• Father John Connor, LC is 51 years old, born in Maryland (United States) where he has carried out his priestly ministry and governance responsibilities since 2001. He was currently the territorial superior of the Legionaries of Christ in North America. He has also lived in Germany, Italy, and Spain.
• He is the first non-Mexican general superior of the Congregation.
• Father John was elected by the General Chapter after two weeks dedicated almost exclusively to addressing the issue of sexual abuse “to do justice to the victims, change a mentality, ways of proceeding, and institutional culture that have made such pain possible.”

The General Chapter of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ has proceeded with the election of the new general director of the Congregation, choosing the American Father John Connor, LC, for the position. The Chapter has been focused for two weeks on sexual abuse, victim support, and clarifying responsibilities, and has committed to publicly disclose “at the end of its work, the results of its considerations and resolutions on this issue.”

The voting took place on February 6. With this election, the term of Father Eduardo Robles Gil, LC, concludes. In the coming days, the election of the 6 members of the Governing Council, which makes up the General Council, will take place, according to the Constitutions approved by the Holy See in 2014 after the review carried out by the Legionaries in collaboration with the Church. The General Administrator will also be elected.

Father John Connor

Father John Connor, LC, is 51 years old. Since 1997, he has lived in the United States, where he has exercised priestly ministry and held governance roles in Philadelphia, New York, and Atlanta. He holds a degree in Administration from Loyola University (Chicago). He has also lived in Germany, Italy, and Spain. He studied Philosophy and Theology in Rome, where he was ordained a priest on January 2, 2001. Since 2014, he has been the territorial director of the Legion of Christ in North America, and was currently a member of the Territorial Governing Board of Regnum Christi in that territory.

Determination and transparency to address abuses

The new general director will share responsibility with the rest of the government to carry out the mandates and directives of the current Chapter, which is the highest governing body of the Congregation.

On January 24, the Chapter publicly committed to primarily addressing the issue of abuse. It has been dedicated for two weeks mainly to this “with the mind and heart focused on the victims,” “to analyze the magnitude of the evil committed and the suffering inflicted, its causes, consequences, and thus confirm the measures already taken and establish new ones.” It has committed to publicly disclose “at the end of its work, the results of its considerations and resolutions on this issue.” The chapter fathers had the opportunity to hear testimonies from two victims of sexual abuse, and from Father Hans Zollner, S.J., secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, who urged them to reach out to victims.

In the coming days, they will complete the election of the Council members and the General Administrator. The upcoming weeks will also address other topics such as the Congregation’s apostolic mission and its relationship with other vocations within Regnum Christi, the formation of seminarians, the practice of poverty within the Congregation, community life, vocational pastoral work, and religious discipline in general.

Official site

The official website of the Chapter is https://legionariosdecristo.org/capitulo2020, where periodic updates, photographs, and official statements are published.

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