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Photo: Students at Sacred Heart Apostolic School in Rolling Prairie, Indiana; via Wikipedia.
The Catholic World Report recently highlighted a new HBO documentary series on one of the Catholic Church’s most notorious figures, Marcial Maciel, the disgraced founder of the Legionaries of Christ. The four-part docuseries, “Marcial Maciel: The Wolf of God,” gives agency to American survivors who say they were sexually abused and silenced for decades.
Directed by Matías Gueilburt, the series examines Maciel’s decades-long manipulation, serial abuse, and close ties to Catholic power structures. It features testimonies from survivors across multiple countries, including several from the United States who were among the first to sound the alarm.
What Is the Legionaries of Christ?
The Legionaries of Christ is a Roman Catholic religious order, founded in 1941 by Maciel in Mexico. While it is officially under the umbrella of the Catholic Church and subject to Vatican oversight, it operates separately from diocesan structures and parish-based ministries. Like other religious orders such as the Jesuits or Franciscans, the Legionaries follow their own set of spiritual disciplines, training programs, and internal governance.
What sets the Legion apart is its emphasis on elite formation, obedience, and influence among Catholic wealthy donors and youth. Through its lay arm, Regnum Christi, the Legion has established a wide network of Catholic schools, seminaries, and youth programs in the U.S. and around the world. Critics, including former members, have accused the order of operating with cult-like secrecy. It prioritizes fundraising and recruitment over accountability, and fosters an environment where abuse could be concealed.
American Whistleblowers Pushed the Truth Into the Light
Among those featured in the series is Juan Vaca, a former Legionary priest who served in the U.S. and later became a psychology professor. In 1976, Vaca sent a detailed letter to Pope John Paul II outlining his abuse at the hands of Maciel. The letter, like earlier complaints from Mexico and Spain, was ignored for years.
Another voice included is Jason Berry, the American investigative journalist who first broke the story of Maciel’s abuse in the U.S. press during the 1990s. Berry co-authored a 1997 exposé for the Hartford Courant, which was instrumental in forcing the Vatican to confront the growing scandal.
Also interviewed is José Barba, a Mexican-born scholar who pursued graduate work in the U.S. and filed a canonical case with the Vatican alongside other former Legionaries, alleging sexual abuse by Maciel when they were boys and teens in the congregation.
Their combined efforts coupled with their willingness to speak publicly helped turn the tide on decades of institutional silence, particularly in American Catholic environments where the Legionaries had established a foothold.
Legionaries of Christ in the United States
While Maciel founded the Legion in Mexico, the order rapidly expanded into the U.S., where it operated schools, seminaries, and lay outreach through Regnum Christi. Many of the allegations raised in the docuseries point to systemic failures not only abroad but within American Catholic institutions.
According to the Legionaries’ own 2019 report, 175 minors were sexually abused by 33 of its priests, including at least 60 victims of Maciel himself. Though the congregation does not publicly break down its statistics by country, survivors in the U.S. have alleged abuse in American seminaries and religious institutions.
The HBO docuseries also explores how Maciel’s influence in the Vatican helped him avoid discipline for decades until Pope Benedict XVI ultimately removed him from public ministry in 2006. The revelations caused crises of conscience for many American Catholics, especially those involved in Legion-sponsored education and ministry.
Renewed Questions for American Catholics
The release of the documentary comes at a time when Catholic dioceses across the U.S. are facing civil lawsuits, bankruptcy proceedings, and independent compensation programs tied to historic clergy abuse. Survivors of the Legionaries of Christ, many of whom were minors when the abuse occurred, may still have legal options depending on the state where the abuse happened and when it was discovered.
Although the Legionaries of Christ say they are committed to reform, publishing annual “Truth, Justice, and Healing” reports and acknowledging Maciel’s crimes, the trauma experienced by many survivors, including those who came forward in the U.S., has left deep scars.
An Invitation to Survivors in the U.S.
As this HBO docuseries circulates, it may bring up difficult emotions or memories for those who were abused by priests within the Legionaries of Christ or affiliated ministries like Regnum Christi. Survivors deserve truth, justice, and the chance to heal on their own terms, with support.
If you were abused by someone connected to the Legionaries of Christ or other factions of the Catholic Church, you are not alone. Many American survivors have already come forward. You may be able to pursue a civil lawsuit, even if the abuse happened decades ago.
Explore our guide on filing a lawsuit against the Catholic Church.
You may also have your case reviewed free of charge. Fill out the form to get the process started.
