Archdiocese of Miami Bans Legionaries of Christ

The Legionaries are currently undergoing a worldwide apostolic visitation under the direction of the Holy See.

MIAMI, FL (Zenit.org) - Archbishop John Favalora of Miami has officially prohibited members of the Legionaries of Christ from exercising any ministry in the archdiocese, effective immediately.

Msgr. Michael Souckar, the archdiocesan chancellor, communicated the ban today in a letter addressed to all priests of the archdiocese. ZENIT confirmed the veracity of the letter with the office of the chancellor.

Both Msgr. Souckar and Legionary of Christ spokesman Jim Fair were unavailable for comment.

The letter said that Archbishop Favolorola made the decision based on alleged abuses of earlier permissions given to the Legionaries that restricted their work to attending to the needs of members of the Regnum Christi movement, a lay apostolic association connected to the Legionaries.

"In the past," it explained, "their priests were given individual approval by the vicar general each time they wished to come to the Archdiocese of Miami, but their ministry was restricted to their own members. Because the Legionaries of Christ have not abided by these restrictions, Archbishop Favalora has barred them from any ministry in the Archdiocese of Miami."

The letter furthermore stated that the Regnum Christi movement is not permitted to work in schools or parishes in the archdiocese.

On the Web site of the archdiocese, a notice appears that reiterates the ban.

The Legionaries are currently undergoing a worldwide apostolic visitation under the direction of the Holy See.