Vatican restricts ministry of legionaries' priest-founder.

Vatican City--Capping a decade-long on-again, off-again investigation of accusations of sexual abuse, the Vatican has asked Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, to observe a series of restrictions on his ministry.

In effect, Vatican sources told John Allen of National Catholic Reporter, the action amounts to a finding, that at least some of the accusations against the charismatic 86-year-old Mexican priest are well-founded.

Maciel has not been laicized, but the restrictions issued shortly before Easter by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith limit Maciel's public activity, such as his capacity to celebrate public Masses, to give lectures or other public presentations, and to give interviews for print or broadcast. The restrictions were approved by Pope Benedict XVI (NCR, May 18, 2006).

A communique issued May 18, 2006 by the Vatican press office said that "since 1998, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has received accusations, which were already made public in part," against Father Maciel, "for offences reserved to the exclusive competency of the dicastery."

"In 2002, Father Maciel published a statement to deny the accusations and to express his disgust for the offences against him by former Legionaries of Christ," the statement said. "In 2005, for reasons of advanced age, Reverend Maciel retired from the office of superior general of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ."

"After submitting the results of the investigation to careful study," continued the statement, "the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the guidance of the new prefect, His Eminence Cardinal William Levada, has decided--taking into account both the advanced age of Father Maciel as well as his poor health--to drop the canonical process and invite him to a reserved life of prayer and penance, renouncing all public ministry...."

The text adds that "irrespective of the person of the founder, the distinguished apostolate of the Legionaries of Christ and of Regnum Christi is acknowledged with gratitude."

Later, the Legion of Christ issued a statement in which it explained that Father Maciel, "facing the accusations made against him, [...] declared his innocence and, following the example of Jesus Christ, decided not to defend himself in any way (Zenit.org, May 19, 2006)."

Our Sunday Visitor, on May 31, 2006 commented that "Given the circumstances, however, canon lawyers and other observers speculate that the CDF invitation amounts to a finding that at least some of the charges against the founder were credible. It is significant that the investigation of Father Maciel was reopened by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who as pope has approved the present restrictions despite the many affirmations of Father Maciel's position by Pope John Paul II and other Vatican officials."

On June 3, Pope Benedict XVI ordained fifty-four Legionaries of Christ in Rome, hours before the meeting of ecclesial movements and new communities held at the Vatican.