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Legionaries of Christ Publish Documents on Commitment to Addressing Abuse

The General Chapter of the Legionaries of Christ has published the documents “Conversion and Reparation” and “Protect and Heal” which contain the fruit of their reflections, decisions, and commitments regarding the abuse of minors by members of the Congregation and the care of victims. With this publication, the newly appointed General Director, Father John Connor, LC, assumes the commitment to “face with determination the abuses in our history as part of our mission and as a sign of the authenticity of our vocation.”

Guided by these two documents, the new General Director and his council will vigorously pursue the investigation and determination of responsibility for each of the cases of past abuse listed in the Report 1941-2019 and will denounce or inform to authorities any other cases that may arise, in order to reach out to the victims and restore justice.. the Legion said in a statement released February 26, 2020. Anyone found guilty of gross negligence in handling these cases, as set forth in the document “Protect and Heal,” will be barred from holding office in the Congregation.

The Legionaries of Christ have established in the document “Protect and Heal” a communications and transparency policy for the publication of the names of those convicted of sexual abuse. “Thanks to this policy, I am working with the provincial superiors to prepare to publish these cases according to the criteria established by the General Chapter,” says Father John Connor. They will also ask the Church authorities to expel those guilty of abuse from the ministerial priesthood and to lift the statute of limitations for cases prescribed in canon law.

Praise the Lord

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