Good Explanation

I haven't posted anything on RC for a while.  I read this explanation of what "consecrated virgin" is according to Canon 604.  How women are 'consecrated' in Regnum Christi is different and can be misleading when RC and LC explain what they define as 'consecrated life.' 

As always, I'm open to discussion about this topic.  I think some members have not wanted to even bring up the subject with me, but that seems to just continue the confusion and lack of transparency, and that's not healthy.

My prayers go up for those young women 'consecrated' in RC--that they'll be protected.

Former RC member on NPR

I have gotten behind on keeping up with the LC visitation and am trying to catch up. Yesterday, I saw that Genevieve Kineke was recently on NPR talking the recent Vatican visitation's 7 points to the Legion. When I arrived in RI in 1991, Mrs. Kineke was a young mom with 3 children. She was very much involved in RC for 10 years and enthusiastic about her faith and RC. I remember her fondly. Her experiences and reflections on the mess of RC and LC are really enlightening. I highly recommend her website Life After RC. The interview is about 1o mintues long and very interesting.

In typical Legion fashion, they only responded to point #7. Another former member and friend said, "Sometimes I feel like they're in the Twilight Zone."

Genevieve is a writer and has a book out that I really want to read. Check it out at her other site here.

Note--The way things are/were handled in both RC and LC were disordered and wrong. It is in itself a negative topic. So, I hope that those reading this do not label me as negative. Please put the blame where the blame belongs.

Day of Fasting and Prayer

I think I'll be joining in this day of fasting and prayer. Hopefully, the RC and LC members will, too.

Broken Record

There are very good points made on the latest posting at Life After RC. If I had a nickel for every time I got the line, "The Pope loves the Legion," (in response to the scandal) I would have a lot of nickels. Please, Fr. Reilly, turn off the talking points.

The Psalter of my Days

My gosh, I remember this book. I remember sitting in the chapel at the formation center in Wakefield, RI trying to read the "original" (or not so original as we now know) Spanish text. Really and truly, I am grateful that I had a hard time those two years "getting into" Maciel's book of letters called "Envoy."

And I'm thankful that the visitation has been underway and is now nearing an end. Let's hope that many changes are made within LC/RC and that the ones who helped Maciel in his double life and subsequent cover up will be removed.

Read Patrick Madrid's comments on this latest development here.

Creepy....

Creepy on so many levels.

I hope this is the real deal.

I read this letter from RC Members yesterday and am hoping it is legit. It hits the nail on the head to say the least. So many faithful people in RC gave a lot to the Movement. After the Communique in 2006, it floored me that the Legion and many RC members stood behind Maciel and defended him after the Vatican basically put him out to pasture because of the claims of molestation. Even after the scandal broke about his lover and daughter, there were many who, rather than condemning the actions right away, lauded what the movement had done for their families and themselves. One member said to me that, "Fr. Maciel was a tortured soul who really tried hard to live up to the charism and suffered greatly for the demons that prompted him to fall short." Wow... He still had the free will not to molest boys. The explanation of "The devil made him do it" is not only laughable, but despicable. I realize that most members do not subscribe to this type of thinking, but when I talk to those who do think that way, it makes me realize that there are cultish aspects of the group where people stop thinking for themselves and explain away criminal behavior. I understand that good has been brought forth from the movement, but great harm has been done to children and the church by a wolf in sheep's clothing.

While I am not condeming the whole RC movement or its members, of course, I take great issue with the late actions and non-action of the superiors. Fr. Berg's interview was very enlightening as was Steve Skojec's account of his experience.

RC run St. Louis school to close its highschool

Interesting.
The school was started in the early 90s. I remember when Gateway was housed in a closed down Catholic church and school. We'd go to Mass there sometimes and knew some of the students and families somewhat. Since then, it has moved out to Chesterfield. I pray for the kids and families and the teachers who are out of jobs. God brings good out of everything and this could really be something the Legion needs--pare down, revamp and recreate itself.

Fr. Berg leaving LC for NYC Archdiocese

God be with him in his new life outside the Legion.

Good Article

Here is a very good article on the Maciel disgrace. Good read for all RC members and all Catholics alike.

Regnum Christi-Part 2

Some things in this testimony reminds me of things that happened at the Wakefield, RI formation center--the showmanship when visitors/potential benefactors arrived. It is sad that many of us are experiencing the 'don't ask, don't tell' way of handling things by family and friends who are either in RC or sympathetic to it. I have been told, "Well, I wouldn't have met my husband if it weren't for Fr. Maciel." Why wouldn't that have happened? If God wanted someone to marry one's spouse, He had it in His divine plan.

There has been much 'non-discussion'' by some members about Maciel's debauchery and making excuses for the actions of the leaders of the movement in how they have (mis)handled the situation. It seems reasonable that stepping back for a moment or two from the Movement would be healthy. There is nothing in the movement that is not found within our Catholic Faith.

Changes must be made in this group. Otherwise, it becomes more and more like an elitist club on the edge of a cult, something I never thought I'd be saying. Maciel is the big white pedophile in the room--get him out and fix this broken thing.

Waiting....

for the expected statement from the Legion of Christ. It was said to be coming on Tuesday or "Wednesday at the latest." Well, it's Thursday here. Statement, anyone?

The Regnum Christi "Situation" Part I

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.