John Says:
March 28, 2008 at 8:05 pm
"How do you reconcile two opposite experiences? I was in very heavily in RC for 12 years. While I was in it, I could say nothing but good about it but once I left and was free of its influence I began to see things entirely different. It was definitely a mixed bag. It was easy to overlook the negative because I was so busy with apostolate and there was always this expectation that things would improve since this was a founding age. I did not have time to reflect on my life and see how my family life was being negatively affected by the movement. I also spent much time with Legionary priests and was continually being affirmed by them for all the great work I was doing for them. I was also receiving my spiritual direction from a Legionary who would put things in the “proper” perspective. In spite of seeing much turnover in the heads apostolate and two Legionaries leave along with a number of consecrated and brothers I never questioned anything. It was difficult to have a grasp on the amount of people that left because of the continual reassignments and changes in leadership.
The Legion has been very successful because they use a lot of very effective human techniques in identifying leaders, recruiting and motivating people. These are many of the same skill you will find with any successful person. When one begins to rely on the human element more than God, individuals become a means rather than the end. This happens very easily in LC/RC because there is so much pressure for results. I filled out many reports about the activities in the area and what our goals were. Numbers are very easy to track but they did not capture what is going on in the soul. It is possible to have a veneer of good when the center is rotten. The greater ones ability and skill to move people the greater ability there is to do damage and I have saw and experienced a lot of damage in an number friends I recruited to the movement.
So how do you see good happening? I’ve heard of people have great conversions at condemned apparitions. There have been many heretical sects that flourished before they died. Where God is present even if the situation is erroneous his grace can still prevail Does this mean that most Legionaries and consecrated are evil? I believe that most are very good and act with sincerity. Unfortunately, they have been misguided by indoctrination into the “methodology of the movement” which blinds them to the fact that they are working with souls. If a person is asked to do something which is not in their own best interest then they are being used. There was almost no discernment on whether a person should or should not do an apostolate but rather were they available and willing.
The only hope for reform is that they have recruited many very solidly Catholics who might be able to turn things around. Reform will be difficult because discernment and self criticism have not been the strong suit of the order. Most religious communities die shortly after foundation and those that do make it last only a few hundred years. In the end it is about Christ who is for all times. He is our savior and no one else."
Exlcblogger recognizes an interesting first hand testimony.
Thanks John!
