The Saga Constitutions of the Legionaries of Christ

THE SAGA OF THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST
A religious congregation is ruled by Constitutions which are called particular law by the Code of Canon Law. The congregation can either be of Diocesan Right or Pontifical Right, that either fully under the authority of a diocesan bishop, partially exempt from his authority and under the Holy See. This partial exemption refers to the internal governance of the congregation, whilst in all that has to do with the pastoral activity of the congregation in a diocese it is under the authority of the bishop. The fact that they are considered particular law implies that they need the approval of the Holy See in the case of the Legionaries. I intend to examine the various versions which were handed into the Vatican department in charge of religious. This process began in 1946 when Maciel first visited Rome and the first approval of the Legion as a religious congregation under the bishop of the diocese of Cuernavaca in Mexico in 1948 until the year 1994 when the latest version as approved.
In 1965 the Legion achieved what is called Pontifical Right with a decree called Decretum Laudis (Decree of Praise). This is given by the Holy See when a new congregation has achieved sufficient development and a sufficient number of members. In the case of the Legion, at the time it didn’t have a sufficient number of members, so it lied to the Holy See on the number of members. This lie was maintained for years so that the numbers of members registered in the official Vatican Yearbook called Annuarium Pontificium. Also a new version of the constitutions was approved on that occasion. This was done by means of a Decree from the Sacred Congregation for Religious which states that this version of the constitutions was approved for a period of seven years. After the seven years, the members knew nothing about the fact that this approval was for seven years and never knew what happened after the seven years. Was that version approved definitively with no modifications, or was another version approved?
The next thing members found out was in June of 1983, when with much fanfare they were informed that a new and definitive version of the constitutions had been approved personally by Pope John Paul II. The Pope had called Maciel on the phone to inform him of this, so members were informed. They were also told that the nature of these constitutions required the direct intervention of the Pope, because of their characteristics which didn’t allow the Congregation to approve them. However, members were never shown any decree signed by the Pope. One would assume that if it existed, it would have been displayed in every house. The present writer was assured without the slightest doubt that the Pope NEVER personally approves constitutions of religious congregations. He also stated that the Commission which approves them in the Congregation has two experts in Canon Law and that they would never let anything contrary to the Code of Canon Law get through. The constitutions of the Legion have several aspects which are contrary to Canon Law, not the least being the clear rule ordering members to open their consciences to Superiors. Although it is not stipulated by the constitutions, the superiors also pressure members to confess to them. Obviously if the constitutions are particular law, they cannot be in contradiction with the general law.
A new decree was signed by Cardinal Eduardo Pironio, the Head (Prefect in Vatican parlance) of the Sacred Congregation for Religious. The members had no access to this decree. The present writer saw it years later and found out that the version the Legion handed into the Vatican Congregation was not approved as is, but with modifications. Of course, the members were not given any information on the nature of these modifications. Rather they were given to understand that whatever the Legion presented had been approved. In fact, they were told that the new version of the constitutions would set a precedent for other future approval of constitutions.
In a religious congregation the legislative organ is the General Chapter which in the Legion meets every twelve years. It is supposed to represent the members who elect at least half of the members, the others being those who hold the main positions. Not surprisingly, in the Legion there is no transparency in the process of the election of the delegates, so that it is very likely that General Chapters have all been packed by Maciel. The Legion’s first one was held in two sessions, the first in Rome in 1968, where Maciel was first elected for a twelve year period, and another session in Dublin in 1969. Post factum this Chapter was considered by Maciel to be an “extraordinary”, that is one which was convoked to implement the reforms of Vatican II, with no elections. This claim is false. The next one was held in 1980, but the members were not told that it discussed the presentation of a new version of the Constitutions to the Vatican. In fact, no such thing happened and the version handed into the Vatican was drafted by Maciel with the help of some members like Fr. Enrique Jiménez Esquivel who drafted in and had the approval of Maciel, after the Chapter had finished. In fact, this Chapter put out a document which was handed out to the members, later taken from them and changes made in it by Maciel post factum. In my estimation this version was not valid because of a defect in procedure, not having been discussed and approved by a General Chapter. It is also likely that Maciel lied to the Vatican claiming that it was actually approved by a General Chapter. In any case, Legion General Chapters have been mostly rubber stamp affairs.
About a decade before members were given a Spanish translation of the previous version, not the original Latin version which is what was approved. That was taken from them, and some time, later the new one handed out. They discovered many changes in it, including three new vows, which didn’t appear in the previous version. It was far longer with many rules which according to the custom of the Congregation for Religious should be in included other Directories. The so called private vows, one obliging members not to criticize acts of government of superiors and squeal on those who do, the second forbidding members to seek for themselves or others positions in the congregation, were already made in secret in the sacristy on the same day as the three common vows. However, they did not form part of the approved constitutions. The three vows are taken in accordance with the constitutions of the Legion of Christ. How, one may wonder, can other vows not contained in these constitutions be justified and oblige members? They cannot be construed to be an immemorial custom because the congregation only existed less than half a century. Besides, the vow obliging members to squeal on another cannot a vow because its content doesn’t comply with the definition of a vow given in Canon 1191 of the Code of Canon Law, and in its turn based on St. Thomas Aquinas. The content of a vow must be something “better” than what all Catholics are obliged to fulfill. It is clear to almost every one that squealing is not precisely anything which is good, much less “better”. So, it is not surprising that such a vow has been disallowed by Pope Benedict. The surprising thing is that they could have been approved at all.
Many members discovered another vow, which seems to have been a copy of the fourth vow of the Jesuits, but called a consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Now, one wonders how a consecration could be a vow. Another characteristic of this vow was that not all members were to take it, only certain chosen and privileged ones considered totally “integrated” (in Legion lingo) who would make it secretly and before the Superior General. Also, all the major positions in the congregation would have to be filled by these elite members.
As I mention above, members were assured in 1983 that the version approved then was the final one and personally approved by the Pope. How great was the surprise of the present writer when he found out in 2004 that by means of a Decree of the Sacred Congregation for the Consecrated Life dated in 1994 approving yet another version of the Constitutions. The Holy See approved a new version but several years passed before members even found out about this fact. This time the reason given was that the constitutions needed to be brought into conformity with the new Code of Canon Law which was published on the 25th of January of 1983 and came into effect at the end of the same year. The dates are important here, because the 1983 version of the constitutions was signed on June 29 of the same year. Therefore, it would appear that there was sufficient time to bring the new version of the constitutions into with the new Code.
Another problem is that superiors cannot just railroad new rules and regulations on members since they have taken vows in accordance with a text approved by the Vatican authorities. So, for it to be modified it must be approved by a General Chapter representing them. In two cases, this has not been the case. Members never even knew what was going on, and low and behold like a rabbit out of a hat, they were presented with a new version, one of them supposedly personally approved by the Pope, Eleven years later still another version was produced and approved by the Vatican. One might be forgiven for wondering how the previous version supposedly personally approved by Pope John Paul II, could have been found wanting after such a brief period.
Besides, another General Chapter was held in 1992 which reelected Maciel for a further 12 years. Again no mention about a possible new version of the constitutions was made to members in the official document given to the members to inform them about what the Chapter discussed. One would assume that modification of the constitutions would be one of the principal points in the agenda of a General Chapter and that members should be informed about it. After all, General Chapters are supposed to represent the members. However, the 1983 version contains a rule which requires the delegates who are elected take part in a General Chapter to swear on the Bible secrecy regarding all matters which are discussed in that assembly. This would seem to be the negation of their role as delegates, many of them elected by the members. With this gag rule, how can they represent the members who elected them, or report back to them on what actually transpired in the Chapter?
What is the reason for all this confusion and secrecy regarding the constitutions and the various versions? In my opinion, just like in Mexico where it is common for businesses to have two sets of account books, one being the real one, and the other one for the IRS, there is an officially approved version and the other version which was printed and handed out to the members. It may be that the latter one corresponds, at least to a great extent with the one which was handed into the Vatican dicastery and not approved as such, but with modifications. Several people have attempted to resolve this doubt by asking the Vatican department to provide them with a copy of the version that is on file there, but the department has failed to oblige. Vatican officials may consider this request and the motivation for it outlandish. That is because they don’t understand how the Legion of Christ operates. To those of us who are familiar with its modus operandi of the Legion there is no surprise in all of this. It is also a way of manipulating members and considering them infantile, incapable of discernment and needing to be spoon fed by a founder who has received a unique enlightenment. It is also proof of the deceitful and dictatorial methods and arbitrary government which is common in the Legion. Surely the Legion would be better capable of serving the Church if it allowed its members to think for themselves, to contribute to building it up with their God given gifts, rather than slavishly repeating or parroting the supposed inspiration of the founder? Obviously it is easier to govern and control submissive members who are afraid to think for themselves or put forward any ideas.