The disturbing actions which have recently come to light of the founder of Regnum Christi are uncharacteristic of a man of the kingdom (RC speak) to say the least. Marcial Maciel, LC founded the Legion in 1941 and remained the General Director until 2005. In 2006, he was 'invited' by the Vatican to retire to "a life of prayer and penance."
For years, accusations of the molestation of boys and teens were swirling around Maciel, but had been denied and severely rebuffed by the Legion. As the truth about this disturbed and disturbing man finally comes out, one can barely imagine the damage he has done to the Church, to many faithful people and to the organization he started.
My thoughts on this are not those of an outsider. For two years, I lived with the consecrated lay women of Regnum Christi as a high school student from 1991-1993. In 1991 the first formation center for the consecrate members was founded in Wakefield, Rhode Island. I and 5 other young girls became the first group of pre-candidates in the United States. A pre-candidate is a highschool girl who is contemplating a vocation to the
consecrated life.
A year ago this month, a friend who was a new member asked what my reservations were with the group. She felt that God wanted her there and really loved it. Her question moved me, because it was the first time a current member who knew that I was a former member was interested in hearing my perspective.
This is part one of what I sent her: "That's good that you are where you think you need to be right now. There are many good aspects of Regnum Christi, but the negative aspects need to be dealt with more openly by the higher ups and usually they are not. The disillusionment came more in the last few years as I remembered and realized things that happened in my time with RC, and the more I talked to former consecrated and PCs. My perspective is now more mature than it was, and I had 6 six years' experience in the movement. So, when people ask for my thoughts and opinions, I have to give them the good, the bad and the ugly. Here's the bad and the ugly.
Both the Legion and the consecrated would skirt the law in order to be in a certain location/property. This disregard for the law and the consequences that could have caused now make me realize how irresponsible and arrogant it was of them. My first summer there, we were told one by our directresses that we would need to take all of our belongings out of our closets and put them in big trash bags. We were then instructed to put everything in the attic, and I mean everything--even all of the food in the huge kitchen. We went on an all day "outing" to the beach so that we would not be there when the inspectors came to see the property. Apparently, no one was supposed to be living there until after the place passed inspection. This was never told to us and never told to our parents who in great faith entrusted their minor daughters to the formation of Regnum Christi. This was not the first time things like that happened, and I know it wasn't the last.
My last summer there, I was present in a conversation lead by one of the consecrated who ran Overbrook Academy, the boarding school for the wealthy Mexican girls. She related a story about one of the co-worker's mothers. This co-worker was a really cool girl and at the end of the year very much wanted to be consecrated. Her mother had big concerns and did not want to her daughter to rush into it. The consecrated woman told a group of us how this mother came up from Mexico and was extremely tense and to the point of of shaking where her mouth was twitching. This consecrated imitated her facial twitching.
All of this was told with much laughing and joking at the mother's expense. I remember feeling a twinge of conscience, like this isn't right to be laughing at this mother and her worry. However, I didn't speak up--something we were taught to do growing up. For a movement whose motto for all intents and purposes is charity above all put forth as "Believe all the good you hear and only the bad you see" I realize that this was a gross lack of charity. Perhaps the mother was overly concerned. Perhaps she did look funny. But--she is someone's concerned mother whose daughter was about to make a huge decision at 18 years old. Being 34 with nieces, I would most likely have a similar reaction knowing what I know about Regnum Christi. This gossiping would not have been tolerated if it had been done my less important consecrated and pre-candidates.
The accusations against Fr. Maciel (called Nuestro Padre as you know--another concern of mine) are more than bothersome to me. While I do not know if the accusations against him are true, there was enough of a concern that Pope Benedict issued his 2006 communique 'inviting' Fr. Maciel to retire to a life of prayer and penitence rather than face a trial.
It was surprising to me to learn that several people who were in Regnum Christi had similar experiences to the ones I had. I was shocked, saddened and angered when I got back in touch with "M", one of the consecrated who was in charge of the 6 of us PCs, and found out how the consecrated and Legion had handled her situation.
She had been consecrated 13 years and went home to rest and recuperate after suffering from depression. She was told without explanation after she got home that she could not return. She was shocked as her understanding before she left for the break was that she would return to her center and work. To make a long story short, her letters and calls went unanswered. She appealed to the Bishop who wanted to help her. She sent me her testimony which I still have.
So, when I see RC recruiting young girls to their challenge clubs in the hopes of them possibly going to the Pre-candidacy and hopefully to the consecrated life, I worry. Many consecrated are happy and ok, but the ones who have suffered b/c of poor decisions of their directresses should be heard and their situations known. I took away many good things: wonderful friends from the PC, meditation, human formation (something all kids and adults need to have), learning to be in silence, and more.
Do I think there are some holy priests, consecrated men and women, and lay people? Absolutely. Nevertheless, in good conscience, I have to hold the group at arm's length. I hope this sheds more light on my reservations about Regnum Christi.
