Legion director says he was unaware of founder's double life

Rome, Italy, Apr 29, 2010 / 11:59 am

The General Director of the Legion of Christ, Father Alvaro Corcuera, maintained this week that he had “no idea” and “no knowledge” of the double life led by the congregation’s founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel.  Fr. Corcuera added that though the revelations of late priest have been “painful,” the Legion must move forward and grow in virtue.

In an interview with the newspaper, “El Sol de Mexico,” Fr. Corcuera stated that the decisions made during the upcoming meeting between the apostolic visitors to the congregation and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone would be “embraced with total obedience” by the Legion.

Asked about the skepticism of some over whether or not he was aware of Fr. Maciel’s double life, Fr.  Corcuera said it was “very understandable that this suspicion exists, but I can assure you I had no idea and had no knowledge of these facts. I understand this doubt, this question, exists, and that ours is a position of much responsibility.”

For the Legionaries of Christ, he continued, this entire situation “has been a particularly painful trial.” However, he continued, “I don’t think about what we have suffered, but rather about what others have suffered.  Now we must look forward and not turn our eyes from the facts.”

“I also think a lot about our brother Legionaries, about so many people who have profoundly suffered from this confusion … personally, sometimes I think I don’t have the right to think about how I am doing, but rather I must think about how others are and how to alleviate the sorrows of those who have and are continuing to suffer.”

He added, “It is also a time to strengthen our trust, which is not a virtue by which you wait and see what happens, but rather a virtue that makes you realistically accept the facts with sorrow, with sadness, but moving forward, improving and bringing life back to each one of us.”

Fr. Corcuera said he has followed the example of the Pope by meeting with various victims abused by Fr. Maciel, adding that the current crisis constitutes “an opportunity through which we have to purify ourselves and adopt a humble attitude.”

“What all the victims, what all the people have suffered pains us greatly,” he continued.  “We sincerely feel profound sadness. We wish to show them our closeness and support.”

He added that everyone in the congregation has been humbled and that the Legion must “carry out self-analysis, so that we might truly do what God wants us to do, what society expects of the congregation, in order to move forward and not be centered upon ourselves, but rather to simply follow the example of Christ in doing good, which is the mission we have.”