• The Holy See, through the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CIVCSVA), has established the Regnum Christi Federation and approved its Statutes. The Federation is formed and governed collegially among the Legionaries of Christ, the Consecrated, and the Consecrated Laity, with consultative vote of the laity, who individually associate with said Federation.

• The  Secretary of the CIVCSVA, Mons. José Rodríguez Carballo, OFM, in the letter announcing the news, expresses his intention that “the new structure of communion contribute to promote and deepen the common charism and to foster collaboration in view of the mission entrusted to you by the Church,” he says. The Statutes will come into effect on September 15 ad experimentum for 5 years.

• “The pontifical approval of the Regnum Christi Federation is a confirmation of the discernment we have made together and of the Statutes as a valid instrument to give continuity and a new projection to God’s plan for our spiritual family,” affirm the general directors of the Federation, in the letter with which they announced it to all members.

• “A significant stage of the history of the Regnum Christi is coming to a close, in which we have sought to understand more deeply the identity of the Regnum Christi to be able to find a canonical structure that helps safeguard the spirit and live the mission that flow from our charism,” affirm the general directors of the Federation in their letter.

• The path of renewal has been a participatory and global process in which, since 2010, all members of the Regnum Christi from the four vocations have had the opportunity to get involved, about 22,000 including Legionaries of Christ, consecrated, consecrated laity, and laypeople.

June 12, 2019_ The Holy See, through the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CIVCSVA), has established the Regnum Christi Federation and approved its Statutes. It is a Federation formed and governed collegially among the Legionaries of Christ, the Consecrated, and the Laity, with consultative vote of the laity, who individually associate with said Federation.

The  secretary of the CIVCSVA, Mons. José Rodríguez Carballo, OFM, in the letter that announces the news, dated May 31, expresses his intention that “the new structure of communion contribute to promote and deepen the common charism and to foster collaboration in view of the mission entrusted to you by the Church.” The Statutes will come into effect on September 15, 2019 ad experimentum for 5 years.

Pontifical approval has been communicated to the members of Regnum Christi through a letter from the general directors of the Federation – Fr. Eduardo Robles-Gil, LC, of the Legionaries of Christ,  Gloria Rodríguez, of the consecrated women of Regnum Christi, and Jorge López, of the consecrated laity of Regnum Christi-: “It is a confirmation of the discernment we have made together and of the Statutes as a valid instrument to give continuity and a new projection to God’s plan for our spiritual family,” they affirm, and thank all the people who made it possible, the Church, and the Pontifical Delegate P. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, S.J.

The path of renewal has been a participatory and global process in which, since 2010, all members of Regnum Christi from the four vocations have had the opportunity to get involved, about 22,000 including Legionaries of Christ, consecrated, consecrated laity, and laypeople. “The path has been a challenge, sometimes with difficulties and tensions, but it has borne fruit in this step that is not a personal achievement of someone but the joint effort of all, seeking to be docile to the Holy Spirit,” recognize the general directors in their letter.

With this approval “a significant stage of the history of the Regnum Christi is closed, in which we have sought to understand more deeply the identity of the Regnum Christi to be able to find a canonical structure that helps safeguard the spirit and live the mission that flow from our charism,” affirm the general directors.

The path of renewal that the Regnum Christi has traveled hand in hand with the Holy See began 8 years ago, after the scandals and crimes of Fr. Marcial Maciel became known. During this time, the Legionaries of Christ have drafted new Constitutions; the Consecrated and the Laity have been canonically recognized as Pontifical Societies of Apostolic Life with their respective Constitutions, and the laity have drafted their Regulations, a secondary code that, together with the newly approved Statutes of the Regnum Christi Federation, will come into force on September 15, 2019.

 

THE REGNUM CHRISTI FEDERATION IN 7 KEYS

The Regnum Christi, a reality of the Church formed by four vocations: Legionaries of Christ, consecrated, consecrated laity, and laypeople

One of the aspects clarified during this renewal process is the very identity of Regnum Christi as a reality formed by four different vocations (Legionaries of Christ, consecrated, consecrated laity, and laypeople), each of which expresses with its own originality the mission and common charism of Regnum Christi.

Shared responsibility

Consequently, the process has concluded that each of the four vocations that make up the Regnum Christi is co-responsible for the safeguarding of the common charism, recognizing the value of each one’s autonomy, and the importance of its proper canonical expression.

Colegial governance in which laity participate by right with voice and consultative vote

The collegiality of the Federation’s governance is another of the great novelties in the way Regnum Christi is organized. It represents progress and is an expression of a renewed way of exercising authority in service of the common mission. It highlights the spirit of communion and the complementarity of vocations, respecting the autonomy of each vocation.

The governing body of the Federation will be called the Governing College. It will be composed of the directors of the consecrated vocations – Legionaries of Christ, consecrated, and consecrated laity – and two laity with voice and consultative vote.

The laity expressed at the time the importance of deepening their identity as laity in Regnum Christi and the Church, seeing “the need to grow in the future towards a greater harmony between the legal identity and the charismatic reality of Regnum Christi”.