Pope Francis is revolutionising the Legion of Christ. Vatican Insider
has learnt that the Legion plans to announce the order’s complete
restructuring at its Extraordinary General Chapter in Rome, in a month’s
time, reports Ucanews. 'All the work carried out so far is oriented towards making each group that is inspired by the spiritual kingship of Christ, autonomous,' members of the Curia have stated.
The Legion is to be split into three sections: laity, consecrated persons and priests. Each of the Legion’s three branches will have 'full autonomy in the organisation and choice of its leaders and internal roles.'
The common reference to Christ’s kingship will translate into various 'forms of collaboration' between the three groups which will, nevertheless, be completely independent from each another.
On the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on October 4, Cardinal Velasio de Paolis, the Pontifical delegate to the Legion of Christ and the 'Regnum Christi' movement, wrote a letter addressed to all members of the Legion, stating that the time had come to call an Extraordinary General Chapter.
In the letter, the cardinal, who was nominated by Benedict XVI and kept on by Francis, mentions a letter Benedict XVI wrote in 2010.
'Although Ratzinger did not give a specific time frame, it was predicted right from the start that the necessary spiritual renewal process and revision of the Constitutions of the Legion of Christ would not be complete in less than three years,' De Paolis informs.