*Breaking: Pope Sends Apostolic Visitors to the Legionaries of Christ*

As predicted, the Legion website has published a press release this morning. This post will be updated constantly.

The press release consists of three things:

1) a letter from Director General Fr. Alvaro Corcuera, LC

2) a letter from Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone, saying that the Vatican will undertake a visitation of the Legion

3) a short Q&A of four questions written by the Legion

Here is the introduction posted on the Legion website:

"Rome, March 31, 2009. We wish to share with Regnum Christi members and friends two letters announcing an Apostolic Visitation to the institutions of the Legionaries of Christ. We also have included some questions/answers. This is the beginning of a process in which the Legion will fully and gratefully cooperate. We invite our readers to accompany us with prayers that this special help from the Holy Father will assist the Legion and Regnum Christi to love Christ and serve His Church."

[Read the 3 sections here.] [Read only the Alvaro letter.][Read only the Bertone letter.]

Catholic News Service coverage has little to add:

Details of the visitation were not made public in the announcement. Jim Fair, the order's U.S. spokesman, said the order knew little more than what the letter stated. "We know they're going to be visiting. We'll cooperate and prepare. But all we know is what's on the site."

No other press has picked up the story at this point. I doubt anyone else has anything to add.

update: Having had a chance to read the press release, I have a few questions:

• Why did it take three weeks after the Legion knew an apostolic visitation would be taking place for them to notify their members? Why was this statement clearly delayed for so long?
• Why did Cardinal Bertone not mention the Legion's charism? It has been the subject of much discussion recently and he did not take the opportunity of reassuring them.
• If the Holy See is so close to the Legion, why has it chosen to undertake an extensive visitation of all their institutions? Why is the gravity of this decision not acknowledged by the Legion?
• How does this apostolic visitation help the Legion - what are its goals? Apostolic Visitations have recently been called when organizations within the Church are feared to be incapable of fixing their own problems. What are the Legion's "current difficulties" if the only person at fault was Maciel?

[photo: CNA]

update 2 - George Weigel, in a Reuters interview:

"[he] said the investigation will have to discover who within the order was complicit in Maciel's web of deceit. Eventually the pope will have to decide if the Legionaries should be reformed or dissolved, he said."

update 3 - I found these comments on the press release by "Cassandra Jones" to be insightful.

Complete coverage and backstory here.