Brazil, May 02: The Roman Catholic Church is set to name an interim leader for the Legion of Christ amid abuse scandals engulfing the ultra-conservative congregation’s late founder.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi announced the overhaul on Saturday, saying Pope Benedict XVI will name an interim leader within weeks.
The decision comes in the light of new revelations concerning involvement of Legion’s deceased founder Marcial Maciel in sexual abuse. The Church is also under immense pressure to crack down on abusers and their protectors in the hierarchy.
The Mexican-born Maciel, who died in the United States in 2008 at the age of 87, was disgraced following reports accusing him of molesting a number of seminarians and secretly fathering children.
Just weeks before his death, late Pope John Paul II admired Maciel’s and the Legionaries’ work against the influence of evangelical groups worldwide, especially in Latin America.
In May 2006, however, Pope Benedict XVI ordered Maciel to give up all duties and lead a “quiet life of prayer and penitence.” He did not stand a canonical trial because of his advanced age and poor health.
A nine-month probe into the order which concluded last month, offered the Vatican “incontestable testimonies” confirming Maciel had committed “very serious and objectively immoral actions,” and lived “a life without scruples nor authentic religious sentiments.”
In addition to naming interim leadership, the Vatican pledged to review the Legion’s constitution and help the victims of sexual abuse “inside or outside the order” and those who suffered the power structure established by Maciel.
The measures, however, are not likely to dissolve the Legion of Christ, which counts 800 priests, 2,500 seminarians and 70,000 lay members.
Many accuse the Vatican hierarchy of helping to protect pedophile priests.
———-Agencies