Vatican to Investigate Scandalized Religious Order

[moobu2]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI has taken the extraordinary step of ordering a Vatican investigation of the Legionaries of Christ, the influential, conservative religious order that has acknowledged that its founder fathered a child and molested seminarians.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the No. 2 man in the Vatican, said church leaders will visit and evaluate all seminaries, schools and other institutions run by the Legion worldwide.

Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, said in a statement made public Tuesday that the Vatican was stepping in ''so that with truth and transparency, in a climate of fraternal and constructive dialogue, you will overcome the present difficulties.''

The Legion revealed in February that its founder, the Rev. Marcial Maciel of Mexico, had fathered a daughter who is now in her 20s and lives in Spain. Maciel died in 2008 at age 87.

The disclosure caused turmoil inside the religious order and its lay affiliate, Regnum Christi. The groups teach that Maciel was a hero whose life should be studied and emulated.


NYT.com

[hobbit709]

1. So what makes them special

Plenty of scandal to go around in all parts of their church.

[Christa]

2. Rrrrright

I don't expect this to go anywhere. As long as the RCC pays out millions of dollars per year to keep the victims of sexual abuse, by the priests quiet, this will go the same way.

[olegramps]

3. He operated under the protection of Pope John Paul II

For years he had been accused of sexual abuse of over 30 young boys, use of drugs and fathering a child. John Paul II totally ignored these charges and he remained to be his close confident.

Some would like to attack Benedict, but it is the fact that Ratzinger forced this evil bastard into a life of penance and prayer in isolation. He would have tried the bastard but he was too ill by the time Ratzinger could get his hands on him. I applauded him for investigating this secret society and I hope that he disbands both Opus Dei and Legionnaires of Christ

John Paul II was a chameleon who refused to see the evil in the people who started the cults of the Legionaires of Christ and Opus Dei simply because they swore allegiance to the papacy and most especially him. As time goes on his charade will be exposed. He was a swore enemy of Pope John XXIII and Vatican II. He was an actor and not a very good one at that. The Reagan of the Vatican.