RI records show inner workings of Legion of Christ

Associated Press ^ | February 15, 2013 | MICHELLE R. SMITH

[Lera]

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP)

Documents detailing the dubious fundraising practices of a disgraced Roman Catholic religious order called the Legion of Christ were released to the public Friday, showing how the organization took control of an elderly woman's finances and persuaded her to bequeath it $60 million.

[sitetest]

Dear mgist,

“You are slandering an entire movement of human beings, most of whom have never met Maciel.”

The only one doing any slandering is you of me. ;-)

I'm reporting what I've personally known, and I'm expressing the view that it is perfectly reasonable to report on a current court case involving accusations of $60 million of fraud, etc.

I'm also stating the fact that the Vatican found it necessary to change a fundamental practice of the organization that, in large part, led to its corruption.

With regard to Penn State, not sure why you're so obsessed, but your statements here are false. The fact is that a number of the witnesses of been the subject of headlines. Maybe you just haven't been paying attention, or maybe you're trying to say something else and not expressing it well.

“The Legionares are located all over the world. Maciel was from Mexico, not the US.”

And yet, the corruption has been evident here in the United States. I related to you an incident of moral turpitude IN MY OWN PARISH, which is some thousands of miles away from Mexico.”

“Maciel was taken out of service in 2006,...”

Yes, a mere seven years ago, after decades and decades of abuse. You have said that this is all "old news" (although the current court case is actually CURRENT news), and all the evil things happened decades ago. But that's not true. The fact is, it's less than a decade since Maciel was caught in the act.

“...by Benedict who's legacy is being tarnished by deceptive associations being made.”

Not by me. In fact, I could readily interpret your bringing this up in the context of our conversation as an attempt to further smear and slander me.

“The Legionares were investigated and cleared of wrong doing.”

This is contradicted by your next sentence:

“They were told to change certain practices that weren't aligned with the church, so what.”

The practices they were forced to change were inherently damaging and corrupting. And you say, “so what”?? Wow. There is little to be said to someone so callous toward the harm done by these folks.

“Steal young boys, and destroy marriages? Where did you read that, the fake National Catholic Reporter funded by Soros?”

First, I didn't say, "destroy marriages," I said "encouraged disharmony in marriages" and "damaged marriages." Please stop slandering me. I didn't need to read it anywhere. I saw it with my own eyes. So, who am I going to believe, you, or my lyin’ eyes?? LOL.

“Now your saying that these families, also victims of betrayal from a man they never knew, should repent for their crimes, of stealing boys, money, and destroying marriages?”

I was personally betrayed by a Regnum Christi couple, one whom I previously held in great admiration and respect. How much were they victim? How much were they victimizer? I don't know. I'd guess at least some of each. I mean, heck, I assume they had free will, moral agency. Thus, they chose to lie to me, chose to cover up relevant facts to me, to my pastor, to the families of the young children they tried to help ensnare.

But I imagine that their RC and LC superiors told them to do it, and having swallowed, hook, line and sinker, the practice of absolutely not criticizing (and therefore questioning) one’s superiors, they believed they were morally obligated to deceive me, my wife, my pastor, and all the families of our parish.

But I can't look into their hearts and figure out their actual culpability. I can only observe that what they DID, their actual BEHAVIOR, was gravely evil, immoral, and blameworthy.

“My friends who have helped me become a better person through their examples are now criminals who stole $60 million donation?”

Where did I say that everyone in the LC stole the $60 million? I said the LC AS AN ORGANIZATION stole it. Which they did. Which is why the ORGANIZATION is subject to suit over it.

“Wisdom 1:11 Therefore guard against profitless grumbling, and from calumny* withhold your tongues; For a stealthy utterance will not go unpunished, and a lying mouth destroys the soul.”

This is the last resort of Catholics who are guilty or who are covering up for the guilty. For years, I've been very careful not to calumniate folks in the hierarchy. For years, even with the LC, even when I saw them doing evil things, I held my tongue.

And for decades upon decades upon decades, many in the hierarchy (and in the LC) have ABUSED ordinary Catholics like me, KNOWING OUR CARE AND SOLICITUDE in these matters, and KNEW THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH ABUSE AFTER ABUSE, CRIME AFTER CRIME, EVIL AFTER EVIL, because we ordinary Catholics try so hard not to speak evil against them.

I would say to myself, “Even if it's true, is it not the sin of detraction to publicize these sins and crimes? Even if it's true, is it necessary to say it?”

Well, I'd think that ANY CATHOLIC WITH A BRAIN would realize after the scandals and cover-ups and scandals and cover-ups, the stupidity and gross negligence of over 2/3 of the men who were bishops through that grotesque period, and the absolute criminality of a few of them, that ANY TIME WE KNOW OF SERIOUS INTERPERSONAL WRONGDOING OF A HIERARCH - FROM DEACON TO CARDINAL, IT IS AN ABSOLUTE MORAL NECESSITY TO EXPOSE HIM!

Because, let's face it, the last half-century has taught us nothing if we have not learned that these men are, like most of us, moral mediocrities, and are not to be trusted to clean up their own acts, or the acts of those other hierarchs who are in their charge.

sitetest