A story is emerging that Fr Josef Kentenich (1885 - 1968), the founder of the highly influential Schönstatt Movement had been accused by the CDF, the then Holy Office, of abusing his power and of sexual abuse.
The Schönstaat Movement has rejected the research carried out by Alexandra von Teuffenbach, a former professor of theology and church history at the Pontifical Lateran University.
But a letter written by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith, the then Joseph Ratzinger in 1982 to Fr Ludwig Münz, superior general of the Pallottines, the religious congregation to which Kentenich originally belonged, would seem to support von Teuffenbach's research.
While living in Germany I was familiar with members of the Schönstaat Movement. I found their piousity and an over-indulgence in formal prayer spooky, to say the least. They all looked so pious and 'holy'.
While living in Rome between 1974 and 1976 I first came across members of the Legionaries of Christ. And also with these young men their 'holiness' was weird. Indeed, it turned out, that they were forbidden to speak with me. I was considered a bad influence.
Today the world knows about their founder Marcial Maciel and what he was up to. He was a drug addict, and a fraudster, who sexually abused minors and vulnerable women. He was also known as a prolific recruiter of seminarians and a powerful fundraiser for the church.
Personally I am scared of any group that puts such concentration into religious paraphernalia.
There is something unnatural, maybe even sinister with placing emphasis into an excess use of candles and other liturgical items.
That's what people in Schönstaat and the Legionaries of Christ did and maybe still do. And what's dangerous is that it is gaining an unhealthy momentum in a number of dioceses and religious congregations.
If the CDF examined Schönstaat and the Legionaries of Christ, maybe there is need for them to carry out an investigation into current trends across all priestly formation.
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