Legionaries of Christ Announce New Safe Environments Coordinator
January 29, 2019
To the Legionaries of Christ in the North American Territory
Dear fathers and brothers in Christ,
I hope our Lord continues blessing your work for the Kingdom. I am writing to let you know about an important change for our safe environment efforts. Since 2008, Father Steven Reilly has been the Legion’s safe environment coordinator, playing a large role in the Legion’s efforts to address the issues raised by the post-2002 abuse crisis. He has overseen three Praesidium accreditations, the ongoing development of our code of conduct, investigation of allegations, and victim support. I would like to thank him for his significant contribution.
Effective February 1, Father Frank Formolo will take over Father Steven’s responsibilities and become our territorial safe environment coordinator. He and Father Steven have been working together over the last several months to help provide for a smooth transition. Father Frank will oversee compliance with Praesidium accreditation standards, the investigation of abuse allegations and coordinating the review board that assists me in assessing those allegations. Father Steven will continue to assist these efforts through consultation and assisting with special cases of victim outreach.
I am pleased that Father Frank has generously assumed these new duties and also that this will allow Father Steven to focus on his work as superior of the Rye community and spiritual director of the St. Vincent clergy therapeutic program. Please join me in praying that we can continue growing in our safe environment awareness and effectiveness. As the past year illustrated for the whole Church, keeping our apostolates safe for children and all those who seek a priestly care is a vital duty that requires ongoing vigilance and concern.
Yours in Christ and the Legion,
Father John Connor, LC
Territorial Director
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100 people participated in the convention, including Legionary priests of Christ, consecrated women of Regnum Christi, teachers, coordinators of Catholic formation, directors of Regnum Christi schools, local directors, coordinating mothers and NET guides. The participants came from Monterrey, Saltillo, Nuevo Laredo , Durango, Colima, Leon, Irapuato, Guaymas, Tijuana, Mexico, Toluca, Morelia, Pachuca, Villahermosa, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Campeche, Chetumal, Cancun, El Salvador, Guatemala and Bogota.
Throughout the workshop, there was the participation and support of Legionary priests including Paul Lara, LC, territorial director of Monterrey, Ricardo Sada, LC, territorial director of Mexico and Central America, John Walsh, LC and Emilio Díaz -Torre, LC, delegate of the Territorial Director of Mexico for the Prelature of Cancún-Chetumal. Fr. Emilio celebrated daily Mass, offered confession and invited the participants, through their talks, to meet true love, the love of God.
As every year, NET organizes this workshop to integrate and share with all the people who implement the NET and COBU virtues programs, the innovations of these and to enrich with the experiences of all. Among the new, the materials to work in the classroom were highlighted, which include strategies that favor socio-emotional education through a positive discipline, as well as transversality with other subjects. Also the MOODLE NET electronic training platform, in addition to the music and animated videos of the COBU program.
While some pastors might think of Holy Week as the time of year for adding extra liturgies to the church bulletin and extra flowers for the church sanctuary, some pastors are going back to the roots of holy week. It is a time to get their flock outside the church and spreading the Good News of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. It is anything but a moment to simply gather the same volunteers to arrange flowers around the altar. Holy Week is mission week, and this is how Fr. Herb Kiff, the pastor of Mater Dolorosa, thinks.
“The church was full of people coming and going. One couple, tourists from Seattle, said this was the highlight of their trip! And all of it because the young adults of Mission Youth were going out from the church inviting and engaging every passerby. They have a lot of faith!” said Fr. Gregory Usselmann, another LC priest inside hearing confessions.
