VATICAN CITY
Hartford Courant
7:17 PM EST,January 24, 2005
Associated Press
VATICAN CITY -- The Legionaries of Christ, who have their U.S. headquarters in Connecticut, have elected a successor to the Mexican priest who has headed the religious order since its founding 64 years ago.
The decision of 84-year-old Father Marcial Maciel Degollado to decline re-election had no connection to recent reports that the Vatican has reopened an investigation into allegations that the Mexican sexually abused seminarians, a spokesman for the order said Monday.
Maciel and the order have vigorously denied the allegations, accusing the nine men of a conspiracy to defame him.
Maciel cited his age and his wish to be present during a transition under the new general director, fellow Mexican the Rev. Alvaro Corcuera Martinez del Rio, 47, the spokesman said.
"He had been planning this for at least three years," said the spokesman, the Rev. Tom Williams.
But David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said he believed Maciel's departure was related to the reopening of the investigation.
"It's a sign that when victims persist, sometimes they can achieve some measure of justice," Clohessy said. "I hope it will produce some comfort to the people he molested. I hope it won't short circuit the investigation."