Straining the gnat.
Authenticity.
Today’s readings from Mass remind me of a post I did on the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi last week. Not so much the post as the comments I have received regarding the Legion itself. Today’s readings are all about hypocrisy and deception. Read closely, Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians roundaboutly addresses issues of disingenuous motivation on the part of some evangelists in the Church, by explaining what the Apostles were not.
Paul stresses that their exhortations and teaching were not “from delusion or impure motives, nor did it work through deception.” (And he might well have added, through coercion.) Neither were they trying to please men with flattering, obsequious speech, or under any pretext, no matter how holy in appearance, which could cloak greed. Nor did they seek praise and honor from men or the established institutions of men. It is a good lesson in discernment for us.
From a recent comment to this blog.
I want to post the latest comment (today) I received in response to my post about the Legion of Christ, it kind of ties in with today’s readings and things I have been pondering over the past few days as regards religious deception. The comment:
“I was a member of this movement Regnum Christi for 6 years. I can only say that they ARE the wolves in sheep’s clothing of our Holy Church, and a stain and a blight to Her more than any other religious movement in the RCC. In one “discernment” weekend they almost managed to destroy my daughter, by convincing her that unless she joined the consecrated branch, she was being “mean” with God. She is tormented to this day with irrational fear and guilt from being subjected to that brainwashing over a period of a few months. They create clones of each other, and subject their members to immense psychological guilt. But those that are in it can not see it. They paint such a wholesome orthodox picture to outsiders, but within they are empty, carbon copies of one another. They are whitened sepulchres, and their wickedness is that of the pharisees, but worse because they are truly destroying young and innocent souls in the effort to create a “kingdom” that is all about appearances , power and money. It is NOT about saving souls. I have spoken to many priests in confession because of the guilt I feel, because as a faithful orthodox Catholic, I have to confront this horror and shock people with this truth. It IS a cult. May God in His mercy purge His church of this plague. - Maria”
I don’t know anymore than what people such as this woman and others have said concerning the Legionairies; their personal experiences along with what is posted on the ReGAIN website. My intention is not to discredit any particular group in the Church but to emphasize that all of us need to be much more discerning in our faith. That’s all.
August 28th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
So sad we have such dissension within the Church. I hope that whatever the truth is in this situation, that it puts an end to all the discord. Thanks for the update, Terry.
August 29th, 2007 at 6:34 am
I second anyone who speaks of true discernment. Freedom to see, to know all of the information, and to make an uncoerced choice for God. Isn’t that what Our Lord did?
When I was a novice in the Legion, I recall that this real nice guy named Glenn, a french canadian-American from Maine visited (some co-incidence: that is why I remember). Fr. Owen Kearns told me that Glenn wanted to wait one more year to finish his college degree before joining. Fr. Owen told him that if he did not join that summer, it would be a mortal sin. He never joined, thank God.
The Glenn who is writing this stayed for nearly 14 years before finally being able to remake his decision in a free and knowledgeable way.
August 29th, 2007 at 9:02 am
The fact is that the LC consider themselves “above” even the Church, which they are here to “save.”
Many people are fooled by them (who are under orders to always appear happy and vow not to criticize the actions of the superior and to REPORT ANYONE WHO DOES).
August 30th, 2007 at 7:18 am
I would like to know why the Legion wants these documents and writings kept a secret. Are catholics just not capable of understanding them? (that seems a stretch right into gnosticism). Are they damaging? Do they speak of a system created to protect the founder from detection in his activities?
August 30th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
This lawsuit is just a public manifestation of what the LC has been doing for years behind closed doors. As many of us know, the LC attempts to control and silence former members who wish to continue in the ministry of the Church by telling them exactly to which Diocese they may go (or even that they may go nowhere at all). Otherwise, they will call around bad mouthing the individual (usually with lies). For others, they use whatever potential blackmail they may have on that individual and threaten them so that they will play nice and keep quiet. Some, as a result, keep quiet out of fear.
With ReGain and other members who are (i) not continuing in the ministry or don’t wish do be diocesan priests and (ii) were good boys while in the LC, they have no means of controlling/silencing us. So, they have to resort to public means (i.e., this lawsuit and the prior cease and desist letters. That is, legal threats and legal action, however unfounded or baseless).
My own experience when I was interviewed by the local New Haven, Ct. ABC news station was that the LC got their lawyers involved and had them contact the station and threaten legal action. They also then sent the reporter all of my grades from when I was in the high school seminiary equivalent of the LC, phone records from when I was in D.C., and an email in wish I wished Bailleres and certain LCs (by name) well [note: in their press release, they later said that I had sent emails wishing the LC well, which was a lie (but nothing new to the LC)], none of which was relevant or damaging to me. After the reporter caught Bailleres lying on video, I provided my medical records from the hospital that proved they were lying. Then of course their story changed several times. Frist, it never happened. Then, after I produced my medical records, I was a hypocondriac (although I had never claimed to be sick before). Then, I had a history of back problems (I had scoliosis, but didn’t seem to jive with the hypocondriac accusation). Then, finally, the story became that I always received medical care whenever requested… which was an obvious lie. All the time (according to their press release) stating that they were praying that God would grant me light, happiness and peace. He did; that’s why I spoke out.
So, this lawsuit isn’t anything new to the LC way of doing things.
August 30th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Truly sad - I pray Benedict XVI, who I feel is a good man, will have the courage to do what JP iI either didn’t see or didn’t believe.
It will not be long before all the primary players in this blemish on the Church wiil be dead. The group of Regnum Christi and the Legionaries of Christ will fade away like a bad dream and those who suffered will - well - go directly to God with their prayers. No one said Truth would be easy or popular.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:58 am
For all involved with Regnum Christi and the Legion: Listen to your instincts!! If something going on seems goofy, ask questions, ask why….Listen to your Motherly and Fatherly instincts concerning handing your children over to the endless retreats, clubs, schools…. Let us all pray for enlightenment and truth. The Truth will prevail.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:24 am
A cult expert told me that the main criteria he uses to determine whether or not a group is a cult is whether or not they use mind control techniques, i.e. control of behaviour, information, thoughts and emotions. I believe that the Legion and Regnum Christi definitely use all forms of mind control to recruit and keep people enslaved with virtually no human rights. Good people hand over their free will to their superiors who control all aspects of their lives under the guise of “spiritual direction” and other brainwashing techniques. I want my daughter back and I feel the Church should help with her recovery. The Church can no longer plead ignorance. They learned about the damage that has been done to well intentioned people when they did the investigation last year.
August 31st, 2007 at 11:35 am
I just use this one example of my life in the Legion:
The day is always full of scheduled activities (prayer, mass, class, meals, etc.) and in between some activities you might have 5 or ten minutes before the next activity. So in those 5 to 10 minutes you have “free” you have to make a schedule for those 5 to 10 minutes and have them APPROVED by your superior!
So in essence you NEVER have free time. You never have time to think for yourself. Even when you go to bed, and you would think that now at least in the few moments I have before falling asleep I can think and “listen to your instincts” . . . Well actually you are told that you cannot think about anything except for the 3 main points of your meditation the following day. So even then you are being told what to think.
I can see why they wouldn’t want their guide books to get out in the open. People who can think rationally and without this horrid mind control will be able to see through the lies and see the Legion for what it really is.
September 2nd, 2007 at 9:22 am
To all RC members,
The reason why people like Maria post on the internet is usually because they have followed the proper chains of control and to no avail or, worse, they met with psychological abuse as a result of criticizing the “methodology.” Rarely does a problem get solved by following the “chain of control.” The feedback from the concerned member is used to find a way of more subtly following the sacred methodology. Not much changes in reality. There is so much more set in stone than you realize. From your comments it seems clear that you have only had a positive experience so far(which is because of the truly good people that are involved)and as long as you don’t make any waves that is how it will continue to stay. But if you do happen to catch a glimpse of the evil that is going on right under your nose don’t make too much fuss; just “watch and pray.” In time, as you can handle more,you will see and experience things that will make your conscience scream. You will see one of the most clever tricks of Satan unfolding before your eyes. The Holy Spirit is very gentle and will only reveal what we can handle. “I have much more to tell you but you cannot bear it now. When he comes he will guide you to all truth…”(John 16:12-13) Many faithful Catholics are being herded into a movement that many believe is not ultimately going to support the Church(for the time being it appears to be). The testimonies that you read on Regain and sites like this are real and are written by the prompting of the Holy Spirit to guide us to truth. Speaking for myself, Regain was instrumental in seeing that I was not alone in my experiences and that the problem was so much bigger than the weaknesses of individual fallen humans. That was my “coping mechanism” for many years.
God Bless you as you journey through RC.