I remember Fr. Maciel's talks so well, especially some of his phrases and terminology. Though not a well educated man, he understood the importance of finding words that impacted, and in a sense "coined" some borrowed terminology that would become - through his self promotion and the adulation that surrounded him - "exclusively his"
Legionaries will remember such term as "integration" [Sp. INTEGRACION] by which he meant how a member would totally buy into and ASSIMILATE the methodology of the Legion/Regnum. Only "perfectly integrated", i.e. brainwashed, members would be made superiors and formators and be given important posts or missions.
Our Father, Nuestro Padre, feared above all that his Legion/Regnum would start falling apart, or that key members would leave, in Legion/Regnum parlance "would betray him and the Work of God"
The big word Nuestro Padre used - and I can still hear him stumbling to pronounce this cumbersome word - was 'REQUEBRAJAMIENTO', i.e. a splitting off, falling asunder, breaking into pieces. This is what he most feared and warned against. Maybe the proper English word should be DISINTEGRATING. But be careful with same sounding words which do not always have the same meaning in English and Spanish.
The image of the Idol with feet of clay that crumbles....comes to mind
This is what is clearly happening in the REGNUM CRISTI MOVEMENT -the exit of 340 or their 900 original members in 3 years means that.
DePaolis has been able to prevent that happening in the Legion, as far as I can see; the breaking off and leaving has been limited to individuals and small groups; I haven't see any big branches breaking off in masse.
One can only imagine how unreliable the whole structure of the Legion empire is at present. Maciel was an astounding fundraiser, assume he must have been involved up to his neck in sourcing deposits for the Vatican banks and up to eternity in mortgages from them and others ...What happens if the deposits are pulled and the mortgages crystalise ?
ReplyDeleteAS well to sustain this edifice that is the Legion the personell numbers are needed, and if these numbers start falling the whole deal starts to crumble .
Remember the Pope described Maciel as a man without faith , it was but a game-plan to him, mutton dressed as lamb...but he was an astute businessman who wanted to be venerated as a saint, never provided for the bottom falling out of his great plan.
Will the Legion fall apart ? An easier question to answer is what will (economically) sustain it ? Rather let it down gently so the Depositors and Mortgages Holders don't panic!