EUROPE/ITALY - Legionaries of Christ present in twenty countries with over 600 priests and 2,500 seminarians

Rome (Fides Service) - The Institute of the Legionaries of Christ today is present in twenty countries with more than 600 priests and 2500 seminarians.
The Legion of Christ has 92 centre of formation and apostolate in twelve different countries and runs more than 130 centres of education and over 600 centres of lay formation and apostolate. Many vocations come for minor seminaries, high schools and universities.
One of the many activities of the Legion of Christ includes a Friendly Hand school network project in Mexico which guarantees instruction of all grades to poor children in the poorest areas of the country where parents cannot pay school fees.
On 24 December 27 new Legionaries of Christ were ordained priests in Rome by Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, Archbishop of Mexico Coty at the Legion of Christ Centre for Higher Studies.
The 27 new priests come from countries very different from one another but where the same seed has taken root and they represent the universal nature of the Church: Australia (1), Brazil (1), Canada (1), Chile (1), Germany (1), Ireland (1), Italy (1), Mexico (6), Spain (7), United States (7).
For more information see: www.legionofchrist.org (AP) (9/1/2006 Agenzia Fides; Righe:25; Parole:268)