Letter written by the Late Fr. Peter Cronin regarding his take on the Legion of Christ.

I am a Catholic priest, the pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church, a large Catholic parish in Silver Spring MD, just outside Washington D.C. Last week I was in Ireland for a wedding and heard some comments on your radio program concerning the Legion of Christ. This got my attention as I spent a long period of time in the order, from 1965 to 1985.

In 1965 at the tender age of 16 I finished the Leaving Certificate at Drimnagh Castle and, with some 20 others, joined the Legionaries who were then at Belgard Castle in Clondalkin.

The postulancy ran through the summer months after which we entered the novitiate (two years) and then took our religious vows. I was sent to Salamanca in Spain for a year to study the classics and Spanish and from there to Rome for studies of philosophy. After three years in Rome I was assigned to the Irish Institute, a Legionary school in Mexico, where I worked from 1971 to 1975. I then returned to Rome and studied theology for the next three years. In 1979 I was assigned to the novitiate in Connecticut where I continued working at the novitiate until the summer of 1985 when I left the Legionaries of Christ. I am now a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington.

The question at the center of the discussion I heard on your program seemed to be whether the Legion was a religious order in the normal sense of the word or a sect. In my own experience the order combines elements of both realities . It is an extremely conservative order which has modeled the formation program for its students on the early Jesuits and much of its apostolate is copied from Opus Dei. It has a Constitution and Rules, specific apostolates and activities such as other order have.

At the same time the Legion uses many of the strategies and policies more characteristic of sects or cults and in this it parts company with mainstream religious congregations of the Church. Let me give some examples.

1.

The order has the most high-powered recruiting program known to the Catholic Church. Numbers of recruits are important, seen as proof of the validity of the Legion and a way of impressing authorities in the Church. However, the screening process is minimal, and there is no true discernment of a vocation, of whether this way of life is good or healthy for the given individual. The good – human, psychological or spiritual – of the candidate is never a consideration. Everybody has a vocation to the Legion until the Legion decides otherwise. Once the order gains access to a young person, all its powers of persuasion and attraction are trained on the unwitting target.

2.

The Legion recruits many young people, the younger the better, in their mid teens for the novitiate, even earlier for their Vocation Centers. In these schools boys as young as 11 and 12 are influenced and guided toward a life in the Legion. These schools exist at least in Mexico, Spain and the U.S. (Center Harbor New Hampshire). The idea is to influence the person as early as possible, to “form” that person in the spirit of the Legion so that no other influence can distort or stain his vocation and ‘legionary personality”. He must be removed from any other influence. The youthfulness and immaturity of the candidate make him vulnerable to brainwashing.

3.

Once in the order the person is subjected to the most intensive “formation” program, i.e. brainwashing. The Legion’s for this is ‘formation’. Brainwashing is brought about by a combination of different elements which influence and control the person with great effectiveness: for example, ‘spiritual direction’ and ‘confession’. Canon Law states that seminarians and religious should have complete freedom to choose a confessor and spiritual director. In the Legion that is not the case, there is no freedom at all: all Legionaries have spiritual direction and confession with their Superiors, in the novitiate, through their years of formation and even as priests. This is an aberration because it places the person completely in the control of the superior. It means that that superior who recommends or not a person for promotion to vows or orders or positions of responsibility in the order has access to the internal conscience of the person in question. Confession and spiritual direction are essentially tools in the hands of the Legion to brainwash the individuals to stay in the Legion, to convince them that they have a vocation from God to the Legion, to conform totally with the Legion and the wishes of the superiors, and a way in which the Legion gains total access to the conscience and mind of the person. Legionaries are constantly exhorted to tell the superior/ spiritual director everything , to hold back nothing, to have no secrets. Other tools of ‘brainwashing’ are the continuous series of conferences, talks,retreats,exhortations that the communities constantly receive and which repeat and reinforce the essential message.

In all this, the basic message, the bottom line, is that the members have a ‘Vocation’ to the Legion and this vocation is from God and they have received this vocation from all eternity. It is God’s will that they are in the Legion. If they are not faithful to their vocation they are endangering their eternal salvation, they risk damnation and hell. This message is a constant drumbeat throughout life in the Legion, perhaps the most consistent and all-pervasive ritornello that is communicated and repeated in many different ways.

4.

From the moment he joins, a person in the Legion of Christ is submitted to total control in everything he does, everything he says, everything he thinks. The Legion refers to this as ‘integration’ and a Legionary must strive to achieve perfect integration of behavior, of mind and of will. This means conformity with the will of the Legion in everything. He must be transformed into the legionary personality and to do this must lose his own personality. All forms and expressions of ‘individualism’ must be stamped out. this is stressed from the very beginning. However, it is done in a subtle way, very gently at first, with smile and good humor, barley noticeable to the victim.

5.

When we joined the Legion we thought it was a mainstream order like the Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits…We were deceived in that many things were not disclosed to us until a later date. There was always a shroud of secrecy – visits home, the apostolate of the Legion (Regnum Christi…). The ground was constantly shifting and changing. It would take years before we would get the full picture.

6.

The person who joins the legion is systematically separated and distanced from any other influence, especially from family, culture, the wider church and society (‘the world’). People outside the legion are referred to as ‘outsiders’, they are viewed with the utmost distrust, communication with them is monitored and usually discouraged (except when the Legion is trying to attract them for the aims of the order. Legionaries are forbidden to communicate with outsiders and must report on conversations and any dealings with people outside the order.

7.

In the Legion of Christ the individual has no privacy, either physical or psychological. He has no space of his own as the superiors enter his room without knocking, go through his room, personal effects and belongings when he is not there (and this without his knowledge). He has no time to himself as every waking moment is scheduled and intensely regimented. Members are encouraged to spy on and report on other members in a continuous way: “we must help brother John and what better way that to keep the superiors informed as they , more than anybody else, can help him…” There are rules (literally thousands of them) which direct and control every action and movement of his life (eating, drinking, walking, speaking….)

8.

The secrecy of the order towards the outside world is another sect-like trait: in the order this is referred to as ‘prudence’ or ‘discretion’ or ‘spirit of reserve’. Outsiders are seen as a threat; the members are actually forbidden to communicate with anybody outside the community without permission from the superior, and this includes family members. No information about the order – its practices, rules, customs, schedules, plans, constitutions, rulebooks – can be given to the outside. Try asking them for a copy of the Constitution, for their rulebooks, the complete edition of the letters of Fr. Maciel the manual of Regnum Christi, the Chapter document…..

9.

There is total control of communications from the outside world and the with the outside: all letters to and from the outside, including those of parents and family, are opened and read by the superiors. This is true for novices, religious, at all stages of formation, and priests. All newspapers, magazines and books are read and censored by the Superiors. There is no possibility of having a confessor, spiritual director or advisor outside the order. This is forbidden.

10.

The control of communication with the outside world is also exercised within the order and between members. Nobody can ever confide in another member in any way within the order, especially if he has a problem of any sort. He must discuss it with the superior and only the superior. There is a constant supervision, vigilance of the superior at all times. NO friendship is allowed between members.

11.

Within the order there is a total lack of dialogue, discussion, disagreement or dissent within the order. There is no room for any disagreement with the Legion. The member has to accept everything the order says without question. The motivation – every rule, every order, every idea of the Legion id divinely ordained, directly inspired by God and, therefore, unquestionable. The moment one questions a policy, a rule, a decision that person is punished and maybe even banished, sent to some out of the way place (like the missions in Quintana Roo, Mexico) where he can have no influence on others.

12.

Another sect-like trait of the order is the difficulty involved with leaving. It is extremely difficult to get out as one is constantly guided, encouraged to stay with all sorts of arguments, and one is especially saddled with a guilt complex: “you are betraying your vocation, you have a responsibility toward the souls who will be lost because of this move…” When one takes the decision to leave, he is carefully isolated from the other members of the order, by being transferred to some other house, or a campaign of rumor is spread among the other members – “be careful with Fr. Peter, he has problems….” This experience is common to all who have left: the sense of isolation and loneliness with which one leaves the Legion of Christ is terrible.

13.

Once you leave the Legion you will never hear from the order again. I spent twenty years in the Legion. since the day I left I have never heard from the order, have never received a letter, a phone call, much less an invitation to visit, or a visit from them (even though for 11 years I have lived within a few miles of their center outside Washington). I received absolutely no assistance or support to relocate to another diocese, no help toward continuing in the priesthood, absolutely no interest in me as a person nor as a priest. For twenty years the Legion had been my ‘life’, my ‘family’, my ‘world’, but from the moment I stepped out their door on July 27 1985 I never again heard from them. I came to this diocese directly against their wishes and getting the necessary documents to incardinate officially here was very difficult. Leaving the order is the only way one can disagree with the Legion and the Legion takes it as an insult or a rejection.

This started out as a brief email message but once I started the floodgates opened. I have taken a long time to get my life together but now feel that I have the Legion of Christ out of my system, it is a thing of the past. About five years ago I started a “Network” of former member of the order which has grown to thirty – some priests, former priests and others who spent a few years in the order as students. There is a similar network in Spain. We communicate a couple of times each year, many of us get together here or in Ireland and are able to share experiences, stories, even ‘funny incidents’ (to steal a Paddy Crosby phrase!) A movie could be made of some of the escape routes and strategies and the survival stories. I often refer to my former parish in Bethesda MD as our ‘underground railroad’ as the former pastor (Msgr. James Reddy, an Irishman now deceased) was most welcoming and supportive to several priests as they were leaving the Legion and transitioning to a new life). Many people were deep hurt in the process of leaving the Legion and take years to recover. From me leaving the Legion was my ‘exodus’, the liberation in which I experienced strength and presence of the Holy Spirit. Happily, our Network has been able to help others who are leaving or who had just left.

-- James Xlc (James_xwing@hotmail.com), November 12, 2002

Answers

Catholic friends [which does not include "James Xlc"],

To get the facts about the Legion of Christ, please visit their main Internet site.

To read a page (and take its links) debunking some of the lies that the devil is trying to spread about this beautiful order, please visit this auxiliary site.

An atttempt has been made to inform the Legionaries of the despicable opening message of this thread. If contact was successful, I believe that they will send a representative to stop in and refute the falsehoods that have been posted above. I could point out some of the more obvious stupidities myself, but I will wait to see if someone from the LC drops by and takes care of the whole job.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 13, 2002.

This message is being left for the expected representative of the Legion of Christ:
When you have finished replying to this thread, please click here to visit (and set right) another slur-filled heap of garbage left by "James Xlc."
Thanks. JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 13, 2002.

Thanks Mr. Gecik for the link. As a Mexican, I have never heard of the Legionnaires. Now I have an idea of who they are. Mr. James is entitled to express his feelings because he was part of that order. He shed some light on that order.Neither you or me belonged to that order. Just because father Maciel has a good reputation with the Popes means that dissent or openness is allowed within his order. Jesus never put a gag order on his disciples. Paul argued with Peter( see Galatians), with Barnabas (see Acts), and the disciples of James (see galatians). James in his letter and Peter in his letter allude to Paul and his writings. I think Getting the point of view of the Legionnaires will be good for clarification and conversation.

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonzalez@srla.org), November 13, 2002.

Hi John Gecik,

Are you a member of the Regnum Cristi? You appear to be well informed of the pro legion propaganda. I didn't write the above, this came from the pen of Fr. Peter Cronin now R.I.P., there also exists many copies of an interview which he gave on Irish National Radion a few years back, where he says exactly what he has said in the letter above, in fact the letter above was sent to Pat Kenny the aforementioned Radio Show Host. You can touch base with his office if you don't believe me. www.rte.ie

Elpidio, I'm surprised that you have never heard of the legion, you being Mexican. You mustn't live in DF, where they are called the Millionaries of Christ, I used to feel so insulted with this name being a zealous member but now I realize that was probably the most applicable name for them. They have many schools in MX and even a few Universities these days.

-- James Xwing (james_xwing@hotmail.com), November 14, 2002.

For all the information you every wanted to know on the legionaries of Christ, with links to both the official legionary party sites and to sites of those who beg to differ.

http://www.geocities.com/whorlegionairesofchrist/

Ignorant people Believe all they are told, Educated people question what they are told! The truth will set you free.

God Bless

-- James Xwing (james_xwing@hotmail.com), November 15, 2002.

If, as you say, James, the "truth will set you free," then you can probably write an autobiography describing your current condition of slavery. You don't seem to have an ounce of truth in your cranium.

Don't insult me, please, by telling me that you didn't write the opening text. I was capable of reading your first sentence: "Letter written by the Late Fr. Peter Cronin regarding his take on the Legion of Christ." What you have done here is to leave garbage. You have made no positive contribution to the forum.

May God bless you with light, that you may emerge from your darkness of ignorance.
John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 15, 2002.

This is a very disturbing brand of loyalty.

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), November 17, 2002.

John,

I should have annotated it better for you.

The very first line is mine the rest my friend is Fr. Peter Cronin's view of the legion.

If you don't believe me just go to www.rte.ie find Pat Kenny and enquire if this matches the statement made to him on public Radio in Ireland. There are also tapes of this interview covering all the points made in his letter.

This is a copy of the letter which Fr. Peter Cronin R.I.P. sent to the aforementioned radio host.

I only wish that I was as capable and as far seeing as Peter in seeing the legion for what it was. I don't think I could ever put such a magnificient summary together.

God Bless John

-- James Xwing (james_xwing@hotmail.com), November 17, 2002.

I knew Fr. Peter Cronin personally, and doubt sincerely that he wrote this letter. As James fails to mention, Fr. Peter is now deceased. The writing is not that of the imbecile James, suggesting to me a broader conspiracy of hatred and contempt towards a most highly favored religious order of Catholic Church, and personal favorite of his holiness, John Paul II. For the record, James Xwing, aka JamesXXLcubed has flooded the internet with juvenile, lou-room diatribes against this beautiful religious order. I have heard comments from his ex-classmates, now disenfranchised from the Legionaries of Christ themselves, who quickly point out that James was excused from two different seminaries. His accusations put him personally in three different decades, with many and varied screen names. His former confreres howled with laughter, as he is remembered as a nave, pathological liar, by them. His otherwise sensitive former classmates are quick to point out that James, who cannot seperate reality from fiction, believed himself to be "Luke" of Star Wars fame, and this all would be funny, were it not for the obvious damage James intends to do to the Legion of Christ.

-- Buttinzki (Buttinzki@aol.com), November 28, 2002.

Thank you, Buttinzki!

I knew that, if we were patient, the truth would gradually be revealed. This team of ne'er-do-wells is in the devil's employ (or at least candidates for the looney bin).

God bless you.
John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 30, 2002.

Well now I'm really, really confused... because now I have no idea who to blame for taking 40% out of my paycheck.

j/k... =)

-- Emerald (emerald@cox.net), November 30, 2002.

Check out this Message board http://www.exseminarians.com/posts/messageboard2.cfm if you want to see Buttinski's darker side, It is similar to hear, but I don't spend too much time there anymore because of the ridiculous attitudes of people. He has different names, but they all end with Buttinski.

-- Andrew Boyd (andrewboyd100@hotmail.com), November 30, 2002.

Definitely recommend AGAINST any decent soul from this forum going to the site linked by Andrew.

The name alone ("exseminarians.com") provided a warning that there might be a pack of angry young men there, licking their wounds, insulting the world and each other. And that is exactly what one finds -- some of the most disedifying garbage (outside of porn) on the Internet. If you do go to this site, you will thank heaven that the guys there are EX-seminarians (not current ones and not priests).

-- (SpareUs@O.Lord), December 03, 2002.

I enjoyed the deceased priest's memoir. All the repressive stuff I experienced but in another order. I wrote a book about it. See below:

Subject: Catholic Church Priest Training (Seminary), of the 50’s, 60’s

Submitted by: Acorn Publishing, A Division of Development Initiatives

Contact: Doreen Skardarasy, Editor (269-962-8184 or Toll-Free 877-700-2219)

Date: June, 2003

Book: CARNEYVILLE: A Young Man’s Journey Through the Old Catholic Seminary

Author: Jim Murphy

CARNEYVILLE is a new controversial novel recounting the memories of Patrick Kelly of his eight years in a strict Catholic seminary. He recalls deviant priests who had reputations for victimizing youth. Kelly speculates about the deep and multi-faceted psychodynamics of sexual abuse by priests and the enabling institutional factors that permitted this evil to become so pervasive and long-lasting.

The thrust of the book is on the young man’s memory of those times, those factors of belief and expectation that he brought into that experience, his bitter disillusionment and his eventual turning away after eight years.

The narrative is at times irreverent, an obvious channel of great anger toward the Church for the writer, but it takes our now-aging author to task as well, and, although he is not saved in the traditional Christian sense, he is at peace with that chapter of his life.

The Reverend David Hagan, OSFS, a priest for over 30 years in Philadelphia’s tough North Philadelphia neighborhoods and a cinematic figure in The Hank Gathers Story remarked, “I couldn’t put it down. It brought back all those bleak days of repressive training. I marvel at how many memories Murphy explores from his current vantage of seeking meaning in those challenging events to which our ideals and fervor for holy service brought us.

$16.95 US Additional information and ordering is available at http://www.acornpublishing.com or by contacting the publisher directly: editor@acornpublishing.com or toll-free: 877-700-2219 or visit: http://carneyville.com Commission available on sales for your organization. Inquire about complementary book for review by your magazine or website.

-- Jim Murphy (MurphyJ1@prodigy.net), July 11, 2003.

Dear Spare us O Lord,

I'm sure the legion would also agree with your recommendation. However the truth is out there waiting to be discovered for anyone that is willing to look for it.

God Bless,

James

-- James Xwing (james_xwing@hotmail.com), July 21, 2003.

Moderator,

This helps you to see how our poor little forum is forced to suffer.

I just came to the "Recent Answers" page and was surprised to see the very large number of threads with today's date on them. On closer inspection, though, I saw what was wrong. One of the forum's former "personae non gratae" (James Xwing) came back today to trash SEVEN -- count 'em, SEVEN -- old threads related to the Legionaries of Christ.

By the way, some, if not all of these threads, were illegitimately started to begin with. Prior to the coming of those who live for no reason other than to bash tribunals, the forum had an infestation of those who live for no reason other than to bash the Legionaries.

So, no sooner does the forum begin to benefit by the banning (or voluntary departure) of some trouble-makers, than others come along to take their place and disrupt the peace that wanted to take root.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), July 21, 2003.

"However the truth is out there waiting to be discovered for anyone that is willing to look for it." What is this James? Feels like i'm watching Xfiles or something.

-- chris (suter32@hotmail.com), July 23, 2003.

For more information about the Legion, go to

http://www.regainnetwork.org

THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE

-- Anonymous (anon@noreply.com), July 25, 2003.

If the truth shall set you free, don't go to Regain!

If you want to know what someone is like who do you turn to? The person himself, or his worst enemy? Who would have a better grasp on reality? You want to know something about God? Don't seek guidance from atheists or satanists.

You want to know what Bill Clinton stands for? Read his own words and follow the clear record of his actions. Ditto for republicans...

Reading what declared enemies have to say about their opponent is not the same thing as "getting the truth" of a matter.

If you want to make an intelligent decision about the Legion, go to their own website: www.legionofchrist.org

If they're so bad, it'll be apparent. If they're good, it'll also be apparent.

Ask yourself: if they're so bad, why are so many of their men so good? Why does the Pope say so many good things about them, and not just recently, but has been doing so for 2 decades... why do so many other cardinals and bishops praise them as well?

Ask yourself why virtually the whole contingent of faithful lay Catholic leaders, and other congregations and movements also say good things about them?

Why is it that those who hate them also hate the Pope, Catholic morality and dissent from other Catholic teaching?

Why do their opponents accuse them of terrible things...WITHOUT PROOF?

-- Withheld 2 (Withheld@yahoo.com), July 25, 2003.

Yes go to regain only if you want to hear from disgruntled, self righteous exLC's who consider their discernment of not having an LC vocation to be a personal attack. One which they are unable to let go of.

-- Chris (suter32@hotmail.com), July 25, 2003.

My family has experienced the Legionairies of Christ since 1988. They came to visit us being recommended by those who found us to have two sons. Fr. Kermit and his associate came by invitation to us and ate dinner and visited our home. At the time our oldest son was 12 years old and our younger son was 6 years old. At the end of the visit Fr. Kermit determined that our older son was not, "priest material", but saw something in our 6 year old that may come to fruit. During the next six years we would be encountering not only the Legionairies but their lay apostles, called the Regnum Christi. I married a, 'cradle catholic', I had converted to the catholic church only a few months prior to the visit of Fr. Kermit. I was on fire with my new found faith, and blinded by the conservative aspects that Fr. Kermit had impressed upon us regarding his organization. My husband was more consious of this group. He and my spiritual director were, 'dragging their feet' taking a wait and see attitude toward them. I on the other hand had only trust and longing to find the true way to God. Over the next six years we sould encounter these folks at many catholic conferences, and events. They would call and invite our daughters to summer camp. Our oldest daughter went to Rhode Island, the Regnum Christi lay group held a summer camp. They went on an outing to the beach, and our daughter had to run to the ladies room, neglecting to make eye contact with the driver of the van she had ridden in and both van's left headed back to the school, an hour away. Our daughter phoned in a panic and I asked her to find a guard or someone in uniform. She found a park ranger, I explained the situation and would call back after reaching the school. The vans had just arrived back at the school and did not even notice that my daughter was missing. The retrieved her, and she was completely freaked out, demanding to return home. They did return her home. Our younger daughter went to the summer camp the next year, because our older daughter said she regretted demanding to be returned home. So not wanting to give up on what we thought to be a wonderful, holy, conservative group. Mistakes happen and our older daughter had enjoyed the stay at the camp. Our youngest daughter was not able to stay at the school for whatever reason that year they had to stay at another location. She wanted very much to stay there and the lay women couldn't convince me to bring her home early. They would call and tell me that she was not working out as they had hoped and I kept explaining that she really wanted to stay. I worked full time and got home after work to check my answering machine and had a message from Regnum Christi lay-woman telling me what flight and time of arrival my 13 yr. old daughter was on. I rushed to the airport where I found her waiting for hours. I dread to think what would have happened had I not checked my messages. I was outraged, and when we got home, I got a phone call from our younger daughter's best friend's (from the summer camp) mother, who lived in St. Louis, Missouri. She was looking for her daughter who was supposed to be en route to Colorado and a retreat with Fr. Ken Robert's and had no idea where she was. She did locate her much later.

We had attended a Couple to Couple League conference at Creighton University and there they were again. Our youngest son had been involved with some savory characters in the neighborhood and had a job delivering newspapers. He had been serving mass faithfully since he was four yrs. old alongside my husband and older son. We all felt that he truly had a vocation to the priesthood. I wanted desperately to get him away from the influence of these bad kids. The legionairies had invited him (now age 12)to New Hampshire for summer camp. I told him that if he wanted to go he had to earn the plane fare. He worked hard and earned enough for a one way trip. He loved all the activities and Lake Winnepesaki and decided that this was the place he wanted to go to school. He was not concerned about staying there until Christmas. I was so very proud of him, how independent and trusting he was. He wrote us every Sunday, I still have all the letters. His handwriting got very small and he began each letter with a salutation, "Dear Mrs. Damasauskas". I scolded him over the phone about being disrespectful, by addressing me like that. He began adding to that salutation, "Dear Mom in Christ". When we talked on the phone he spoke like he was being monitored.

Our pastor, Fr. Peter who had been my spiritual director and family friend, confessor to us all and mentor to our youngest son in his vocation, died, on New Years eve, after hearing confessions. He suffered a heart attack. The Legion would not let our son return for the funeral. We were all so very upset about this and so was our son.

There were many events that I neglected to put together because I was looking through rose-colored glasses. He was there two years. The second year the Legionairies provided airplane tickets, "compliments of benefactors", so we could visit during the Mother's Day week-end that they had included the boy's confirmation. My younger daughter (who was pregnant in her seventh month out of wedlock) and I went. We found him and all the other boys hauling huge rocks in wheelbarrels to and from a construction site, on school property. They were wearing their burgandy sweaters and dress slacks, not casual clothes. They had a wonderful confirmation event at the local church. There was food and celebration and concert provided by the students. We spent the weekend with our son's best friend. His parents were pro-abortion. The school had forbaid us to inspect the living quarter's, but after the events were done, we were given the afternoon to do as we liked...so after everyone left I and the other set of parents inspected the living quarters. The entire upstairs was filled with bunk beds clad with the same blue bed spreads, very neat and tidy. My son's bed was just in from the stairs coming from the main floor. There was no railing to protect the stairs. My son has always walked and talked in his sleep and still does. This was very alarming to me. The bed and breakfast place where we stayed had four other families staying there and the Regnum Christi girls were there, too. Many things bothered me about the weekend, but nothing I could put my finger on and say, "AHA!!! This is bad, or wrong." So we returned home and discussed and prayed and prayed and waited for our son to come home to visit for the summer visit, (4 days). He came in June and I went to pick him up at the airport. You must know that I had not and my husband had not yet made up our minds as to whether he would stay or go away from the school. We would use this time to decide. The moment he stepped off the plane and spotted me waiting, he started in with an attitude combined with disdain. He was outraged and acusatory. "There was nothing that we could say or do to make him stay home and that he would absolutely return to New Hampshire!!!" He was fourteen years old.

We tried desperately during the entire visit to get him to visit family and friends, but he wanted to stay home and not go out. He thought if he visited his old friends that he would lose his vocation. He kept to himself and remained unemotional, except when the subject of going back to school came up and he would enrage. I canceled his return ticket and called Fr. Steffey the principal the day he was supposed to return. Fr. Steffey was mimicking the same outrage and fury that our son had been demonstrating since he arrived. I let Fr. Steffey vent and when I was able to respond to a more calm person, I told him that of our decision. We believed that our son needed to be home, nourchered by family and when he came of aage he could return to them, only if he decided. Fr. Steffey said that when the boys left them they NEVER returned.

I have since then met many other families that have experienced the nightmare the is called, Legionairies of Christ/Regnum Christi.

-- Teresa Damasauskas (talkwithteresa@msn.com), November 21, 2003.

Your daughter missed a van ride and had to wait a couple of hours at an airport? They didn't put up a special railing in your son's dorm? Did you tell them about his sleepwalking problem? And he later became withdrawn and hostile? Possibly caused by something that happened to him while he was away? Teenagers commonly experience emotional problems. Did you investigate the source of the problem? Seek professional guidance? I'm trying to find "the nightmare that is called Legionairies of Christ" in your story, but everything I read there sounds like pretty ordinary events to me, that could happen to any kid away from home.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 21, 2003.

Thanks for your eloquent testimony showing how balanced and thoughtful the legionaries are with families:

Your daughter had only to ask and she was immediately sent home - on their bill, because she demanded it. Doesn't sound like a group that is eager to recruit people "just to boost numbers" or try to kidnap impressionable kids to me.

Your next daughter was also handled with care, consideration, and respect...but despite wanting to stay, was told to go home - again that sounds like a group that isn't interested in numbers or recruiting girls at all cost, but in finding girls who fit in and have that type of vocation. They seemed more interested in discerning what was good for your daughter than she or you were - you went with feelings, they went with reasons. Again they sound fine to me.

Then we come to your youngest son - the one you overlooked as possibly having a priestly vocation at all! So... you were sure your older boy had a priestly vocation, but that your younger boy didn't....but then YOU YOURSELF suggest he check out the school to save him from bad neighborhood boys!

You say he worked hard for the money to go there, visited, loved it and wanted to stay.... and apparently stayed for a while. It's basic 101 logic that says this kind of build up and parental support will focus a young boys mind on some goal in an existential way: he got your permission, support, made it his own by funding his own way, and when he got there, loved it. Bravo mom!

But then the one problem you had was again emotional - your feelings of what they should do with respect to flying him home for a funeral... I don't suppose you read rules on this, or signed waivers about these rules... I don't suppose - since they paid for both your daughter's airfares as well as your own (!) that you thought they'd have financial problems flying your son home on short notice...but again, see how basically an emotional issue is transformed into a reason against a whole group of people?

You got your son involved in a seminary but then you changed YOUR mind, apparently without easing it on him or explaining...You think his phone calls were monitored? What do other boys' parents say? Or was it the change a minor seminary environment would naturally provoke in a young Catholic's manner and speaking habits? What did you expect him to sound like? For that matter, what kinds of expectations were you projecting on this youngest son of yours?

According to you, you just dropped the bomb of your decision to keep him home as soon as he arrived "to visit" - and you wonder why he "had an attitude"? Imagine that, a 14 year old boy with an attitude! Wow. I guess teens who go to schools to please their moms, fall in love with the place and begin to really believe they might have a priestly vocation are supposed to feel hunky-dory when they're commanded to do a 180 degree turn and leave the seminary?

What kind of lesson did you teach your son? That he can't have a priestly vocation because YOU think his elder brother did? Or that what he wants in life doesn't matter - because your emotional feelings were upset?

Look lady, it's one thing to have misgivings. It's another to decide on the basis of FEELINGS that your son couldn't possibly have a vocation, and that the school he loved so much must somehow be weird and bad because "your feelings say so".

We've been given minds to use them - guts or "the heart" are not the organ used when making life changing decisions. Jesus didn't tell his disciples to just "follow your heart...what do your feelings tell you?". No, he said, "Let the dead bury their dead, you follow me!" He spoke about being the "way, the truth, the life" - something pretty serious and something taken to prayer and contemplation: both of which are intellectual, not emotional pursuits.

The priesthood is a serious vocation - it's not for the faint of heart or for those prone to running their lives on the basis of feelings and passions. Maybe your son does have a priestly calling. But how's he ever going to find out if you keep driving him into things only to pull him out after you get misgivings based on feelings rather than something substantial?

I hope to God that he and you and all your kids don't run away from the faith or piety or the sacraments or a life of grace just because others don't seem perfect or perfectly cater to your emotional whimsy. That kind of "cut and run" attitude ruins marriages and businesses - especially when based on emotion rather than reasons.

-- John (anonymous@yahoo.com), November 21, 2003.

I would like to suggest to anyone reading these lies to look into the Regnum Christi movement at the root...by reading "Christ is my Life" by the very holy FOUNDER Fr. Marcial Maciel. May God Bless you and open your hearts to see the truth in this Holy Spirit inspired movement of the church. There are many different movements of the church they all act like a bouquet of flowers...each movement representing a flower to make up the beautiful bouquet of the Catholic Church. Regnum Christi represents one of the flowers...none of the movements in the Catholic church are intended to pit against each other rather help build the church in many different areas. I am sorry for any misconseptions about the Regnum Christi movement that any of you may have from reading these lies. Speak to any consecrated member or Legionnaire Priest or ANY Regnum Christi Lay member and you will clearly see the truth about us!

-- Anonymous (anonymous@joyfulrcmember.com), December 09, 2003.

I spent a wonderful 3 and a half years in the Legion. 2 years in Connecticut, 1 in Salamanca and a few months in Rome. Right until the end of my time with them I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and fulfillment in being part of something with such an amazing mission and so rich a spirituality.

What attracted me to the Legion in the first place was that it stuck with the Church, not to the left or to the right - just with the Church. A liberal might consider the Legion as far right, in fact the congregation is actually orthodox - roughly tramslated as "on the right path".

At no time did I feel pressured to stay in the Legion when it became clearer that the Legion was not for me. Over the last few years the procedure for accepting new members has tightened considerably. Of course, no one can ever be sure that a person standing in front of them has a vocation to a particular life, but with it's new rigourous screening methods, the risk of getting it wrong is greatly reduced.

I can see how various methods of the Legion can be misunderstood but at all times the purpose of the training methods were with one goal in mind - to guide the seminarian to form himself (not to be formed) into a wonderful Christ-centered priest who is so focused on Christ and others that as a priest he will give himself totally to his calling, always putting the needs of those in his care ahead of his.

Didn't Christ himself ask us to deny ourselves and follow him? That is all the Legion is asking of its priests. A priest caught up in himself will be a useless apostle. So the legionary priest learns to sacrifice his own life in order that others will come to know and love Jesus Christ.

The interesting thing about an ex-Legionary making such negative comments about the Legion is the similarity of a divorced couple after an acrimonious breakup. Surely the view that each spouse has of the other is more than a little biased. The smallest fault that was accepted during the good years is now a major fault that has to be described in full detail complete with embellishments to all who will listen.

When I left the Legion, there was nothing but kindness and compassion for my situation. I received a beautiful letter from Fr Marcial who gave me reassurance that my years with the Legion were not wasted but had turned out to be stepping stones to the next part of my journey. Those words gave me great comfort, and even though I went through some difficult months after leaving because of the love I had developed for the Legion and my fellow seminarians, I still had those words of comfort in the back of my mind - that I had not turned my back on God's call. I had in fact been generous enough to answer his call to try the Legion, but accepted that it was not for me.

I have received Christmas cards every year for the last 10 years from my last superior and at various times from seminarians. I have had regular visits from the Territorial Director and various visiting Legionary priests who have offered support and encouragement.

I can understand there being a lot of sorrow and hurt after Fr Peter has been in the Legion so long - but nothing can excuse the distortion that he has made about the Legion. I can only pray that he 'RIP' and thank him for those words which have inspired me to think back on those wonderful years and defend the great congregation that has and will continue to influence so many lifes and bring so many to a deeper relationship with Christ.

May we learn to forgive the human errors of an organisation that has imperfect humans in it.

But like others have already said: "Check them out!" and don't rely on the divorced partner for an accurate view of the other partner.

God bless,

David

-- David Bennett (david.manu@xtra.co.nz), March 11, 2004.

I appreciate your well-written, honest and forthright letter David. It bears out what I have experienced in my dealings with the Legionaries of Christ.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), March 11, 2004.

If anyone would really like to make an informed decision about the legion then they need to read both "Christ my Life" and "Vows of Silence". Vows of silence is also available in the bookstores and paints a radically different picture of the legion's founder through the early years of the foundation.

Pax

-- pax frates (peacebrothers@hotmail.com), March 20, 2004.

What would you suggest I do? I am 17 and I recently was put in contact with a Legionairy Priest in seeking spiritual direction. I have been warned against going because of some will informed people's doubts about the legionairies religious life. I'm uncertain, I am concerned if they will be highly pressuring me to join or something like that.

-- Matt (slywakka250@msn.com), July 11, 2004.

matt,

my experience with the legion has always shown them to be very devout catholics. in your place i would go to the priest and discuss it with him. while he may advocate priestly life, you dont have to choose that path and he should help you with other paths as well, since his job is to counsel you, not recruit.

that being said, keep an open mind about the whole situation as well... more priests are needed now more than ever, and the honor of the priesthood needs to be restored.

-- paul h (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), July 12, 2004.

After reading through the posts, it makes me feel either the Legionaries are very dangerous (diabolical) or they are so good that the devil is terribly afraid and is recruiting so many people in order destroy it by false propoganda. Right now as I see, I think the latter is the truth, because it looks like the LC is snatching away so many of the youth from the world and sin.

-- Leslie John (lesliemon@hotmail.com), July 12, 2004.

my parish priest said that they don't know exactly what they are doing or they don't have their charism well-defined or something like that. I feel a spiritual director must be someone I trust absolutly, so i feel it is best If I get involved somewhere else.

-- Matt (slywakka250@msn.com), July 15, 2004.

"They don't know what they are doing? They don't have their charism well defined?" Every diocesan parish priest has a right to his opinion...but opinions ought to be INFORMED not just shoot from the hip, first impressions based on heresay or one experience!

Does this parish priest KN0W any LC priest personally? Has he ever actually asked any LC priest about the level of their spiritual understanding, training, and preparation? Has he ever asked an LC priest to explain what the charism of the LC is?

I doubt it.

It's a fact that LC priests study more and longer than diocesan ones do prior to ordination. It's also a fact that as co-founders of a new religious congregation, the type of work LCs are involved in is evolving...but the charism, the thing that makes them unique is settled. If you don't like it, fine. Lots of people don't appreciate Trappist Monks.

But don't condescendingly claim Trappists don't know much or don't know their own charism because you don't understand it!

-- anonymous (anonymous@hotmail.com), July 16, 2004.