After Decades Legion acknowledge Novice Master abused seminarians.

Beneath the headlines and almost hidden in today's bombshell about Fr. Thomas Williams' affair with the

daughter of Mary Ann Glendon is the acknowledgement that Fr. Guillermo Izquierdo has 

been found guilty of sexually abusing Novices (Seminarians) under his care.

As in other cases involving the Legion, the perpetrator is only acknowledged when he can no longer stand trial and take his punishment. See the case of Founder, Fr. Maciel. This is not good enough and raises the righteous indignation of anyone with a sense of justice and respect for the victims.


First of all, Kudos to all those who had the courage to accuse their abusers despite denial,  rejection and accusations of false testimony during decades.

Dear Brothers, I want to congratulate you and express my admiration for your courage and perseverance!

I know some of you by name and you have been in my prayers and my heart since learning of your plight.

Below blogger quotes from Nicole Winfield AP report:

The questions swirled Thursday as the Legion dropped a bombshell of its own, admitting that a superior who was in charge of the bulk of its American priests-in-training for over a decade sexually abused a minor at the Legion's novitiate in Cheshire, Connecticut. The Legion said a second accuser had also come forward with an allegation against the Rev. William Izquierdo*, who was novice director at the Cheshire school from 1982-1994 and in Ireland before then. Izquierdo, now 85, has dementia.
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The Legion's revelation about a senior cleric having abused a novitiate (blogger correction: novice) was contained in a report on the steps the Legion has taken to address sexually abusive clergy within its ranks and respond to the victims of Maciel. According to the report by the Legion's superior, the Rev. Sylvester Heerman, 35 priests have been accused of sexually abusing minors; nine were found guilty and 14 were acquitted in a church trial. Two had left the priesthood when the allegations were made, so no church sanctions could be imposed, and 10 cases are still under review. In addition, two Legion superiors were found guilty of sexually abusing adults under their case and three were acquitted.
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Blogger: not clear what a "acquitted in church trial" means in the above statement. 
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Former Legionaries have raised questions concerning Legionary priest and superior Fr. Salvador Maciel [no relation to founder Marcial Maciel Degollado]  who is one of the priest named to the upcoming Chapter General.
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To the casual observer Fr. Izquierdo, a native of the Canary Islands, recruited personally by Fr. Maciel during the foundation period, seemed a pretty harmless person. Unfortunately, many pedophiles appear as such, wolves in sheep's clothing. Fr. Izquierdo abused in Ireland and in the USA and has been accused publicly by some of his victims. The Legion leadership has always stood by their man up to now. They acknowledge it only when they are forced to do so. 

REGAIN webpage had accused Fr. Izquierdo some years ago:
http://www.regainnetwork.org/ss/keane.html