The Legion of Christ, founded by the disgraced Father Marcial Maciel has issued an apology "to all those who have been affected, wounded, or scandalized by the reprehensible actions of our founder." Reuters coverage notes that the statement is "believed to be unprecedented in the history of a Catholic religious order, [in that] the Legion disowned its founder: 'We accept that, given the gravity of his faults, we cannot take his person as a model of Christian or priestly life.'"
The statement also asked forgiveness from accusers who were previously not believed: "We ask all those who accused him in the past to forgive us, those whom we did not believe or were incapable of giving a hearing to, since at the time we could not imagine that such behavior took place." The statement says they had "thought and hoped that the accusations brought against our founder were false and unfounded, since they conflicted with our experience of him personally and his work."
The statement also...
* Said that any who cooperated in the founder's misdeeds would be held responsible: "If it turns out that anyone culpably cooperated in his misdeeds we will act according to the principles of Christian justice and charity, holding these people responsible for their actions."
* Asked for forgiveness from others: "We also ask our families, friends and benefactors to forgive us, and all other people of good will who have felt that their trust has been wounded."
* Spoke of reparation: "In addition, as members of the Mystical Body of Christ we feel the need to expiate his sins and the scandal they caused, making reparation with a Christian spirit. We ask all the members of our religious family to intensify their prayer and sacrifice."
* Expressed appreciation for the recent Apostolic Visitation (the statement indicated that the Legion will "embrace with filial obedience whatever indications and recommendations the Holy Father gives us as a result of the apostolic visitation, and we are committed to putting them into practice")
The statement also included the puzzling comment (emphasis added) that "For his own mysterious reasons, God chose Fr Maciel as an instrument to found the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi", and it thanked God "for the good he did" - although the statement admitted that "given the gravity of his faults, we cannot take his person as a model of Christian or priestly life." Commentary: Forgive one for having difficulty wrapping one's mind around the idea that God CHOSE the vow-breaking, fornicating, child abuser - who lived a 'double life', fathered children, and abused minor seminarians - to found a religious congregation bearing Christ's name. Does it not seem more reasonable to believe that He rather allowed Fr. Maciel to found it rather than actively chose the disgraced priest to found it?
For those who cite the 'precedent' of Judas, one may counter that the death of the Divine Victim was certainly in God's mysterious plan for the salvation of mankind - whereas serial child abuse & fornication are assuredly not. Besides, even if Judas had founded a religious congregation before his death, who on earth would "thank him for all the good he did" if he never publicly repented of his dreadful past deed? Surely even Judas did some good before he betrayed Christ - yet who praises that in light of what came afterwards?
Scripture repeatedly refers to Judas as a betrayer or traitor...
Mt 10:4: "Judas Iscariot who betrayed him."
Mk. 3:19: "and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him."
Jn. 18:5: "Judas his betrayer was also with them."
Mt. 10:4: "...and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him."
Lk. 6:16 "...and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor."
Etc.
Nowhere is Judas thanked for his past good works or spoken of positively. Quite the contrary, Jesus himself warns that...
Mt. 26:24: "The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born."
Furthermore, Judas' ministry (providentially?) came to an end after his betrayal - he did not continue on for years afterwards.
While we know for certain that all members of the Apostolic College were chosen directly by Christ - even if the plan was mysterious, we do not have the same certainty regarding the founder of the Legionaries. It seems there is a grave danger here of confusing God's active will with His permissive will.
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