Excellent Blog by French exLC

Well informed and well written [in French] blog by French former LC, Xavier,
helps us to know what is happening on that "front"

"I have decided to pursue my Priesthood Outside the Legion"

[see Douglas Barry's very recent testimony on sister blog "How to Get a Loved One Out of the..."]

In this context, I have decided to seek by means of exclaustration -as you know it is given for three years- to try to exercise my priesthood outside the Legion, because I believe it is not healthy for my priesthood to continue in a system that will take a long time to change, and with which I have encountered no few incompatibilities....

Workshop for people Exiting High Demand Groups

Announcing.. .

Workshop for Former Members of Cults or High-Demand Groups

Special Guest Facilitator: Janja Lalich, Ph.D., former cult member &

author of Take Back Your Life and Bounded Choice

March 13th, 2010 from 1:00 – 5:00 P.M. ­ Mill Valley, CA Location

(In the San Francisco Bay Area)

Fee: $45.00 ­ Participation limited to 20

This is an opportunity to meet and participate with other former members of cults or high-demand groups. Our goal is to provide a safe, respectful environment in which participants may gain mutual support, share perceptions, and learn from each other. We hope to focus on typical post-cult aftereffects and responses, the process of recovery and personal development, strategies and successes for a creating a life of one's own making. While this is not a therapy group, it may be therapeutic.

The session will begin with brief introductions, followed by an open discussion in which participants can expand upon anything previously stated, comment on emerging thoughts and feelings, and address relevant issues.

The facilitators, Colleen Russell and Janja Lalich, expect a lively, interactive, and in-depth exploration of issues raised by participants, such as trust; relationships and communication; healthy group functioning; magical thinking; disconfirming inaccurate, self-limiting beliefs internalized from cult ideologies; boundaries and saying "no"; loss and grief; anger and other emotions; critical-thinking skills; connecting to society-at-large; self-acceptance; post-traumatic stress; family of origin issues; personal accomplishments and goals.

Colleen Russell, L.M.F.T., is an experienced psychotherapist and a Certified Group Psychotherapist. In the 1970s she was a "higher initiate" and area representative of an Eastern/New Age cult. Ms. Russell facilitates an on-going group for former members, now in its eighth year, and she endeavors to support healthy as opposed to cultic group functioning and dynamics. In addition to her general therapy practice with individuals, couples, and families, she specializes in cult education and recovery.

Janja Lalich, Ph.D., is Professor of Sociology at California State, University, Chico. In the 1970s and '80s she was a high-ranking member of a San Francisco-based political cult. Since leaving the cult in 1986, Dr. Lalich has become one of the nation's leading experts on cult phenomena, including cult indoctrination and its effects and recovery from such experiences. In addition to her own works, she coauthored two books with the late Dr. Margaret Singer. Dr. Lalich facilitated former member support groups for many years in the San Francisco Bay Area and has worked with many individuals and families affected by cults.

Location of Workshop: The setting for the workshop is in the apartment above Ms. Russell's Mill Valley office, a comfortable environment with expansive views of the Redwood-covered ridge. Refreshments will be provided.

Call with any questions and to register: Colleen Russell, 415.383.7721. If you are planning to attend, registration fee must be received by March 6th, 2010.

"The Day I Left the Legion of Christ"

For now this Testimony on exlc.info is in French

[Rough translation]

That day, although it had been preceded by a month of spiritual crisis,  everything happened suddenly. A discreet jump into the town center one afternoon with one of them looking for some clothes. Then everything happened with the greatest discretion, so that, according to the tradition in these cases, my little personal drama would not perturb the fidelity of the others.


At that moment, I was careful not to be seen "in civvies" and I furtively went down the service stairs heading for the airport. My two superiors were waiting for me in the garage. After a furtive trip to Mc Donalds to relax the tension, it was time to leave, a new life was beginning.


The time would come when my confreres would realize I was not there and the hackneyed formulas would fill the gap: "se fue", he left, or "ya no esta", he is no longer here, or "no era su camino", it was not his path!. These practical phrases stopped any further discussion of the issue if questions arose about my disappearance.

[Original text, first part]

« Un récit bien triste...

Le jour où je suis sorti de la Légion

Par Xavier le mercredi 3 février 2010, - Témoignages - Lien permanent

Ce jour là, bien que préparé à l’événement par des mois de crise spirituelle, tout va très vite. Un saut discret au centre ville une après-midi pour quelques courses vestimentaires avec l’un d’entre eux. Puis tout se passe dans la discrétion la plus totale, pour que, comme la tradition l’a établi dans ces cas là à la Légion, mon petit drame personnel ne vienne pas perturber la fidélité des autres.

Pour le moment, je prends garde de ne pas être vu ‘en civil’ et je descends furtivement les escaliers de service, direction l’aéroport. Mes deux supérieurs m’attendent au garage. Après un passage furtif au Macdonald histoire de décrisper l’atmosphère, c’est le départ, une nouvelle vie commence.

Le moment viendra bien où mes frères de communauté s’en rendront compte et je sais déjà que les formules toutes faites colmateront la brèche: « ¡se fue! » (il est parti!) ou « ¡ya no esta! ») « il n’est plus là! » ou encore (« ¡no era su camino! ») « ce n’était pas son chemin! ». Ces phrases pratiques permettront de ne pas aller plus loin sur la question si des interrogations surgissent à mon sujet.