Mar 16, 2010 / 09:56 am
The five bishops appointed to the Apostolic Visitation of the Legion of Christ will meet with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone on April 30 to present their final report after eight months of work.
The Apostolic Visitation began on July 15, 2009 under the direction of the five visitors: Bishop Ricardo Watti Urquidi of Tepic, Mexico; Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver; Bishop Giuseppe Versaldi of Alessandria, Italy; Archbishop Ricardo Ezzato Andrello of Concepción, Chile; and Archbishop Ricardo Blázquez Pérez of Biblao, Spain.
In his most recent column, Vatican analyst Sandro Magister explained that after the final report is presented, “it will be the Vatican authorities who decide what to do. The three prelates charged with the case are Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State; Cardinal William J. Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Cardinal Franc Rodé, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life.”
Magister noted that there is much speculation regarding when the Holy See will make a decision about the future of the order. However, he added, in his own opinion, the Vatican will name a pontifical commissioner to take charge of the Legion.
Other Vatican watchers have speculated that the Holy See may call for an extraordinary general chapter of the Legion of Christ.
One source at the Vatican told CNA that these are all just possibilities, as the apostolic visitors have only presented their proposals. The final decision will be made by Pope Benedict XVI.