In Baltimore, Legionaries hand over documents to Archbishop O'Brien

The Baltimore Examiner gives us details on the latest development:

Warned by Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien that its closely held activities must become more transparent if they are to continue within the archdiocese, the controversial Catholic religious order Legionaries of Christ — and its lay counterpart, Regnum Christi — appears to have seen the light.

O’Brien, who in June was on the verge of barring the religious and lay orders’ operations within his 153-parish jurisdiction — including the group’s K-8 Woodmont Academy in Cooksville and its Crownsville family center — now tentatively supports the traditionalist congregation’s organizational and evangelical work.

“We had a meeting several weeks ago with three priests of the Legion, and they handed over a rather significant volume of information concerning membership and the programs that they run,” O’Brien told The Examiner...

... O’Brien, whose initial hand was stayed by Vatican intercession, wanted the information within a month, and he wanted semiannual updates of any changes.

Apparently, the hybrid evangelical group, which dates from the 1940s and now has 70,000 members, 700 priests and numerous schools, institutes and seminaries throughout the world, has complied completely.

So we are told to believe that O'Briens "initial hand was stayed by Vatican intercession"? That's just poor reporting - no source or verification, just a claim. Has anyone heard anything about a "Vatican intercession"?

It is good to see that the Legionaries are cooperating.

I previously blogged this story when it broke back in June.