Customer Reviews

Christ Is My Life

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The following "unrefusable invitation" seems to put the author on a level all to himself:

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 2006 (VIS) - With reference to recent news concerning the person of Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, the Holy See Press Office released the following communique:

"Beginning in 1998, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith received accusations, already partly made public, against Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, for crimes that fall under the exclusive competence of the congregation. In 2002, Fr. Maciel published a declaration denying the accusations and expressing his displeasure at the offence done him by certain former Legionaries of Christ. In 2005, by reason of his advanced age, Fr. Maciel retired from the office of superior general of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ.

"All these elements have been subject to a mature examination by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and - in accordance with the Motu Proprio 'Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela,' promulgated on April 30 2001 by Servant of God John Paul II - the then prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, authorized an investigation into the accusations. In the meantime, Pope John II died and Cardinal Ratzinger was elected as the new Pontiff.

"After having attentively studied the results of the investigation, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the guidance of the new prefect, Cardinal William Joseph Levada, decided - bearing in mind Fr. Maciel's advanced age and his delicate health - to forgo a canonical hearing and to invite the father to a reserved life of penitence and prayer, relinquishing any form of public ministry. The Holy Father approved these decisions."

Christ may have suffered a terrible cross, but you cannot claim to be like Him in any way when you are a child sex abuser.

This book is propaganda for the Legion of Christ and its lay branch Regnum Christi. Maciel molested boys/seminarians as well as fathered several children. Last time I checked the aforementioned acts were terrible sins. This book states that Maciel followed Christ; and the Legion of Christ along with Regnum Christi tried to convince the world that Maciel was a living saint. Save yourself some money and choose something different,

I read this book as an after thought, trying to figure out how someone who seemed to be a traditional Catholic could draw as much criticism as he has. I refer the reader to Quesion #49, pages 72-73, where his self-professed style of functioning alone should convince the reader that, unlike Christ himself, Father Maciel's way to Christianity is about as far apart from Christ's way as one can get and still call themselves Catholic. Not a way of life for a person who embraces free will as a God-given right and his Church within the exercise of this freedom.

This is sadly more of the same rehash of the myth of Marcial Maciel, accuse pederast.

The Legion of Christ has just announced on their website that a new book, Christ is My Life, which purports to be an interview with Marcial Maciel is "...far and away the fastest-selling book in the Catholic market today"

This claim is based on the fact that Sophia Institute Press has reportedly sold 21,000 copies of the book in just 9 days. The number is deceiving. The truth of this matter is that, upon contacting Sophia to print this book, the Legion of Christ ordered and bought 16,000 copies for itself. If 21,000 are sold, that means that only 5,000 others have been sold through Sophia Institute Press itself. The Legion, however, asserts that: "In just nine days, Sophia Institute Press has sold 21,000 copies of Christ is My Life, its 304-page interview with 83-year-old Father Marcial Maciel, LC, the founder and director of the Legionaries of Christ." This is a tactic widely used in the past by groups like the Scientologists, who published a book called Dianetics, bought up thousands of copies in-house, and thus boosted the groups popularity with the public through the contrived multiple printings. The remainder have been bought by families of Legionaries, and Regnum Christi members.

The 'interview' itself is also a sham, since the alleged interviewer, Jesus Colina, is not an independent journalist as they claim, but a Legionary employee and RC member who heads up their news organization called Zenit. He received the material for the publication from the Legionary superiors as quotes from the letters of the Legionaries' founder, most of which are not even authored by Maciel himself. His ghost writers have included many Legionaries over the years.

There was no need to make such bold sales assertions, which only reveal the duplicity of the marketing techniques of this group. When will the Legion of Christ simply tell the truth about matters such as this?

Their credibility is very much at stake here.

As for the content of the book, how much of this grandstanding and false pietism can we take? The pretensions are overwhelming. The truth is sadly absent about Marcial Maciel, the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi. This is a disservice to the Chruch and her work to bring souls to Christ. It is a narcisitic attempt to bring people, resources and money to Marcial Maciel.

If you thought the Catholic Church was dead, look again! Fr. Maciel is a true son of the Church, faithful to what God asked of him, and -at 83 years old- is still going strong. This book is candid and historically accurate, showing how a 20 year old seminarian was able to found a religious congregation that is one of the fastest growing in the Church today. "You shall know a tree by its fruits;" for anyone who has heard of the work of the Legionaries of Christ, this book is a chance to see the roots.

The questions are insightful, especially about how a true Catholic looks at the Church and the world of today.

I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the Catholic Church, especially after Vatican II. The lesson? As the Psalmist says: "The Lord blesses the faithful man with an abundance of gifts."

The story of Fr. Maciel and The Legion of Christ is inspiring and beautiful. Despite trial and long odds, faithfulness and courage triumph. Fr. Maciel's reflections on his childhood, his vocation and the growth of The Legion provide great insight into the future of the Church. Untiring determination mixed with a strong faith in the Church's timeless teachings, rooted in love of Christ is a powerful combination.

The founder of Legionaries of Christ details the problems and successes of starting a new organization within the Catholic Church. He is a traditionalist who is completely dedicated to the Magisterium. Anyone who feels they are misunderstood or oppressed by opposition should read this book and gain understanding of the peace of Christ even in the face of disappointment and opposition. An inspirational story.