Fr. Maciel: Something Strange Happening

Over the weekend, a series of claims and counter-claims arose regarding the investigation of Father Marcial Maciel, Founder of the Legion of Christ, regarding sex abuse charges discussed at my old blog site a month ago.

The matter is discussed in detail at Open Book and Vatican Watch.

On Friday, the Catholic News Service (CNS) announced there would be "no canonical process" for Fr. Maciel, meaning no charges would be brought against him as a result of the investigation recently reopened by order of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger during the last days of JPII's pontificate. Essentially, the news meant that Fr. Maciel was cleared of any charges.

Today, a victim advocacy group called ReGAIN claimed that CNS had the story wrong: that CNS had credited the Vatican Press Office with the communique when, in fact, the announcement had been made by the Legionaries whom Fr. Maciel had founded. The implication, of course, is that the Legionaries are up to some monkey business to get their man off the hook.

So: are the Legionaries of Christ a pack of Machiavellian schemers who would have made the worst anti-Catholic fantasies about the Jesuits look like children's stories?

Or are the victim advocates merely stirring the brew to keep the controversy over Fr. Maciel alive?

Right now, I wouldn't hazard a guess.