12-year old speaks out

Wow. This kid's got guts. And how well-spoken she is!

YOPP! That’s the final word that made all the difference at the end of Dr. Seuss’ story Horton Hears a Who. May we suggest that it stands for Young Ones Praying and Prophesying. With that in mind meet Lia. She’s a 12-year-old seventh grader that recently decided to make a courageous stand in her school by giving a persuasive speech on the topic of abortion. Even when her teachers strongly encouraged her to choose a different topic, she decided to stick with what she felt passionate about.

In Earthen Vessels

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.

This week we received painful, disturbing news regarding the life of the founder of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi. Needless to say, we were shocked to discover that he'd been living a duplicitous life (at a minimum, investigations have determined Fr. Maciel fathered a child with a mistress some 22 years ago) and saddened to our core that we had placed so much confidence in the holiness and sincerity of Father Maciel.

It remains unclear exactly how the Regnum Christi Movement and the Legion will move forward under the direction of Father Alvaro Corcuera, LC. It may be that there will be some form of "reconstitution" of the groups -- at this point we just don't know.

Here is an article in Zenit News which quotes directly from Legionary spokesman Jim Fair regarding the news of Father Maciel.

If you'd like to read equitable and charitable coverage of this disturbing news, check out Patrick Madrid's blog post of February 3.

Our Sunday Visitor also did an interview via email with Fr. Thomas Williams, LC which you can find here.

Also, if you're interested, Raymond Arroyo will be hosting Father Thomas Williams, LC and Father Jonathan Morris, LC on The World Over Live tonight (Friday) on EWTN at 8 PM Eastern Time to interview them and get their responses to this recent news.

We ask for your prayers as we Regnum Christi members (70,000+) struggle with this difficult news, as well as for all the faithful and holy Legionaries and Consecrated around the world who are bearing this heavy cross.

We know that God chooses to act through frail human instruments, which is why I began this post quoting from St. Paul. Truly, God began this work to build up His Church, but chose a weak earthen vessel through which to do it. I take comfort in knowing that the charism of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi has been affirmed and reaffirmed in and through the Church and that as long as we are faithful to the direction we receive from Rome, we will forever be in the Heart of Christ. I am thankful that Cardinal Rode, Prefect of the Congregation of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, has affirmed the mission of Regnum Christi despite the personal failings of our founder.

Please pray especially for our current General Director, Fr. Alvaro Corcuera, LC, as he has an enormous burden to bear. This must be so personally distressing to him, as he was close to Fr. Maciel and had the responsibility of revealing what his own internal investigation unearthed, however unpleasant the news. Here is a link to a beautiful letter that he wrote to all Regnum Christi members if you'd like to read it.