Legion Strong Arms Member! # 7 in series How to get our Loved ones Out of the Legion & Regnum

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LEGION SUPERIOR CONTROLS MEMBER --

under the title

Legionary Discerment

LINK

Many associated with the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi Movement have heard troubling stories of the difficulty in extracting members, especially from the houses of formation. Not only has their conscience been so formed as to internally police themselves against outside information, but even physical means are used to keep the family from exerting influence or making contact. The parent-child bond, in particular, is undermined with an insidious wedge, so that legitimate concerns are interpreted as demonic temptations and those suggesting that there may be problems with the methodology are considered enemies of the Church.


Friends of the Legion, members of Regnum Christi, and outside observers, please take note of a drama unfolding this very day. A concerned father went to talk to his son in a different state, a son who has been given enormous responsibilities for the formation of younger recruits to the Legion, despite the fact that he is not himself ordained. After a very long, difficult conversation, the son agreed to drive home with the father for the sake of praying through his present situation with the Legion. (Imagine the tortured thoughts of this poor young man, who worries that he is damning his soul, betraying Christ, and abandoning his responsibilities. All valid and commendable thoughts, although not proper to the life of a man who should be in a period of discernment himself.)

The first night passed in a hotel on the road, with neither of the men sleeping. They continued on their way today, only to be interrupted by a cell phone call from the Legion to the young man. They wanted him to know that they would do everything necessary to bring him back and disengage him from his father, even promising to begin a lawsuit on his behalf against the family. They also promised to have a Legionary waiting at his home so that he could simply begin the journey back and resume his rightful duties.

I humbly beg each reader to consider:

What sort of discernment process nails a brother to the mission in this way?
Can a brother truly consider his vocation when others in the community depend on his commitment?
What is so threatening about taking some time with the family to find God's holy will?
What sort of organisation threatens to sue parents within 24 hours of reclaiming their son?
How much are you willing to pray and fast that the true nature of this Movement come to light?
Many families are agonising over their options with sons and daughters in Legion schools, houses of formation and apostolates. Please take note of the game the Legion plays. In the vernacular, it would be called "hardball." (It is all the more astounding, given that the Congregatoin itself is under a cloud of suspicion at this very time.)

Fearsome, perhaps. But God is stronger. Let's join together to restore freedom and dignity to all the members of the Mystical Body of Christ. This family -- and many others -- are counting on your prayers. Saint Joseph, wise head of the Holy Family, be our guide!

April 03, 2009 in Cultish behaviour | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack

"We are fully approved by the Pope" ? #6 in the series How to get my Loved One out

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Just think...

To any objections loved ones would present, the answer was always clear and definitive:

"WE ARE FULLY APPROVED BY THE POPE".

This slogan, blanket statement, was meant
to stiffle any doubt in the minds of the members themselves and also
to respond to objections from "outsiders".

"Forever" each member has had the conviction that the Pope is behind the Legion/Regnum 100%; that has been the "proof" of their "approval" and of their "Divine Inspiration"

Can they continue to uphold this as the Pope and Vatican orders an investigation into whether the Pope can continue to approve of the Legion/Regnum as it stands? Now that the Pope is questioning, doubting their validity and authenticity?
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Vatican orders apostolic visitation of Legionaries of Christ

Link

Vatican orders apostolic visitation of Legionaries of Christ

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has ordered an apostolic visitation of the institutions of the Legionaries of Christ following disclosures of sexual impropriety by the order's late founder, Father Marcial Maciel Degollado.

The announcement of the unusual investigation was posted on the Web site of the Legionaries of Christ March 31, along with the text of a letter informing the Legionaries of the pope's decision.

The letter, written by the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said the pope wanted to help the Legionaries of Christ deal with its present problems with "truth and transparency." It said the visitation would be carried out by "a team of prelates," who were not identified.

Apostolic visitation is a form of internal church investigation ordered by a pope and undertaken by his delegate or delegates. The pope sets the jurisdiction and powers of the visitation, which usually ends with the submission of a report to the Holy See.

In February, Legionaries of Christ officials in Rome disclosed that Father Maciel had fathered a child. Sources in Rome said the order was also looking into accusations of financial irregularities by Father Maciel.

In the past, Father Maciel had been accused of sexually abusing young seminarians in the order. After investigating those allegations, the Vatican in 2006 told Father Maciel to renounce public ministry as a priest and spend the rest of his life in prayer and penitence; the Vatican did not, however, confirm that sexual abuse had occurred.

Father Maciel died Jan. 30, 2008, at the age of 87.

Cardinal Bertone's one-page letter, dated March 10, was addressed to Father Alvaro Corcuera, director general of the Legionaries and its lay association, Regnum Christi.

"The Holy Father is aware of the noble ideals that inspire you and the fortitude and prayerful spirit with which you are facing the current vicissitudes, and he encourages you to continue seeking the good of the church and society by means of your own distinctive initiatives and institutions," the cardinal's letter said.

"In this regard, you can always count on the help of the Holy See, so that with truth and transparency, in a climate of fraternal and constructive dialogue, you will overcome the present difficulties. In this respect, the Holy Father has decided to carry out an apostolic visitation to the institutions of the Legionaries of Christ through a team of prelates," it said.

Details of the visitation were not made public in the announcement. Jim Fair, the order's U.S. spokesman, said the order knew little more than what the letter stated.

"We know they're going to be visiting. We'll cooperate and prepare. But all we know is what's on the site," Fair told Catholic News Service.

Father Corcuera said in an online statement that the visitation "is the beginning of a process in which the Legion will fully and gratefully participate." He said it would begin after Easter and would probably last several months.

"We are ready to welcome the visitators to our centers and institutions with faith and supernatural spirit, cooperating with them and facilitating their mission," he said.

In a letter to Legionaries posted on the site, Father Corcuera said he had thanked Pope Benedict "from my heart for offering us this additional help to face our present vicissitudes related to the grave facts of our founder's life."

Referring to the accusations of sexual abuse investigated in 2006 and the more recent disclosures, Father Corcuera said: "We are deeply saddened and sorry, and we sincerely ask for forgiveness from God and from those who have been hurt through this."

U.S. Legionaries Father Thomas D. Williams said the apostolic visitation was a necessary and welcome step, one that can restore confidence and credibility for the future.

"I think you absolutely need a reconfirmation by the church that (the Legionaries of Christ) is something that is good, that is a work of God, and that this has to go on, and not the contrary," said Father Williams, who teaches at the Legionaries' Pontifical Regina Apostolorum University in Rome.

He said he expected the visitation to examine to what extent a religious charism based on Father Maciel's teachings was still viable.

"I don't think anyone sees this crystal clearly right now. I think we need help in sifting through our own present and future," he said.

"Honestly, speaking for my confreres and myself, if it's not a work of God, nobody wants to be a part of it. I certainly don't. And if it is, we want to know what we're supposed to be taking from this original charism and what we're not," he said.

Father Williams said this is where the Vatican's task of discernment will be crucial.

He said that in recent weeks Father Corcuera had met with Vatican officials and then with Pope Benedict, making clear that the Legionaries wanted some kind of outside intervention to help clear up doubts.

Sources said several papal delegates would carry out the visitation, and that it would be done by geographical area: Italy and Europe, Mexico and South America, and North America. The delegates were expected to be named soon.

When the latest revelations about Father Maciel having fathered a daughter were made public in early February, Legionaries of Christ officials expressed their shock and sadness, and said the order was dealing with it "as a family."

At that time, Father Paolo Scarafoni, spokesman at the Legionaries' headquarters in Rome, spoke of a "process of purification" within the order. He made clear, however, that Father Maciel would still remain the guiding influence in the order.

"Our gratitude to him remains very strong because we have received so much that is good from him. This is something we cannot and will not deny," Father Scarafoni said.

Several prominent Catholic commentators said publicly -- and some Vatican officials said privately -- that the situation called for an outside investigation into the Legionaries of Christ, in order to ascertain the truth, determine whether officials of the order covered up Father Maciel's misconduct and judge whether Father Maciel's teachings could still inspire the order.

Several Vatican officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the effectiveness of an apostolic visitation would depend in large part on cooperation by Legionaries of Christ leadership.

Father Maciel was the subject of a major canonical investigation by the Vatican from 1957 to 1959. He was suspended as the order's superior during that time, but was reinstated when the investigation ended.

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Contributing to this story was Dennis Sadowski in Washington.

END

The Cult Phenomenon, HOW GROUPS OPERATE # 5 How to

# 5 in the series HOW TO GET MY LOVED ONE OUT OF THE LEGION OF CHRIST AND REGNUM CHRISTI?

FREE/English/French
online
LINK

Click link and when page comes up follow little YELLOW ARROWS to read on line this excellent material

(From the Intro):

Since the beginning of time, human beings have been attracted to individuals who proclaim divine messages. They have also felt the need to share their beliefs and practices with others. Therefore, the existence of groups referred to as “new religious movements,” “spiritual groups” or “cults” is not a new phenomenon.

Since the 60s, these groups have elicited reactions from the media, the public, academics and governments. For some, they are innovative organizations trying to respond to the needs of specific groups of people and should not be the object of monitoring or special attention. For others, they warrant closer observation in order to better understand the experiences of their members and to step in when members are being harmed.

When tragedy strikes, fear of these groups is re-ignited. Examples include the deaths of 913 members of Jim Jones' People's Temple in Guyana in 1978; the violent deaths of members of the Branch Davidians in Waco in 1993; the murder, arson and suicide carried out by members of the Order of the Solar Temple in 1994, 1995 and 1997; the sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subway by members of Aum Shinrikyo in 1995; and the suicide of Heaven's Gate members in California in 1997. These dramatic events reinforced the idea that “cults” are dangerous.

While these events (arson, murder or suicide) are extremely rare, they do occur and are a serious issue that merits attention.

The “cult” phenomenon is first and foremost a group phenomenon. Understanding how groups operate and the rules that govern interpersonal relations can provide insight into all of the organizations termed “cults” or “new religious movements.”

Info-Cult produced this publication to address these various issues and to inform the public about the internal and external functioning of groups.

Work on this publication began in 1999, which coincided with the 25th anniversary of the National Assembly's adoption of the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and the 20th anniversary of the creation of Info-Cult. Four years later, the project has become a reality. This book, inspired by the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms as well as a desire to understand how these groups operate in a democratic society, explores various aspects of the “cult” phenomenon. Here are some of the objectives:

· Inform the reader about the position of groups in a democratic society;

· Understand the internal and external operations of groups as well as some of their problematic aspects;

· Foster discussion and debate about groups in general and on the “cult” phenomenon;

· Promote the development of critical thinking about groups in our society.

To achieve these objectives, each chapter addresses a different aspect of how groups operate in a democratic society.

Chapter 1 offers an historical overview of Info-Cult, from its creation to the present. It also traces the organization's understanding of the cult phenomenon, its services, its clientele and relations between Info-Cult and national and international organizations.

Chapter 2 provides a summary of the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and explains the role of the Commission (Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse).

Chapter 3 focuses on how groups operate. How they serve as places of social participation, reassurance and exchange, but also as places of exclusion and psychological brutality. This chapter provides an introduction to the general knowledge of how groups operate and their effects on their members.

Chapter 4 looks at how three groups function: Roch “Moses” Thériault's group, the Order of the Solar Temple (OTS) and Heaven's Gate. These portraits provide a history of each group, from its inception to the violent acts that lead to the physical abuse or death of their members.

Chapter 5 provides answers to some of the most frequently asked questions received by Info-Cult.

Six appendices complete the publication.

The “cult” phenomenon is a vast topic that can be approached from a number of different angles. This book does not address all of the questions that can be asked on this subject but the objective is to present a different view of the “cult” phenomenon.


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# 4 How to get my Loved One Out of the Legion of Christ/Regnum Christi

We cannot use Unethical Methods to get people out of cults

We would be using their unethical methods

The playing field is not level; they use unethical methods to get people in; we cannot use unethical methods to get them out. One of the principles of a cult is that the end justifies the means. We cannot do that. It is wrong, unethical. If we consider ourselves Christians we have to trust God and Grace, and believe the Holy Spirit still has some wriggle room. And Pray!

From professional Mental Health Cult Counselors

Covert Interventions and Professional Codes of Ethics


Q/ This topic has been discussed in the context of ethics of exit counseling, but I wanted to ask for people’s thoughts on this issue when such methods are employed by licensed mental health professionals bound by codes of ethics such as APA, NASW, or counseling who are in some way interacting with current cult members. Do people here think that MH professionals conducting covert interventions on people in cults violates professional ethics? By “covert intervention” I mean the professional interaction with someone in a cult without identifying self to the person with the family paying the professional to interact with the person and this not being disclosed. A more subtle form is employing covert communication techniques in an intervention with a cult member – in this case, the cult member knows who the professional is but is unaware of the techniques being used. Would either be considered a violation of professional ethics, in the opinion of people here? In addition to the issue of informed consent that is in all professional codes of ethics, what comes to mind for me is the core social work value of client self determination and how such an interaction may violate this. Even though it could be argued that the cult has already violated the person’s self-determination does that mean it is okay for the professional to do covert intervention? In my opinion, I don’t think it does and it is modeling cult manipulation. For this reason I have declined doing covert interventions since I have become a mental health professional because as a professional (and also as a human being) I no longer feel it is right.



A/ I was wondering when this issue would be brought up for discussion. Of course there are exit counselors who are not licensed mental health professionals who do covert interventions, but I am even uncomfortable with that situation. Both myself and X, who was my partner for many years in Int’l Churches of Christ interventions, were adamant with families that the cult member knew who we were and why the family had asked them to interact with us. We even struggled at times with the “surprise” aspect of the intervention and encouraged families to make sure that they fulfilled the stated purpose of the family getting together (family vacation, etc.). Intervention work is very difficult ethically at times! However, for a mental health professional to be covert in working with a cult member or to use techniques of communication that often times the cults themselves use, I have a very, very hard time with that. I don’t know how they can get around the ethics required for professionals. And for those who state that they use a “therapy” model for interventions, to me I have a question about whether any individual should have their informed consent for therapy usurped even in a cultic situation.
CG

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#3 -How to get my loved one out of the Legion of Christ/Regnum Christi

Anonymous asked how to get someone out and how to help exiting members:

My answer:

that's a tall order...

Helping exiting/exited members is easier than trying to get someone to leave.

HELPING EXITING MEMBERS

there is quite a lot written about his on the www.regainnetwork.org webpage re Recovery and Healing and through reFOCUS; the links are here, I believe.

EXITING members need what most people need when they are in a PERSONAL CRISIS

[there was an old book out there called "Living Through Personal Crisis"; perhaps the would-be helper should read it first]

1- Understanding, acceptance and listening from friends and family:

Don't judge, or tell them "I told you so" and other blaming messages.
KEEP ALL ADVICE to a minimum, including pious stuff;
Give them a lot of privacy, with suport and freedom to start finding their own way out of the woods; dont push, dont force...be very, very pacient.
Be gently available if and when and in whatever area they need you.

2- May need material help such as money, a place to stay, and a job. Company is good, in general, while respecting their privacy. The warm atmosphere of a family or home is good for them. While respecting their privacy don't leave them alone for too long. This is a delicate balance.

3- Pastoral and/or psychological counseling -they may be suffering from Depression, Anxiety and or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; crisis of faith in God, in Jesus, the Church, humanity in general, may be fearsome, almost paranoid... Make sure they are not suicidal. It does no harm to ask. You may gently suggest counseling if you see them "in bad shape" but dont insist or reject them because they don't accept your advice. Remember YOU are their resource!

4- All the modern stuff about Active Listening really works.

5- Open yourself up to contemplative prayer and to be guided by the Holy Spirit [and the Blessed Virgin Mary, if such is your devotion]; but keep this to yourself.

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Legion Statement?

When Christ is your life what more do you need to say?

...or are we waiting for Godot?