If you’re in Atlanta you’ve probably wondered what happened to Fr. Kevin Lixey, LC. So we flew to Rome to find out! In this rare, behind the scenes, video Fr. Kevin Lixey, LC brings the North American Director of Marketing & Communications, Gail Gore, on a tour of the Vatican Museums and shares a glimpse of what it’s like to now be the International Director of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.
Q: The Pope in the past has criticized our president over building the border wall and the refugees. When the Pope makes these statements, such as building a wall is un-Christian, how should I as a Catholic react to them? I am not sure if he is speaking infallibly or just stating his opinion. Please clarify. – J
Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC
A: What follows is not meant to be the definitive answer to your question. But perhaps a few points will be helpful for you to consider.
Infallibility covers the solemn pronouncements of the popes as well as their ordinary magisterium. But infallibility only touches on issues of faith and morals — issues linked to unchanging principles. In many political debates, the real disagreements don’t have to with the principles. In this case, for example, everyone would agree with certain principles, such as “all human beings should be treated with dignity; every country has a right to protect its borders.”
The disagreements come when people have to make laws and policies about how to live out those principles.
In answer these questions, prudence comes into play. Sometimes a particular answer clearly violates a principle that the Church has taught infallibly — for instance, if someone were to propose liquidating all illegal immigrants in order to solve the immigration problem, the Church could surely pronounce infallibly against such an unjust solution.
But many times a particular proposal doesn’t clearly violate a basic moral principle; rather, it chooses one particular way to respect many principles. And other proposals will put forth other possible ways to achieve the same end. When it comes to evaluating these prudential proposals (such as the proposal of building a wall on the Mexico-U.S. border), differences of opinion are fine, and discussing them can lead to greater clarity.
The Pope, as Pope, cannot put forth as infallible a particular prudential judgment about a possible way to remedy or improve a social situation, unless the proposal in question clearly violates a fundamental human right.
Pope Francis hasn’t actually condemned President Trump’s specific legal proposal to build a border wall, but he has frequently commented on the possibly damaging attitudes that might be involved in that kind of a proposal.
So, we certainly don’t have to believe in a “no wall” policy in the same way that we have to believe in Christ’s resurrection or the evil of abortion (directly killing a defenseless human being). In fact, a pope’s comments on political and social policies where prudential judgments can vary simply cannot fall under the authority of his papal infallibility.
Nevertheless, Pope Francis is the vicar of Christ, and his words should be given a certain weight and respect. Francis does, after all, have a lot of pastoral experience, as well as a fairly broad view of the world. At the least it isn’t too much to ask that the faithful give him the benefit of the doubt and take his words to heart.
There doesn’t rule out the need for debate on this issue. Governments do have a right to protect their citizens, and they do have a right to protect their borders. But whether a wall in this case is needed or advisable is an open question. Good people can disagree over the issue.
I don’t think the Holy Father wants to interfere in U.S. policy. But he has seen the effects of the immigration crisis in Europe these past few years. And he has seen the heartbreaking cases of children and families dying during their flight to seek refuge.
The topic of barriers to immigration is not a mere hypothetical question. It is an issue that impacts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, in real time.
Pope Francis understands the plight of refugees and immigrants well, so it is understandable that he wonders why the world’s richest country is considering a wall and putting a tight seal on its borders.
Obviously the issue is complex and ongoing, and genuine fears about terrorism continue to hang over the world, not just the United States. Respect for the law is also an issue that shouldn’t be overlooked. Is it healthy to have thousands and even millions of people in a country illegally? It can expose them to exploitation as well as corrode respect for the rule of law.
Still, the Holy Father might feel compelled to speak out on this particular issue because of its potential impact on already-struggling immigrants and refugees, and because of its ability to fan the wrong kinds of political flames.
So what should a Catholic in the U.S. make of all this?
Perhaps it might give a Catholic pause to think about the wisdom and fairness of such a wall.
The problem of illegal immigration remains a legitimate issue, and one that the U.S. can and should continue to debate and deal with.
As the debate continues, the Pope’s words might be helpful as a kind of a lighthouse beacon in the night, helping boats to move in the right direction.
Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to AskAPriest@rcspiritual.wpenginepowered.com and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…
When she was 16, Beatriz spent a summer as an ECYD missionary in the Philippines. Once she knew she could help out, Beatriz decided to go, packed her own bags and with her parents’ help went from Barcelona, Spain to Manilla to help in the Mano Amiga School (info/help out) there.
“Operación Kilo” (A Pound of Good) and visiting old folks were the apostolates Beatriz worked most on. She has been in ECYD since 5th grade and is currently in high school. She dedicated a few minutes between her exams to answer a few questions.
Why did you go so far? How did you make the decision to go to the Philippines for an ECYD Missionary summer?
When I was told that if I wanted, I could be an international ECYD missionary, I just wanted to go to the USA to improve my English and because it seemed attractive. But they suggested I consider other options for a destination and looking at possible places, I saw Manilla. I was rather surprised to see there was Regnum Christi in Manilla – so, going to the Philippines became option #1.
I also loved the program, there, and – after leaving home – I was better able to understand a different culture. At first it seemed impossible for my parents to let me go but they were more supportive after talking to with Maida Ureta [consecrated woman of Regnum Christi] and Fr. Juan Sabadell, LC. When I kept insisting, my parents let me go.
I suppose it was a big change culturally and socially. How did you experience it?
As it was such a different culture, our first week included classes on history customs and basic Tagalog in order to adapt. This made things a lot smoother because, indeed, the Philippines is quite a different country from Spain: not only because of the language but more so because of the social inequality. Most families live in poverty. At one point, we went on a mission to a town a few hours from Manilla and helped poor rural families – this experience let me realize how lucky I am and helped me be grateful for what I have. Despite the inequality, the Philippines is beautiful with thousands of beaches and forests, and people who – although they have nothing – are wonderful. And just for this, it was worth going.
Your apostolate was centered around the Mano Amiga School. How are the children there? What degree of poverty to they have?
Mano Amiga is a Regnum Christi school that helps families who can’t afford to give their children a good education. These families barely have the necessities of life. Many parents of children work in the school as teachers, cooks, janitors, etc.
And what did you all do to help them?
The EYCD missionaries organized a “mini summer camp” for the children in the mornings. We put out various stations around the school (games, Gospel, crafts, songs, etc.) and the children went from station to station. At first it took us a while to communicate with them as they had little English and we had little Tagalog , but in the end everything worked out and we had a lot of fun. What they liked the most was singing and playing basketball, which they were good at.
My birthday was during the first Summer Camp and everyone sang Happy Birthday to me in Tagalog. I was quite thankful.
How has being ECYD helped you in this task?
Being ECYD and being a team leader has helped me a lot and above all in dealing with kids and organizing activities – it was like organizing activities for my ECYD team.
What memories did you take home?
On the flight home, I realized all the incredible things I’d lived, saving many good memories of my summer as an ECYD missionary: a stronger relationship with God; friendships with other missionaries, the Regnum Christi Consecrated Women and all the people we helped; a culture that taught me a lot; and beautiful landscapes.
If a young woman your age is thinking about being an ECYD missionary next summer, what would you tell her?
Don’t think too much! Being an ECYD missionary is an awesome experience, both humanly and spiritually. No matter the location – although I recommend Manilla – you will help people out, and in the end, you go where God needs you most. Your attitude is what’s important: be open to anything and you’ll be happy. You will see that it will be one of the best summers of your life
Q: I’ve been reading about a lot of things in the world that have become idols of a sort, this making us commit idolatry. At what point does something or someone become an idol? I have favorite singers that I listen to a lot, I go to concerts, I have favorite movies and TV shows that I watch a lot and get excited about when the next installment is coming. Am I committing idolatry? – M
Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC
A: You raise a good question, one that more people should consider when they look at their own priorities. There are a few points worth considering.
First, “idolatry” can be understood in various ways. People who fanatically followed someone like Hitler or Stalin or Mao could be said to have made idols of them.
There is a similar sort of idolatry that is more prevalent. That is kind where people make rock stars or Hollywood actors the focus of their lives. Fans might imitate the stars in every detail: clothes, hair, or less-than-stellar lifestyles. That, too, could be a form of idolatry, if we are putting fallible humans in a place that should be reserved for Jesus.
There is yet another kind of idolatry — perhaps much more common — involving not people but material things: money or power or fame or pleasure.
People might not think of worshipping a dollar bill, for instance, yet at a practical level they build their whole lives around accumulating money or power, etc. If they put these things ahead of God, then that is a form of idolatry.
This leads to your question. When does idolatry set in? It depends.
You personally need to step back and see where your priorities are. What is it that grabs your attention? What is it that you strive for?
Who is the standard for your behavior? A rock star? Or Jesus? Whom do you consciously try to imitate – a movie star, or Jesus?
Do you spend most of your waking hours listening to pop music, watching movies, reading all the latest gossip about this or that celebrity? Do you find those diversions more appealing than your prayer life? How much time do you spend on celebrity websites compared with Scripture?
Do your pastimes or hobbies (soccer or hunting or whatever) cause you to skip Sunday Mass?
Your answer to those questions will give you a good clue as to the answer to your question about idolatry.
Perhaps a thought experiment will help. Imagine you came down with a deadly disease and were told you had a week to live. Could you honestly say that you had lived your life well? Could you say that you dedicated your time to something or Someone worthwhile?
Ultimately you need to be the one to answer your own question. What is it, or who is it, that is at the center of your life? Idolatry simply means putting something or someone instead of Jesus at that center. Only Jesus deserves to be there, because only he is the true source of lasting happiness, wisdom, courage and joy. We worship and follow him because only he is the Lord, and only he can fill the deepest yearnings of our hearts. If we try to fill those yearnings with anything else, we are on the path to worshipping an idol, a false god that cannot possibly fill our heart.
So who or what is at the center of your life? This might be a good question to weigh. I hope the answer gives you insight.
Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to AskAPriest@rcspiritual.wpenginepowered.com and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…
The International Communications Office of the Legionaries of Christ has issued a communiqué, on November 13, 2017, in which it responds to recent comments in the media about offshore corporations.
On August 12, Emmanuel Luis and Andrés Chavez started their 2 years of formation to become consecrated men with a Mass by the Territorial director, Fr Ricardo Sada LC. Each of them shared a short testimony of this new step in their life.
This is part of our series for National Vocational Awareness Week. Hopefully, these testimonies will help you to understand this vocation within the Regnum Christi Family.
“The Mass beginning our two years of formation was something special I’ll remember my whole life. It represents the beginning of a personal adventure without equal,” commented Emmanuel Luis.
Emmanuel was struck by the family aspect of Regnum Christi. “It is amazing and special to live this moment with my family: with the consecrated men who have accompanied me up until now, with the Legionary priests who’ve formed me, with the consecrated women who prayed for me with devotion, with all those special people in my life, especially my brother RC Missionaries. The Mass was a special moment to thank God for all those who’ve accompanied me on my path of surrender to God, and those who’ve accompanied me in preparing for what’s to come.”
Emanuel continued, “This Mass was the perfect time to put everything in God’s hands and let him take the helm of my life. I was overwhelmed finding myself before God extending his arms to me in love, wanting to embrace me and reiterating the invitation he made long ago.”
Emmanuel together with other former RC Missionaries
For Andrés Chavez, the gifts of God were apparent from the moment he arrived for the Mass, “When I got to the chapel, I saw many Legionaries, all the consecrated women, the lay consecrated men, etc. It was as if God was telling me ‘Here is your family!’ It was difficult for me to leave my country, Venezuela, but God gave me a new family. That is us: unity within diversity.”
He noted several moments in the Mass itself that were significant to him, “The hymn of the Alleluia before the Gospel moved me,” Andres continued,”‘Seek first the kingdom of God and everything else will be given unto you.’ I think it reflects our self-giving in poverty, chastity and obedience.”
“In the Gospel we read about Jesus walking on the water and calling Peter out on the waves: this reminded me of the path I’m starting. Peter is amazed to See Jesus, his power, and his miracles, and he is invited to go with him: it reminded me that difficult times, even storms, can come but I must maintain my trust in God, in his way. The homily helped me understand the call: we don’t define the path but He does. He gives us the invitation and sets the path for each of us.
In our continuing series of vocation stories for National Vocation Awareness Week, Fr Stephen Howe, LC, shares his story of entering the Legionaries of Christ in the United States after growing up in Adelaide, Australia. Antipodes Map notes that if you drilled a hole straight through the globe from Adelaide, you would come out in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Washington, DC, where he currently lives. He made final vows in 2009 and was ordained on December 13, 2014.
Can you tell me a little background about your family?
Fr. Stephen Howe, LC with his family at his brothers wedding
I’m the oldest of 5 kids and my dad is 4th generation Australian, while my mom was born in Holland and came to Australia when she was young. My dad is retired but for years he taught Sociology at the local Uni. As a young man he was a seminarian for a time. I have always been very close to my brothers and sisters and still love to go fishing with my brothers on my visits back to Australia .As you can see in the photo attached, we have a lot of fun on those trips!
What was your childhood like?
I was fairly normal, but I was also considered a Bible-basher because I went to Mass on Sundays which isn’t really typical in Australia nowadays. I remember when I was in 7th grade, the teacher asked the class, “Who wants to be a priest? Raise your hand.” I was just sitting on my hand because I didn’t want to be a priest. Nobody else raised their hand, but deep down I did think about it then.
I later spoke with my parish priest and asked him, “If God wanted somebody to be a priest, would they want it too?” He responded, “Yes, I believe that if somebody were called, God would give them a deep desire for the priesthood.” So, I thought “Aww, good, I guess I’m off the hook then!”
Looking back, I think he was right, God gives you the desire, but sometimes you need to sweat blood first, like Jesus did in Gethsemane before he was ready to follow through with the Father’s will.
How did you first learn about the Legionaries?
There were a couple Legionary priests who came and visited. I remember being impressed with their American accent, and how they were energetic, faithful priests with an evident love for the Lord, the Church, the Pope and Mary . I invited them to my youth group and then they invited me for coffee. One of them took me aside and presented a three-month discernment program in the states. At first the idea seemed ridiculous, then thoughts started coming to me about how John Paul II had asked young people to give a year to God. I thought that maybe I could get away with three months instead of a year. I decided to go to the candidacy program in order to learn how to pray, and learn how to read the Bible. The priest mentioned the aspect of discerning the priesthood, but didn’t focus on it. I figured, “Well, if I get a voice from God or a lightning bolt, I might pay attention and become a priest.”
What was it like to get to the candidacy and have everyone dressing up in clerics or ties?
I was a bit surprised: I didn’t know everyone would be wearing a uniform and calling each other “brother.” I found that a bit strange. I didn’t really participate in that part, but I definitely enjoyed the candidacy once I got the hang of it. It was a wonderful group of young guys. With the prayer and meditation, and spiritual classes, I remember thinking “I do more good here in a week than I do in a whole year at home.”
Towards the end of candidacy, my spiritual director suggested I think about getting the uniform, so I at least looked like I was taking it seriously. I said I’d go and pray about it. As soon as I sat down to prayer, I opened my Bible and there was the passage where the king is going around greeting the wedding guests and says to one, “Why don’t you have a wedding garment on?” So I took that as a clear sign that I should don the uniform. [Note: Legionary candidates always wear ties and Fr Stephen became a candidate after being a visitor for almost the entire summer.]
Then a friend of mine at the candidacy, who was also from Australia, convinced me to stay for the eight-day spiritual exercises retreat at the end of the program. I called up and delayed my flight so I could leave the day after the retreat ended. During those exercises, I received a clear message from God that I was supposed to stay.
Do you want to share more about that experience?
Fr. Stephen Howe, LC with Pope Francis
There’s a powerful meditation in the Spiritual Exercises called the two standards. Fr John Hopkins, LC, was preaching and he painted a picture of a battle with all the demons, looking like orcs (from J.R.R. Tolkien’s on one side, and Satan leading them saying, “Come and follow me and you’ll have everything you want!” But if you look behind him, they’re just miserable, awful creatures. On the other side is Jesus with standard of the cross, saying, “Come and follow me! It won’t be easy but you will be happy.” And you look behind him to see that, sure enough, the saints behind him are these shining, blissful creatures.
I remember thinking to myself, “But that doesn’t mean I have to be a priest; there’s plenty of places you can go in God’s army.” And I thought I’d go back to Australia and think about it a little more. Then Fr John said, “Be wary as there might be a little guy coming up beside you right now in a pinstripe suit and a carnation in his button hole, saying to you, ‘don’t do anything radical, don’t make a decision you might regret later, ’” and I thought that was amazing, as it was just what I was thinking. Fr Hopkins continued, “Be careful because as he walks away you see a forked tail sticking out of his suit: he isn’t your friend.”
I remember going to the chapel and realizing I needed to be cautious about who I was listening to. As I prayed, I looked up at the crucifix, and I felt a clear interior voice say, “I want you to be my priest.” Inside I said, “Sure, Lord, whatever you want. I’m not going to fight this anymore.” From that moment I had great peace realizing that the God who loved me into existence had such a great plan for me.
Were there any other key moments in your formation?
Being accepted for the profession of vows was a key moment. I have to admit that at that stage I was still quite resistant. When I was asking for permission to make my first vows, I was still hoping that they would just send me home. I was actually a little disappointed when I was accepted. After profession, I remember looking up at the crucifix and saying, “Jesus, this is hard for me.” And I remember hearing back this interior voice, “And you think this was easy for me?” And I could see Jesus hanging there on the cross as he continued, “But do you think I regret it? Not for a second.”
What does it feel like, what does it mean to be a priest today?
After a rough start, I gradually came to love my religious and priestly vocation. Today, being a priest is a great honor, a great privilege, and a great blessing. Being able to hold our Lord in my hands and bring him down to the altar every day is more of a joy than I ever expected. To be able to raise my hand over souls in pardon in the confessional and to have Jesus forgive them through me is just an incredible thing and I could never have expected how awesome it would be unless I had experienced it first-hand. The way people open up to you as a priest is amazing – they invite you into their soul, into their life with a trust that is really humbling.
And I am so lucky to be living in a community with other priests and brothers whom I consider some of the best men alive!
Below is a 5 minute video of Fr. Stephen’s Ordination at St. John Lateran Basilica in 2014.
Q: I have two extremely needy family members who only have me to help, in every way but financially. They dump on me and give me a hard time. It is really difficult for me. I have to survive, and they are so draining. Please help me to cope. – C.
Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC
A: I’m sorry to hear about your situation. It isn’t unusual that the biggest crosses in our lives can be the people closest to us. I don’t know any specifics about your life, so the advice here will be general.
In situations such as these, it is crucial to have a good prayer life. That is because you need the help of the Holy Spirit in order to be prudent, that is, to make the right decision in the right moment.
I mention this because it is one thing to help others in need. It is another thing, however, to let others form an unhealthy dependence on us.
Everyone has a cross to bear, and sometimes we have to draw a line and to let others carry their own cross.
This doesn’t imply that we should neglect others. But we do need to watch out for our own well-being and balance. We shouldn’t feel as though we have to give in to every desire of other people, to the point that we burn out.
Perhaps it would be good to look for a moment when you can share your concerns with these members individually. Let each know that you love him or her. But don’t be afraid to draw some boundaries if need be. Even a bit of fraternal correction can help at times, if done charitably and prudently.
For more reading you might find light and encouragement in Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No, to “Take Control of Your Life,” by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
xOn a more positive note, remember that God allows difficulties in our lives to help us grow in virtue. They can push us to work on our patience and mercy. They also give us a taste of what Jesus himself faced as a human (for more reading see the Aleteia article HERE).
Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to AskAPriest@rcspiritual.wpenginepowered.com and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…
The C-Legs Program isn’t your average summer intern program. It attracts young people who “want to have it all” from their careers and lives – but not in the materialistic sense that likely leaps to front of mind.
The C-legs Summer Internship program’s mission is to equip college students to be productive and compelling employees for local area businesses. Through teaching webinars, quality professional formation, direct one-on-one dedicated mentoring, and a parallel effort in Catholic Christian service work C-Legs ingrains in them the core fundamentals to make a profound difference.
Mike Drapeau
“Our interns are young leaders who are attempting to live an integrated life in college, living for themselves and for others,” says C-Legs founder Mike Drapeau. “Each intern is selected for this program based on a series of applications, interviews, academic performance, and record of a service dedication. We train, motivate, manage, and develop them from August through April so when they arrive in May they are prepared to be an impact player on Day 1.”
Mike lives that integrated life himself, working for success in the business world and in serving others. He is the father of 7 kids, a former naval officer, a rugby enthusiast, partner in a sales and marketing consultancy and a member of the Regnum Christi Movement. And in 2016, he was a key part of a mission trip to Africa.
Living that sort of integrated life takes planning, preparation, deep faith and hard work – which is what Mike hopes interns in C-Legs will gain. It appears to be working.
C-Legs provides participating companies with a paid summer intern ($15-$20/hour) who performs duties in areas such as sales support, marketing, finance, operations, accounting, QA, software development, and business administration. The personnel administering this program and the participating mentors are volunteers.
Sponsoring businesses provide a one-page write up on the role that describes what they want their intern to do, where, and how and skills/competencies needed to do it. C-Legs matches its pool of interns to these role description documents. Prospective interns send a personal video, cover letter with resume, and a comprehensive LinkedIn profile to their assigned business.
Interns typically do a face-to-face interview in January. Following the interview and review of their background, the company reaches a hire/no hire decision. Interns are trained during each spring via remote webinars on a series of topics such as business communications, how to be a productive employee, and persuading a professional audience. But the program goes well beyond matching prospects to jobs and some training.
Each intern is mentored one-on-one by a business professional who donates their time in the prep period and throughout the summer while the intern is working at the sponsoring business. Once hired, the mentor will accelerate an intern’s orientation by clarifying tasks and accentuating any on-the-job training.
“Our goal is that the intern learns as much as possible on their own time before they arrive ready for work,” Mike explains. “To accomplish this, we work with the businesses to inventory potential summer projects, and help them identify materials about the company, its mission, customers, market, value proposition for the intern to consume. Many businesses also set up interns ahead of time with system access and allow them to consume company-specific training.”
Interns participate in series of evening courses during the month of July designed to address how to excel the workplace. Business leaders present on topics such as Business Ethics, Living Within your Means, Faith in the Workplace, and Faithful Citizenship. Each event is usually hosted by one of the participating companies who presents their business to 20+ interns and attracts some of these interns as future employees.
Interns also gather for a day in the spring to accomplish a humanitarian goal. Examples from past years include building a Habitat for Humanity house, feeding the poor in downtown Atlanta, and cleaning up the grounds of a Benedictine Abbey. Interns also receive a talk by a priest or religious woman and have an opportunity to attend mass prior to the work. They complete the day with a social.
And Mike points out the special part of the C-Legs program that truly sets it apart: the silent retreat.
A Group at the Silent Retreat
“One of the ways in which we help form and develop the interns in our program, is to offer a silent spiritual weekend retreat in mid-December after they have finished their exams and before Christmas,” Mike explains. “These retreats are led by a Legionary priest or a Regnum Christi Consecrated Woman. The retreat involves a series of reflections, meditations, prayer, and spiritual practices that lead each student to develop a ‘Program of Life that typically contains the fruit of internal discernment in the areas that are preventing the student from leading a holier and better life.”
The Program of Life includes a series of steps for the intern to take in the coming year to orient themselves more intimately with God’s will for them. And, no, the intern does not have to be Catholic to participate.
Another distinguishing feature of these retreats is that they are silent. The student is encouraged to reflect and conduct the exercises with an interior dialogue aimed at God. Many interns consider these retreats to be the highlight of their experience with the C-Legs Summer college internship program.
A few comments from recent interns:
“At the beginning and end of each day, Christ should always come first, for He is the reason individuals are in existence. It is easy to get caught up in the trials of the day – that never-ending list simply gets in the way and Christ ends up being the last thing on that list. The C-Legs internship retreat opened my eyes to the realization that no matter how busy you get, there should always be time in your schedule to give back to Christ.” – Megan Spillane
“The C-Legs program gave me a great internship opportunity at a fantastic company, which has challenged me and instilled in me great experiences which I can develop and carry on through the rest of my business career.” Christopher Birozes
“The C-legs program has taught me how to differentiate myself from other millennials and to stay true to my core values when I enter the job market.” – Gabriel McCabe
“C-Legs effectively introduced me to the vast ocean of the professional world while still allowing me to earn money to put towards my college education. An extensive amount of preparation was required on my part to be a part of the program, but this effort was certainly worth what I got out of both the internship and the program.” – Michael Houlihan
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!
