Legionaries of Christ

The Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ (Latin: Congregatio Legionariorum Christi; abbreviated LC; also sometimes referred to as the Legion of Christ) is a Roman Catholic Religious order made up of priests, deacons and brothers in formation for the priesthood.

The Legionaries of Christ are made up of men "driven by the desire of Jesus' heart to set the world ablaze" and lead others to "transform their hearts, their families and their world" with "the love of Christ the King". It has been described as a "conservative" order whose ability to attract large numbers of "young Catholics to religious vocations" and large financial donations once made it "a favorite" of the Vatican (New York Times); and one whose focus is on "evangelizing society's leaders [...] the wealthy and powerful", in the hope that this would multiply "the beneficial impact on society" (Wall Street Journal).

The Legionaries of Christ are part of the Regnum Christi Federation. The Regnum Christi Federation is made up of Legionary of Christ priests, Consecrated Women and Men and lay members of Regnum Christi.

The Legionaries of Christ have religious communities in 21 countries. As of 2019, its members included four bishops, 970 priests and 481 seminarians (not including minor seminarians). In the US, the Legion and Regnum Christi operate five schools (and assist at several others), as well as provide spiritual direction, retreats, and formation programs for both children and adults. As of May 2006.

The Congregation was established by Marcial Maciel in Mexico in 1941. Maciel was also Director General of the congregation for over 60 years until forced to step down in January 2005 as a result of a horrific scandal.

In 1998, nine men lodged formal charges at the Vatican that Maciel had abused them as youths and young men while studying under him; Maciel was initially investigated by the Holy See and suspended from his ministry in 2006. In 2009, an apostolic visitation was ordered by Pope Benedict XVI and shortly after Cardinal Velasio De Paolis was delegated to impose "structural changes.”

In 2014, the five-year renewal process was completed with the approval of amended constitutions; five years later, Pope Francis referred to the new Constitutions approvingly.

On December 21, 2019, the Legionaries of Christ released the “Report 1941-2019 on the Phenomenon of Sexual Abuse of Minors in the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ from its Founding to the Present Day.”

According to the report, “the report was the result of an extensive study carried out by an internal commission that, within the limits of a study of this nature, verified the various accusations of sexual abuse of minors throughout the history of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ. It collected the global statistics of cases of abuse by its priests between 1941 and 2019 and included an appendix with the steps taken to prevent future abuse and guarantee safe environments.

On the same day, Father John Connor, LC, then North American territorial director and currently the general director of the Congregation worldwide, released a communication compiling the previously released names of Legionaries of Christ who were active in ministry with substantiated sexual abuse allegations in the United States into a list.

One month later, Father John again addressed the territory in a letter saying, “We must pray that these victims receive the healing they need and that those who are still trying to find the courage to come forward are able to find it. This is an important part of the healing process for victims and it’s important for the Congregation to listen to the experiences of victims so that we can make reparation and be further purified.”

In his letter, Father John also affirmed that facing our history with determination and helping victims heal is an important part of our mission as a Congregation, not a distraction from it. It is what God is calling us to at this point in our history. We are committed to transparency about the abuse that has been perpetrated by Legionaries of Christ, to working towards a culture in which all our priests deeply understand the effects of sexual abuse and their role as spiritual fathers dedicated to nourishing God’s people, and to helping those who have been harmed to heal from their wounds.”