January 17, 2012
Involvement of Rick Santorum and other conservative leaders with the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi
by Jason Berry

The Legionaries of Christ is a Catholic religious order founded in 1941 by Father Marcial Maciel, who also founded a related lay group, Regnum Christi. These two groups operated worldwide, running schools, universities, missions, seminaries, etc. In 1989, a former Legion priest wrote Pope John Paul II about a history of sexual abuse perpetrated on him and others by Fr. Maciel. In 1997, Gerald Renner and Jason Berry broke the story in the Hartford Current. The Legion and Regnum Christi vigorously denied all accusations against Maciel. In 1998, the victims filed a request for church prosecution in the Vatican with Cardinal Ratzinger. In 2006, after investigating Maciel, Pope Benedict removed him from ministry. Maciel died in 2008, and in 2009 reports surfaced that Maciel had also fathered several children. The Legionaries of Christ are now under Vatican receivership and an investigation of Regnum Christi is underway.

Long after the abuse allegations became public, Maciel, the Legionaries of Christ, and Regnum Christi continued to enjoy support from many conservative leaders and celebrities, who spoke at conferences, assisted in fundraising efforts, etc. They include Rick Santorum, Jeb Bush, Mel Gibson, William Bennett, George Weigel, Mary Ann Glendon, Carlos Slim and the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus.

Included below is an array of photographs and various reference material from the investigatory documentary film "Vows Of Silence," and from websites run by the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi.