Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati of Santiago, Chile announced that he has canonically erected a new female association of consecrated life with a group of women who recently left Regnum Christi, the lay association linked to the Legionaries of Christ.
Archbishop Ezzati’s “foundational canonical act” created the new public association Totus Tuus in his private chapel on Feb. 22, the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, the archbishop’s statement released to Catholic News Agency reports.
The archbishop was accompanied by Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz, the group of women founders, and the archbishop’s personal secretary Fr. Jose Antonio Varas.
The founders are “women who traveled from eight different countries in Europe and America, including Malén Oriol, until recently Assistant General of the Consecrated of Regnum Christi,” the statement said.
Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati said he consulted the Holy See regarding the opportunity to create the Association Totus Tuus and received the “favorable opinion” of Pope Benedict XVI.
The archbishop was one of the five visitors the Pope appointed to investigate the troubled Legion of Christ between 2009 and 2010.
The name Totus Tuus, Latin for “All Yours,” is taken from Bl. John Paul II’s papal coat of arms. It refers to the full consecration to Mary.
Archbishop Ezzati has appointed Cardinal Errazuriz “to accompany the Community Totus Tuus during its first year of life.”
Cardinal Errazuriz, the Archbishop Emeritus of Santiago, has extensive experience in the field of consecrated life. He was Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life between 1990 and 1996.
On Feb. 14, Regnum Christi officially announced that Malén Oriol, the assistant for consecrated life to the General Director, sent a letter to all the consecrated women announcing that she had presented her resignation to Cardinal Velasio De Paolis.
In her letter, she mentioned that some consecrated women have asked the Holy See for permission to live out their consecration not as members of the Regnum Christi movement but under the authority of a bishop.
“As of yet, Malén has not clarified if she intends to form part of this new group,” the Regnum Christi statement said.
“We don’t yet have details of this initiative, but we wish them all the best in their new endeavor and pray that they will be blessed with great success in their spiritual growth and service to the Church,” the statement said.
The Legion of Christ has faced significant Vatican scrutiny after revelations that its founder, Fr. Marcel Maciel, led a double life.