Open thread: What approval does the Legion *now* enjoy?

As we wait for the Legion's promised "serious clarification" statement, I'll continue to select what I find to be compelling comments which will provide a starting point for further discussion.

Today's comments originate from someone claiming to be a Legionary priest, who says:

I am an active LC priest, dismayed by the silence and passivity of many of my brothers. Outrage at this entire situation and our hapless leaders' response to it is the ONLY acceptable position.

I find particularly dismaying our superiors' reliance on the argument that runs something like this: "We know all is well in the LC because the Pope has tols us how much he esteems us and Cardinal Whoseewhatzit and Cardinal Whatzhisname have been visiting our centers saying how wonderful we are."

How could that type of reasoning convince anyone? Least of all those of us who lived through the LC's halcyon years under Pope JPII?

Fr. Maciel was praised publically and privately by the Pope and other Vatican officials time and time again during the 80s and 90s when he was actually living the double life we now recognize with horror. The Pope said lots of nice things about us then when the Founder was in the act of duping us all.

How could anyone's praise or approval of us now be a sign that all is well? We've already seen that Popes and Cardinals can be fooled and manipulated. We already know that the LC does its best to show them only what the LC wants them to see.

The only thing that can save the LC is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Full disclosure, full transparency and full renunciation of its policy of deception.

It doesn't matter who approves of us or disapproves of us if we are not truthful with ourselves.

I'll add a point to these thoughts. Fr. Alvaro has claimed that the Legion and/or Rome only recently discovered the fact that Maciel had a daughter twenty-two years ago. This means that all the previous conversations Fr. Alvaro claimed to have had with Cardinals, and Pope Benedict, and all the encouragement he claims to have received from them, were given without their knowing about the full extent of Maciel's deception.

One must then wonder how the Vatican is re-evaluating the status of Maciel and his inner circle in the light of this "recent" discovery.

A revealing question to ask: how many bishops and cardinals have spoken publicly encouraging the Legion to carry on with business as usual after this news was made public?!

Find me one.

And if indeed not one has thrown their hat in with the Legion, what are we to make of all these claims that "the Vatican" completely endorses their current activity? If these Cardinals and Pope Benedict are so eager to support the Legion, why has not a one of them said so in public?

(Also of interest: A Jesuit studying to become a priest compares Ignatian Obedience and the Legionaries.)