It seemed hopeless. Only 1:15 remained in the showdown basketball game and the scoreboard said Dunbar led Calvert Hall by 9 points. Many fans headed for the exits. Who could blame them? The powerhouse Dunbar team, led by future Georgetown and NBA stars David Wingate and Reggie Williams, seemed to have everything in hand.
Up until that point the game seemed anti-climactic to the pregame build up. Because of a race riot in the early seventies, it was the first time in 12 years that the Baltimore public school champions had played against the Catholic league champs. It was a moment to put past racial tensions behind and also to see who played better ball.
At this stage of the game, the overflow, sellout crowd that packed the Towson University Arena that night in 1981 thought the answer to that question was clearly the public champion, Dunbar. But at least 12 people in the arena – the 11 players in Calvert Hall uniforms and our headstrong coach – believed that the game wasn’t over yet. And it wasn’t.
After a basket, a steal and quick second hoop it was a 5 point game with 50 seconds left. That raised the curiosity of many who were leaving and they stopped dead in their tracks; not ready to go back to their seats yet, they formed a human ring around the court. A missed 1 and 1 by Dunbar and another quick bucket made it a 3 point game with 30 seconds to go. After a Dunbar free throw, Calvert Hall scored to make it a 2 point deficit with 15 seconds to go. Now things were interesting. Dunbar failed on a 1and 1 free throw with 12 seconds left and Calvert Hall had its chance. The long jump shot taken with 5 seconds left fell short – an air ball, but it landed in Calvert Hall hands and was laid in to tie the score with 1 second left. The joint was now jumpin’, the game was going to overtime and everyone went back to their seat.
After three overtimes, Calvert Hall prevailed by 3 points. By not quitting and believing it could be done, we pulled out a very satisfying win. But the best was yet to come for the Calvert Hall Cardinals. Inspired by the dramatic victory and with a nucleus of six returning players, they went 34-0 the next season and were rated as the nation’s number 1 high school team.
I was a member of those Calvert Hall teams and I am currently a member of the Legionaries of Christ. I see some parallels between that game of my youth and the current situation of the Legion. From the outside, things might seem hopeless or at least very discouraging. There are those who have headed for the exits. But from the inside, I am able to see things from a different perspective. True, there are serious obstacles in front of us, but as I believed my team could come back 29 years ago, I am even more confident that the best is yet to come for the Legion of Christ.
Why do I say that? I say that because we have all the necessary ingredients to make it happen. We have many great and virtuous men, we have an important mission to fulfill within the Church, and we have the caring support of our beloved Holy Father, Benedict XVI. But most of all, we believe. We believe in the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ – to renew, to regenerate, to restore.
The best is yet to come because the Legion counts many men of virtue, sacrifice and faith within its ranks. Our seminarians and priests, trusting in God’s grace and believing in His power, have what it takes. I recently finished my annual 8 day retreat and the example and fidelity of the 40 or so priests and brothers just blew me away. I saw love. I saw life. I saw joy. This has been characteristic of all the Legionary centers I have been around during the last 18 years and continues today. I have never been around or seen such a generous and virtuous group of men. Several members of my high school team went on to play major college ball, one had a lengthy NBA career, and they mean a lot to me, but my current “teammates,” my brothers, inspire more confidence. They have helped bring out the best in me during these last 18 years and the vast majority are eager to do whatever it takes to bring out the best in the Legion in the future.
The best is yet to come for the Legion because it has an important mission to fulfill, serving the Church and souls. The core of its charism is to form lay apostles with the militant apostolic spirit of the Church. In an era when so many have become “domesticated” Christians, unsure of their identity and afraid or embarrassed to make their faith public, this is an undeniably important mission. The faithful and enthusiastic commitment of so many lay members of the Regnum Christi Movement and other friends of the Legion both inspires admiration and testifies to the great potential of what the Vatican recently called a treasure for the Church.
The best is yet to come for the Legion because it has the support of the Holy Father. Like my coach 29 years ago, the Holy Father has refused to give up on us. He has not headed for the exits. He has recognized the good in our members, the importance of our charism and vocation and has encouraged us to move forward. His encouragement is both a great consolation and, I believe, an example of true leadership worthy of emulation throughout the Church. He has also sent us a wise and humble servant as his delegate to lead us through the next stage of our Congregation’s life.
But the biggest reason for why the best is yet to come for the Legion is because the Legionaries believe in the transforming power of Jesus Christ. We believe that Christ is bigger and more powerful than any sin, misfortune or situation that can be created by human misery or malfeasance. To believe that Fr. Maciel’s sins and their consequences are too much for even God to overcome is simply not Christian. “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.” Rom. 5:20
Despite what we now know about our founder, God has mysteriously accomplished many great works through the Legion of Christ. Trusting in Christ, this Legionary is morally certain that the best is yet to come. Not because we won’t make mistakes, not because we have all the answers, not because we do not have important issues to address, but because Jesus Christ is in charge and His love is more powerful. “Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great.” Sirach 2:3
The author is President of The Institute for the Psychological Sciences, a Catholic graduate school of psychology located in Arlington, VA. www.ipsciences.edu
Dear in Christ, Fr. Charles,
Great article! Thank you!
United in prayer, Fr. José M. Antón, L.C.
Thank you Father Charles for your faith and witness.
Thank you for your article above, Fr Charles. Speaking from a perspective of a lay person who is trying to get her head around all this there are 2 things that come to mind. There is the issue of Fr Maciel. I think the Church through the Holy Father has spoken very clearly on this point. But then there is the issue – to my mind much more important – of the very problematic system and methodology in which all LCs were formed which also came from Fr Maciel. You speak about serious obstacles ahead of you. Would you be willing to share with us what obstacles you see ahead for the LC?
Thank you
As Fr. Owen Kearns, LC, said in his testimony on the RC web site now:
“The call is eternal. That means that the Lord called me to the Legion knowing full well what was to transpire with the founder. He didn’t call me to the Legion in ignorance of that, independently of that, in indifference to that, or despite that. He called me to the Legion precisely for that, to be involved in the process of healing and purification triggered by the revelation of the evil the founder had done.”
Dear Astrid…Father Charles asked me to post his reply:
I appreciate your comments. I think the main issues to be addressed as we move forward were well articulated in the Vatican’s Communique last May. One of those points is the review of priestly formation, especially as it regards seminarians. I agree with you that it is an important issue. You can also get a sense of what we face by reviewing the 10-point progress report on the main Regnum Christi website. Be assured of my prayers!
Being both a Calvert Hall mom and a member of Regnum Christi, I found this article inspiring on both levels.
Hi Fr. Charles,
To my mind, all that you have endured as an order in recent years IS a testimony in disguise. Maybe a better metaphor is the cross because too, was certainly not recognized for what it was at the time – the occasion of salvation for mankind going down. The cross too, was unfathomable. I can’t think of anything that could have been a bigger trial for an order than what the Legion has endured. It is not the gravity of the sin which is remarkable in this. That is as ugly as today’s reading on Cain and Able and as old a story. What is much more unusual is the Legions’ endurance itself which speaks of a love sustained by grace alone. Personally, I have never been more proud Legionaries who remain in the face of this inconceivable scandal and betrayal of their own founder. The purification factor is equivalent to the evil which precipitated it; in the order of God’s pleasure – to work all things for good for those who love him.
With prayers for your continued fidelity to your vocations,
Claudia
Your basketball team overcame great odds to win the game because they were working together towards a common goal. This will be the challenge for the Legion. The support of the Pope and delegate will only go so far, they can’t infuse you with a spirit of unity. That’s up to you.
Think how your basketball game might have ended if one of the teammates let his temper get the best of him and fouled out, one focussed on his own goal to be top scorer for the game, one groaned to himself, “what’s the point? we’ll never catch up”, one started posing for the yearbook photographer at every chance, etc.
Rah rah analogies only go so far. Time will tell if the team is working off the same playbook.
There have been a couple questions about how Legionary formation could be valid in light of the history involving Fr. Maciel. So I did a little research:
Our Legionary formation is based on what the Pope and the great masters of the Church say. After a synod of Bishops on the priesthood, Pope John Paul II wrote about priestly formation, in Pastores Dabo Vobis (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031992_pastores-dabo-vobis_en.html), especially Chapter 5 (#42-59). You can see the main lines of Legionary formation in this document. You will even notice the focus on the four areas of formation as we have: Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Pastoral (we say Apostolic but this is slight emphasis of our charism). We call this integral formation and you can see an explanation on the website (http://www.legionariesofchrist.org/eng/articulos/categoria.phtml?lc=se-246_ca-638_ci-859&width=1280&height=1024) if you want to compare. The biggest difference we would have is that the role of the bishop is replaced by that of the territorial and general directors, since we are religious. Fr Maciel may have had a certain synthesis of this but almost all the elements of our formation can be referenced back to Church documents or great masters such as St. Ignatius Loyola.
I became a member of Regnum Christ after the Fr. Maciel issue came out. It is because of LC priests like Fr. Charles. The LC priests are so enthusiastic when speaking. I have great opportunities for spiritual direction and spiritual exercises. I also meet with other men and discuss things like the upcoming Sunday gospel reading. I am being shown the way to get closer to Christ. Yes, what Fr. Maciel did is horrible. I am not focusing on that. I am focusing on getting closer to Christ.
I agree! Regnum Christi and the Legion has been the best thing our family ever did together. We sent our boys to the Apostolic schools (they chose to go) and our girls to the Precandidacy in Rhode Island. They have all become people on fire for Christ. They talk about Jesus, prayer, apostolates, and discerning their vocations. They are truly giving Christ the first chance in their lives. Wherever they end up, it will be as a result of habits of prayer they have developed and the spiritual formation they have received. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything!
When the Fr. Maciel scandal broke out, we would have sent them to comparable schools if there had been any option. But we couldn’t find any schools which give them the spiritual benefits they receive here. And we realized from knowing their teachers and formators personally that it isn’t the fault of the Legion or Regnum Christi, and the Pope has reaffirmed this: he acknowledges the good they are doing and encourages them to grow. God bless the Legion and RC consecrated women!! You are in my daily prayers.