The best known Legionary priest in Chile, Fr. John O'Reilly, has been under the cloud of accusation for several months. He considers himself a "Dead Man Walking" as described in a series of interviews he recently gave to "El Clinic" in Chile.
I am praying for Fr. John, because in this case, despite my option for the victims, as a former brother of mine in religion and not having any first hand information or testimonies I will consider him innocent until proven guilty. Because of the seriousness of the charge Fr.O'Reilly is ostracized and isolated, maybe even abandoned by the Legionaries he represented for decades. Fr. O'Reilly has been the face and engine behind the Legion's expansion since he arrived there in 1980.
There is now a very long interview with him in the public domain, in Spanish, and as I translate it I will make it available on another blog:
Fotos: Alejandro Olivares
-El primer día prácticamente percibí que la fiscalía firmó la sentencia. No sé para qué tardaron seis meses buscando, buscando, buscando -se lamenta John O’Reilly.
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ReplyDeletePadraic Murray commented on your status.
ReplyDeletePadraic wrote: "Thanks, irish. I worked with Fr. John for two years ('72 - '74) and would never have suspected him of doing anything wrong. I hope I'm right. Happy New Year."
My heart bleeds for the man, he is in pain to the depths of his soul. If his innocence is proven then what a terrible injustice!.
ReplyDeleteBut he did defend Maciel to the last, and is arrogant at times in the interview, particularily when he justifies his support for Pinochet. For a person in that position he should have prepared himself for such an interview, instead of the fumblings and contradictions that depict someone who is confused . A bit like the sean-focal (old saying) that says "The Pharisees said long prayers " Plays the Legionary card of martyrdom a bit too .
Seems to distance himself from the Legion, or is it vice-versa.
I hope it ends for the man somehow. We had cases here of Priests bening removed while under investigation and eventually being fully re-instated , fully exhonerated, proving the complaint was malicious.
I pray that his pain may be resolved