Legionaries
of Christ
The mission of the Legionaries of Christ is to form apostles, Christian leaders at the service of the Church. Driven by the desire of Jesus’ heart to set the world ablaze, the religious priests of the Legionaries of Christ support each other and work in communion with other Regnum Christi members in their mission to form apostles, people who let the love of Christ the King transform their hearts, their families and their world.
Each year they impact thousands of lives through youth work, education, parishes, missions, the sacraments, and spiritual direction.
In their mission of forming apostles, Christian leaders at the service of the Church, Legionaries make present the mystery of Christ gathering the Apostles around him, revealing to them the love of his heart, forming them and sending them out to collaborate with him in building up his Kingdom. They are a Roman Catholic religious congregation of priests and seminarians who live in communities and make vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
being a legionary means being:
- a man of God
- a formator of apostles
- a well-rounded man
- a lively & magnanimous innovator
- a passionate apostle of Christ
- a proclaimer & witness of God's merciful love
- a creative evangelizer
It means living each day, every act, as a joyful response to God’s love experienced personally in an intimate encounter with Christ. It is a way of apostolate—per Regnum Christi— with a single aim—ad Gloriam Dei. To be a Legionary of Christ is to receive God’s call to a religious and priestly life that embraces all this and more.
(Legionaries of Christ Ratio Institutionis, #65)
around the world
perpetual vows
temporary vows
Vocational Centers
Global congregation statistics updated on December 31, 2023
The purpose of the Congregation is to give glory to God and strive to have Christ reign in the lives of its members, in the hearts of people and in society.
(Legionaries of Christ Constitutions, #2)
Br. Andrew Torrey, LC
Br. Andrew loves sharing in the lives of his brothers in the religious community.
Fr. Jaime Lorenzo, LC
“This is Life,” Fr. Jaime shares, “it’s been a long journey, full of surprises, ups, and downs. But looking back at it all, it’s totally worth it. God has been so good and his love will never fail.”
Fr. John Bender, LC
Fr Nathan Torrey, LC, and Fr John Bender, LC ,share their call to the priesthood and what it is like to live and work at the Legionary seminary in Cheshire, CT.
Christ-centeredness
Christ-centeredness constitutes the fundamental and specific characteristic of the Legionary spirit. Therefore, aided by God’s grace, Legionaries should strive to make Christ Jesus the center, standard and example of their lives as religious, priests and apostles. They should seek to know, love and experience him intimately, above all in the Gospel, the Eucharist and the Cross, and strive to imitate him in a special way through self-giving to their neighbor.
Constitution 9
Areas of
Evangelization
Legionaries exercise their pastoral ministry principally in the fields of spreading the faith; education; evangelization of the family, of culture and of the media; youth work; clergy formation and the promotion of justice, charity and solidarity with the neediest; along with the spiritual care and formation of the Regnum Christi members.
(Constitutions of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, 4.3)
- Proclamation of the faith and teaching of Catholic doctrine
- The practice of the works of mercy
- Christian formation and education of children, adolescents, and youth
- Formation of women, religious, and consecrated men and women in the Church
- Advancement of social justice
- Support of marriage and family
- Evangelization of professional environments, culture, and mass media
- Vocational ministry
Christ-centeredness
Christ-centeredness constitutes the fundamental and specific characteristic of the Legionary spirit. Therefore, aided by God’s grace, Legionaries should strive to make Christ Jesus the center, standard and example of their lives as religious, priests and apostles. They should seek to know, love and experience him intimately, above all in the Gospel, the Eucharist and the Cross, and strive to imitate him in a special way through self-giving to their neighbor.
Constitution 9
In the North American Territory
Our communities of Legionary of Christ priests serve throughout:
the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
In the North American Territory
Our communities of Legionary of Christ priests serve throughout the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
The Legionaries of Christ have two formation centers in the North American Territory:
Sacred Heart Apostolic School, in Indiana, for high-school-aged boys considering the priesthood.
Legionaries of Christ attend Novitiate in Cheshire, CT, for two years before beginning their studies.
Legionary Brothers from the North American Territory will begin their studies in Cheshire Connecticut.
They study Humanities in Cheshire, CT, and theology and philosophy in Rome, Italy.
There are over 150 Legionary of Christ priests throughout the North American Territory.
Legionary priests in the North American Territory live in communities throughout the United States, Canada, Korea, and the Philippines and additionally serve Regnum Christi members and the Church in New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong.
The Legionaries of Christ, by their religious consecration, contribute the testimony of their self-giving to Jesus Christ and their complete availability for the fulfillment of the common mission (of Regnum Christi). By their condition as priests, they make present Christ the Priest and the Good Shepherd through preaching, administering the sacraments and spiritual guidance.
(SRCF 5.3)
Novitiate and College of Humanities
At the Novitiate & College of Humanities in Cheshire, CT, seminarians spend four years together with other young men who are seeking to discover if God is calling them to the priesthood as a Legionary of Christ.
Novitiate and College of Humanities
At the Novitiate & College of Humanities in Cheshire, CT, seminarians spend four years together with other young men who are seeking to discover if God is calling them to the priesthood as a Legionary of Christ.
Visit the Sacred Heart Apostolic School website to learn more about this school for highschool age boys.
Visit the Legionaries of Christ Novitiate & College of Humanities website to learn more about the formation center in Cheshire, CT.
Learn more about discerning a vocation to the priesthood with the Legionaries of Christ.
Calendar of Events
Advent Young Men’s Retreat
Christmas Test Your Call Retreat
2025 National Vocation Summit
Holy Week Test Your Call Retreat
Spring “Test Your Call” Retreat
Summer RE-SET 2025
Government of the Legionaries of Christ in the North American Territory
Fr. Shawn Aaron, LC
Territorial Director
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Territorial Vicar
Fr. Steven Reilly, LC
Councilor
Fr. Bruce Wren, LC
Councilor
Fr. Mark Haydu, LC
Councilor
Contact
- www.legionariesofchrist.org
- 800-532-7478
- [email protected]
- 30 Mansell Court, Suite 103, Roswell, GA, 30076
