Maciel documentary offers a 'purging' experience, according to the head of the Legionaries
In the wake of the HBO documentary 'Marcial Maciel: The Wolf of God', a group of 27 priests and former members of the Legionaries of Christ have released a statement expressing their discontent with the congregation's approach to confronting the dark past of their founder. The group asserts that the Legionaries' attempts to address Maciel's past and their participation in the documentary fail to acknowledge the existence of those who sought the complete, unvarnished truth and clear justice for the victims of Maciel and the system he created. The criticism extends to the Legionaries' failure to clarify who knew about Maciel's abuse and who covered it up. The group accuses the congregation of maintaining a line of continuity in the group of older superiors, without anyone resigning. The documentary reveals that Maciel's crimes were known by the Vatican as far back as the 1950s, with the Vatican poised to take action against him in 1956 and planning to remove him from the priesthood. However, upon Pope Pius XII's death in 1958, Maciel's allies took advantage of the leadership vacuum to clear his name. The Vatican's 2010 statement only acknowledged a 'deplorable discrediting and distancing' of those who expressed doubts about Maciel's conduct, but no proceedings were opened for criminal concealment. Father John Connor, general director of the Legionaries of Christ, sees the documentary as a cathartic experience that challenges the congregation to face their history again. The Legionaries have cooperated with the HBO documentary producers and participated in its production as an act of responsibility. In response to the criticism, Father Connor is preparing the historical archive for release and has commissioned a posthumous psychological study of Maciel, conducted by internationally renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas G. Plante. The Legionaries have also worked with the Vatican and independent agencies to reach out to victims and reform unhealthy structures and norms that facilitated past abuses. However, the group of former Legionaries questions the sincerity of the Legionaries' claims of reform and transparency. As the Legionaries prepare to release their historical archive to internal and external historians, they face ongoing scrutiny and calls for greater accountability. The specific date for the archive's release has not been set due to the complexity of transcribing and digitizing its contents. Father Connor believes that the documentary's revelations about Maciel's sins and their impact on the institution he founded is a divine pedagogy that preserves them from the temptation to boast about their works. The future of the Legionaries of Christ remains uncertain as they navigate the complexities of their past and strive for a more transparent future.
