Jose Barba, one of many victims in the Legion of Christ sex scandal, poses for a portrait in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Barba was one of the first persons to come forward, accusing the disgraced founder of the Legion Father Marcial Maciel of sexual abuse before the Vatican. It has been 25 years since a Connecticut newspaper exposed one of the Catholic Church’s biggest sexual abuse scandals. And still some of the whistleblowers are seeking reparations from the Legion of Christ after reporting that the revered founder of the Legion of Christ religious order had raped and molested them when they were boys. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Vaatican Legion of Christ
VATICAN CITY (AP) — It has been 25 years since a Connecticut newspaper exposed one of the Catholic Church’s biggest sexual abuse scandals. And still some of the whistleblowers are seeking reparations from the Legion of Christ after reporting that the revered founder of the Legion of Christ religious order had raped and molested them when they were boys. The Legion says it hopes “in the near future” to resume talks that stalled in 2019. On the 25th anniversary, The Associated Press looks back at a scandal that tarnished the legacy of St. John Paul II and efforts to heal the wounds of Maciel’s many victims.
“Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.”
