Legion to LA?

In the LATimes, author Jason Berry give the heads up to the LA Archdiocese about various experiences with the Legionaries of Christ around the country.

Maciel's photograph hangs on the walls in Legion schools. Students revere him as a hero from the days of Mexico's anti-clerical persecutions. But Maciel was kicked out of two seminaries as a young man. No others would take him, which the official Legion history chalks up to "misunderstandings." Were it not for an uncle (a bishop who had him privately tutored), Maciel would never have become a priest.

The Legion's two dozen U.S. prep schools are mostly in affluent suburbs and function largely outside diocesan school systems. The schools are entwined with Regnum Christi, a lay group that studies the writings of Maciel and conducts extensive fundraising. Members call themselves "the Movement."

The Legion's two dozen U.S. prep schools are mostly in affluent suburbs and function largely outside diocesan school systems. The schools are entwined with Regnum Christi, a lay group that studies the writings of Maciel and conducts extensive fundraising. Members call themselves "the Movement."

The schools have had their share of controversy. In Atlanta, the archdiocese sold the Donnellan School (named after a former archbishop) to the Legion. A principal and three staffers were soon fired for "mutinous actions." One of them, a guidance counselor, had refused to give a priest information that children had shared with her in a therapeutic setting. The former principal, Angela Naples, had been sent to Rome for Regnum Christi training, which she found coercive. "You cannot shove things down people's throats," she said. The Movement leaders "spoke of Maciel like he was right up there with the pope." Naples and the three others sued, settling for a total of $375,000.

In Naples, Fla., police Det. Sgt. Dan Anderson became president of the parents club at the start-up Legion school. The parents soon clashed with Regnum Christi. "They saw blind faith, untiring devotion to the Movement, secret meetings … and [parents] did not like it," said Anderson, who removed his four children from the school. Parents researched Maciel on the Internet and connected with people in other communities who felt burned by the Regum Christi.

The Legion has its powerful clerical supporters. Sacramento Bishop William Weigand supports a Legion plan to found a university in his diocese. Atlanta's Archbishop John Donoghue, to the dismay of some of his priests, has given the Legion and Regnum Christi near carte blanche to teach catechism to Catholic kids who don't attend parochial schools.

Given the controversy associated with its founder and the history of parental unhappiness with its schools, why would Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony be receptive to the Legion of Christ? An archdiocesan spokesman called the situation "a state of preliminary conversations." But Mahony would do well to emulate Bishop James Griffin of Columbus, Ohio.

In 2002, at a parish school there, conflict arose after Regnum Christi members arranged the hiring of a new principal. Four teachers soon resigned. Parents charged that teenagers who avoided certain extracurricular activities were denied confirmation. Complaints mounted about secret meetings. One parent likened the Movement to a cult.

Griffin, who has degrees in canon and civil law, made what is called "an extraordinary visitation" to the parish and listened to all sides in the dispute. Three weeks later, he publicly banned Regnum Christi from parish property and the Legion of Christ from any role in his diocese.

Comments

[Gerard E.]

A good rule of thumb for any Catholic movement is- will it fly in Philadelphia? The Catholic Charismatic Renewal has survived almost three-and-a-half decades- limping at this point- because it proved its loyalty to the Magisterium, over and over again- without any secretive practices. More extreme movements like Regnam Christi never make it past distant Chester County. If you can't make it past the downtown folks, you can't make it here. Deo Gratias.

[Rich Leonardi]

Regnum Christi is probably the fastest-growing apostolate in the country. Its parish-based Familia catechetical organization is exploding.

My bet is that the twenty or so moms in our parish's just-begun Familia chapter have never even heard of Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

[Toni Pacitti]

My nephew/godson is enrolled at their school in Connecticut (at least I think that's where it is). I don't like it one bit. My mother-in-law was dying in the next room and he could only talk about himself and this Father Maciel. Very odd. They don't establish relationships with people but aggressively seek out potential candidates. It's like a meat market. My nephew was twelve when he enrolled. There's no question about their "vocation" - it's determined for them.

[Dave Mueller]

The more I learn about it, the less I like it. The Familia program is orthodox and I am going through it right now. They have some other good youth programs. However, as Toni says, their recruitment methods and other rules as you become more involved seem somewhat cult-like.

Apparently, the boys at the "Apostolic School" are not even supposed to TALK to girls (on the rare occasions they come in contact with them). And as Toni says, they take them young, sometimes before puberty even sets in.

My 15 year old daughter, who is herself very orthodox and traditional, went to a couple of meetings and wants nothing more to do with them.

All that said, I believe that the article Amy linked is, other than a few kernels of truth, a standard lefty trash job with not much basis in reality.

[jen]

And the specifics of the article with not much basis in reality are....what?

[Rich Leonardi]

I just re-read my post above, and I believe I've unintentionally criticized Catholic Charismatic Renewal. For that I apologize.

Familia and other Regnum Christi organizations are growing because they are filling a void. In my parish, the DRE is more concerned with scrupulously avoiding the use of masculine pronouns when describing God than actually teaching anyone the Faith.

The local leader of our Familia chapter recognized that need and is attempting to fill it--aggressively. Most of the Famila folks I've met are full of the zeal of the converted (or "reverted") but recognize the distinction between proposing and imposing the Faith.

Is it possible that one of the reasons some Catholics believe Regnum Christi to be "odd" is that evangelization, like apologetics, is such a foreign thing in the Church these days?

[Dave Mueller]

Rich,
Your local mileage may vary, but the Familia leaders locally are not always even Regnum Christi members. I led our Familia group for 2 years, and I would definitely NOT be a member. The rank and file folk who are going through the Familia program are great people, and even most of the Regnum Christi members themselves are outstanding people too.

However, Regnum Christi membership molds the members in a way that blunts, rather than improves on, the goodness these people have, IMHO.

My own general experience as well as that of many others I've talked to, is that the Regnum Christi method of evangelization consists of attempting to get you to join Regnum Christi, if they think you are a suitable member.

To be fair, as you said, they do have a lot of good parish level programs which do fill a void as far as getting the Catholic message out. Their mission as far as forming lay people is in lockstep with Vatican II. I don't wish to deny that there is a lot of good in it. However, my advice is to take the good, but keep in mind that there is a "yellow flag" posted on Regnum Christi.

[thomas tucker]

I know several staunch Regnum Christi members who are very good people. I also have had LC seminarians visit us at home and have visited some of them in Rome (the son of a good friend). Despite some positive experiences, there's something about the LC that gives me the creeps and I can't quite put my finger on why. Perhaps it's because their fundraising seems to be a vicious circle- give us money to train more LC, to go out and raise more money to train more LC, etc. I've never received anything from them in the mail or with one of their visits that wasn't acompanied by requests for more money. I'm just not comfortable with the movement although we have some friends in it.

[Rich Leonardi]

Dave and Thomas,

Thanks for your observations. I suppose I was unnecessarily conflating Regnum Christi with Familia.

Since St. Blog's "progressives" usually skip their way into these conversations to pillory organizations with a reputation for orthodoxy uncategorically, my point is that groups like Familia, Opus Dei, Regnum Christi, etc., are ensuring that Catholics are being fed.

[Julia]

Has there never been any formal answer to the charges brought in Rome by the former seminarians? They don't sound like a squirelly group to me. JPII sent a visitor to Austria right away. Why won't he investigate these charges?

What ever became of the guy in Poland who was charged of abuse by a number of former seminarians? Sounds like the same kind of run around.

All of this does not make us look very good to our secular and/or evangelical American neighbors.

I just try to avoid talking to anybody about it any more. Locally, good people in our parish actually suggested a de-frocked priest as a replacement for our departing choir director. Why do we get so ga-ga and exhibit groupie behavior around priests? It's not healthy and provides incredible cover for wrong-doing.

Several years before all this stuff in Boston came out, a gay former seminarian friend of mine said that parents are just handing their young sons over to the predator priests. Remember the song "It's Raining Men"; for previous and evidently some current Catholic predators, they can sing "It's Raining Boys" thanks to blind parents.

Sorry for this rant - but I didn't believe what my friend had told me - ha! he was really right and it goes on even after now we know to be more careful about our young, vulnerable children. Especially in groups that demand strict obedience and no bad mouthing of Father ____.

I'm embarassed to be a Catholic sometimes. We can't use innocent ignorance as an excuse anymore. Now it's willful ignorance.

[Toni Pacitti]

To continue . . .
The mother of said nephew, my husband's sister, hasn't had time for any of us in eons. Calls out of the blue one day to ask my son's phone number. He's in college and I gave it to her, thinking how nice she would want to make contact. Turned out her Legionary priest friend was moving near son's campus and she wanted the two to meet. My husband called her and ordered her not to give his number to the priest. All these years, no interest in us whatsoever, then bam! she makes contact. I can't tell you how angry I was. Naturally, *we* had been been deceived because we had read all the *wrong* stuff about the Legionaries. Forget the fact that we were being used. What happened to establishing relationships and developing a basis of trust?
I've got no time for this.

[thomas tucker]

Toni- that's the way I feel about the LC seminarians calling and coming to visit when the're in the area- it's not really for any kind of relationship other than them wanting something- in my case, money, and in your case, your son as a prospect.
I must say that I also find the pre-death near canonization of Fr. Maciel quite distasteful, regardless of the sexual abuse questions. I don't know why I feel that way- I don't mind the founders of other orders being venerated and their writings studied;maybe it's because they're long gone and Maciel is still alive. Somehow it just doesn't seem right for his picture to be hanging in every classroom, though.

[brigid]

Let's hear it for the archbishop in Columbus. Sounds like he made a wise sheparding decision. Not to say all is bad about LC but a bishop needs to make a decision which is why I think some bishops "look the other way" because they would like to see more priestly vocations in their diocese and if it's the LC's that are doing it, "then good for them." OTOH, other bishops don't want the LC to "drain" the diocese of potential canidates that the might grab for the diocesan numbers. It can be a political decision esp. for a smaller diocese....

I had a friend in my old neighborhood who became "innocently" involved with a new LC school and decided to pull out when the administrators always seemed at odds with the parents. You just don't mess around with a parent/child relationship.

The "old ways" of "getting them when they're young" to be priests seems to want to make a come back but I think many Catholic parents are more afraid since the priest sex scandal. So much more fear about boys being alone with priests. It's so sad to me...

p.s. Don't the LC's they own National Catholic Register, Faith and Family magazine and the Web site Catholic.net?

[Sherry Weddell]

Brigid:

The LC/Regnum Christ own and operate quite a collection of media outlets including the National Catholic Register, Catholic.net, Faith & Family, Zenit, and Catholic Twin Circle.

[piraeus]

I am very sympathetic to much of the criticism that is being directed toward LC. I have had enough encounters to understand when people say then make them feel creepy. But in my time in Dallas I never heard any complaints at all about the LC school there. Even as an employee of the Diocese for two years I never heard a thing.

[Brigid]

and www.vocation.com!

Pretty slick site...

[Woody Jones]

I have been, in my checkered career, a member of a few other ecclesial movements, but as a Regnum Christi member for more than a year, I have found the Movement to be the best all-round group of any I have been in or been associated with. I have not experienced any pressure of any kind and would not expect to have any, given the character of the people in the Movement and the Legion that I know. The spirituality is the best blend of contemplation and apostolate that I have come across as well. Those who are interested might want to access www.regnumchristi.org for much more information; I especially recommend the meditations (see the left side menu bar at the site)--they are, again, very easy to use (in one page or so, per day) and practical, while also being suitably profound.

I also have contact with some frequency with Legionary priests, who I find are all very fervent, fine, well adjusted men with great love of the Church and the Holy Father and a real missionary spirit and love for souls.

When you read the meditations, perhaps you will notice, as I do, that the spirituality is very Ignatian, centered on love of God and our neighbor, and on carrying this into practical effect. As in St. Ignatius's Exercise on the Love of God (from the Spiritual Exercises):"The effect of true love is the reciprocal communication of all good things between the persons who love each other; whence it follows that charity cannot exist without sacrifice. Do not, then, content yourself with tender and affectionate sentiments. 'For' says St. Gregory, 'the proof of love is in the works: where love exists, it works great things, but when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.'"

And the prayer "Suscipe":

"Take, O Lord, and receive, my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my whole will. All that I am, all that I have, Thou hast given me, and I give it back again to Thee, to be disposed of according to Thy will. Give me only Thy love and Thy grace; with these I am rich enough [and will ask for nothing more]."

While I try, I know that I have a long way to go in order to pray this prayer and really mean it. Perhaps others are challenged by the same sentiments, too?

Peace and love to all.

[amarikidd]

Does this mean everyone's bored with Opus Dei Assassins? Its like an EW hit list:
in: Bashing Reg. Christi
5 minutes ago: Bashing Opus Dei
out: Bashing adulterous Evangelical Preachers.

[tt]

Is it possible that even orthodox Catholics have been so influenced by the general laxity of the time that they place a tad too much emphasis on personal autonomy and liberty, and thus perceive the kind of zeal and discipline (and yes, pushiness) that wouldn't have been at all unusual in a counter-reformation Jesuit to be vaguely creepy in a Legionary or Regnum Christi member?

[Cornelius]

I'm not affilated with the Legionaries or Regnum Christi; I've never even met a member (that I know of). But I would echo Woody's recommendation that readers take a look at the daily meditations on the Regnum Christi website. They are some of the best daily devotional materials that I have come across.

[Sebastian]

Peace all,

As an RC member and a former co worker with the LCs in Thornwood and Cheshire I think I can speak to the subject. The Lcs arent perfect and neither are we RC members, we love our founder as the Jesuits loved(still love) their founder or Franciscans love St Francis. Please stop calling us a cult anything you want to know Ill tell you but the slamming of movements and orders within the Church has got to end. I work for the archdiocese if I were to tell you what Ive seen hear you wouldnt believe it, but I dont go around throwing stones.

In Christ,

Sebastian

[Dave P.]

I think tt offers a wise and generous perspective, one that deserves serious consideration from serious Catholics.

I've been an employee of the Legionaries of Christ for more than five years. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of Regnum Christi. No one has ever pressured me or any of the other non-RC'ers in the office -- and that's nearly all of us -- to join.

Meanwhile we get daily Mass in our small chapel -- reverent, rock-solid liturgy, along with clearly evangelical and catechetical homilies -- thanks to the Legionary priests who serve here. The monthly RC evenings of reflection, open to all at the Legionaries' seminary a couple of towns over, are well worthwhile, too.

Hope this helps.

David Pearson
Features Editor
National Catholic Register

[Tom Harmon]

I've heard a lot of people call the LCs "creepy," too strict, mercenary, etc. Usually, the only thing to back up these impressions are vague feelings or one or two bad experiences. That's really all the LA Times article comes up with.

Could it be that there is something very particular about the LCS that rubs some people the wrong way, but is still a legitimate expression of Catholic community, formation, whatever? Perhaps in the same way that many Americans are freaked out by bloody depictions of saints and Our Lord in Latin America.

That being said, an orthodox Jesuit I know says the LCs rely too much on willpower in their formation. That's a legit charge to make. One can investigate whether it's true or false. Whether LCs are "creepy" or whether all they want are your young sons are charges that are much harder to investigate.

[Therese]

There is a keen sense of being "with" our group or "being outside" our group when attending events sponsored by many of these groups. I think as Catholics, who profess faith in a universal Church, the sign of healthy balance is a spirituality that reaches out to all and doesn't exclude.

When all is said and done, the great movements appeal to many and exclude few -- Franciscans, Benedictines, Caremlites, Dominicans, Jesuits. God may choose to minister to a small group for a small time and perhaps these folks need these groups to hang onto their faith in a secularized world. Perhaps that it truly the great service they perform?

I think half of the derogatory comments would go away if they realized that even very orthodox catholics are received not as brothers and in sisters in Christ in great and warm charity but rather as "people from the part of the Church that is not in our little group and therefore are not received with the fullness of love owed to a brother or sister in Christ"

[Ron Belgau]

Fr. Neuhaus of First Things mentioned the Fr. Maciel "scandal" back in 2002. You might be interested in checking out what he had to say.

[James Kabala]

Sebastian,
I sympathize with you, but don't forget that no one ever accused SS. Dominic, Francis, or Ignatius of sexual abuse. It may be that the charges are false, but until they are fully investigated, the air of suspicion will linger.

[Cranky Lawyer]

I have been in and around various lay movements most of my adult life. I've concluded that they're not for me, and I have had similar reactions to many of those described here. In the end, though, the "fruit" of their works is undeniable.

James--don't be too sure that Dominic, Francis, and Ignatius were free of accusations of scandal, sexual or otherwise.

[Woody Jones]

Just one more brief note: on the www.regnumchristi.org site there is a very helpful search engine that can search the text all of the archived meditations and letters of Fr. Maciel, so, for example, if I want to know more about giving glory to God, I can search for "glory" and come up with a list of articles (meaning texts) containing the word, listed in order of frequency. Recourse to the texts then yields very edifying meditations on the subject. This is really very helpful for thematic studies and that kind of thing.

All the best to everyone.

[JACK]

For what is worth, I have known a number of LC seminarians and RC members, have given financial support to the LC for their seminary efforts, and helped them establish a college campus ministry (although was hardly instrumental in that). I think like a lot of new orders, they are still trying to figure out who they are. And like my experience with Opus Dei, it depends a lot on where you are and who you are dealing with. The seminarians I have known were excited about the faith and eager to share it. But they were also presumptuous and pushy. I don't fault them too much for that -- do 19-24 year olds ever have the wisdom of someone more senior no matter how "spiritual" or "religious" they might be? But I did find a tendency for them to use most conversations with unmarried men as a vocations pitch, without having made any real effort to actually know who the given young man is. Again, I don't fault the exuberance, but it is an observation. I think many of these new orders emphasize how friendship can be a great way to bring people to Christ; the problem is that our culture doesn't help mold people (even good people) into ones that understand authentic relationships.

I have long been intrigued by the lay movements and, if they complement and not usurp the local dioceses/parishes, view them in theory as a source of great good in the Church. Frankly, my biggest complaint with all of the big ones of this past century is how hard it is to get straight answers to questions. Again it varies based on who you are dealing with, but I have to say I have more often than not felt like I was being treated as if I were the enemy than a fellow thinking Catholic who might benefit from their charism.

[Lee]

For the other side of the story on the new ecclesial movements, here are some critics' and survivors' web sites:

1. Critics of Focolare:

• “Focolare Movement: Lights and Shadows” home page – http://www.focolare.net.

2. Critics of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi:
• “Ex-Legionaries.com” home page for former members of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi – http://www.exlegionaries.com.
• Freedom of Mind Center web page on the Legionaries of Christ – http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/l/legion.
• Opponents of the Legionaries reply to the movement’s self-defense at “Legionaryfacts.org;” their rebuttal is at http://www.legionaryfacts.com.
• Regain Network home page – http://www.regainnetwork.org; critical of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi.
• Rick Ross’ anti-cult site has a web page on the Legionaries of Christ, at http://www.rickross.com/groups/loc.html.
• A conservative Catholic site, Unity Publishing, criticizes the Legionaries at this page: http://www.unitypublishing.com/Apparitions/LegionIndex.html.

3. Critics of the Neocatechumenal Way:
• An opponent of the Way has gathered articles at the web site http://www.psychologue-clinicien.com/anglais/chemin.htm.
• An official report by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton, in the United Kingdom, opposing the presence of the Way in three local parishes – http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ronald_haynes/nc-er2.htm.
• “Church Mouse” is an anti-Neocatechumenal web site in Australia, at http://church-mouse.net; they provide links to other sites at http://delorenzo.ozforces.com.au/links1.html.

4. Critics of Opus Dei:
• Freedom of Mind Center web page on Opus Dei – http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/o/opus.
• Opposing Views’ collection of anti-Opus Dei web pages – http://www.opposing-religious-views.com/Christianity_Catholicism_Opus_Dei.html.
• Opus Dei Awareness Network home page – http://www.odan.org.
• Rick Ross’ anti-cult site has a web page on Opus Dei, at http://www.rickross.com/groups/opus.html.
• “The Unofficial Opus Dei Home Page” – http://www.mond.at/opus.dei.

5. Critics of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP):
• An Italian anti-cult group has extensive research on TFP and its allies at http://www.kelebekler.com/cesnur/eng.htm. Articles on this site include Miguel Martinez, “‘Doctor Plinio’ and his ‘counter-revolutionary magisterium’,” at http://www.kelebekler.com/cesnur/storia/gb11.htm, and http://www.kelebekler.com/cesnur/storia/gb12.htm, and succeeding web pages.
• John Armour, “TFP: A Dangerous Cult,” at http://www.sspx.ca/Angelus/1983_July/TFP_Dangerus.htm. This is an account published in 1983 in Angelus, the magazine of the Society of St. Pius X – which is itself a right-wing Catholic splinter group.
• Unity Publishing, “‘America Needs Fatima’: A Cult Using the Fatima Name,” at http://www.unitypublishing.com/NewReligiousMovements/FatimaCult.html; written by a conservative Catholic.
===================================
When considering an organization that prides itself on its zeal and righteousness, look before you leap.

Lee

[Sam Schmitt]

Lee,

Maybe you could link to sites that support those organizations that are supported by the Church - just for balance? I found that it's very easy to criticize and tear down - more difficult to give a movement a chance and be able to say "Okay, fine, that's not for me," and leave it at that.

[Lee]

Sam,

As you asked, so it shall be. Caveat lector!

Supporters of Catholic “New Ecclesial Movements”

1. American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property home page – http://www.tfp.org; one of their ongoing public campaigns is “America Needs Fatima” (http://www.tfp.org/anf).

2. Communion and Liberation home page – http://www.clonline.org.

3. Focolare home page – http://www.focolare.org.

4. Legionaries of Christ home page – http://www.legionofchrist.org; also, http://www.legionariesofchrist.org. The home page of Regnum Christi, which is affiliated with the Legionaries, is http://www.regnumchristi.org. The Legionaries’ official response to accusations against the group is at the Legionary Facts home page, http://www.legionaryfacts.org.

5. Neocatechumenal Way home page – http://www.camminoneocatecumenale.it/en.

6. Opus Dei and Escrivá web pages:
• Escrivá home page, devoted to the founder of Opus Dei – http://www.josemariaescriva.info.
• On-line works of the founder of Opus Dei – http://www.escrivaworks.org.
• Opus Dei USA home page – http://www.opusdei.org.
• Romana home page – http://en.romana.org; this is the “Bulletin of the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei.”

Again, I say: caveat lector!

Lee

[Lee]

And for more light bedtime reading, here is a bibliography pertaining to these movements:

1. American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, Tradition Family Property: Half a Century of Epic Anticommunism, American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, 1981.
2. Arguello, Kiko, and Hernandez, Carmen, Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way, Hope Publishing House, 2003. (Arguello and Hernandez are the founders of the Neocatechumenal Way.)
3. Berglar, Peter, Opus Dei: Life and Work of Its Founder, Josemaria Escriva, Scepter Publications, 1995. (Supportive of Opus Dei; Scepter is an Opus Dei publisher)
4. Berry, Jason, and Renner, Robert, Vows of Silence : The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II, Free Press, 2004. (Critique of the Legionaries of Christ)
5. Bowers, Fergal, The Work: An Investigation into the History of Opus Dei and How It Operates in Ireland Today, Dufour Editions, 1989. (Critique of Opus Dei)
6. Buzzi, Elisa, A Generative Thought: An Introduction to the Works of Luigi Giussani, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2004. (Giussani is the founder of Communion and Liberation.)
7. Conde, Angeles, and Murray, David J.P., The Legion of Christ: a History, Center for Integral Formation, 2003; order through the web site http://www.circlepressusa.com/interior02.phtml?se=001&ca=001&ar=177. This is a Regnum Christi publisher, so the book is pro-Legionary.
8. Coverdale, John F., Uncommon Faith: The Early Years of Opus Dei, 1928-1943, Scepter Publishers, 2002. (Supportive of Opus Dei)
9. de Oliveira, Plinio Correa, Brainwashing: A Myth Exploited by the New “Therapeutic Inquisition”, American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, 1985. (Oliveira is the founder of Tradition, Family, and Property)
10. de Oliveira, Plinio Correa, Nobility and Analogous Traditional Elites: A Theme Illuminating American Social History, Hamilton Press, 1993.
11. de Oliveira, Plinio Correa, Revolution and Counter-Revolution, American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, 1993.
12. de Oliveira, Plinio Correa, The Way of the Cross, America Needs Fatima, 1990.
13. de Oliveira, Plinio Correa, et. al., Our Lady at Fatima: Prophecies of Tragedy or Hope?, American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, 1994.
14. del Carmen Tapia, Maria, Beyond the Threshold: A Life in Opus Dei, Continuum, 1999. (Critique of Opus Dei)
15. del Portillo, Alvaro, and Cavalleri, Cesare, Immersed in God: Blessed Josemaría Escrivá, Founder of Opus Dei As Seen by His Successor, Bishop Alvaro Del Portillo, Scepter Publishers, 1996. (Supportive of Opus Dei)
16. Escrivá, Josemaría, Centennial Edition: The Complete Published Works of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, Scepter Publishers, 2002. (Escrivá was the founder of Opus Dei).
17. Escrivá, Josemaría, Christ Is Passing By, Scepter Publishers, 1974.
18. Escrivá, Josemaría, Conversations With Monsignor Josemaría Escrivá, Scepter Publishers, 2002.
19. Escrivá, Josemaría, Friends of God: Homilies, Scepter Publishers, 1997.
20. Escrivá, Josemaría, In Love With the Church, Scepter Publishers, 1989.
21. Escrivá, Josemaría, The Way; The Furrow; The Forge (single volume edition), Scepter Publications, 2001. (The key writings of the founder of Opus Dei.)
22. Escrivá, Josemaría, The Way of the Cross, Scepter Publishers, 2001.
23. Estruch, Joan, Saints and Schemers: Opus Dei and Its Paradoxes, Oxford University Press, 1995. (Critique of Opus Dei)
24. Gallagher, Jim, Woman’s Work: Chiara Lubich: A Biography of the Focolare Movement and Its Founder, New City Press, 1997. (Supportive of Focolare)
25. Garvey, J. J. M., Parents’ Guide to Opus Dei, Sicut Dixit Press, 1991. (Critique of Opus Dei).
26. Garvey, J. J. M., Prelature’s Reaction: The Official Response from Opus Dei to “Parent’s Guide to Opus Dei”, Sicut Dixit Press, n. d. (Critique of Opus Dei).

Part 2 to follow ...

Lee

[Lee]

The rest of the bibliography on the sects and cults within the Church:

27. Giussani, Luigi, Morality: Memory and Desire, Ignatius Press, 1986. (Giussani is the founder of Communion and Liberation.)
28. Giussani, Luigi, The Psalms, Crossroad Publishing Company, 2004.
29. Giussani, Luigi, The Risk of Education, Crossroad Publishing Company, 2001.
30. Giussani, Luigi, and Hewitt, Viviane, At the Origin of the Christian Claim, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1998.
31. Giussani, Luigi, and Hewitt, Viviane, Why the Church?, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2000.
32. Giussani, Luigi, and Zucchi, John, The Religious Sense, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1997.
33. Hearne, Jerry, Unity Our Adventure: The Focolare Movement, New City Press, 1987. (Supportive of Focolare)
34. Hutchison, Robert, Their Kingdom Come : Inside the Secret World of Opus Dei, Thomas Dunne Books, 1999. (Critique of Opus Dei)
35. Le Tourneau, Dominique, What Is Opus Dei, Scepter Publications, 1989. (Supportive of Opus Dei)
36. Lernoux, Penny. People of God: The Struggle for World Catholicism, Penguin, 1990. (Includes critiques of Opus Dei, Tradition, Family, and Property, and Communion and Liberation)
37. Lubich, Chiara, Jesus: The Heart of His Message : Unity and Jesus Forsaken, New City Press, 1985. (Lubich is the founder of Focolare.)
38. Lubich, Chiara, The Cry: Jesus Crucified and Forsaken in the History and Life of the Focolare Movement, from Its Birth in 1943, Until the Dawn of the Third Millennium, New City Press, 2001.
39. Lubich, Chiara, and Morneau, Bishop Robert F., Only at Night We See the Stars: Finding Light in the Face of Darkness, New City Press, 2002.
40. Lubich, Chiara, et. al., An Introduction to the ABBA School: Conversations from the Focolare's Interdisciplinary Study Center, New City Press, 2002.
41. Maciel, Marcial, Integral Formation of Catholic Priests, Alba House, 1992. (Maciel is the founder of the Legionaries of Christ.)
42. Maciel, Marcial, and Colina, Jesus, Christ Is My Life, Sophia Institute Press, 2003.
43. Messori, Vittorio, Opus Dei: Leadership and Vision in Today's Catholic Church, Regnery, 1997. (Supportive of Opus Dei)
44. Ocariz, Fernando, Canonical Path of Opus Dei: The History and Defense of a Charism, Scepter Publishers, 1994.
45. Pasotti, Ezekiel, The Neocatechumenal Way According to Paul VI and John Paul II, St. Paul Publications, 1996. (Supportive of the Neocatechumenal Way.)
46. Rodriguez, Pedro, et. al., Opus Dei in the Church: An Ecclesiological Study of the Life and Apostolate of Opus Dei, Scepter Press, 2003. (Released by an Opus Dei publisher.)
47. Romano, Giuseppe, Opus Dei: Who? How? Why?, Alba House, 1995. (Supportive of Opus Dei)
48. Rondoni, Davide, and Giussani, Luigi, Communion and Liberation: A Movement in the Church, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2000. (Supportive of Communion and Liberation.)
49. Urquhart, Gordon, The Pope’s Armada: Unlocking the Secrets of Mysterious and Powerful New Sects in the Church, Prometheus Books, 1999. (Critique of Focolare, the Neo-Catechumenal Way, and Communion and Liberation)
50. Walsh, Michael, Opus Dei: An Investigation into the Powerful Secretive Society within the Catholic Church, Harper San Francisco, 2004.

Lee

[Sam Schmitt]

Lee,

OK, you know your stuff - much appreciated. Can't think of any other stuff myself, except perhaps "Matt's Opus Dei FAQ" (supportive):

http://www.interbit.com/blogger/OpusDeiFAQ.html

My rule of thumb is to basically support the movements / organizations / orders approved by the Church, while realizing at the same time that the people running them and their current policies are not perfect - as is true of all human things. Given that my experience with Opus Dei is worlds away from some of the things I've read, for example (though I realize that things have gone on that were unfortunate, misguided and bad), I tend to take the potboiler critiques of these groups with a very generous dose of scepticism.

[Bill Cork]

I don't understand Jason's insinuation about "preliminary conversations" between the LC and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Archdiocese is not unfamiliar with the Legion, having had a Legionary priest as a campus minister at Cal Tech for a number of years, Fr. Brian Wilson, LC. He did a great job and shattered many people's preconceptions about the Legion.

[Michigan Girl]

"If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
...Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up:
Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh No evil..."
1 Tim. 5

It's hard for me to understand why all these criticisms are being made..especially in regards to movements/spiritualities that the Holy Catholic Church has accepted and approved that CHRIST has approved through Pope John Paul II?
Didn't the world condemn Jesus, who is our all perfect Savior? Didn't he say to us that the world has not accepted Him nor will the world accept those who are trying to follow Him?
What is missing is "Gospel Charity" what Christ lived every moment on Earth. How saddening & destructive it is to read such poison! Do any of you realize that this is what is dividing the Church? Or is that your perogitive?
All of you are in my prayers. I pray for the Holy Catholic Church, for all the people that make up the Church that they will begin to see with the eyes of faith, imitate Christ, and adhere to Christ's Vicar on Earth and the Magisterium.
Charity, Charity, Charity!

Peace of Christ to all. All those apart of any movements/spiritualities approved by the Catholic Church and inspired by the Holy Spirit to your founders, very specially, Christ peace, strength & fortitude be with you. St. Francis, St. Ignatius and all those saints who have founded congregations etc. in the church underwent the same persecutions...and that is exactly what God is allowing in order to purify us and make us Holy! PRAISE GOD!

[Joe]

I have met Barry and Renner... not only are they NOT very bright, they're not even very good "investigative" reporters. They came up with a theory about the Legion and Fr Maciel and then looked only so far into things to sketch the barest outline to prove that thesis. All facts they discovered that punched holes in their anti-LC theory, they just dropped - without mention.

They didn't go to Cotija to find Mexicans who knew Fr Maciel as a boy and young man. They didn't go to Rome to interview Italians who have known him as a neighbor for decades. They routinely confuse "allegations" for "proof", taking any negative rumor at face value while denying any positive fact (such as Papal favor) out of hand.

They didn't review Canon Law or use as part of their criteria of judgment the traditions of Catholic religious orders... so how would they know if the Legion wasn't following the rules in the formation of its men or apostolates?

After years of "investigation" they end up with less than 50 pages of material on the Legion and Fr Maciel, forcing them to cobble together another mini-book on a diocesan priest and another on the priest scandal having nothing to do with the Legion!

Did they quote any of us former Legionaries who don't have a beef with the Legion? Did they even address our arguments in favor of Legionary practices and Fr Maciel's innocence? No. To have done so would have required something like arguments and facts.

There are literally hundreds of former Legionaries, the vast majority of whom are faithful Catholics serving God either in the diocesan clergy or as Catholic laymen...but Renner and Barry found only half a dozen who despise the Legion.

I suppose it's only a coincidence that many of these folk aren't orthodox Catholics.

The wild-eyed website quoted to bolster many of these claims is run by another half dozen former Legionaries. I'm sure it's merely a coincidence that a good number of the anonymous guys claiming to have been Legionaries also think the Church's sexual morality is wrong too eh?

Meanwhile several HUNDRED of us former Legionary religious are moving on with our lives, happy for the experience and striving to live our vocations of fidelity to Christ and His Church. We don't get (or seek) to enter the fray...yet don't you think truly "investigative" reporters would have discovered us by now?

Funny how "reporters" (especially "investigative" reporters) only seem to have the anti-LC guys on speed dial. Nah, that's probably a coincidence too.

Fact is, they're running scared. At our reunions if a guy tries to accuse one of our former superiors of something there is instant reality checks- inasmuch as we all knew those guys and you can't hide much in religious life, certainly not something of that magnitude. But you can fool lay people all day long with made-up stories because they don't know who's who and 99.999% of Catholic men have never lived in a seminary much less a Legionary house before...

So what do these guys do? Join us for fun? No, sit outside and picket (where uninformed "reporters" will ask questions and report as Gospel whatever answer they provide.)

As it is, I have YET to find a single on-line source that provides PROOF of any LC wrong doing. Plenty of people don't like the RC which means they don't like the people they happened to run into which is a different thing. But no one has proven that the RC is bad per se. Ditto with the Legion. You either like or don't like a particular Legionary, but that doesn't prove he's immoral or a criminal.

People accusing the founder also rarely quote anything he's written...or done. Coincidence? No. Not at all. Very calculated actually, based on human psychology. If you accuse any unknown person of some awful crime, a good percentage of people will tend to believe it, regardless of facts or lack of proof. If you quote the guy and add biographical info of good things he's done... the percentage who believes bad things goes down.

Innocent until proven guilty may be the legal and canonical principle, but it's NOT how people in our media-driven culture hype up or take people apart.

So the MORE the word spreads about the Legion, the more people will come to respect them, not the less. People like Barry and Renner are banking on Catholic ignorance and seeking to further it with fact-less tomes linked to fact-less websites populated by anonymous "exLegionaries" who provide zero proof for their claims.

[Jerry]

A lot of what is described in these writings have been similar to what Maria, Cara and I have experienced at Woodmont regarding the Regnum Christi movement and the Legionaries.