Main Menu
RC DAILY MEDITATIONS
RC DAILY MEDITATIONS

May 13, 2025

Legionaries of Christ Launch New Website Built for Mission and Connection

/ LC Cheshire, LC Territorial, LC Vocation, Legionaries of Christ, Legionaries of Christ News, Regnum Christi News

We are excited to announce the launch of the newly redesigned website for the Legionaries of Christ, now live at www.legionariesofchrist.org. This platform is a fresh new digital home created to introduce the world to who we are and to connect with young men who may be discerning a vocation, collaborators in the evangelizing mission of the Church, and friends around the globe.

A Mission-Driven Design

The new site reflects the core identity of the Legionaries of Christ — a Catholic congregation of priests and brothers in formation who are focused on evangelization, forming apostles, and service to the Church as part of the Regnum Christi spiritual family. From the first visit, users will notice a clean, modern layout designed to make it easier than ever to explore who we are, what we do, and how you can get involved.

Key Features at a Glance

  • User-Friendly Navigation: Whether you’re discovering the Legionaries for the first time or a long-time supporter, the website makes it simple to find what you need — from information about who we are and where to find us to discernment resources and mission-focused news.
  • Discernment Resources: Discerning a call to the priesthood? Our new discernment section offers rich content, guidance, and a way to connect directly with vocation directors near you.
  • Our Institutions and Apostolic Work: Find out more about our seminary, Sacred Heart Apostolic School, our prek-12 schools and universities, and our work in evangelization.
  • News and Stories: Stay informed with updates about the real-world impact of our mission from across the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi spiritual family. Read inspiring stories of mission, formation, and faith lived out in today’s world.
  • Multimedia Content: Explore our social media channels, podcasts, books by Legionaries of Christ, newsletters, and digital content designed to help you grow in your relationship with God, including Ask A Priest—real questions from real people, answered by a Legionary priest. The site is designed to be a great user experience across all devices, from desktop to mobile.
  • Ways to Support Us: For those who wish to support the mission financially or spiritually, the new site offers simple and secure ways to give, get involved, or join us in prayer.
  • Information about Safe Environments: We take our commitment to creating safe environments,  prevention of abuse, and listening to those who want to reach out to us seriously. Learn more about our policies, people, and accreditation.
  • Global Reach, Local Presence: Find a Legionaries of Christ community, event, or apostolate near you, and learn more about their work within your region.

Built for Connection

At its core, the new www.legionariesofchrist.org is built for connection — between the Legionaries and the wider Church, between our communities of apostles and the people they serve, and between individuals and God. It reflects our commitment to mission, transparency, and communion with all who walk the path of faith.

We invite you to explore the new site, share it with others, and check back often as we continue to add new content, events, and resources. Whether you are seeking information, inspiration, or a deeper encounter with Christ, you will find it here.

Visit us today at www.legionariesofchrist.org — and journey with us in building Christ’s Kingdom.

Questions or comments? Reach out to us at communications@regnumchristi.com!

Legionaries of Christ Launch New Website Built for Mission and Connection Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: Can’t Confessions Be Speeded Up?”

/ Ask a Priest
Q: How should I manage my expectations in the confessional line? I have been turned away from confession on several occasions due to time restraints. In each case, the priest had spent an extended time (5 to 10-plus minutes) with particular penitents. I understand that each unique case requires certain attention. But as a busy mom it’s hard for me to find time to go and frustrating to be turned away after investing a half-hour or more. It makes me feel as though my sins are just not as important as the people in front of me. I understand a priest investing time in growing a penitent’s spiritual life and not rushing the person. But what about us who are left hanging? Am I wrong to think confession shouldn’t take so long? – Bridget

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It’s wonderful to learn that you have such high regard for the sacrament of confession and are trying to take advantage of it.

Your situation is understandable. A priest often has to exit a confessional to begin a Mass or move on to his next commitment. My quick advice is not to get discouraged.

Other peoples’ confessions might seem very long as you wait in line. Some penitents have difficult situations, and so the confessor tries to take the time needed to impart sorely needed advice. Moreover, many priests might not even be aware of how many people are waiting in line.

A few suggestions might help:

If this problem is happening at your parish, you might ask the pastor whether extra time could be scheduled for confessions.

If that isn’t feasible, and your schedule is tight, you might ask a priest whether you can go to confession right after Mass or at some other moment. Some parishes will arrange appointments.

If you propose a specific time, the priest might surmise that you are well prepared and that the confession will be relatively brief.

Another option is seeing what nearby parishes offer in terms of confession times. This might give you flexibility.

A longer-term strategy is to encourage prayers and Eucharistic adoration in your area for priestly vocations. We need more confessors!

See what your parish or diocese is doing in terms of vocational promotion and ask how you can help.

Praying for priests is a good way to make sure (with the grace of God) that your children and grandchildren will have priests to serve them.

Our Lord will surely bless your efforts and make opportunities for confession more abundant.

I hope some of this helps. Count on my prayers.

 

“Ask a Priest: Can’t Confessions Be Speeded Up?” Read More »

The Lay Consecrated Men of Regnum Christi Celebrate the Inauguration of Their New Chapel and Home

/ Lay Consecrated Men, Regnum Christi News, Weekly Message Blog

On the evening of March 18, the Vigil of the Feast of St. Joseph, the Lay Consecrated Men of Regnum Christi (LCRC) celebrated the inaugural Mass of the chapel in their new community home located in Manassas, Virginia.

The main celebrant for the opening Mass was Msgr. Paul deLadurantaye, the Chancellor for the diocese of Arlington, Virginia. Joining the LCRC community were Angela Kanazeh, Regnum Christi member and the local Regnum Christi director, along with Fr. Lino Otero, LC, and Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, Deb Bauer and Luly Fernandez, bringing together all four vocations of Regnum Christi at the celebration.

Mass was followed by a time of fellowship with Msgr. deLadurantaye, who shared his vocation testimony as well as some stories about his previous five years in Rome where he had worked closely with Pope Francis.

In 2020, the Lay Consecrated Men moved to Virginia in order to better support and work more closely with Divine Mercy University, a Catholic graduate school of psychology and counseling. After renting for four years, the Consecrated Men decided to put down roots and purchase a house in the city of Manassas in order to stabilize their investment in the local RC sections, Divine Mercy University and the local community. 

There are currently four Lay Consecrated Men residing in the Virginia Community: Antonio Maza, who serves as VP for Finance and Administration (CFO) for DMU; Fernando Suarez, DMU’s Director of Budget and Planning; Jorge Lam, a business and marketing student at Catholic University of America; and Tony MacDonnell, the LCRC community director and Coordinator of Campus Ministry at DMU and teacher of theology at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Virginia.

Who are the Lay Consecrated Men of Regnum Christi?

The LCRC are men who have answered a call to totally surrender their lives to God in Regnum Christi, striving to radiate Christ from within the culture, and transforming it into a place of encounter with God. In response to God’s call, the Consecrated Men dedicate their entire lives to the service of the Church by living as apostles in the social and professional world and, with their personal gifts and professional talents, seek to make present the Kingdom of Christ in secular society. They live in community, integrating prayer and action with a strong desire to transform the world for Christ through tireless and unconditional apostolic work, living in the world to transform it into a place of encounter with God.

Unlike other lay members of Regnum Christi, the Lay Consecrated Men take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, living a communal fraternal life. Through their consecration, they give their lives completely to Christ and remain fully available for the mission of the Church in Regnum Christi. Through the vow of poverty, they proclaim to others the true meaning of money and possessions, freeing them from all idolatry, materialism, and greed. Through the vow of obedience, they proclaim to others the true meaning of authority and service, helping them to act with freedom in the face of the temptation to seek only the fulfillment of their own will. Through the vow of chastity, they bear witness to the true meaning of sexuality and love, freeing themselves from the idolatry of sex and the temptation to use others for personal gain. With God’s grace, they demonstrate the vocation that humanity has to love as God loves and to see each person as God sees them.

If you would like to know more about the Lay Consecrated Men – who they are, what they do, and what the LCRC vocation consists of – or if you sense a vocational call to a life living out a professional career while wholly consecrated to the Father, please send an enquiry to Tony MacDonnell at amacdonnell@arcol.org. You can also find out more by visiting the LCRC website at rclayconsecratedmen.org.

 

To contribute to the mission and operations of the Lay Consecrated Men, please click the button below to make your donation.

DONATE HERE

The Lay Consecrated Men of Regnum Christi Celebrate the Inauguration of Their New Chapel and Home Read More »

Believing in the Lord

/ Regnum Christi News, Weekly Message, Weekly Message Blog

Dear Friends,


Every disciple of the Lord faces two basic doubts – filtered, however, through apparently endless permutations. The first is a doubt about God’s goodness; the second is a doubt about his power.

To the first, we’re battered by whispers: “Can you really trust God? How can you be sure he will come through? Does he actually care about you? Did God really say…?” This temptation tends to envision God as a distant despot seeking power and control.

To the second, we may doubt whether God is truly all-powerful. In other words, why does evil seem so dominant if God has the true power in the world? If the first doubt is about whether God will fulfill his promises, this second doubt is about whether God can fulfill his promises.

The month of May is dedicated especially to the Blessed Mother, and Mary, more than any other human person, illustrates how to face these temptations. In this regard, St. Luke describes two activities characteristic of Mary: she treasured and she pondered.

Mary “treasured” by allowing God to reconcile what at first seemed irreconcilable. She knew that “all things serve the Lord” (Psalm 119:91), and therefore God is always working for our good (Romans 8:28 and John 5:17). She simply held the Lord’s action in her heart, while giving him permission to act.

And Mary “pondered” by inviting the Lord into every situation, every thought, and every feeling: “How can this be…?” In other words, she poured out her heart to God (Psalm 62:8), taking every thought captive for him (2 Corinthians 10:5) and sharing her inner world with the Lord. 

This treasuring and pondering, the fruit of grace, enabled her to trust the Lord’s goodness and his power; she believed that the promise made to her by the Lord would be fulfilled (Luke 1:45). It also enabled her response, “Let it be done to me according to your word” – in times of sorrow and in times of joy.

As we honor Mary each May (which, not coincidentally, begins—and often ends—in the Easter season), her example poses a question to each of us. What situations, what thoughts, what feelings, what memories, what experiences might the Lord be inviting me to hold in my heart and ponder with him? What would it mean to bring them to him in the light and the power of his Resurrection, and to allow that Resurrection to claim my heart and my entire life?

In that way, we, too, will perceive the meaning of the words, “Blessed is the one who believes that the Lord’s promise will be fulfilled,” and our lives will become a surging Magnificat to the goodness and the power of God.

God bless,

Fr. John Pietropaoli
Two Priests and a Mic podcaster

 

Believing in the Lord Read More »

May 13, 2025 – Spiritual Seasons

/ Daily Meditations

Listen to the audio version

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

 

John 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

 

Opening Prayer: Jesus, reveal the Father to me. I want to draw closer to you. I know only through you am I able to know the Father. Lead me, Good Shepherd, to our heavenly home.

 

Encountering Christ:

 

  1. It Was Winter: “The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter.” John’s Gospel is rich in providing signs to direct minds and hearts. Every word has meaning. Winter symbolizes many things: cold, waiting, end, death, a precursor to spring and its new life. In these lines of Scripture, “It was winter” means that the long wait for the Messiah was coming to an end. Death would soon be defeated. The winter of Satan’s reign would soon pass into the spring of Jesus’ Kingdom. Those who were not Jesus’ sheep were there to do battle. Those opposed to Jesus gathered around to debate him and cause confusion among the crowds.

  2. And Jesus Walked About: “And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.” The Portico of Solomon was on the east side of the Temple and offered protection from the cold winds of the desert, once again referencing winter. It was a feast day, so many Jews from distant lands were arriving and Jesus was “walking about” them. Psalm 87, today’s responsorial psalm, encouraged the dispersed Jews of 6 BC who were living in foreign lands to remain children of Zion, God’s people. Jesus was doing the same here. We can imagine Jesus walking about looking in the hearts of those who had come from far away, acknowledging their hopes and desires. And none of them realized that their God was looking lovingly upon them first. Where are the areas of waiting in our life? Places of winter cold or death? God is at this moment walking about those places in our souls. Pope Francis offered us this encouragement: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. ‘Dwell’ is the verb […] to signify this reality: It expresses a total sharing, a great intimacy. And this is what God wants: He wants to dwell with us; he wants to dwell in us, not to remain distant.”

  3. But You Do Not Believe: “But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” How hurt Jesus must have felt to be among his own people and not be recognized. Every person desires to be acknowledged, affirmed, and appreciated for they are. Our usual response is to self-protect by putting on masks to hide our vulnerability. Jesus wanted to be known and loved, but his response was completely different. God who is Love remained vulnerable and open. Jesus, which means “God Saves,” continued to seek his lost sheep. Jesus, who is Emmanuel, continued to dwell among them even when they failed to recognize him. When it feels like a long winter has settled in our souls, we remember that we are not alone. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is walking about in us. We welcome him.

 

Conversing with Christ: Lord, where do I fail to see you? Help me to acknowledge your presence in my life. Help me to see and help me to respond. I want to be found by you, Lord.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will take at least twenty minutes to imagine myself coming into the Temple at the Portico of Solomon. I will look at you and remember that you are already looking at me. I will ask you to walk about with me and bring light and warmth to the cold and dark places in my soul.

For Further Reflection: Contemplate the zeal and confidence of the first disciples of Jesus in today’s first reading: Acts 11:19-26.

Nan Balfour is an events coordinator for Pilgrim Center of Hope, a Catholic evangelization ministry that answers Christ’s call by guiding people to encounter him in order to live in hope as pilgrims in daily life. She is also a mother, writer, and speaker on Catholic topics.

May 13, 2025 – Spiritual Seasons Read More »

Scroll to Top

Events

Donate

Looking for another country?

Contact Regnum Christi near you

News & Resources

Main Menu

News & Resources

The Regnum Christi Mission

The Regnum Christi Family

The Regnum Christi Identity

Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!