The Legion of Christ in the news again.
“Must brother drag brother into court?”
Spero News has the run down on the recent lawsuit by the Legion of Christ against ReGAIN Network. I posted about this before, and the comments forthcoming have been rather revealing that something is wrong with the popular image most people have of the Legion. As I stated before, this surprises me because all of the Legionaries I have ever met, as well as those I’ve seen on EWTN, strike me as the finest of finest Roman Catholic priests. As to the scandals associated with the Order, I know as much as anyone else, aside from what former members have told me, everything else is hear-say, except for the following.
When I worked at Leaflet Missal I became acquainted with Paul and Libbe Sellors, the original authors of a catechetical program called Familia, now taken over by the Legion and Regnum Christi. Paul and Libbe went through some very trying times with the Legion who had taken over their program, and apparently wanted the Sellors out of the mix. The Sellors have since republished their work under the title of Together! which is an excellent and comprehensive catechetical program for families.
The Sellors are a fine Catholic couple, very respectable, honest and sincere in their mission of evangelization for the Catholic Church. Their work is nothing less than brilliant and extremely adaptable for adult/family catechesis, in perfect accord with the Magisterium and Catholic teaching.
It was through the Sellors that I first became aware of the Legion’s mysterious business practices, especially in their regard. I was stunned when Libbe gave me the details, reinforcing her story with Archbishop Flynn’s refusal to permit any activities of the Legion and Regnum Christi in the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis. Rather than write a book here, I’ll direct you to the article on ReGain for the full story. Here is an excerpt:
It is important to know that the Sellors created Familia independently of the Legion, writing the materials themselves. Joining the Movement early on, their apostolate seemed an excellent fit with the stated goals of Regnum Christi, and the Legion moved in quickly to lend a hand. As long as the Sellors were members of Regnum Christi and saw eye to eye with the Legionaries of Christ about catechizing the faithful, all was well. Familia quickly became the top recruiter for the Legion because of its comprehensive approach to the family. Thus, fathers and mothers joined Regnum Christi, their daughters considered vocations in the consecrated branch, their sons tested their call to the Legion, and everyone raised funds for seminarians and other projects of the Movement. Everything was golden – or was it?
What Was the Real End-game of Familia?
A rift opened quietly, behind closed doors as those who signed up for Familia quickly found themselves invited to Legion-sponsored retreats, other courses, and conventions, which each suggested that they join the Movement because of the urgent need to build the Kingdom. While joining was usually quite appealing, the Sellors were increasingly frustrated that the members who incorporated into Regnum Christi dropped out of Familia. Since the demands of the Movement (daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly) required significant commitments of time and money, one could not participate in both, and Regnum Christi prevailed. Knowing that all four years of formation were important, they begged that the recruiting of their participants be delayed until they had graduated from the complete course, but the Legion persisted.
Only in hindsight did Paul and Libbie realize that there had been a deliberate attempt to drive them out. - Gospel Charity Cuts Both Ways
Read the Sellor’s story and maybe this current lawsuit by the Legion will make more sense - that maybe the organization has to something to hide. It sure seems to me something is very wrong in that organization.
[Incidently, ReGAIN is in need of donations for their legal defense fund, to donate go to their website, The Legionaries have a lot of money and powerful backers, so ReGAIN needs all the help they can get. What did St. Paul write about public lawsuits? "Why the very fact that you have lawsuits against one another is disastrous for you." - 1 Corinthians 6:7]
September 7th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
This whole thing makes me sad. I, honestly, don’t know who or what to believe. It’s tragic that an order that seems so orthodox and marvelous may have problems at its core.
September 7th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Cathy, if it had not been for the Sellors I would never have paid much attention to these cases. Maybe it just involves the leadership in the organization. I would think the Vatican would step in to put an end to these scandals.
September 7th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
I find this extremely interesting. I had read one or two references about Familia being located the Twin Cities, but I had never been able to find them.
I have been a subscriber to Regnum Christi’s daily Mass readings and meditations and through that have been somewhat interested in the organization. They get a phenomenal number of vocations every year.
Then when Abp Flynn refused their entry into the archdiocese, giving no explanation, I began to get exasperated. If every other diocese had them, what was going on here? The Virtus controversy with Father Altier was going on at the same time.
And very little information came out to those of us in the pew.
Thanks for printing this, Terry. I’ll have to follow your links.
I’ve already linked to the Together! site.
September 7th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I’m just wondering, is this a problem unique to the Legion, or is it a problem that tends to crop up in connection with various “movements” in the Church? I don’t know the answer to that; but it seems like people tend to get off in their own little corner, and when there isn’t enough oversight and give-and-take with the rest of the Church, things can get a bit weird. Maybe I’m being too skeptical and cynical.
September 7th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Melody - That is a good question - Your comment makes me think of the Neo-Catechumenate Movement. I think they’ve had problems with their Liturgy and the Vatican.
September 7th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
I’m reading a book right now that talks about some of the Catholic groups in France and Italy during the early 20th century. Granted those were politically/socially based groups that were started by Catholics but somehow the center started coming apart prompting Leo XIII and Pius X to write their great social encyclicals. Well, I should say there were larger forces at work in society that prompted the encyclicals too but I’m sure the Popes were looking upon the Catholic movements with concern.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Our family has many years’ experience with the Legion. Every one of those fine priests we’ve known over the years has left the Legion. One of my best friends became a consecrated lady after college, the other became a member of the lay movement. And, my brother-in-law left college to be a Legionnary, and was in the order for nine years before being told he had “no vocation”. I would never have believed the allegations against Fr. Maciel had it not been the common thread of all of their experiences. We also got to know the Sellors, and they are such wonderful, gentle people that putting all of these experiences together added up to the unpleasant truth that the Legion is corrupt, and that the corruption only becomes clear to those who in some way “question” or try to change or improve RC/LC practices. From my experience with each branch of the movement and its unique and similar problems, it seems to me that the Enemy is using this group as a way to disillusion as many of the faithful as possible. I would just beg anyone who is in the movement or is considering it: don’t let your sons and daughters get caught in the “web” of LC/RC activities, and hold on to your pocketboook- give to a pro-life ministry or your local parish! (By the way- the Legion is not getting the large volume of vocations anymore- which I’m sure is directly linked to the Holy Father’s rebuke of Fr. Maciel and the work of Regain to get the truth out about LC/RC. What looks and feels and seems so orthodox is a front for something much worse, and we must pray earnestly for all of those who are still involved. May they get out soon with their vocations intact. St. Joseph, pray for us!
September 8th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I had a very similar experience, Bethel, and now don’t trust the Legionarios de Cristo any more than I could throw them (which I’m often tempted to do).
September 8th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
I was a member of RC for many years. I was very (100%) committed to it for a long time. I remember when I first heard stories about abuse in LC/RC. I had a panicky feeling that if these stories were true what would I do? If I had to let go of RC I don’t know if I would know who I was. My very identity was tied to this movement. So I did what every member who is inordinately attached to RC/LC does; I rationalized every gnawing feeling I had. I found a way to blame the accusers. I let the mesmerizing words I heard from the LC priests drown out the voice of my conscience. But God did not let my peace from this “coping mechanism” last for long. He began to gradually reveal the reality of the situation. I was living in an illusion. I really thought that LC/RC were a foundation in my life. I associated this foundation with Christ. What I came to find out through much heartache was that my faith in RC/LC was built on sand. Through a series of events my eyes were opened to the truth and I began to question and object. At that point I became not useful to them any longer. Once you become useless to them psychological abuse takes the place of the previous flattery that had been the Modus Operandi.One of the modern techniques(so much more is known about psychology) that is used today by evil is inverted psychiatry(psychological abuse to destroy minds). There are subtle threats to damage your reputation if you let the truth be told; you are purposely isolated from your close friends; the LC priests purposely try to stir up jealousy between you and your friends; the LC priests try to provoke outbursts of anger by stirring up your pride or vanity; whisper campaigns are started against you to undermine your influence as you are indirectly pressed to go inactive. The legionaries are trained in emotional manipulation. The know exactly how to say the bare minimum with just the right look or sigh to plant seeds of doubt or to steer your very dear friends away from you. At the same time they appeal to the pride and vanity of your friend with flattery to secure an inordinate attachment to them and this is another potential source of division between the flattered friend and the rejected member. These are just a few aspects of the MO that is part of the methodology of the movement. It is not just the weakness of the priest. This is the way the more integrated priests of the LC are trained to force the useless member out of the movement. Stories like this are common in all parts of the country.
When someone is considered “useless” to RC/LC it is usually because that person has begun to catch on to the bigger picture of what is going on simultaneously with all the “good fruits.” Their conscience has begun to be very bothered over the very uncharitable way seemingly holy priests, consecrated women, and other formators treat certain people and this member begins to question and object to these sins against charity (the supposed “queen virtue” of the movement). This causes a gradual disintegration for the disillusioned member. That is when the methodology of “promote to remove,” “press to release,” and “isolate” come into play. As if that is not enough, the psychological abuse goes deeper. At the same time the LC priests cover their tracks legally by publicly offering the secretly blacklisted member aids to persevere in their RC vocation so it seems to the rank and file members that everything is being done out of charity to help this person who is struggling with their vocation. What the rank and file members do not see are the psychological abuses that are going on simultaneously. On a side note, The blacklisted member has never been directly told that they are being “kicked out” so he/she is very confused as he/she tries to read between the lines. Talk about evil. Many accusations like these are being investigated by the vatican.
The best way to defeat this evil, I believe, is to cooperate with God in using our suffering for the good of the Church. We are so lucky to have the charism of redemptive suffering available to us.
God willing, as we, the victims of LC/RC, grow in true charity by offering up our suffering(in union with Christ especially in the Mass) for the very ones who inflicted this on us,God will act and all will work for the good(Rom 8:28). This suffering can also be used for penance for our own personal sins as a purification(purgatory). In the mean time we are given the opportunity to grow in the patience of God and true charity(love Him above all things and everyone else as He loves us). As we attend Mass and offer ourselves and our suffering with Him our hearts will begin to heal and we will be overcoming evil with good(Rom 12:21) Our suffering will not be in vain. It will be used for an eternal purpose. Our speaking out is very important as well. I found needed support from Regain as have many others. The isolation that is part of the psychological abuse of the legion is greatly overcome from the testimonies of Regain. The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. Our Blessed Mother will help us to be a part of crushing the head of the serpent and to defeat him by “blood of the Lamb(Mass) and the word of their testimony”(regainnetwork).(Rev12:11)Let us unite together for this purpose. Thank you regain for letting us know that we are not alone!!!
September 9th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Please remember - it is part of the LC rules to always appear happy, and never to share negative information or feelings with anyone outside the Legion, or even with one’s peers inside the Legion.
Also, since you need permission to leave the center or communicate or visit with outsiders, any chance to spend time away from the group is itself a great pleasure.
Thus LC priests always APPEAR happy.
September 9th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I think that it is very important to say that there has never been a disupute about the “catholicity” of the legion.
ReGAIN has been tarred with being anti catholic. The reality is that ReGAIN is a religiously neutral organisation that wants to help ANYBODY that has been affected by the legion of christ.
So if you are a practising catholic you WILL receive advice and help that will never compromise your faith. If you have a vocational inquietude, regain will point you in the direction of your local vocational director, or help you find information about a paritcular order that may honestly suit your call.
If you have found that the legion of christ has “put you off god for life” as many say, ReGAIN will not judge, but fraternally offer you support. If you are in spiritual dilemna, ReGAIN will try to put good priests and nuns in your path.
I do not have the words to convey what the legion of christ has done to me. I honestly think that if I would have joined a group of satanists i would have been treated with more honesty.
Familia is a prime example of LC behaviour - the sellors were used because familia became what EVERY LC/RC apostolate is = a “means of open captation”, whose ultimate goal is expansion of RC/LC.
I would only ask anyone in two minds to read the spirituality of the legion of christ, which is available on http://www.regainnetwork.org and http://www.exlegionaries.com becuase this spirituality is a secret in the legion and the legion is sueing for it to be removed from the internet.
Read that material, make your own decision without taking heed of the comments.
Ask yourself why it is kept secret.
Read and make your own decicions.
I used to be a traditional catholic, but the legion used me and took away from me everything that I held as precious. They took not only my faith in god but my faith in man. I owe it to my upbringing to find the strength to forgive them, but God knows they dont deserve it and they are not sorry for what they have done.
September 9th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Incidentally the priest in the picture has been accused of sexual abuse by exlegionaries of two different generations of legionaries.
His name is guillermo izquierdo and he was a child seminarian at the same time as those who have accused the founder of the legion of sexually abusing them.
He, guillermo izquierdo, has been accused of sexually abusing seminarians in the 1960s and in the 1980s.
He was the novitiate superior of the LC priest that sexually abused me.
When confronted with a former seminarian about his, he replied that it may have happened but he does not remember given his advancaed age.
He is currently in rome writing his Legionary memoirs.
September 9th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Terry: thank you for creating this forum. You are right about the Neo-Catechumenate Way, and the fact that there had to be some amendment of their rules concerning the liturgy. The difference is that the NCW information was broadcast in a memo from the appropriate dicastery in the Vatican, with the corrections in ink and the deadline by which the group had to adhere made public.
With the Legion, it is smoke and mirrors — any corrections from the Vatican are in hushed words at best in inner circles, with the Legion left to apply them (or not). What “Catholic” says above about the sinister way that the Legion intimidates is true — so that even at the highest level the Church has to worry about backlash or blackmail. Even bishops who ban the group from their dioceses often do it verbally behind closed doors, so that the laity doesn’t know that they’re banned. (There are more dioceses than people imagine where they’re banned from operating.) Of course, if the Legion operates contrary to the ban, no one is the wiser.
[Almost] everyone is intimidated by this group and fears to cross them. Yes, they have money to sue — but the Sellors took them to court and won. It is possible, because truth is not on the Legion’s side. It simply takes courage and money (and prayers!) to take them on. Paul Lennon is fearless and unintimidated — but sadly, broke. It’s left to us who are grateful for the work of ReGAIN to ante up for his defense.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this blog. It is so heartening to read your comments. We can only defend ourselves against the Legion if we stay on the side of Truth and Love. We are the David against the Goliath Legion, and WE don’t stand a chance on our own, but GOD can use us to win the victory for Him. See how He has done this so many times throughout history - He chooses the unlikeliest of heroes (David, Joan of Arc, etc.) to show forth His might. Whether with the lawsuit, or in your individual battles to save a family member from the LC or to recover spiritually and emotionally from abuse, remember that God is on your side. And when you win, remember to be humble: the glory really belongs to God.
I believe we should pray for the conversion of the Legion, for all things are possible with God. But knowing that the problems with the Legion really begin at its core, because it sprang from a seriously disturbed mind, it could well be that it won’t survive. If so, we have to pray for all of those who are so strongly tied to it, because their faith will surely be shaken when they realize how they have been deceived. Learning how they have misplaced their trust, they will find it difficult ever to trust again.
To Aaron and all those struggling to forgive, I encourage you to read the story of Corrie Ten Boom and let her inspire you to keep trying. She tells how she reached out her hand in response to the outreached hand of a man who had once been one of her torturers in the concentration camp, one of those responsible for the death of her sister at that camp. She did not feel forgiveness at first (she felt complete repulsion), but she made the outward act because she knew she needed to forgive him; she willed herself to do it, and God supplied the grace she needed to do the impossible. She was actually able to forgive him. Please read the story in her own words and allow her to inspire you.
Know that I pray every day for the healing of those who are suffering because of LC/RC.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
I want to thank all of you for your very moving comments to this post, and I want to assure you of my prayers. To do you justice, I will occasionally post an individual comment to keep this issue in the minds of our readers.
Thank you and God bless you.
September 10th, 2007 at 7:53 am
Terry, God bless you. We appreciate your willingness to listen to testimonies. You might experience “almost” attacks on your motives and character for this, like catholic describes in #9. We have experienced this too. (Me less than most, because I never joined but am only trying to keep the RC out of my parish.) Rejoice!
September 10th, 2007 at 10:43 am
Thanks again , Terry, for creating this blog. Aaron, you are right. ReGain has been lifesaving for me. Healing is what it is all about and there can be no real healing as long as the injuries continue to multiply. I too wish it were possible for the misled to find themselves. It seems unlikely as long as Father Maciel, the founder, remains the most revered person and his modus remains the core of their training. Thanks also, elle, for recommending the story of Corrie Ten Bloom. I need all the help I can get.
September 10th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Aaron and Uomo,
I am right with you.
We all anxiously wait the justice of God with regard to LC. We are asking for a great miracle of His mercy in asking Him to defeat the Goliath that is the Legion. Maybe He is waiting for us to attempt to rid ourselves of the unforgiveness that blocks our hearts from healing; to forgive them as we are forgiven by Him. Maybe when we all attempt to do this He will grant our request. I say attempt because I know how difficult this is. It will only be possible through the grace of God. I have to forgive them over and over again as the memories resurface(70×7). But God desires our effort not our success. The success will come from His mercy.We are not alone. His mercy precedes, accompanies and crowns our efforts. Just the desire to want to be able to forgive is a great start. He will meet us right where we are. When the waves of hurt and anger come over me it helps me to offer it up for a specific intention. It isn’t always related to this ordeal at all. For example: I will offer it for a difficulty that someone I care about is going through at that time. Other times when I offer it for the well intentioned RC/LC members. Someday I hope to be able to sincerely offer it for the ones who purposely tried to hurt me. As I struggle to offer it up it takes the edge off of the pain. Sometimes, when I need it, I get a glimpse of how He has used my offering and that gives me joy and peace. Maybe, through His mercy, He will precede, accompany and crown our combined efforts to forgive by acting in a more speedily manner. Just a thought.
You probably know all of this but it never hurts to be reminded.
September 10th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
I feel obliged to clear up some misconceptions that are appearing on the internet:
1. that 6 of the original 9 victims of Maciel who brought the case in the Vatican have recanted. Only one recanted. And another has since died.
2. that Maciel’s victims were adults. This is entirely untrue, as most were under 18 and some, in Mexico in the early days, such as one of the de Isla brothers, was quite young.
3. that the case is about stolen property only. A simple reading of the summons and complaint shows, in the seizure motion, the interrogatories and the discovery requests, that the Legion wants much more than a return of allegedly stolen property.
December 25th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
I think we might well put much of this behind us, difficult for some though it might be. Of all the enemies of Western civilization and the Christian conception of human nature, I should the L.C. would be VERY far down on the list! Indeed, I would regard their efforts as being at the forefront of the struggle to preserve this very conception and to provide us all with the means and the discipline to participate in what, in the view of many, is the make-or-break century.
Human sexuality is at once a powerful and a complex matter arising from the corporeal dimension of our being. Would that abuses had NEVER occurred within the community of the Faithful; would that its victims could find forgiveness for their assailants, and that the latter would be uniformly repentant.
This much said, might we not MOVE ON and, with a generous and forgiving heart, serve Christ as faithful servants, understanding that it was HE who enjoined us to ‘cast the first stone’?
January 10th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Dan, I’m guessing neither you nor your children were abused.