Archbishop Dolan Sucks Up to Legion of Christ

 "Sucks up" according to a Legion-tinted report

Living the Truth:

New York Archbishop tells Legionaries he admires them as they “stand at the feet of Christ”

  

Thornwood, New York --

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan considers having a Legionary house in New York a “jewel in the crown of the Archdiocese.”

This is one of the comments the Archbishop made to the members of the Legion during a September 15, 2011, visit to the Thornwood Center in Thornwood, New York.

Priests from across the country had just completed their annual spiritual exercises at Thornwood on the previous day. The Archbishop came to celebrate Mass at the invitation of Fr Julio Marti, LC. The date of September 15 was chosen because it is the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, a principal feast for the Legion.

Archbishop Dolan told the 40 priests concelebrating with him and the 100 religious brothers attending that he had known and admired the Legionaries since he was a seminarian in Rome in 1972.

“He said his admiration has increased seeing us living in truth, no matter how much pain, sorrow and embarrassment we have suffered,” said Fr. Michael Brisson, LC, community superior of the Legionaries in Thornwood. “We should stand at the feet of Christ and never lose sight of him.”

During his remarks, the Archbishop focused on the presence of Mary in the life of Christ and the Church. She was present in the two most famous scenes of Christ’s life, his birth in Bethlehem and his death on Calvary. Archbishop Dolan suggested his listeners take a lesson from Mary, who knew how to live both in times of joy and in times of sorrow.

After Mass, the Archbishop asked to be able to visit with each person present.

“And he did just that!” said Fr. Michael. “He spent the next hour shaking hands, laughing with and encouraging everyone.”

ZENIT founder, Jesus Colina, Ousted by Legion because of Questioning

Christ is my Life, Jesus Colina interviews Marcial Maciel, Founder of the Legion of the Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement

News item received from Info-Secte, the Canadian cult-watch group

Founder of Zenit forced out by Legion

Rome, Italy, Sep 29, 2011 / 10:08 am (CNA).- 

Jesus Colina, the founder and director of the news agency Zenit, has announced his resignation after a decision by the Legionaries of Christ to enhance the Legion identity of the agency.

Established 14 years ago as an independent agency seeking to report on “the world seen from Rome,” Zenit has established a strong presence on the Internet, with daily editions in seven languages.

Colina was appointed a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications by Pope Benedict XVI, and has received the Path to Peace Award from the Path to Peace Foundation, which works in close collaboration with the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations.

In an exclusive interview from Rome with Catholic News Agency, Colina explained the details behind his departure.

What are the reasons for your resignation?

The current chairman of the board at Zenit, Legionary priest Father Oscar Nader, requested I take this step based on the view that as a person linked to various Catholic communications initiatives, I do not offer the clear idea of the institutional identity of Zenit that the Legionaries of Christ wish to communicate from now on.

How do you explain this decision?

Well, in reality I think this decision is the culmination of a gradual mutual loss of trust which began several years ago. The manner in which the Legion of Christ hid the information about Fr. Marcial Maciel, which was discovered bit by bit by the press, caused a breakdown of trust in this institution on the part of the director of the news agency.

I understand the difficult situation in which the superiors of the Legionaries of Christ found themselves.  Now in public statements they have said they already had proof of Fr. Maciel’s different lives for years before his death.  Nevertheless, despite the statement issued by the Holy See in 2006, they continued to present him as a role model, even at his death and after his death.

The superiors invited me to a Mass celebrated at the chapel of the Legionaries’ Center for Higher Studies 30 days after his death. During the homily, before hundreds of religious, Fr. Maciel was presented as a role model.  This is particularly grave, because it is one thing to avoid a scandal in revealing the crimes or the double (although you would have to say the triple or quadruple) life of Fr. Maciel, and quite another to continuing maintaining this myth of sanctity that the congregation had promoted during his life.
 Moreover, since a number of years had passed since the Vatican statement was issued calling on Fr. Maciel to retire and to publicly acknowledge his lies and crimes, the impression was spread among the religious and those close to the Legionaries that the Pope had unjustly punished him.  This to me is very grave, especially considering everything that this Pope has done for the congregation.

But, in reality since the Legionaries were the ones who asked you to resign, it seems that they also lost trust in you.

Yes, undoubtedly trust is a sentiment that goes in two directions, it cannot be one way.  In the last two years, everything the congregation has experienced has created tension. Two years ago, the Zenit staff asked the board to establish a totally separate and transparent management in order to guarantee independence in response to any accusations. Zenit is an agency that depends on donations from its readership and ought to be able to explain where every dollar goes.  Although the board promised to set up this kind of arrangement, in practice this has not been done.  I am morally convinced that the money we have received from our readers goes directly to Zenit, but I cannot demonstrate this formally and administratively.

As one can understand, my continuous complaints about this situation led the superiors of the Legionaries to also lose trust in me.  This trust was completely broken when I proposed allowing other Catholic entities to have a seat on the board of Zenit, in order to address these questions and provide for an editorial future and greater ecclesial representation.  Not only was the proposal ignored, it led to my firing as well.

You knew Fr. Maciel well, you even published a book interview with him.  Did you know anything about his private life?

Like the vast majority of people who knew him, including John Paul II, I could have never imagined that he was guilty of the crimes that have now been proven.  During the meetings I had with him, I always believed I was standing before an authentic priest. This is the “enigma” of Fr. Maciel which Benedict XIV spoke about in his book.  I never had any doubts about him until the Vatican published the statement calling on him to retire to a life of prayer and penance.  The review of his biography and the amazing growth of the works he founded led me to believe that there had to be Christian authenticity at the origin.  There were some details that sometimes surprised me, such as his interest in appearance, for example, but I ascribed that to his cultural origins.  Like so many other people, I was also shocked to discover the deceit in someone who had been presented to us as a role model.

For 20 years you have worked as correspondent in Rome, and 14 years ago you began Zenit.  What is your assessment?

The Maciel case and its understandably tragic consequences cannot blur the human, spiritual and professional adventure experienced by those lucky enough to spend their lives offering news coverage of the life of the Pope and the Holy See.  As a journalist you see human weakness, but you also see a lot of holiness, an immense work of charity at the service of those most in need.  I have been able to know John Paul II and now Benedict XVI: two people of surprising spiritual and intellectual stature. 

All this depth and holiness cannot be clouded by Fr. Maciel’s lies. Honestly I know many priests and seminarians of the Legionaries of Christ and I consider them to be authentic Christians and, in a certain sense, martyrs of the situation they are confronting with so much love for Christ and the Church.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/founder-of-zenit-forced-out-by-legion/

Maciel's wife and daughter; he on his death bed, and other UNPUBLISHED IMAGES -

Fr. Maciel relaxing with his lover and daughter


IMAGES NEVER SEEN BEFORE
on this promo for upcoming Mexican TV show THE LAST DAYS OF MARCIAL MACIEL
MM on his death bed
with his 'wife' and his daughter
at the height of his glory
with his men

Maciel embraces Alvaro Corcuera, his protege, on the latter's ordination; Alvaro would be chosen by Maciel to be his successor at the head of the Legion; Alvaro has inherited his father's survival skills, and the art of seducing Church Leaders

PS don't forget to check my other blogs, Understanding the Legion of Christ..., and others which may contain other relevant information.

Former Opus Dei [like RC] Sues over Unslavement

This is not Van Morrison's 'entrainment' but rather "enslavement" a charge being brought against her previous "employer" Opus Dei by a Numerary




[From a source]


The Telegraph at this site:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/8782610/French-woman-sues-Opus-Dei-for-enslavement.html

reports a story about a former Opus Dei numerary (similar to 3gf) who is suing because she feels she was enslaved for over ten years, forced to make vows of poverty chastity and obedience and was cut off from the outside world. She was 14 years old when she started and left when she was 27.
She has made some interesting claims that sound quite similar to the situation with 3gf's. Assuming she is telling the truth, she was given a wage and then had to provide blank checks to kick back the money. It sounds as if she was subjected to mind control, isolation, excessive work load and when she needed medical help she was sent to a doctor who was also an OD member. He prescribed heavy doses of anti psychotic drugs for her. She was "chaperoned" by her spiritual director. 

In her case, there are some striking parallels to life in RC. I realize that you can't judge from one case and of course it is possible that she really was psychotic. But the circumstances sound quite familiar. 

1- Miles Jesu and Legion of Christ Intervention; The Founder

Everything about the Legion and the Vatican Intervention of the Legion has been so secretive it continues to cause confusion;

first thing the Vicariate of Rome does when they start intervening with the Miles Jesu is ask the founder to step down; it  says so and says it publicly, through this statement. 

In the Legion's case it was never clear why Fr. Maciel stepped down when he did in Dec 2004 [?]; for ill health or some other cock and bull reason? Of course, at that time Cardinal Rode -a great protector of the Legion- was in charge of  the Congregation for Religious and Institutes of Consecrated Life [?]. Maciel and the Legion were handled with kid gloves...

Was Maciel asked to step down by the Vatican, or did he choose to do so when he got wind that he was going to be investigated in April 2005 by the Congregation for Faith [Scicluna sent by Ratzinger], or for some other reason. Why did he step down? The Legion is so deceptive that as a matter of course I never believe their face reason for anything. I am sorry to say but "once bitten, twice shy" as they say in Dublin.

Why so much secrecy and confusion related to the Legion of Christ and the Vatican investigation?

Miles Jesu, another Legion of Christ in the Catholic Church

See REGAIN article

[From a link in the above article]

Leadership

STATEMENT ON THE SITUATION OF THE
ECCLESIAL FAMILY “MILES JESU”

1. In the spring of 2007 the Founder of Miles Jesu, Fr. Alfonso Durán, was removed from the office as Superior General, a position which he filled since the founding of the Ecclesial Family in 1964. Due to serious mental and physical health problems he was judged unable to continue in his position by the ecclesial authorities. Almost at the same time, thirteen members of Miles Jesu presented a request for an investigation into the Institute, indicating in their request alleged irregularities in the practices of Miles Jesu. The Cardinal Vicar of Rome, his Emminence Camillo Ruini, in conjunction with the Congregation of Religious, initiated an Apostolic Visitation under the guidance of Fr. Anthony McSweeney, SSS.
   
   During the Apostolic Visitation a number of irregularities and questionable practices came to light in the sworn testimonies of many members. Also the behavior of Fr. Durán in regards to certain questionable conduct and his exercise of authority came to light. The conclusion of the Apostolic Visitation was that an outside person should be called in to work with the Ecclesial Family in order to correct these situations and to work with the members in the renewal of the Institute.
2. In a Decree issued on March 25, 2009, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the Pope’s Vicar for the Diocese of Rome, named me, Fr. Barry Fischer, C.PP.S., as Commissary for Miles Jesu invested with full authority. The mandate is to write a new Constitution which defines the charism, spirituality, and apostolic nature of the Institute; to develop adequate vocational discernment and formation policies (ratio formationis); to review the financial policies, and in general to completely revise all its practices and customs.
   
   During the past seventeen months, I have worked closely with the membership in pursuit of this mandate, as well as with former members who have left during or after the Apostolic Visitation. In time it has become clear and undeniable, that the Founder, Fr. Alfonso Durán, presented erratic behaviors that were totally beyond the scope of the powers given to him. Some members have identified wounds caused by the inappropriate exercise of authority under his leadership. The mistaken sense of allegiance and obedience instilled in the membership facilitated his behavior, which was totally unacceptable and not in accord with the discipline of the Church nor supportable in any way by a healthy sense of consecrated life.
   
   Members who challenged his actions or behavior were often ostracized. The internal discipline and customs of the Institute provided protection for the Founder. It must be said in justice, that most of the members had no idea of the improper conduct of the Founder. Some of the allegations against Fr. Duran are hearsay and have not been verified. However, many are factual. It is important for all that the truth be disclosed, which is the reason for this public statement.
3. During this year and a half of my ministry with Miles Jesu I have come to know and admire the membership and the charitable projects of the Institute. All are filled with love of God and a sincere desire to dedicate their lives to God’s service and to the Church. Members are actively involved in the drawing up of new Constitutions and a complete review of the customs and practices of the Institute in the spirit of the Gospel and in fidelity to the teachings of the Church. Particular attention will be paid to developing new government structures ensuring the proper exercise of authority and promoting an active participation and co-responsibility of the members in the life of the Institute.
4. In my personal contact with Cardinal Vallini, I perceive that he wishes to assure the membership and also the lay associates (“Vinculum”) of his concern and of his assurance that he accompanies them in this process with his prayers and with his conviction that the membership today has a right to a future. We are in close communication as he follows with interest the process of renewal we are undertaking.
5. As Commissary and in the name of the Church, I wish to express my deep concern for all those members, former members and family members who may have been hurt in the past due to the manner in which authority was exercised. I also am personally grateful for those members who had the courage to solicit the intervention of the Congregation of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, thus bringing to light the situations under question.
6. Though this communication may come as a surprise and be painful to many members, Vinculum members, and friends of Miles Jesu, the truth cannot be hidden. Only in truth can a better and healthier future for Miles Jesu be achieved. The work of renewal is already in progress and there is enthusiasm for the future that the members are building together. United in prayer and in fraternal love, and assured of the Church’s motherly care, we will get through this time of difficulty and come to the dawning of a new day. We walk towards that day in hope and trust in God’s loving care and protection.

Fr. Barry Fischer, C.PP.S.
Commissary
Miles Jesu

28 July 2010

---

In May, 2007 Miles Jesu's founding General Director was invalided from office with health problems including neurological degeneration. After an Apostolic Visitation "ad inquirendum et referendum" initiated by the Cardinal Vicar of the Diocese of Rome, Fr. Barry Fischer, C.PP.S., was asked to serve as Commissary (ecclesial superior) of Miles Jesu in April, 2009. 

Currently Fr. Fischer is guiding MIles Jesu in a general revision of our constitutions, formation and vocational recruitment programs, as well as other polices and practices of the Ecclesial Family. He is assisted by a council made up of members from the men's domus branch and the women's domus branch, and in collaboration with all the members of Miles Jesu worldwide.

All our members will be very grateful for your prayerful support in this time of renewal.

Should I become a Legionary or a Dominican

[from my YouTube account]

Legion of Christ

I just hear about this order yesterday and I've been very interested in becoming a Dominican but figured I should keep other orders in mind. So, like I said, I read about this order yesterday and it looked very authentic in its love of Christ and the Church.

Then I read some things about the founder, and that really turned me off. Then I came across a site, who's trustworthiness is questionable, that claimed the order was cult like and sought to remove any sense of individuality, privacy, and even one's free will.

So my question is this: Now that a Papal Delegate has been placed over the order, is the order going to be stripped of these negative features, or are things going to remain unchanged with just different leadership? You probably have a video on the topic since now I see you have a few videos on this stuff, but I just came across one video now so I have no come across your testimony before.

Pax Christi