Saturday, November 4, 2017

"Our Father" Maciel, who art in Bed: A Naive and Sentimental Dubliner in the Legion of Christ


From age 17 to 41 the author was a member of the Legion of Christ, a lesser- known but important Catholic Religious Order. Led by its charismatic Mexican Spanish-speaking leader, Fr. Marcial Maciel, who would be praised and supported by the late pope John Paul II, the Legion of Christ and its lay branch, Regnum Christi (Christ's Kingdom) have made deep inroads into the Traditional Catholic woodlands of North America, South America and Europe. This is the story of a member whose relevance may consist in being one of the very first eight Irish-born members during the foundation period, of quickly becoming bi-lingual and of knowing Fr. Maciel personally -locking horns with him on a few occasions- and in being one of the handful of members who ever verbalized doubt or criticism of the Legion while still inside. The author's skepticism re Maciel's saintliness was born out by Vatican censure of the Legion Founder in May 2006 and by subsequent revelations and interventions. Leaving this mind-controlling organization after more than 23 years was a devastating experience but Lennon was not the first or the last to leave and survive. Recovery and healing have followed those harrowing years and he is thankful to the kindness of friends and strangers, ending with a big "Thank you" to them and to Life!

Persevering, with your faith intact

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