Exiting LC Priest Makes Serious Accusations against Superiors

EXITING LEGIONARY PRIEST MAKES SERIOUS ACCUSATIONS ABOUT HIS DISMISSAL AND AGAINST HIS SUPERIORS’ ACTIONS.

(Editors: This message was emailed to a friend of Fr. Pérez who pasted it on Facebook. Without taking sides in this controversy, it is published as a testimony written by a priest who served the Catholic Church in the Legion of Christ for 38 years. Translated literally from the original Spanish by staff.  Clarifications for the wider or English speaking public have been added in parentheses.)

Mexico City, 25 September, 2012

To: Fr. Alvaro Corcuera, LC.

General Director of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ.

CC. Cardinal Velasio de Paolis, Apostolic Delegate

Cc Fr. Rodolfo Mayagoitia, LC, Provincial Superior

In accordance with ## 691 and 693 of Canon Law I am requesting my official release (indult) from the Congregation of the Legion of Christ.

I have spoken with Monsignor Raul Vera, Bishop of Saltillo, and he is willing to incardinate (accept) me into my native diocese.

AMONG THE SERIOUS REASONS PROMPTING ME TO LEAVE THE CONGREGATION ARE THE FOLLOWING:

My disappointment for the reform of the Congregation (order): the changes are cosmetic and do not modify the way authority is exercised; there continues to be a lack of dialog; the institution’s well-being continues to over-ride respect for basic human rights of the Children of God.

A classic example of this lack of respect was he decision taken by Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas, LC, who in agreement with Legion superiors, without any one of them discussing it with me, decided to expel me from the Prelature of Cancun-Chetumal (Quintana Roo state, Mexico). In this case, the bishop and the LC superiors involved, besides disdaining my apostolic work, have totally ignored the wishes of the parish faithful. Worse still, it is common knowledge that Bishop Elizondo acted in collusion with the mayor of Playa del Carmen town, Filiberto Martínez Méndez, who offered to reward the Prelature for my exile from Quintana Roo.

I also see no congruence between the Life of Christ and the life of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ who are so focused on money, power, and fame, something I described in the letter addressed on September 24th, 2012, to Mons. Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas, LC, bishop of the Cancun-Chetumal Prelature.

I want to declare categorically that Legion Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas and other Legionary priests have told many people that I am an alcoholic, am a neurotic, and need psychiatric help; they even say I used drugs to be able to carry out my apostolic duties in the torrid climate of Playa del Carmen. I have in my possession a medical certificate from psychiatrist Jorge Polanco Benois which testifies to my mental health. I also have the results of a drug and blood test from the Playa del Carmen Red Cross which testify to my good health.

I joined the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in the summer of 1974. After 38 years I am requesting that on leaving the congregation my grandparents’ and mother’s home at Calle de Victoria 770 in downtown Saltillo, Coahuila State, be returned to me. I also hope that after such lengthy service of the Church in the Legion of Christ the superiors cover the cost of my medical insurance and other expenses of a person nearing his 60^th year.

For now that is all. In the hope that God writes straight on crooked lines, I place myself under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as I begin a new stage in my life at the service of my neighbor and the Holy Catholic Church.

Your servant in Christ Priest,

Pablo Pérez Guajardo.

I delivered a hard copy of this document to the Territorial (Provincial) Headquarters in Mexico City, both pages signed by me and sealed with my finger prints, being received by Brother Estanislao.  I do not possess a scanner. As soon as I have one I will scan the document with the signature and received stamp as proof that the hard copy and email versions are identical

Fr. Santiago Perez Santana Leaves Legion for Monterrey [Mexico] Diocese

[from Facebook]

Santiago Pérez Santana

Yesterday, after 23 years, and after much reflection and struggle I left the Legion of Christ.
I thank God for the good people I knew inside and for the good that has been done during this time.
I am not in agreement with many things, and I don't know how I have been able to bear with various situations these last few years.
The Archbishop of Monteery, Mons. Rogelio Cabrera, had been kind enough to accept me into his diocese and I thank him from the bottom of my soul. 
I still don't know what I will do but last night I got back to Monterrey, four and a half years after I left. 
I want to thank the kindness and affection of my dear people in Leon [Gto, Mexico].  It was impossible to say Good Bye to all but I hope to see you soon. 
Thanks also because if there is something I have learned during these years is that the only thing that matters and what lasts is precisely that: people and to love people. "To smell of the flock" as the Pope said the other day. 
A hug for all and a prayer for you all during the Mass I begin in a while.
Please pray for me.

Ayer, tras 23 años y después de mucho tiempo de reflexión y lucha, dejé la Legión de Cristo.

Agradezco a Dios la gente buena que he conocido dentro y el bien que se ha hecho a través de todo este tiempo. No estoy de acuerdo con muchas cosas, ni cómo se han llevado las diversas situaciones en estos últimos años.
El Arzobispo de Monterrey, Mons. Rogelio Cabrera, ha tenido a bien acogerme en su Diócesis y se lo agradezco en el alma. Todavía no sé qué voy a hacer pero anoche ya llegué a Monterrey, después de 4 años y medio de mi partida.
Quiero agradecer el cariño y la cercanía de mi querida gente de León. Imposible despedirme de todos pero nos veremos pronto. Gracias porque si algo he aprendido estos años, es que lo único que importa y lo que queda es eso. La gente y querer a la gente. “Oler a rebaño”, como decía el Papa el otro día. Un abrazo para todos y un recuerdo en la Misa que celebro en un rato. Pido oraciones por favor.

Fr. Thomas Willams Leaves Legion Priesthood to Do the Right Thing

When Fr. Williams acknowledged his paternity about a year ago it was announced that he was heading home to take care of a cancer.
Today it is announced that he has asked for his Dispensation from Celibacy and Priestly duties to take care of his child.
The blogger notes that he does not need a Dispensation from Celibacy to take care of his son; he could take a break from priestly ministry or simply become a lay person: the Church's terminology is horrible: to be reduced to the lay state/condition, "reduction in statum laicalem"
The blogger notes that according to Catholic Canon Law leaving the ministry and getting a Dispensation from the Vow of Celibacy are two separate steps -though they are often related.

 [In Our Father Maciel who art in Bed, the author tell the story of how Cardinal Hickey of Washington DC helped him through that process. Hopefully the Legion will help Fr. Thomas through it now, going though the appropriate Vatican channels and having to admit that their flawless training system does not always work -that the Legion is human and fallible like all other religious orders, and not necessarily superior to them. Something that they have tried to cover up for decades by under-reporting defections.]

The blogger further notes that Pope Francis has been very clear that when a priest gets involved with a woman he must think seriously of what he is doing and that in some case it is better for him to get a Dispensation from Celibacy and to get Married, to take care of mother -hopefully the woman he loves- and their child. 

Former Legionary Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of Dallas Marches Pro Immigrants

my friend, former confrere, now bishop of Dallas, Monsignor Kevin J. Farrell from Dublin exercised his Prophetic Ministry recently

Link contains text and VIDEO

Fr. Mathew Green's Homily for the Baptism of the Lord

Listen to former LC and presently parochial vicar at  Holy Family parish in Gloucester & Rockport, MA

Many former LC priests are doing well outside.

I have presented Fr.'s Web Page Link above

For Those Re-entering Normal Life

People leaving closed groups are very often ill prepared to leave and face the world; they lack Life Skills.
People are helping former Mormons and members of polygamous groups with this

Former members of Regnum Christi and Legion of Christ need something similar.

For people coming into American society -and it may be applicable to others- experienced psychologist and "cult expert", Livia Bardin, has written STARTING OUT: in Mainstream America

Fr. Alvaro Corcuera, former Superior General of the the Legion of Christ, seriously ill

the blogger has lambasted legion superiors for decades for their deception and malice.
But at this moment

LET US PRAY FOR FR. ALVARO whom I know personally

It is not his fault that from an early age he fell under the evil spell of Fr. Maciel.
Now he faces a mass in his brain, a terrible prospect.
I pray for him that the Lord will spare him too much suffering and restore him to health if it is God's Holy Will.
May the Holy Spirit strengthen Fr. Alvaro and the Blessed Virgin accompany him.
....

We had thought that Father Alvaro’s health would improve with the sabbatical that he requested in his letter to the Papal Delegate on October 9. But, his headaches became worse while he was spending Christmas with the community in Cheshire. On December 30, he put his plans to visit other communities in the US on hold and went to the hospital in Hartford, CT.

The doctors found an abnormal growth in his brain. They are now conducting tests to determine its cause. It is possible that Father Alvaro will have to undergo an operation in the near future. Father Alvaro’s brother and sisters and extended family have been informed.