Thursday, July 25, 2013

Second Accusation against Fr. John O'Reilly, Legion of Christ #1 in Chile


  Fr Maciel hugging future Director General, Alvaro Corcuera, after Alvaro's ordination. Fr. Alvaro had a brain tumor and is in recovery. Let us pray for him.

Is the Legion of Christ priestly formation seriously flawed in regards to the whole area of sexuality?*

Blogger had reported previous accusation against Fr. O'Reilly which Fr. had strenuously denied  And, in a sense, we had given him 'the benefit of the doubt. Today read a report that the Santiago, Chile, prosecutor, is charging Fr. O'Reilly with another sexual abuse (assault). The news is in Spanish.


Putting together these accusations and the confession of Fr. Williams for his sexual liaison with a young woman [under his pastoral care? this would be very serious! This may be why the Legion won't reveal any further information and wants the case -and Father Williams- to go away]... putting these and other cases together could lead to t he following question.

Is the Legion of Christ priestly formation seriously flawed in regards to the whole area of sexuality?
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Let me add that this "second accusation" news if from Dec 2012, and in this sense is not really new or recent.  It seems that it refers to abuse of a sister of the original victim.

What is pretty clear from the news is that the Legion has distanced itself and its school from Fr. O'Reilly -and vice versa! One reading of the news implies that the Legion and the Archbishop of Santiago, Chile, ordered an investigation. "Hey, brother, you're on your own!" See Spanish language article which tells how father was suspended from his functions at the Cumbres School (by the Legion!)



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Latest news from Chile in Spanish 

There is also news that the Vatican has told the local archbishop to put someone else in charge of the canonical investigation


Blogger encourages readers to supply more up to date information of this, and prosecutors to get on with the job to either exonerate Fr. O'Reilly or confirm the allegations and not keep the priest in Purgatory.