Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - On 26 November 2004 Father Marcial Maciel, founder and director general of the congregation of the Legionaries of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement celebrated 60 years of priesthood. The event was marked with the signing of a decree approving the statutes of the Movement.
As part of celebrations to mark the anniversary, on November 25, fifty nine deacons, Legionaries of Christ, were ordained priests in the Basilica of St Mary Major by Archbishop Franc Rodé, C.M, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. At the end of the Mass Archbishop Rodé announced that His Holiness Pope John Paul II had given final approval to the statutes of the Regnum Christi Movement of Apostolate.
The fifty nine new priests will help Father Maciel in his efforts to serve the Church and its Bishops to promote evangelisation and build a society of Christian love and justice.
About three thousand people were present in St Mary’s Major’s for the ordination, including 500 religious and priest Legionaries resident in Rome and those who had come from abroad as well as family members and friends of the Regnum Christi movement
The new priests come from ten different countries of Europe, Asia, America and Oceania. They have engaged in an average of 12 years of study, apostolate and mission after entering one of the Legion of Christ Novitiates.
(AP) (28/11/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:24; Parole:257)
