta cierto punto, pero los superiores actuales de la Legión, aún cuando fuera cierto que no están implicados directa o indirectamente en los hechos delictuosos cometidos por Maciel durante décadas, tienen, sin duda ninguna, la obligación de reparar el daño y restituir los robos que él cometió, como cualquier albacea lo hace con los recursos heredados por el difunto. Recursos que Maciel en este caso acumuló, sobre la vida de todos esos esclavitos, sus víctimas, quienes seguramente han invertido mucho tiempo y dinero en su rehabilitación, y de los que, algunos, ahora están y han estado en total abandono y pobreza. Y no me diga ahora, padre, que ese dinero no es de ustedes, que no pueden disponer de él, porque es de las almas que van ustedes a salvar. Primero está la obligación que la devoción.

Bueno, ya no quiero seguir estrujando mi corazón recordando todas estas terribles cosas del pasado, e intentando hacerle tomar conciencia de los daños causados y de la obligación de repararlos, sólo quiero decirle que en lo que se refiere a mi esposo, él no quiere que venga a pedirle perdón como lo ha venido haciendo hasta ahora; no venga a perder su “precioso tiempo”, no queremos ayudarle en el juego de ir poniendo palomitas a su lista de víctimas a las que ya pidió perdón.

Para finalizar, le quiero decir Padre Corcuera, que no se preocupe tanto por el dinero y las posesiones. Eso no lo honra. Preocúpese por aquellos que no hayan podido perdonar estas cosas, ni delante de Dios y haga algo por ellos. Ofrézcales un resarcimiento público de su inocencia. Ellos merecen además una compensación por el servicio que le han hecho a la sociedad, a los buenos legionarios y a los buenos católicos, al denunciar los hechos, con mucha inversión de su tranquilidad, de su buen nombre, de sus vidas y hasta de su dinero, arduamente devengado en su trabajo. Pero sobre todo, preocúpese por las cuentas que ustedes, los legionarios, van a tener que dar a Dios como las que ha de haber tenido que dar su padre fundador, al que tanto defendieron y ensalzaron. Preocúpense de ponerse a cuentas con Dios, y también de arreglar sus cuentas con tantos muchachitos y jovencitas generosos e ingenuos que ustedes sedujeron, secuestraron y luego utilizaron en primer lugar para sacar más dinero a cuantas personas creyentes y bien intencionadas se pusieron a su alcance. Porque “nada hay oculto que no haya de ser revelado”, y “lo que se dijo y se hizo en lo secreto, se anunciará sobre los tejados”. Palabras verdaderas son estas que se están cumpliendo en ustedes y en la iglesia católica, no obstante su poder, su dinero y su influencia. De Dios nadie se burla.

Le anexo unas cartas que escribí en su momento al Padre Oriol y a Lucrecia Rego de Planas para que conozca un poco más acerca del dolor recibido por las víctimas de Maciel y compartido por quienes hemos estado cerca de ellos. Me gustaría también mandarle el testimonio que entregó mi esposo a Mons. Carlo Scicluna para que conociera a fondo su tristísima experiencia, pero temo ser excesiva y puede que usted ya lo conozca. Si no es así y le interesara leerlo, se lo enviaría por correo electrónico. Le ayudaría a redimensionar el estrago causado por Maciel en sus víctimas. En mis otras cartas conocerá también mi modo de pensar sobre el caso

Maciel y los legionarios. Le mandaré también por correo electrónico, si le interesa y me da su correo, el documento que mi esposo entregó a Monseñor Watty aquí en México en una entrevista que Mons. concedió a un grupo de víctimas de Maciel, de la Legión y del Regnum Christi.

 

Atentamente,

 

Lic. Ma. Esther de Gonzalez

 

FRANCISCO GONZALEZ-PARGA’S 19 YEAR CAREER WITH THE LEGION OF CHRIST

From July, 1951 [AGED 11] to December, 1970

  1. APOSTOLIC:
    Tlalpam, MEXICO: July, 1951 to July, 1954
    Ontaneda, SPAIN: July, 1954 to July, 1955
  2. POSTULANTCY: Summer vacations, 1955
  3. NOVITIATE: September, 1955 to September, 1957
  4. PREFECT OF POSTULANTS: Summer, 1957; in the same group as Fr. Mariano de Blas, Fr. Blazquez, Bonifacio Padilla and Raul de Anda.
  5. JUNIORATE: September, 1957 to September, 1959
  6. SUPERIOR STUDIES, ROME
    • PHILOSOPHY: September, 1959 to September, 1962.
    • THEOLOGY: Degree, September, 1962 to September, 1965.
      Simultaneously Assistant to the Master of Novices in Ireland from 1962 to 1965 while alternating months of work in the novitiate with months of study in Rome.
    • DOCTORATE IN THEOLOGY: September, 1965 to September, 1968.
    • On July 7, 1966 I was ordained a priest and joined the Vatican as part of the Sacred Congregation for Bishops until June, 1969.
      Concurrent with my doctoral studies and work in the Vatican, I served as Prefect of Studies for legionary seminarians: From 1665 to 1966 I was prefect of studies for philosophy and from 1966 to 1969 I was prefect of studies for theology.
  7. EXILE IN IRELAND: July, 1969 to December, 1970,
  8. LEAVING: I escaped from the college in Rome in a taxi on December 29, 1970.

TESTIMONY FROM THE VICTIM’S WIFE

Maria-Esther Zatarain de Gonzalez, Attorney-at-Law

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, May 28, 2006

To: Fr. Juan Pedro Oriol

Dear Father:

I take the liberty of writing this letter, although I do not know you personally, only because I saw your critique of the film The Da Vinci Code in the newspaper. My attention was drawn to the beginning of the article where you dedicate it to Father Marcial Maciel: a good, upright and faithful man. This description penetrated to the depths of my heart because you are not portraying this man truthfully. Is he good when he has abused more than 100 adolescent boys, and even children, whom he had recruited to religious life? Upright, when from what I know of him he has been living a double life on a permanent basis for decades? Do you believe this after all the aberrant acts of which he is so rightly accused? Faithful? To whom? To the pope who covers for him, to the Legionaries who serve and worship him, or more aptly to himself? But certainly he is neither good, nor upright, nor faithful to God. No! God saw everything he did. God cannot be mocked and God is asking him to account for his crimes. Even Maciel will have to come face to face with Him in a tribunal where neither his age nor his delicate state of health will matter. And probably very soon, precisely because his age.

I say this to you knowing perfectly well what I am talking about, since I am the wife of one of Maciel’s victims. I will briefly tell you what I have experienced as a result of this abuse, of this assassination of a pure soul, who never imagined he would find himself with a sexual pervert, who would brand him for life.

When I met my husband, approximately thirty-three years ago, I began to get to know him, I began to love him. Little by little he told me about his life. He told me in broad terms how, when he was fifteen years old (he is now sixty-five), Fr. Marcial Maciel had abused him in a school the Legionaries ran in Ontaneda, Spain. I understood that he wanted to be sincere and wanted to tell me all about his past so that we could enter into matrimony without any secrets. I already knew that he had been a priest. However, I never imagined the horrible events that drove him to abandon the priesthood, nor the consequences and long term effects they had on his personality. And so, while I certainly was disturbed and it troubled me to find out about this, we continued with our relationship, got married and everything seemed normal. However, he always seemed sad, extremely tired, and became exhausted very easily.

In the first year we were married, he developed a very serious urological condition and was on the verge of death. He spent six months as a patient in a Mexico City hospital with a horrible infection.

When that was over, he remained sad and was sick with other complaints. He suffered from serious insomnia. Entire weeks passed during which he did not sleep. He was in a permanent state of depression. Whenever he heard something regarding Fr. Maciel, he would become very nervous, very angry, lose control. His mouth would go dry, his stomach would hurt and his digestion was affected.

I understood that the illnesses and the depression were a result of the abuse, but he always fought against them and tried to overcome them so he could move on, carrying out his duties at the various jobs he had. For several years he gave courses in human relations. He later opened a consulting firm and taught as a professor at ITESO until because of his poor health and exhaustion there came a point were everything came to a halt.

After that I spent several years taking care of all the household expenses, his doctors and his medications. I had to work very hard. In addition to attending to him, caring for him, and cheering him up, I was also studying for my law degree.

On various occasions during this period, when his internal anguish led to anemia as a result of digestive problems, and insomnia, my husband sought treatment from psychologists and alternative medicine. Most of the income we had at that time went to pay the psychologist, who was not in the habit of reducing his fees and was very expensive.

So, Father, you have to realize that for someone who has been through the hell we lived through because of someone else’s fault, it is very hard to remain calm when I hear that this fiend is considered a saint, an irreproachable man, an example and guide for youth, or a good, upright and faithful man. It is not envy, Father, but rather indignation at seeing Satan’s carefully hatched plan work so well, trapping many innocents in the clutches of the perfectly disguised agent he sent dressed in lamb’s clothing (under the appearance of a saint dressed in a cassock). And it is sad to see that men of good will such as yourself have fallen prey, are unable to see because their eyes are blindfolded, and who nevertheless come to the predator’s defense, thereby becoming his accomplices.

I am an attorney and I know the difference between a witness and a victim. Maciel has simple misled you and all those who defend him into thinking he was a good person. You are, to use a legal term, hearsay witnesses. If I were you, Father, I would be careful going about praising this demon cloaked in light who calls truth a lie and lying the truth. If I were you I would investigate, ask, examine, so that when God calls you to render an account, you do not say, Well, I thought . . . Well, everyone said . . ., They were only sins of youth . . ., Many priests do the same thing and they never did anything for the Church, etc., etc. All such arguments will be useless before God.

On the other hand I want to tell you that, yes, God is good and, yes, he is faithful, and one day God had mercy on my husband and sent us a holy person who helped us get to know the Word of God, helped us make our peace with God, helped us see Jesus Christ as the only gateway to salvation and liberation. Little by little God himself, like a loving father, began binding my husband’s wounds, began healing his heart. And I can tell you with certainty that my husband has already forgiven Maciel, and even prays for him so that God may have mercy on him and help him seek repentance before it is too late.

Father, I truly wish that God imbues you with a special spirit, a spirit of revelation- that would allow you to know the truth, and that truth might set you free (as Christ said) and make you happy (as you say in your article).

Affectionately yours and with the love that Christ has put in my heart,

MarIa-Esther de Gonzalez
Attorney-at-Law

(Translation by REGAIN staff)

# # # #

[Carta original]

DE LA ESPOSA DE LA VICTIMA

* * * *

TESTIMONY FROM THE VICTIM

To Fr. Juan Pedro Oriol, LC, &
Jorge SuArez Huizar and Arturo Lucke Gracien, esquires.

I read your review of the film, The Da Vinci Code, and I am in complete agreement. However, I was struck by your comment in which, on the one hand, regarding Fr. Marcial Maciel, you refer to him as a good, upright and loyal man. On the other hand, you suggest to your readers that they always seek to discover the truth because only through truth are they made free and happy.

In the same spirit of love for the truth which you recommend, I wish to inform you that I was a priest of the Legionaries of Christ. In the twenty years devoted to work and study when I belonged to the Legion, I obtained a degree in philosophy and a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University and was Prefect of Studies at the Legionaries of Christ College of Higher Studies in Rome.

Now in the spirit of helping you also to find the truth, I want you to know that at a young age I was a victim of outright sexual abuse, perpetrated in a deceitful and premeditated way, by Fr. Maciel. For this reason and in spite of having been ordained a priest in Rome by then Pope Paul VI [From the author’s soon to be published testimony: I was ordained a priest in July 1966 by Pope Paul VI in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome.], I felt compelled to abandon the Legion and the priesthood, taking with me all the moral and psychological damage that you might imagine. For many years I have lived with illness, have been in danger of losing my life, and have experienced continual depression as a result of the abuse committed against my person by Fr. Maciel. Even now I am suffering from the consequences.

But this is only my story. What about the 100 or more cases reported under sworn oath to the Holy See? I have since forgiven Fr. Maciel and I hope that God enlightens him and helps him to acknowledge the grave sin he has committed against those who were his victims and their families, against society and against those Legionaries of Christ who remain members in good faith of the congregation.

I am addressing you publicly because I am outraged by such deceit, falsehood and lies, and because it pains me to know that there are so many people who refuse to accept the truth and still others who impede truth through injustice. For some reason they have a need not to want to search for the truth or to even see it. Otherwise, they would realize that, if Pope Benedict XVI felt obliged for reasons of conscience to take such drastic action against Fr. Maciel by retiring him from all public practice of his priestly ministry, it is because there was sufficient evidence for him to do so in spite of the dishonor such an act could bring to the Catholic Church, to the person of Pope John Paul II and to his own person, and in spite of the damage this could cause not only to the credibility of the Legionaries of Christ and to the Regnum Christi Movement, but also to the economic, political and social advantages these institutions bring to the Vatican and the Holy See.

It is the opinion of many thinking people that the slight punishment imposed on Fr. Maciel by the pope is the result of a conflict of interests arising out of the above-mentioned advantages the Legion provides to the Vatican and to the papacy. Therefore, instead of trying him for atrocious sexual crimes and abuse of power committed against so many young candidates for the priesthood, they have hidden him from public view so that he may live in comfortable opulence, attended by his unconditionally loyal servants from the Legion. He does so in light of the pope’s recommendation that he use his time for prayer and penitence. Fr. Maciel will need prayer and penitence because God cannot be mocked. What he needs is courage, honesty and genuine repentance in order to publicly ask for forgiveness from those he has wronged, since this is the only way to vindicate himself and his congregation, and, by so doing, compensate his victims in some slight way.

Seek the truth yourself, Father Oriol, as you advise others to do, for it is truth that will make you free and happy, as you have said. Stop being part of the Works of Darkness, believing, perhaps in good faith, that you are a bearer of truth and light.

But if anyone causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matthew 18, 6.

Please feel free to contact me regarding any clarification.
Francisco Gonzalez P.
Former priest of the Legionaries of Christ
Zapopan, Jalisco (Mexico)
[Phone number withheld by REGAIN editor]
(Translation by REGAIN staff)

* * * *

ITINERARIO LEGIONARIO DE 19 ANYOS DE FRANCISCO GONZALEZ PARGA:

CARRERA EN LA LEGION: Desde julio del ’51, A LOS ONCE ANYOS, hasta Diciembre del ’70

1-APOSTA LICA:
Tlalpam, MEXICO: Julio 1951 a Julio 1954
Ontaneda, SPAIN: Julio 1954 a julio 1955:

2-POSTULANTADO: Vacaciones de Verano del 1955:
3-NOVICIADO: Septiembre del ’55, a Septiembre del ’57;

4-PREFECTO DE POSTULANTES: Verano del ’57: Grupo del P. Mariano de Blas; P. Blazquez; Bonifacio Padilla; Raul de Anda,…

5-JUNIORADO: Septiembre 57 a Septiembre del ’59

6- E S T U D I O S
S U P E R I O R E S: R O M E
-FILOSOFIA: Septiembre del ’59 a Septiembre del 62;
-TEOLOGA?A: Licenciatura: Septiembre del ’62 a Septiembre del 65.
SimultAneamente Asistente del Maestro de Novicios en Irlanda del 62 al 65; alternando los meses de trabajo en el Noviciado, con los meses de Estudio en Roma.
-DOCTORADO EN TEOLOGA: Septiembre del 65 a Septiembre del ’68.
-El 7 de Julio del ’66, me ordenA de sacerdote y entre al Vaticano, a formar parte de la Sagrada CongregaciONn para las Obispos como escritor de 3er. nivel, hasta junio de 1969.
SimultAneamente a mis estudios de doctorado y trabajo en el Vaticano, desempeNA el cargo de Prefecto de Estudios de los seminaristas legionarios: en el ano 1965-66, fuI prefecto de estudios de FilosofIa; y del aNo 1966 al 69, fui prefecto de estudios de Teologia;

7-DESTIERRO [EXILE] EN IRLANDA: Julio ’69 a Diciembre del ’70;

8- SALIDA [ESCAPE]: Me escape del colegio de Roma en un taxi el 29 de Diciembre de 1970.

* * * *

VERSION ORIGINAL

[The following is the original Spanish version of the letter written by Francisco Gonzalez-Parga to a newspaper in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico;

the below is under revision by ReGAIN at the moment: Windows messed up the original Spanish language]

MACIEL, A¿VERDAD O MENTIRA?

Al Padre Juan Pedro Oriol, LC., y
Sres. Jorge SuArez Huizar y Arturo Lucke GraciAn.

LeI su crItica de la pelIcula El CONdigo Da Vinci. Estoy de acuerdo en todo, sin embargo me llamON mucho la atenciONn su comentario del Padre Marcial Maciel al que Ud. se refiere diciendo que es Hombre bueno, Integro y fiel. Por otro lado Ud. sugiere a sus lectores que no dejen de descubrir la verdad, porque solo la verdad nos hace libres y felices.

Con ese espIritu de amor a la verdad que Ud. sugiere, quiero informarle que yo fui Sacerdote de los Legionarios de Cristo. Durante los 20 aNos de trabajo y estudio en que permanecI en la Legion, obtuve Licenciatura en Filosofia y Doctorado en Teologia por la Universidad Gregoriana y fui Prefecto de Estudios en el Colegio Maximo de los Legionarios de Cristo, en Roma.

Ahora bien, con el Animo de ayudarle a Ud. tambiAn a encontrar la verdad, quiero que sepa que fui victima a corta edad de abusos sexuales directos, perpetrados con engaNos premeditados por el Padre Maciel. Por esa causa y a pesar que fui ordenado Sacerdote en Roma por el entonces Papa Pablo VI, [Editor: Fui ordenado sacerdote en Julio de 1966 por el Papa Paulo VI, en la Basilica de San Pedro en Roma, del Testimonio del autor], me vi impulsado a abandonar la Legion y el Sacerdocio, llevando conmigo todo el daNo moral y psicologico que usted se puede imaginar y que sufrI por muchos aNos al grado de vivir enfermo, con peligro de perder la vida y con depresiones continuas, como consecuencia del abuso cometido contra mi persona por el Padre Maciel y aUn en la actualidad sufro las consecuencias.

Pero ese es solo mi caso, A¿quA hay de los otros cien (100) o mas casos reportados bajo juramento por escrito a la Santa Sede? Yo perdonA ya al P. Maciel, y espero que Dios lo ilumine y lo ayude a reconocer su grave pecado cometido contra quienes han sido sus vIctimas y sus familias, contra la sociedad y contra los mismos Legionarios de Cristo que de buena fe permanecen en la Congregacion.

Y si me dirijo a Ud. publicamente es porque me da en cara tanto engano, falsedad y mentira y me duele que haya tantas personas que renuncian a conocer la verdad, y otras aUn, que detienen con injusticia la verdad. Porque se necesita no querer buscar la verdad, o incluso no querer verla por algun interes creado, para no darse cuenta que si el Papa Benedicto XVI se vio obligado, por razones de conciencia, a tomar una medida drAstica contra el P. Maciel y a retirarlo de toda prActica publica del ministerio sacerdotal, es porque constato suficiente evidencia para hacerlo, a pesar de la deshonra a la que exponIa con ese acto a la Iglesia Catolica, a la persona del Papa Juan Pablo II y a su misma persona, y a pesar del daNo que podIa causar, tanto a la credibilidad de la congregacion de los Legionarios de Cristo y del Movimiento Regnum Christi, como a las ventajas economicas, polIticas y sociales que estas instituciones le aportan al Vaticano y a la Santa Sede.

Es de la opinion de mucha gente pensante que el leve castigo otorgado por el Papa al Padre Maciel, se debe al conflicto de intereses, dadas las ventajas mencionadas que representan los Legionarios de Cristo para el Vaticano y para el Papado. Por eso en vez de juzgarlo por los atroces crImenes de homosexualidad y abuso de poder cometidos contra tantos jovenes candidatos al sacerdocio, simplemente lo escondieron de la vista pUblica para que viva comodamente en la opulencia y atendido por servidores incondicionales dentro de la LegiONn, aunque con la recomendacion por parte del Papa para que aproveche su tiempo para orar y hacer penitencia. Lo va a necesitar, porque Dios no puede ser burlado y se necesita valentIa, honestidad y un genuino arrepentimiento para pedir perdon publicamente a las personas que ofendio pues es lo Unico que podrIa reivindicar al Padre Maciel y a la congregacion y asi resarcir de alguna manera a sus victimas.

Busque Ud. la Verdad, Padre, de acuerdo a lo que aconseja, ya que la Verdad lo hara verdaderamente libre y feliz como usted dice. No siga participando en las obras de las tinieblas, pensando quiza de buena fe que es portador de luz y de verdad.
Y cualquiera que haga tropezar a alguno de estos pequenos que creen en mI, mejor le fuera, que se le atase una piedra de molino al cuello y que se le arrojase en lo profundo del mar (Mateo 18, 6).

Estoy a sus ordenes para cualquier aclaracion.
Francisco Gonzalez P.

Ex Sacerdote de los Legionarios de Cristo
Zapopan, Jal.
[Numero telefonico no revelado por ReGAIN]

ReGAIN MANIFESTO

                     Fr. Maciel embraces Paul Lennon on November 26, 1969, just                               after Paul was ordained at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe,                         Rome

Dear Reporter:

  • The American press sometimes refers to the Legionnaires of Christ, perhaps in an allusion to the French Foreign Legion, or American Legion, and maybe because it sounds better to U.S. ears.… I believe the official name is Legion of Christ and Legionaries of Christ. The order/group, founded by Mexican Catholic seminarian  Marcial Maciel in Mexico City in 1941, sprouted a lay movement in the 1960s called Regnum Christi -along the lines of the Opus Dei movement- and, together they morphed into Regnum Christi Federation a few years ago.
  • I joined at the age of 17 in Dublin in 1961. I could be considered an Irish co-founder of the order, “cofounder” being a coveted title at the time. I became bilingual and bi cultural Spanish during my 23 years in the Legion, leaving in 1984 after an  altercation with then superior general Fr. Maciel. I have the honor of being one of the few members who ever dared to confront the untouchable founder in front of other members.
  • Maciel garnered the admiration of popes, especially Pope JP II, until his pedophilia and philandering were finally acknowledged by Church Hierarchy and Legion around 2005 -by which time Maciel was 85! Just imagine the decades of silence, avoidance, minimization and coverup!
  • I  have been monitoring the order since 1985, founding regainnetwork.org in the 1990s and writing the first version of my memoir in 2008 which was released more recently as A Naïve and Sentimental Dubliner in the Legion of Christ.
  • ReGAIN sprung from the concern of parents, friends and former members in the late 1980s seeking to help active, exiting and former members to recover from their traumatic experience.
  • ReGAIN has published extensively about the Legion of Christ/Regnum Christi Federation since the 1990s where you will find an abundance of info/critique, perhaps the largest in the English language. Presently there are other blogs in Spanish and French that carry out the same mission: facebook’s Legioleaks, La Verdad os hará Libres, and l’énvers du décor
  • U.S. Catholic investigative reporters, Jason Berry and  Gerald Renner, were instrumental in bringing the story of Maciel, the sexual abuse of his seminarians, the secretive nature of the order,  and the founder’s  love of money and luxury to the world beyond Mexico and Spanish speaking countries to world-wide attention in the Hartford Courant in 1997, and later publishing their critique of Maciel and the Legion with  Vows of Silence (2004).
  • Don’t forget the Legion was founded by Mexican priest, Fr. Marcial Maciel, and most of the literature about it is in the Spanish language. Fr. Maciel saw the Irish as the Legion’s gateway into the USA and other English-speaking countries. Although the Legion would like to cast itself as an international organization – it is present in many countries- there has always been a strong Mexican element: most major superiors are Mexicans, followed by Spaniards, Irish and U.S., with an occasional German or Italian thrown in for good PR. Unfortunately, Legion and Regnum Christi leadership has consistently been tainted by the leaven of founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel, arch abuser, conman, manipulator of conservative Catholics and popes, and a bare-faced liar.
  • ReGAIN, in principle, avoids criticizing “The Church” as we believe that the Catholic Church consists in the union of all baptized catholics, irrespective of their rank (dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium, chapter 2, The People of Gd. We, thus  distinguish between the Catholic Church and the Catholic Hierarchy (LC chapter 3). In general, we also avoid criticizing “the pope”, as if he were solely responsible for every sin that every one of the billion members of the Catholic Church commits.
  • On the other hand, we hold pope, hierarchy , clergy and religious responsible for their actions and omissions, especially when it comes to grevious offenses against children and the vulnerable.
  • Together with many other Catholics, Christians, believers, and people of good will, we complain about the way the Catholic Hierarchy has failed to punish Fr. Maciel, and to investigate and censure several cult-like or coercive religious orders and movements approved by and operating freely within its boundaries.
  • ReGAIN has consistently  defended and supported all those abused  in any way by Legion founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel and Legion and Regnum Christi superiors and directors.
  • Together with many other Catholics and Christians we are becoming more aware of other forms of abuse beyond sexual and physical abuse, such as moral, psychological, spiritual and conscience abuse  which have been rampant in churches and religious groups.

APPENDIX: incomplete list of books about Maciel, Legion, Regnum in English,  Spanish, and French.

Aristegui, C. (2010). Marcial Maciel, Historia de un Criminal. Mexico City: Grijalbo.

Athié, A., Barba, J., González, F.M, (2012). La Voluntad de no saber: lo que sí se conocía sobre Maciel en los archivos del Vaticano desde 1944. Mexico City: Grijalbo.

Barranco, B., coordinador (2021). Depredadores Sagrados: Pederastia clerical en México. Mexico City: Grijalbo.

Berry, J. & Renner, G. (2004). Vows of Silence. New York: Free Press;

—– (2006). El Legionario de Cristo. Mexico City: Random House Mondadori.

—– (2011). Render unto Rome, The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church. New York: Crown Publishers. Fr. Maciel, Lord of Prosperity, pp.156-196

Erdely, J., Escalante, P., González, F., Guerrero-Chiprés, S., Mascareñas, C. & Masferrer, E. (2004). El Círculo del Poder y la Espiral del Silencio [The Circle of Power and the Spiral of Silence], La Historia Oculta del Padre Marcial Maciel y Los Legionarios de Cristo. Mexico City: Grijalbo.

Espinosa, A. (2003). El Legionario [The Legionary]. Mexico City: Grijalbo.

—–    (2014, 2nd Edit.). El Ilusionista, Marcial Maciel (The Illusionist, Marcial Maciel). Charleston, SC: Createspace

González, F. (2006). Marcial Maciel. Los Legionarios de Cristo: testimonios y documentos inéditos [Marcial Maciel, The Legion of Christ: New testimonies and documents]. Mexico: Tusquets Editores,

González Parga, F. (2012). Yo acuso al Padre Maciel y a la Legión de Cristo. Charleston, SC: Createspace. (Maciel victim; early Legionary).

Keogh, J. (20100. Driving Straight on Crooked Lines, How and Irishman found his heart and nearly lost his mind. Iveagh Lodge Press. (A well-written testimony by one of the first Irish-born LC members).

Léger, X & Nicolas, B (2013). Moi, ancien légionnaire du Christ, 7 ans dans une secte au cœur de l’Église. Paris : Flammarion. (Testimony of French LC)

Lennon, J.P. (2012, 2nd Edit). Fr. Marcial Maciel Pedophile, Psychopath and Legion of Christ Founder, From Fr. Richard John Neuhaus to Pope Benedict XVI. Charleston, SC: Createspace. (LC 1961-84)

Martínez de Velasco, J. (2002). Los Legionarios de Cristo, el nuevo ejército del Papa [The Legionaries of the Christ, the Pope’s New Army]. Madrid: La Esfera de los libros.

—– (2004). Los Documentos Secretos de los Legionarios de Cristo [The Secret Documents of the Legion of Christ]. Barcelona: Ediciones B.

Sada, E. (2018) Blackbird – A Memoir; The Story of a Woman Who Submitted to Marcial Maciel, Became Free, and Found Happiness Again. Amazon Digital Services. (Prominent recruiter of Regnum Christi ‘consecrated’ women.)

Ramírez Mota Velasco (2013). El Reino de Marcial Maciel, La Vida Oculta de la Legión y el Regnum Christi. Mexico City: Temas de Hoy. (Prominent superior of RC women)

Ruiz-Marcos, José Manuel. (2006). La orden maldita. La historia oculta de los Legionarios de Cristo [The Accursed Order, the Secret History of the Legion of Christ]. Mexico City: Editorial Planeta.

 Torres, A. (2002). La Prodigiosa Aventura de la Legión de Cristo [The Marvelous Adventure of the Legion of Christ]. Madrid: La Esfera de los libros.

—– (2004). No nos dejes caer en la Tentación, Escándalos, dinero y guerras de poder en la Iglesia española [Let us not Fall into Temptation]. Madrid: La Esfera de los libros.

 

Paul Lennon, MA, aka J.Paul Lennon, author

 

Calling all Catholics! FRAUD ALERT! “Catholics Come Home!” Please, do come home, but don’t get mugged by the Legion on the way to the Church or your home!

 —–
By ReGAIN staff and contributors
 —–
Calling all Catholics! FRAUD ALERT! “Catholics Come Home”!
Please, do come home,
but don’t get mugged by the Legion of Christ on the way to the Church or your home!
—–
One of our researchers opened up the email today and there was a newsletter from “Catholics Come Home”. Here is a link to the “Catholics Come Home” email blast letter; it can be found advertising in the bulletins of the wealthy parishes across the USA:  Our May News Brief & How You Can Get Involved! Right next to an unctuous appeal to “God’s Grace and YOU” for money and the “please support us” button, there is this boast:  “We are excited to announce that Catholics Come Home has won another Telly Award, which honors the very best film and video productions as well as TV commercials.” It goes on to merrily state that out of 13,000 entries, “Catholics Come Home” was chosen for the honor.
But before you donate to these evangelizing (and sentimental) infomercials, there are double fraud alerts that you should know:  1) “Catholics Come Home” is a of Legion of Christ front, founded in Regnum Christi-country, Roswell, Georgia, by a Mexican woman named Yolanda, and 2) the Telly Awards are bogus, they are awards-for-cash, not merit. But there is a pretty statue that your “winning company” can get (if you’re willing to pay for it); it looks very much like the Emmy Oscar. It should be similar because the same company that makes the Oscars, also makes the Telly Award statuettes. The Telly Award works like a vanity press; it is a money making scam and publicity stunt that requires up to $400 to enter, and if you enter you win — gold, silver or bronze — and then can get a “Telly statuette” for an additional $250 and a certificate (that you will need to frame yourself) for $45. Their site claims to get @ 20,000 applications and also states that the funding for the statuettes comes from donations. If this is so, then the Telly Awards is raking in $10,000,000 (20k x $500 = $10,000,000). Not bad. Type in “Telly Awards, scam” there are plenty of Caveat emptor warnings about this “image-laundering” scheme that has become a common-place phenomenon as the Internet marketing has expanded. There are also “religious wars” where, as in this site, the ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses are blasting the “Watchtower” magazine of the JWs for purchasing a Telly Award.  http://jwsurvey.org/general-information/watchtower-stoops-to-new-low-purchases-telly-awards-statuettes-and-publishes-phony-quote-on-jw-org/comment-page-1
Although the Catholics Come Home organization does not do direct harm — any more than Matthew Kelly or Christopher West — all tend to have less-than-right intention; they are trying to persuade people to trust the package, the advertisement/storefront. And the “package” gets paid well; Matthew Kelly makes between $20,000 and $50,000 per speaking engagement, and Christopher West has received a princely percentage of the Ascension Press (backed by Legionary money) which has advertised widely in Catholic parishes, publications and media. They are — all of them — in the pocket of a financial power using religion and good will as a respectable cover for a discredited entity; all are funded either by affiliates of the Legionaries of Christ/Regnum Christi or funded directly by the LC/RC directly.  “Catholics Come Home” is fraudulent on several levels — the most obvious is the “come home” appeal is like a fox inviting the chickens into the den. It is nothing but a way to get information on a new market of needy people and to channel these people and their resources to other covert LC/RC fronts within the parishes, which are usually wealthy.

 

And the deceit goes even deeper into a network of fraud: most are interconnected with the Ave Maria Mutual Funds, which had the financial backing and investment of Tom Monaghan, which is common knowledge, but what is less known is that Tom Monaghan (founder of Legatus as well as Ave Maria University) was a part of the original Integer business consortium that was founded by the disgraced, late founder of the Legion, Maciel himself, along with several Monterrey,Mexico and American businessmen — including Luis Garza (Previous Legion of Christ Superior General) ‘s family. It is a network of phony philanthropy. The Telly Awards serve the same function as the Acton Institute and the Cardinal Newman Society do for one another. Both Acton Institute (founded by Alejandro Garza La Guera) and Cardinal Newman Institute are also LC/RC fronts/affiliates; they give mutual image-laundering and probably money laundering as well. The Cardinal Newman Society and Acton Institute offer recognition to the top colleges and top 50 Catholic high schools.  The REAL purpose of both is to give credibility to shady activities and to spotlight the Legionary/Regnum Christi schools. There may be 40 other non-LC schools on the list and 10 that are LC/RC, but the whole exists for the recognition of the ten. The fraud-line gets even longer in the school department. The Regina Caeli Academies (hybrid home-schools) are Regnum Christi educational foundations; the director is a Regnum Christ woman. Moreover, Regina Caeli Academies toot their horns as being accredited and approved by NISAC. http://www.homeschoolaccreditation.com/  NISAC is nothing but a dude and a shack in California.  NISAC is to the Regnum Christi Schools what the Telly Awards are to the Catholics Come Home organization; NISAC is not a legitimate and respected accreditation organization. It is a paid-for company that is meant to look like NAPCIS (National Association of Private Catholic Independent Schools), which is legitimate. This is what the LC/RC schools do — they create a fraudulent entity for “authority” and most people do not bother to find out if that is a legitimate organization or not — especially when ALL of the LC/RC creations copy-cat and look very much like other organizations that really are legitimate.
Universally, however, you can be sure that the little “donate buttons” are on ALL the LC/RC websites, including “Catholics Come Home”.  The existence of “Catholics Come Home” is to go after the un-churched market that knows nothing about Maciel. While we’re at it, if we are making a list of fronts, we might do another article in the future on the fraudulent missionaries, FOCUS, which belongs there too; FOCUS originated in Regnum Christi and continues to be administered and backed by Regnum Christi/Legionary members and money. Using unpaid student labor, FOCUS charges upwards of $50,000 to come to one location, and the FOCUS 990 tax information reports millions of dollars in assets. Thirty million is not bad for a grass-roots effort. Those who are supporting and promoting organizations like FOCUS, Cardinal Newman Society, Acton Institute, and Catholics Come Home usually do not know what they are doing or to whom or what this organization is connected. However, thieves tend to keep their own company, even if they try to look respectable, even likeable — rather like the “homeless” guy with a cardboard sign at the side of the road.

Curiouser and Curiouser, an Under-qualified Regnum Christi woman at Mundelein Seminary: a Trojan Horse in the City of Chicago?

“Curiouser and curiouser!”[i]

Regnum Christi full-time member (3gf) on the staff at Mundelein Seminary. Administration hires underqualified UFO

(Mundelein Seminary and University of St. Mary of the Lake)

! Miss Klein has been there for three years and tells us about her experiences:

http://www.regnumchristi.org/english/articulos/articulo.phtml?id=39394&se=359&ca=84&te=782

On the seminary promotional blurb we find:

The University’s roster describes the Female Consecrated member of Regnum Christi’s (in RC jargon, 3gf) curriculum

<PATRICIA KLEIN, M.

B.A. (Developmental Pedagogy) Anahuac University, Mexico City, M.A. (Religious Sciences) Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, Rome. Studies, University of Laval, Quebec. Former Council Member and Assistant to the Dean of Studies of the Regnum Christi Community in Düsseldorf, Germany. Member of the Diocesan Council for New Communities. Human and Spiritual Directress of young women and mothers. Preached retreats and gave conferences on spirituality and human formation in Germany and France on characterology, virtues, the will and the heart. Former Prefect of Discipline for Girls and Teacher of Religious Studies in “Godwin High School” Mexico City. Former Human and Spiritual Directress for families, girls under 14 years and young women in Budapest, Hungary.>

My intention is not to quarrel with nice Patricia Klein. It is merely to question her credentials and the judgment of her superiors and those who hired her. And in so doing show up the home grown and almost incestuous nature of Regnum Christi “formation” as well as the members’ limited and flawed training or education.

At first glance it seems to me that all her training has taken place in Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi institutions. She has received no “outside” training or influence. Let us just examine the curriculum above. (Always a good thing to do with any Legion or Regnum related material)

  • Her BA is from the Anahuac University, founded by Fr. Marcial Maciel, LC, in Mexico City (or just outside the city; if I am not mistaken: Naucalpan de Juarez)
  • Her MA from the Regina Apostolorum, a Legion owned and run ecclesiastical (Catholic Church) university in Rome, Italy. And what are “Religious Sciences” she has mastered in? Looks like a very fluffy MA. So she earns her degree from the Legion/Regnum of which she is a member, which is paying for her studies, her expenses and to which she is subject!
  • Her work experience consists of: “Assistant to the Dean of Studies, Regnum Christi Community, Düsseldorf, Germany.” That is, she is assistant to another member of the Regnum Christi in a Regnum Christi house.
  • Member of Diocesan Council for New Communities: seems like she represented the RC community on that council. Here at least she would occasionally be “outside the community” for a few hours and maybe make contact with nuns, priests and lay people not associated with the RC.
  • “Human and Spiritual Directress of young women and mothers” This would appear to be her “apostolate”, spiritual work as an active member of the Regnum Christi; probably means she counseled singles and married women (or single mothers) about their spiritual and moral lives and life decisions, while trying to persuade them to join, or stay in, the RC.
  • Where did she get her training in Human and Spiritual Direction? Did she just pick it up along the way from her own “spiritual directors”?  Did she receive any formal training in this profession and art? Where? How? When? Was it always within the confines of the LC/RC? I, personally, don’t believe you can perform such a delicate activity without specific formal training; and certainly not on the strength of a non-clinical BA in Developmental Pedagogy.
  • “Preached retreats and gave conferences on spirituality and human formation in Germany and France on characterology, virtues, the will and the heart.” I surmise she gave these retreats to young people the Regnum Christi was trying to recruit or to other junior members of the Regnum Christi. Once more we have in-house activities without any substantial contact or interaction with the “outside world.” (As if she were a contemplative nun).
  • “Former Prefect of Discipline for Girls and Teacher of Religious Studies in “Godwin High School” Mexico City” The Godwin is one of the first schools for girls founded by the Regnum Christi females under the guidance of Fr. Marcial Maciel. What we have here is clear: she performed the common tasks of any other full time member of the Regnum Christi.
  • “Former Human and Spiritual Directress for families, girls under 14 years and young women in Budapest, Hungary.” Once again we have Patricia performing the normal activities of a Regnum Christi member: delivering “spiritual direction” to prospective or active members of the Regnum Christi lay movement. Nothing special.
  • What I am trying to say is that I find this young woman without the necessary education and training to be on the staff of a prestigious religious institution like Mundelin Seminary.
  • Her job description: Associate Dean of Formation, Coordinator of Peace and Justice/Gospel of Life Committee, Coordinator, March for Life
  • How did she get in? Who hired her? Why? “Associate Dean of Formation” What formation? Did the administration want to have a “safe, non-threatening woman” working with the seminarians and helping them to keep their vocation?
  • This could lead to some ranting and raving on my part when I remember Fr. Maciel’s ghost-written Integral Formation of Catholic Priests[ii] and Pope John Paul II (captivated by Maciel) who made the Legion of Christ a priest training order and allowed them to build that triumphalist Pontifical Athenaeum, Regina Apostolorum, Queen of Apostles, in Rome. But I will refrain, chastened by fear of a Legion lawsuit against me.
  • Where in the LC/RC did she learn about “Peace and Justice”? The LC/RC usually avoids social issues or anything that could upset the rich and powerful. Will she get behind the poor? Will she support illegal immigrants and march for a just wage? Will she cross over? Will her contact with the seminarians, other staff and civilians humanize her and awaken her feelings?
  • Maybe in some strange, paradoxical and mysterious way Patricia will shuffle off her pseudo identity and find her real self, made in the image and likeness of God, free and fearless.
  • That is my prayer.
  • As in issues related to the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi, when you take a closer look, it just gets curiouser and curiouser.”Do not be deceived by appearances, by the Glittering Images[iii]. Stop. Doubt. Question. Ask for answers. Stay until you get them. Bow to no holy priest…or to any full time consecrated RC!
  • A comment has planted an evil thought in my twisted mind: What is the Regnum Christi/Legion of Christ’s Intention in having this member planted in the seminary?
  • To recruit the seminarians of an important American Catholic diocese for the Regnum Christi Movement?
  • To familiarize herself (and her superiors) with the list of rich Catholic families and institutions which support this august institution? – A veritable Trojan Horse in the City of God?

[i] Cried

Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English).” Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland.

[ii] http://www.amazon.com/Integral-Formation-Catholic-Priests-Marcial/dp/0965160130

[iii] http://www.amazon.com/Glittering-Images-Susan-Howatch-ebook/dp/B004BXA3FY/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

Is the Regnum Christi Movement a “Safe Religious Community”?

Safe Religious Communities

By ReGAIN staff

What are the guidelines to use to evaluate whether or not a particular religious group may be considered “safe” in the sense that a leader or groups of leaders do not exploit or take advantage of its own members to serve some hidden agendas?

In the latest issue of ICSA Today, the International Cultic Studies Association has published an article about safe religious communities. http://www.icsahome.com/articles/a-safe-haven-church-an-introduction-to-the-basics-of-a-safe-religious-community

The author, Neil C Damgaard, defines safety (for members of religious communities) as “the practice and sense of security, freedom and respect as one is joined and engaged with a particular social system or a specific group.”

He explains that in healthy religious communities God’s grace flows outward from Him, through His people, to the general community.  In unsafe religious groups, instead of grace there exist “control, undue influence, harshness, legalism and other unhealthy maladies.”  Such practices damage and injure people even though the groups and their leaders espouse theological orthodoxy.  Discernment is required to distinguish between two groups that may appear to have similar beliefs yet one is healthy and the other is damaging.

Mr. Damgaard provides an example of a pastor of a religious group who was a gifted speaker but was highly controlling and legalistic.  As a result of the leader’s manipulations, fifty of his group became damaged and hurting and they left the organization.  The leader called the group of fifty “trouble-makers”.

The article describes a number of basic features that a potential member or family member can use to assist in discerning whether the group’s members are in or would be in a safe and healthy environment.

Following is our summary of some of the things to look for based on the above article:

  1. Generally Relaxed Environment – Is there a rigid dogmatic legalistic uptight atmosphere or are people free to enjoy a spirit of lightheartedness where people are able to express joy and to laugh?
  2. Regarding essential elements of the religious denomination, are there clear distinctions made between primary, secondary and tertiary doctrinal priorities or do members feel that they are obliged to consider all of the group’s teachings as absolutely and equally essential?
  3. Are members allowed and encouraged to question group’s teachings and is there an openness to have intelligent discussion about anything they may feel uncomfortable about?
  4. Is there an environment where forgiveness is normally expected to be offered or are there ongoing grudges?
  5. Is there a healthy sharing of power among the group leaders?
  6. Is there a healthy balance of power between the leaders and members of the group?
  7. Are there periodic changes of individual leaders in different levels of authority in the group or is there an individual or small group who retain tight control?
  8. Are the group leaders open to sincere and honest questions from the members in a transparent manner and is there any withholding of information?
  9. Is there a good balance of formality and informality in the group and allowance for humor?
  10. Is there genuine friendliness with strangers?
  11. Is there excessive focus on expanding membership (and fund raising)?
  12. Is there a healthy relationship with the parent organization, (e.g. the local parishes)?
  13. Are members free to leave without undue pressure to remain?

The author concludes with a caution to watch out for legalism, a feeling of being report-carded, excessive monitoring of accountability, heavy handed authority or oligarchy (concentration of power with a small elite group).

We encourage those interested in this topic to read the entire article for a more accurate presentation of the information covered.

 

ReGAIN Comment

Considering the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi (especially the 3gf consecrated) two questions come to our minds as we read the I.C.S.A. article.

During the decades when Fr. Marcial Maciel was in control, were his organizations safe and healthy?

Since the appointment of a Vatican delegate and a renewal, are these organizations safe and healthy for their members today?

The first of these questions is easy to answer based on the hundreds of articles on this website and the many articles written by credible authors over the years.  ReGAIN and other websites were started and some have continued because of concerns about what we and many ex members and some Catholic Church leaders consider unhealthy and unsafe conditions for members.  Our primary concerns are based on what we believe to be the loss of free will and the excessive level of dependence required for the Legionary priests and the consecrated members of Regnum Christi.

We are aware of the psychological, emotional and spiritual abuse many of them have suffered and the sexual abuse that some former members experienced when they were very young from the very founder of both organizations.  The abuses were carried out within a secretive, isolated and militaristic environment.

Since the Vatican became directly involved, we recognize that there have been some improvements in the conditions.  Consecrated members are now allowed to have more time with their family members. The number of written rules and the rigidity of following those rules have decreased.  Members receive their mail unopened.  We are aware that there are other changes being considered.

We continue to have a high level of concern regarding the freedom of mind and the independence of consecrated members and can offer several of our reasons as follows:

In our opinion, neither the Legion nor Regnum Christi has ever existed primarily to serve God and humanity.  Because of the good intentions of individual members, there are some good fruits that happen but we believe that the fundamental purpose of the upper echelon of leaders has to do with money and power for themselves.  One obvious indication of this is the huge accumulation of wealth that has been reported by Jason Berry and other writers in Grupo Integer, the financial wing of the Legion.  If the primary purpose was to do good then there would be more to show for the enormous amounts of fund raising associated with the Legion.

Until the Vatican intervened, we believe that the Legion showed little if any initiative or strong desire to have more freedom for their members.  The Legion/Regnum cooperated with the Vatican because if they wanted to continue as Catholic organizations they were forced to.

In the years between when the senior leaders of the Legion discovered about their founder’s secret lives, they chose to pretend that he was a saint and continued to encourage their members to believe he was a living saint.  They treated outside critics as “evil detractors” and discredited them in various ways.

During the years of scandal and uncertainty they kept on recruiting new members as if there was nothing wrong.

The Vatican commissioner’s limited scope of work was primarily to oversee the writing and approval of new constitutions.  The commissioner’s expertise was in canon law and financial matters.  His primary role was not to investigate and reform the cultic methodology and structure.  Some improvements have been made that resulted from his review of the regulations but we question whether there is a strong will among the leaders to make the types of changes needed to truly create a safe and healthy environment.

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