Commentary in the Telegraph, a British newspaper, applauded Father Edward Berg's clear statement of apology in the wake of the recent revelations regarding Father Maciel. But the commentary expressed concern about the ability of Legion of Christ superiors both to come to grips with the charges against the founder, and to introduce changes laying the groundwork for a reformed religious order. The Telegraph picks up the American Papist's report on Father Alvaro Corcuera's appearance at a Kensington, Maryland Mass last Sunday for Legion members. There Corcuera told an audience of worried LC members that -- in so many words - he did not have any specific access to specific evidence against the founder. The American Papist account also noted that the congregation repeated the prayer of the order expressing the members' desire to be guided by the founder's "spirit."
The Telegraph commentary noted the obvious issues of concern: If Father Alvaro Corcuerra, Maciel's successor, didn't have "specific access to information" and could not provide an authoritative account, who could? Second, there appeared to be a disconnect between LC members' established veneration of the founder and the on-going revelations of his past actions. Pope Benedict forced the founder into a secluded life of prayer and penance in 2006. Three years later, members continue to pray that they be guided by the founder's "spirit."
I spoke off the record with a prominent LC priest about the Telegraph critique, and his remarks did not inspire confidence that the Legion's struggles would be resolved any time soon. The priest insisted that it was entirely plausible that Father Alvaro had not been able to examine the Vatican's evidence against the founder. Second, while many Catholics have called for a thorough investigation designed to root out the founder's collaborators, this priest argued that Father Maciel may well have acted alone. The priest also explained that it would take "a while" to expunge references to the founder from the order's prayers. Then I asked him whether he could identify specific actions (other than the unannounced removal of the founder's portrait in Legion buildings) that confirmed his superiors' resolve to reform the Legion. He could not offer any specific examples, but insisted that LC superiors and the Holy See were working together on a plan. To further explain the appearance of inaction on these points, he noted that the order is now established in 22 countries and that it must, by necessity, move slowly to address needed changes.
(Update: This priest and another LC priest have both told me that they dispute the accuracy of my previous report that the Legionaries made the the revelations about Fr. Maciel in the midst of the Williamson scandal in the hope that they would get less press attention. They claimed to be certain that this was not the case but they did not explain how they were privy to the knowledge.)
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