Pope Reins In Catholic Order Tied to Abuse

[icymist]

ROME — Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday took control of the Legionaries of Christ, a powerful and wealthy Roman Catholic religious order whose founder, a close friend of Pope John Paul II, was found to have molested seminarians and fathered several children.

Pope Benedict XVIThe moves constituted the most direct action on sexual abuse since the most recent scandals have engulfed the church and prompted criticisms of the pope’s own handling of such cases as an archbishop in Munich and as a cardinal who led the body reviewing many sexual abuse charges.

In a statement on Saturday, the Vatican said that Benedict would appoint a special delegate to govern the Legionaries, an influential worldwide order that has been an important source of new ordinations in a church that has struggled with a shrinking priesthood in much of the developed world. It was founded in 1941 by a Mexican priest, the Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado. Pope Benedict also said he would appoint a special commission to examine the Legionaries’ constitution and open an investigation into the its lay affiliate, Regnum Christi.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/world/europe/02legion.html?partner=MOREOVERNEWS&ei=5040

[The Magistrate]

1. a Better Head-Line, Ma'am: Pope Picks Scape-Goat Linked To More Popular Predescessor

[icymist]

3. That, Sir, is the NYTimes headline, word for word.

Though I like yours much better.

[MisterP]

2. thing is, to even start to address the abuse he'll have to take on groups

like the Lefebvrists and the Pius X Society--and he's basically a second Pius X! these are the same groups he's reached out to while crushing the Liberationists and chasing after theologians. on the upside, he's outright criticized capitalism; on the downside, he's still Cardial Ratzinger

[provis99]

4. the Rev. Maciel is a truly evil bastard.

it shows the depth of moral degeneracy in the Church that they tolerated this monster for so long.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcial_Maciel