A little blip on the Maciel scandal story

Karna Swanson writes in (Legion-run) Catholic news service Zenit that Archbishop O'Brien will not close a Legioniary academy and "does not plan to ask the congregation to leave his archdiocese." This in response to an article published this Wednesday where Abp. O'Brien, among other things, said the Legion stifles the free will of its members and lacks transparency.

But what is most interesting to me in this Zenit article is its summation of the Maciel scandal situation:

A month after the Legion of Christ revealed that its founder had a relationship with a woman and fathered a child, the congregation has yet to reveal more about the findings of its internal investigation, or its path forward.

The news broke early this month that Father Maciel had led a double life. Jim Fair, the U.S. spokesman for the congregation, issued a statement to the press confirming that the founder of the Legion and its lay movement Regnum Christi engaged in activities that "weren’t appropriate for a Catholic priest."

Catholic News Agency reported Monday that sources in the Vatican assured a statement is expected soon from the Legionaries of Christ, and that the congregation is actively analyzing its situation in conjunction with "several cardinals" of the Holy See.

While admittedly only quoting and re-publishing CNA's scoop, it would seem the author of this Zenit article finds the report at least worth repeating. It's my best guess that this is where things currently stand - several Cardinals are actively involved in figuring out what to do about this mess. This solution is what many people have been calling for - Vatican oversight and intervention.

Numerous questions present themselves at this point - who is involved? Rode? Bertone? Others? Who will publish the statement? Will it be released by the Legion or the Vatican? What figures of authority will publicly comment on it? Will other US bishops besides Archbishop O'Brien react independently after the statement is released?

As we reflect on possible answers, let's not forget to pray for the parties involved.