Translation from the Spanish version
Rome, November 21, 2011
Dear Legionaries, and consecrated men and women of Regnum Christi:
As I mentioned in my October 15th letter, we have begun “an important and
challenging period to study the issues that will come up, as we reflect on the Apostolic
Visitator’s report and begin the revision of the Statutes”. The first step in this path of
reflection has been a meeting with a group of consecrated men and women who live in
Rome this past November 7th, in which I presented a summary of the Visitator’s Report.
I have already authorized that the recording of the first part of this meeting, my
introduction to the meeting and the summary of the Visitator’s conclusions, be made
available to all the consecrated men and women.
In this letter I would like to shed light on some points:
1) Confirming what I said in the October 15th that “The figure of a priest as delegate of
the general director and [of a priest as delegate] of the territorial directors for the
consecrated women in Regnum Christi is suspended.” (#3), I have asked that the
General Director, together with the General Assistants for the consecrated men and
consecrated women of Regnum Christi let me know the faculties of the General
Director and the Territorial Directors in relation to the governance of the consecrated
men and women as soon as possible, so that I can establish which should be given
to the General Assistants for the consecrated men and consecrated women
respectively, and to the Territorial Assistants. Until this occurs, the General Director
and Territorial Directors will provisionally maintain their actual faculties. In any case,
I confirm what I have already said in the October 15th letter in relation to the faculties
of the General Director, that is, that “all of the important decisions regarding the
consecrated women and men of Regnum Christi, particularly admission of new
consecrated persons, transfers, nominations and the dismissals or dispensations
from promises, will need the approval of the Pontifical Delegate, after hearing the
opinion of the general director’s assistant for the consecrated women or the
consecrated men.” (#2), although this list of decisions should be understood as
examples, not as something exhaustive.
2) In the October 15th letter I declared that “The statutes of Regnum Christi approved
by the Holy See on November 26, 2004 remain in force until new indications are
given, barring specific cases” (#2), and they are binding. The “Estatutos y
Reglamentos del Movimiento Regnum Christi”, in spite of the fact that they do not
have a juridical value inasmuch as they have not been approved by a General
Chapter, contain the praxis that regulates the life of Regnum Christi. Therefore, I
have asked that a small commission formed by the General Assistants for the
consecrated men and consecrated women and Fr. Roberto Aspe, L.C. be set up as
soon as possible, in order to elaborate an extract of the articles of the “Estatutos y
Reglamentos del Movimiento Regnum Christi”, which will contain only the articles
which are considered an application of the Statutes from November 26th and are
strictly necessary for the life and governance of the third degree of the Movement,
taking what is established above in #1 into account. This text, once reviewed by Fr.
Gianfranco Ghirlanda, S.J., will be presented for the approval of the Pontifical
Delegate who will publish it as the only Regulations in force during the revision stage
of the Statutes and of the Regulations of Regnum Christi.
3) At the end of the October 15th letter, I said that “any suggestions and proposals
for the path of revision that is before us can be sent to the Delegate.” I thank you for
your active collaboration and desire to participate in the process we have begun. I
have asked that the General Director and the General Assistants for the consecrated
men and consecrated women propose the names of a legionary, two consecrated
women and two consecrated men (respectively), who will form the central
commission for the revision of the Statutes and of the Regulations. This commission
will be helped by two secretaries, one consecrated man and one consecrated
woman, indicated by the two General Assistants. I ask you to send your suggestions
to this commission, which will be formed as soon as possible, so that they can take
them into consideration. Obviously you can always present matters of a personal
character to me and my collaborators.
4) Based on your own suggestions sent to me and my council members, the work of
reflection will be started by going in depth in fundamental topics such as: the
methodology of community discernment; consecration by evangelical counsels in the
Church and particularly in lay secular life; the content of the evangelical counsels
and of fraternal life in community; the fundamental elements for an integral formation
for consecration of life through the profession of the evangelical counsels; the
participation of lay people in the charism of a religious institute; different associative
expressions in the Church and their canonical discipline, especially in relation to
Movements; and different styles of government in consecrated life. Some
conferences on these topics will be given by the Pontifical Delegate and some of his
council members, and eventually by other experts, which can feed days of study and
reflection. The forms these will take will be communicated as soon as possible.
5) In all this process, not only in relation to Regnum Christi, but also in relation to the
Legion, we need to distinguish between what is simply proposed and what
eventually may be decided, which will always be expressed in a formal action of
personal decision of the Pontifical Delegate or by approval of an action of the
General Director if that is required.
I exhort you once again to begin and continue this path of personal and community
reflection in a climate of prayer in listening to what the Spirit suggests to your own heart
and that of the others, in trusting dialogue and reciprocal respect. Be grateful to the Lord
for the gift of your consecration in the Church and in Regnum Christi, and feel
yourselves responsible for this talent that God has put in your hands so that it may
always produce more fruit. I am deeply grateful, speaking also for my council members,
for your prayers and manifestations of trust and spiritual closeness. May the blessing of
God accompany you.
With my prayers, I wish you every good in the Lord Jesus.
+ Velasio Card. De Paolis, C.S.
