Update: Fr. Thomas Berg leaves the Legion of Christ

His statement:

After nearly 23 years of life as a Legionary of Christ, I have discerned that it is time for me to continue following Christ in the diocesan priesthood. Although the recent revelations about the Legion’s founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel, were profoundly disturbing, my decision has actually been in the making for nearly three years.

Like so many, I have personally experienced again and again the vast amount of good which God has accomplished through Legionary priests and the congregation’s works of apostolate over the past six decades of its existence. I leave with a heart grateful to Christ who I know accepted and blessed the oblation of my years of religious consecration in the Legion.

In my opinion, the serious issues within the congregation will require its thorough reformation if not a complete re-foundation. I am hopeful that the upcoming Apostolic Visitation of the Legion will be a first step toward a new beginning for the Legionaries and members of Regnum Christi. I trust that God in his providence will lead them to holiness and enable them to do great things for Christ and his Church. For my part, I remain their friend and brother in the Lord.

My work as executive director of the Westchester Institute will continue under the direction of a new Board and no longer under the Legion’s sponsorship. By this means and through a very active ministry in the Archdiocese of New York, under our new Archbishop Timothy Dolan, I look forward to continuing to live my total consecration to Christ in his priesthood.

My hope is that this brief statement would preclude unnecessary and unwarranted speculation about the reasons for my decision. Having released it to the press, I do not plan to make any further comment on the matter at this time.

I have three quick observations:

• This is a blow to the Legion because, among other things, Fr. Berg is one of their leading intellectual lights. He was certainly one of their most, if not the most, visible figures in scientific and academic circles. And with his departure, they have also lost the Westchester Insititute.
• Notice how, contrary to those who held it to be simply impossible, Fr. Berg admits the possibility of "re-foundation" as a spiritual solution to the Legion's systemic problems. This is significant coming from someone who lived in the Legion for 23 years.
• I am happy to see Abp. Dolan step in and provide Fr. Berg with a good home in the diocesan structure of the Church. May other bishops do the same for those priests who wish to continue their ministry outside the Legion.