The Vatican is not considering an immediate intervention in the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi organisations following revelations that founder Fr Macial Maciel had led a double life and fathered a child.An official from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, headed by Cardinal Franc Rodé told Catholic News Agency the dicastery has no immediate plans to intervene in the Legion of Christ.
However, the official said that intervention could happen in the future in "case of necessity."
The official explained the dicastery usually intervenes in religious congregations in two circumstances: when it is requested by the organisation itself, or when the internal crisis of an organisation is perceived by the Holy See as "impossible to solve by internal means".
When asked to describe cases of the latter, the official used the following examples: "a religious order or congregation in which a significant internal split takes place around the identity of their charism; when there is a significant number of members who question new or reigning authorities, or when economic or moral problems bring the organisation to a crisis that cannot be managed by its current leadership."
The official explained that it is "too early" to tell if the Legionaries' leadership is not capable of working through the crisis, and said "there is no doubt the Church is expecting some kind of program to the future that will bring back confidence both internally and publicly."
Asked if the dicastery would intervene if there is a "re-foundation" of the Legion, as suggested by some commentators, the official said that "'re-foundation' is too broad a concept to define a policy from the Congregation."
"A 're-foundation' could mean a complete renewal of their original charism and a deep scrutiny of the current leadership," the official told CNA. "In that case, an intervention does not seem apparent."
"But if by such term we are speaking of a revision of the original charism, the discipline or even the name, then obviously the Congregation will have to be involved as required by the (Canon) law."
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(Source: CTHN)