Q: Can the movement go on without a founder?
Vere: Without a founder, no. But being honest about the founder, and saying that the founder made mistakes and that maybe the founder did things for the wrong reasons, and maybe some of the things we did were wrong ... I think that type of openness and transparency will allow them to go on.
Obviously given the size and given the effect they've had on the Church, there is something good there, but that something good has also been clouded by this scandal as well as some of the practices.
Having worked on the tribunal [as a canon lawyer], one thing you learn is that where there is abuse -- especially sexual abuse -- it becomes a family secret and [the family] turns in on itself. It becomes sort of suspicious of the outside world, and you become paranoid that the secret is going to get out and what will people think.
To a certain extent you try to deny this is going on, then when it breaks people say "ha, ha, I told you so." There's also the effect of blaming the victim, [telling them they] didn't do enough. So then one becomes more inward because [of that]. So that's unfortunate.
What's needed here is transparency. And this is a criticism that I have made of the Legion and of Regnum Christi in the past, is that quite often they operate without the local Church's knowledge. There seems to be something secretive. Christ told us not to hide our light under a bushel. Christ told us to preach in the open. So I think what the Legion has to work on is openness, they have to work on transparency. They have to be honest about what has happened. And if they do that, with sincerity, I think, God will give them the grace to move on. And I think the Church has the resources to help the Legion and Regnum Christi to move on with this.
Christ talks about being the good physician. And we refer to the Pope as the Holy Father. And as any good parent or physician, you can't heal the problem if you don't know what it is and it's hard to know what it is if certain symptoms or ailments are being concealed. So that's what I think. I think absolutely the Legion can learn and grow and continue from this. But, they have to show that trust in the Church.
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4 comments:
This entire mess makes me so angry. A "mistake" is not a sin. My 8 year old knows this. What MM did was not a "mistake." Whenever I talk about things like breaking the 6th commandment, I **ALWAYS** have to say that penises don't mistakenly find their way into someone's.... you know. Everyone seems to be [what's the complete opposite of blowing it out of proportion] making a mountain into a molehill.
It's the same EXACT line of BS that they've ALWAYS given. We're the smart ones who know everything. You're the dum-dums who don't know anything. "I'm sitting here in front of the eucharist so I know it all. You obviously don't sit there long enough, so God's not able to give you the right message that I'm getting."
An LC priest actually said that once to us during our formation meeting -- you people, don't leave after 55 minutes of your holy hour. If God has something to say at minute 59, you're going to miss it.
Um, Father, excuse me, but if God knows everything, then He obviously knows that I'm going to leave at minute 55, so He must know enough to tell me His big message at minute 54, rather than minute 59.
You know what's stupid though??? I'd always stay for 62 minutes, just in case.
Those two minutes add up. I mean look at you now, able to see through Fr Alvaro's screed. That guy probably only did 60 minutes.
For which reason he's so retarded.
Anonymous - I understand your frustration with some of my comments, but please understand I was addressing the situation as it applies to the Legion and RC rank-and-file members, as well as members of the hierarchy who covered up for Fr. Maciel in good faith.
As far as my opinion of Fr. Maciel's actions, I'm on record as believing the allegations against him long before it became fashionable among orthodox Catholics to do so. This is why I've acted as a canonical consultant for several ReGAIN members, and spoken at their 2004 international conference in Atlanta.
This is also why I encouraged them to pursue the process that eventually led to the re-opening of the investigation against Fr. Maciel, along with his 2006 'retirement'.
So yes, I do believe his actions were sinful - and not only that, hypocritical and duplicitous.
However, we must do our best to help those who have been hurt by his actions - that is, those currently in the LC/RC, as well as those formerly in the LC/RC, whether they raised the warning flag or left quietly.
I just watched Fr Thomas on EWTN beg for prayers for him, for his order to come through this ok.
Not a mention of the REAL victims of this.
Oh, and also he mentioned MM had a doctor of 30 years who believes he may have suffered from multiple personality disorder, LOL. Does the Legion suffer from multiple congregation disorder then?
Looks like they're gonna blame it on a psychological condition of which MM was the victim. Amazing. So many victims out there, poor babies.
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