Man says Legionaries of Christ founder was his father, abused him

By RACHEL ZOLL
ASSOCIATED PRESS

06/22/2010

NEW YORK — A Mexican man said Monday that he is the son of the founder of a once-influential Roman Catholic religious order, and accused his father of repeatedly molesting him.

In a lawsuit, Jose Raul Gonzalez, 30, accused the late Rev. Marcial Maciel of abuse beginning at age 7. Gonzalez said Maciel led a double life, explaining his long absences from the family by saying he was a CIA agent and oil executive.

Despite the power the Legionaries of Christ once held with Vatican officials, the Holy See recently concluded that Maciel, the order's founder, led a life that was "devoid of any scruples" and included molesting young boys.

Gonzalez said the abuse began when Maciel took him on trips in South America, England and elsewhere. Leaders of the Legion knew for decades that Maciel was a pedophile and did nothing to stop him, Gonzalez said in his legal claim against the group.

"He always said to us that he was an enemy of the lies, but he was the most liar, the biggest liar," said Gonzalez, at a news conference with his attorney, Jeff Anderson.

Jim Fair, a U.S. spokesman for the Legion, said he could not comment on the lawsuit, but Fair noted that the Legion had said that Gonzalez' paternity claim "apparently was true."

Maciel died in 2008 at age 87. Legion officials acknowledge that Maciel fathered at least one other child, a girl, and abused seminarians, but insist they only just discovered his misdeeds.

For decades, former Legion members who said they had been abused by Maciel tried unsuccessfully to persuade Vatican officials to take action against him.

Gonzalez's mother, Blanca Lara Gutierrez, has said that Maciel had two children with her and adopted another.

From: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/religion/story/AF2B1AD0D9454C348625774A00106F05?OpenDocument