Pope Benedict XVI has moved to take over a Mexican Catholic order that is responsible for widespread abuses of children. The order’s founder, Rev. Marcial Maciel, abused children and fathered three children with two women. He died in 2008.
The Pope announced that he will be appointing an envoy to run the order. The Vatican issued a statement that “the conduct of P. Marcial Maciel Degollado has caused a series of consequences on the life and structure of the Legion, such to require a way of deep revision. . . . The very serious and objectively immoral behaviour of P. Maciel, confirmed by incontrovertible accounts sometimes turned into true crimes. They show a life lacking scruples and authentic religious calling. Of this side of life, a great part of the Legionaries were in the dark — especially given the system of relationship built by P. Maciel, who very skillfully knew how to create alibis, obtain loyalty, trust and silence from those around him and strengthened his own role as charismatic founder.”
In the meantime, the order is expanding its operation worldwide.
For the full story, click here
Pope: Sex Abuse Scandal ‘Born From Sins WITHIN The Church’
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/11/pope-sex-abuse-scandal-bo_n_571314.html
Read as: I’m not going to step down for my part in the scandal, but I sure as Hell am going to excommunicate some people as a distraction to my role in this horrid sordid affair.
First response is or was the Pope hates competition. After rethinking it he just wants to make sure that it is done right.
Of Catholicism and Capone
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BpmeX6lwZc&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
I’m trying to fight my cynicism on this matter so for now I’m going to adopt a wait and see attitude. I will ad this “take-over” to my list of “follow-up” subjects.
Isn’t this the very same vatican that announced two weeks ago it was possessed by Satan?
How can we be sure that they will maintain the Mexican order’s fine history of child rape, sexual abuse, and obstruction of justice when they can’t even bring their A game in Europe?
This group sounds like the Mexican version of Opus Dei! That is Justice Scalia’s alleged friends.
Any outfit that begins with “Legionnaires of …” to me is quite scary. Actually, there is a Legionnaires of Christ in Orange, CT. There’s been a “For Sale” sign out front for months, but it appears no takers yet – the property alone looks worthy of a horror movie, so I can kind of see why …
Is it just me or is that calliope music I hear?
Maciel was a known drug addict also.
Swarthmore mom:
From the commentary of NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF: “And unless we’re willing to endure beatings alongside Father Michael, unless we’re willing to stand up to warlords with Sister Cathy, we have no right to disparage them or their true church.”
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Hamas does considerable charitable work. Have I no right to disparage its leaders and their abuses?
It’s soft reasoning and rank emotionalism to suggest I shouldn’t.
It seems to me that a Church that dishonors the sacrifices of its adherents by the unrepentant abuses of its leaders is precisely one that should be disparaged.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/opinion/02kristof.html
“Pope Benedict XVI has moved to take over a Mexican Catholic order that is responsible for widespread abuses of children.”
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About like the wolf taking over for the fox at the hen house.
Actually the school was started by a family from Monterey and has attracted other conservative catholics. It will be interesting to see what happens as the school is not officially part of the diocese. It will be interesting to see if they stay open.
This is long overdue. I have heard about this order for years. They are ultra conservative. They run a school near Dallas for affluent Mexicans but there have not been any known abuse cases.
This is big. The order is called the Legion of Christ
Per wiki, it was established in 1941 in Mexico and directed until 2004 by Fr. Marcial Maciel and enjoyed the favor of Pope John Paul II. It has priests working in 22 countries, and had 763 priests and over 1,300 seminarians as members by 2008. It operates centers of education, up to and including universities, in over a dozen countries, including the US.
It operates the University of Sacramento in California. It is rumored to be very elitist in its membership and operations.
This takeover will have a big impact.