By Giacomo Galeazzi
Vatican Insider
November 27, 2011
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| Young Legionary priests |
The Pontifical delegate recently wrote a letter providing concrete instructions on the path that consecrated "Regnum Christi" members will have to take after being put under the administration of an external commissioner
The Holy See has called the "lay branch" of the Legion of Christ to order. On 21 December, the Pontifical delegate Velasio De Paolis sent out a letter with concrete indications as to the path that consecrated member of the "Regnum Christi" would need to take, after the apostolic visit which also placed the lay branch of the Legion of Christ under the administration of an external commissioner. The movement currently has approximately 70.000 members, including youngsters, adults, deacons and priests, in over 30 Countries throughout the world. Members of "Regnum Christi" are required to "testify their love for Christ and the Church, through their own life style."
Cardinal De Paolis addressed five points: assistants' duties with regards to consecrated members; the regulation that will be in force during the review phase; the central commission for the review of statutes and "Regnum Christi" regulations; further study into certain fundamental topics, through conferences and study days and the necessary difference that exists between reflections, suggestions and formal decisions during the process that is currently underway. The letter concluded with a call for prayer, dialogue and gratitude towards God, for the gift of consecration in the Church and in the "Regnum Christi".
In Cardinal De Paolis' deed of appointment, on 16 June 2010, Benedict XVI said that a delegate's mission is to "govern, said religious institute on my behalf, for the period deemed necessary for completing the path of renewal and lead it towards the celebration of an extraordinary General Chapter. The main aim of this will be to complete the review of the constitutions."
The Legion of Christ is a religious congregation of Pontifical right, founded in 1941. Its mission is to spread the Kingdom of Christ in society, "according to the requirements of justice and Christian charity, and in close collaboration with bishops and pastoral care programmes in every diocese." Today, the institution has over 800 priests and 2500 major and minor seminarians. It has training centres and apostolate houses in 22 Countries. "Regnum Christi" on the other hand, is an apostolate movement that serves people and the Church. It shares the charism of the congregation of the Legion of Christ. The "Regnum Christi" movement is also "a spiritual life path for lay people and diocesan priests, place Christ at the centre of their lives, drawing inspiration from him in the Christian path towards holiness. They do this, taking their experience of Christ's love as their starting point. The vocation of the movement's members, is "to live, get to know, testify and communicate Jesus' love, with joy and enthusiasm, so as to become men and women who encourage others to get closer to God, by acting as examples." "Regnum Christi" is also a spiritual family, which offers individuals a balanced training (spiritual, intellectual, human and pastoral). It also offers them the means to carry out acts of charity and each individual's apostolic action, through activities aimed at all ages and state of life.
The Legion of Christ's priest and the members of "Regnum Christi" "place their love for God at the centre of their spirituality. This becomes love and service towards the Church. They therefore offer their cooperation to local priests, with humility, with a charism that is typical of the Movement. They cooperate to provide complete training to their members and are always ready to serve parishes and dioceses."
The Legion of Christ and "Regnum Christi" promote institutions (such as the Maria Mater Ecclesiae International Pontifical College), activities and publications, such as the Istituto Sacerdos and Ecclesia magazine, which contribute "to the training and perseverance" of diocesan priests and seminarians.
On 26 November 2004, the Holy See gave its definitive approval of "Regnum Christi"'s statutes. The decree clearly points out that its end is: "the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ among people through the sanctification of its members, in the state and condition of life to which God has called them, and through a personal and organized apostolic action at the service of the Church and its pastors. Its specific charism is the same as that of the Legion of Christ and consists in knowing, living and preaching the commandment of love that Jesus Christ the Redeemer came to bring us by his incarnation."
The central point set out in this decree of approval, relates to apostolates that the Legion of Christ and "Regnum Christi" currently offer as a direct service to parishes. Indeed, parishes must benefit, above all, from the training available to members of "Regnum Christi". It is the movement's duty to motivate each one of its members to be active within their own parish community. The movement also fuels special work that is carried out for catechesis and popular missions such as Missionary Youth and Family. It also gives support to: broad reaching programmes, such as the Full Time Evangelisers, who act on behalf of bishops and parish priests and Schools of Faith, which prepare catechists for concrete commitment. Furthermore, it gives training and pastoral subsidies, which parish priests can put to good use in their parishes (NET for family training, FAMILIA family apostolates, Christian life groups and youth clubs).
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