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Nice effort, but....

A few dozen people going door to door in a neat federal housing neighborhood, amassing at a door in matching Ts, a special mass with some Jesus laden commands... but what is the point of it all? To say a Hail Mary in a door way? and the effort? And the money? is this really the evangelization that Pope John Paul II asked for? The wonderful letter of praise for Megamission in the 90s that Maciel read at a mass to the Legionaires in Rome from the Pope was a fraud exposed by none other than Bp. Brian Farrell. The video tape of that mass was edited later by order of Fr. Evaristo Sada.

Bottom line, Fr. Karras: What does this mean?

"If you ask an LC, especially a fresh, out-of-the-can LC, what the charism of the Legion is he will say, “Charity!”

This is a conditioned response. Not necessarily a bad one, but one that requires a harder look. My response to the question would be different. I might easily be wrong, but I have certainly had plenty of time to think about it.

The first problem with the programmed answer is that no religious order can describe its charism in a one word sound byte. All religious are committed to charity... heroic charity, of the type Christ taught us. Charity, understood as selfless love of neighbor, will be present wherever the Spirit has truly bestowed any of His gifts upon us.

The more specific problem with the typical LC buzzword in my mind is that the practice of charity as a virtue within the LC has been legislated to pieces... pieces that often leave it unrecognizable and confused. The practice of charity outside the walls of the LC house, in our apostolic work, is heavily conditioned by our methodology and its quantifiable goals. That, too, at times sullies and coerces the virtue and the gift.

The vast majority of LCs are extremely decent, charitable and compassionate. I have often been put to shame by the unthinking goodness of my brothers in the Legion and the guilelessness with which they live this most basic of Christian traits. And as far as our spiritual formation is concerned there is no lack of discourse on the ‘queen of virtues’.

But what I’m saying is different: as charism, as the living, breathing heart and soul of the Congregation, charity loses its freedom, its force and its unbridled creativity – whether we’re aware of it or not – because of some of the institutional baggage we carry... elements of a system perhaps not at all essential to our true charism.

On the inside, human relationships – the scenario in which all charity is exercised – can become so minutely regulated by rules and norms that deference to the superiors, topics of conversation, the way we think and express ourselves, the way we work together, the way we enjoy ourselves and relax together make one wonder if it is all really charity or just self-preservation in an setting where uniformity is by far the safest option. By the same token, true friendship, open dialogue, candor and caring for the guy in the cassock next to you are suspect. At times, no matter how many smiling faces surround you, a Legionary community can be an extremely lonely place, indeed.

On the outside, the LCs are primed to cultivate leaders, recruit people for specific works or needs of the Congregation, implement a methodology regardless of the reality they confront, put efficiency above all else and pile up numbers.

There is inarguable merit to our intensity, our focus, our organizational prowess, our method, our work ethic and our insistence on fruitful results. I do not advocate a less demanding apostolate. But, again, charity is often the unnoticed casualty of the campaign.

Who among us has never overlooked souls placed in our path because we were too intent upon catching the ‘bigger fish’? Are the works we ostensibly dedicate to helping the poor ends in themselves or means to other goals? Have none of us ever observed the stampede of LCs that want to be present at the ‘important’ wedding, funeral, baptism or whatever... while finding time for confessions or spiritual direction or hospital visits to the ‘less notable’ is a real chore? Do we worry as much about the people (the people!) we serve through our apostolates as we do about the work itself or the image we project? Do we stick our necks out for our people, take the necessary risks for them... or drop them like hot tamales as soon as we perceive some inconvenience or shadow of disfavor? Is charity always the unadulterated finality of our pastoral efforts or are we out there trying to impress the superiors, hold on to our place or our job, make a name for ourselves because that is what the system expects of us...?

OK. Enough. But I insist that I be correctly understood: the LCs do and have done incalculable good to thousands upon thousands of people. The spirit of outreach, enthusiasm and sacrifice that characterizes our Congregation has been an injection of life and hope for the Church wherever the LC is present.

What I’m saying specifically regards the definition of our charism. I would not glibly and bluntly respond “Charity!” to the question I began this post with. There is pressure exerted by institutional aspects of LC life on the virtue of charity that merits reflection and analysis. We should not fear this task. The Holy See has already given us a push in this direction. In the end, charity will and must be the most vivid and lasting expression of all we are as priests and not simply a shiny veneer held in place by rules and norms."


From changobeer

Real men from the past II

Saul Barrales, on the left, "Brother Charity", tried to prevent brothers from entering Maciel's room at night. He opposed Maciel's drug abuse; Maciel purposely delayed his ordination and sent him in "on a special mission" to the Canary Islands.
On the right, Francisco Gonzalez Parga, a victim of the Founder, and his wife Esther.

Again, thank you P., for the photo.

Real men from the past I

From the history of the Legion: Carlos de la Isla. He is a real person with a real story, and it may differ from how the Founder recalled it for us.

Photo credit to P.

What does a Legion degree imply?

A debate with comments on Life After RC Blog

"Interestingly, in most Mexican universities, you have to do six months of social work to get your degree. But graduates from Anahuac are forced to get 18 donations for the Legionarios before they receive their degree. Now I must be a cynic to point out that this sounds both unethical and self-serving, but then I'm one of those disgruntled ex-members that must be an enemy of the Church to think such things."

I cannot vouch for the statement, but I can vouch for the blog. It is dependable.
Click here to read the comments feel free to comment here, too.

Yee-Haw: Legion corrals folks back to mass

1-April--2008 -- Catholic News Agency
American Bishops to Initiate new “Howdy Pardner!” campaign
Baltimore, MD, April 1, 2008 (CNA).- In an effort to draw more and diverse people back to attendance at Mass the American Church has kicked off its new “Howdy Pardner!” campaign designed to entice the unfaithful into becoming the Faithful.
“We feel this is a good way to draw in the shy, the needy, the dissolute, and the fence sitters,” said Cardinal Zbigniew “Red” Myxyzyplk. “People really enjoy a good hoe-down and that sort of countrified atmosphere will bring plenty of good ol fashioned folksiness and downright rustic charm to what some perceive as a bit of a bore.”
Attendance at Masses has been on the decline and lately has dropped significantly after the disastrous “Conquest” campaign designed at impressing young boys with the manliness of parish priests.
“We feel that the ‘Howdy Pardner!’ campaign with its rusticity and appeal to the American spirit of the old west is just the thing. Banners, songs, dances, cattle rustling, these are all things that just scream out ‘American’,” said Father Anthony “PoleCat” Bannon.


Benedict XVI in Western attire.

Bannon also added that cowboys really appeal to young men and showed the more rugged and masculine side of the Church thus offering more appeal than the plain, unadorned black cloth worn by most priests and the predictable settings of the Mass.
“Make sure to put in that exclamation mark,” laughed Bannon.
In addition to banners and television spots, the campaign will also include new rawhide covers for altars and vestments resembling chaps to be worn on high holy days during the year.
When asked why they chose this angle for improving attendance, the bishops responded that prior campaigns just didn’t seem to be going anywhere. “Folks just don’t seem to want what the Church has to offer,” said Father “Chip” Heymdal, bishop of French Lick, IN. “Nor can we remain stuck in the past. The Church is about change. What more people could want is beyond me.”
“We feel that with some good beans, a bit of toe-tapping fiddle playing, and some friendly hand shaking and ass smacking the Mass could really be improved,” said Archbishop Reginald “Slim” Hsu. “The new program should be a rip snorting success.”
Kicking off the program will be the new Missa Ghost Riders in the Sky composed by noted modern liturgical composer Vira Lipschitz. With its vigorous setting of the Kyrie eleison to the tune of Rossini’s “William Tell Overture”, the moving Sanctus/Benedictus which employs a bull whip, clinking spurs, and a dried rattlesnake rattle, and of course the Ghost Riders in the Sky Agnus Dei, Lipschitz’ composition promises to be a darn tootin’ rustler’s rhapsody.
“I’m proud as hell about this work and no side windin’ horn swagglin’ freeloadin’ crocker croaker is gonna steal my butter bin!” said Lipschitz in a brief but energetic interview.
Participants in the Mass which will be held at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Saddlesoap in Poughkeepsie, NY will enjoy a genuine lassoing competition by the local pastor and the deacon prior to the consecration followed by a do-se-do to build community, while at the conclusion of Mass a real honest to Betsy pie and donut eating competition will be held in the basement of the Church.
“If this don’t bring in them unbelievers, and maybe some lazy Z believers too, nothing will,” said Rev. Frederick “Buffalo Busting” Meeks.


Thanks R. and the gang for this one.