I had a note a few days ago from a Legionary friend who said a number of the people he works with are worried about the “revision” of the Legion.
To be honest, it took some clarification on my friend’s part for me to understanding the concern. It apparently arises from the use of the term “revision” in several of the early communications about the work of the Papal Delegate. There were references to the need for “revision” of the Legion.
It is a bit of an unusual term, probably the result of the imperfections that occur when Italian changes to Spanish and Spanish changes tEnglish. But the concern is whether the term means the Legion is going to be dismantled and somehow completely eliminated or rearranged.
Actually, the term “revision” has been used in the past in reference to changes in Church documents, such as the code of canon law.
To paraphrase our Delegate, people who think we’re going to tear the Legion apart are wrong – as are those who think there isn’t much in need of change. We can call it revision, renewal, change, improvement, clarification – many things. But what should be clear by now is that whatever we call it, the process the Legion is undergoing is designed to preserve what is good, eliminate what isn’t and build a solid base for future service to the Church.
Yes, I firmly believe that the Legion is a work of God. And just like the rest of us, it will benefit
from renewal.
Jim,
I may not be able to phrase this exactly right, but in any case, I just hope and pray that in the course of the revision, the spirit of militia christi, and all that entails, will not be lost or covered over. Of course, it’s easy for me to say, egging on the Legionaries to continue to be real spiritual warriors, but their example and lived witness is so important and will continue to be so, if the militant spirit is maintained, along with the heightened attention to prayer that is so good and helpful for us all.
The more I think about this whole period and its challenges, the more I intuit that in fact the Legion and the Movement are on the brink of a real breakthrough in terms of spiritual renewal and apostolic effectiveness in bringing the Faith to the people of today, in a way that speaks to their innermost beings today, but also in a way that is in continuity with the Church’s experience of the last two thousand years.
What must be carefully discerned by the Legionaries and the Apostolic Delegate and his advisers is how to effect the needed revisions without inadvertently throwing out something that is in fact a key element of the charism and way of proceeding of the congregation and the Movement. One could think of it as though there were a “secret ingredient” that needs to be retained. I guess it could be this “militia christi”; I could be wrong, writing this hasty message, but those responsible need to watch out for this factor, I’m sure.
And I will go so far as to say this: the last thing we need in the Church right now is another limp-wristed left wing organization. The Legion is not that now, and it better not end up that way. From what I have read about Cardinal DePaolis, he is not one to lead anybody in that direction, but still there must be vigilance. It seems too easy for changes to be made in reaction to criticisms, mostly from the outside, insofar as I can tell, that can start out well-balanced but easily run over into a kind of hysteria. Without being able to give examples right now, some of the deletions from the Regnum Christ Prayer Book may fit into this category.
As that old fighter, J.P. McFadden used to say: Oremus–and hard.
All the best.