The "general chapter" of the Legionaries of Christ, that is, an assembly of several dozen people representing the entire institution, is being held these days.

Its purpose is to elect a new general government and to reform the "constitutions", that is, the document that will contain the fundamental spiritual and juridical aspects of this form of life in the Church.

You ask me "if this institution can be purified, in spite of its founder".

In fact, the Holy See has already responded affirmatively, and not hypothetically, but specifically and directly, after having rigorously studied the information and circumstances of the case. This General Chapter, presided over by the Pope's delegate, Cardinal De Paolis, is precisely part of the response.

As the Cardinal himself recalled, this is already the third stage of a series of actions over several years:

The first dealt with the painful question of the founder.

In the second, five visiting bishops were appointed to study in depth precisely the issue you are raising: in short, whether it was possible that, in spite of everything, the Lord had sown something true, clean and valuable for the Christian life in the lives of so many lay faithful, consecrated and religious.

Only then is the third stage, described above, launched.

Rather than assessing the wisdom of the Church's response to the issue or the prospects of the current step, I would simply like to point out a few considerations.

First of all, I see that they are acting, by direct order of the Pope, with love for the Church and great dedication, competent people who handle with reliability and prudence a lot of information of the case. Naturally, not all of us can say the same.

If we remember those men in the Gospel who were going to stone the adulteress and what Jesus says to them and to the woman, it can help us to see what types of "scandal" or "indignation" are Christian. Because there are attitudes that are not "Catholic", but rather are the offspring of various moral, social and political "puritanisms".

The Church is concerned with life. Beyond all scandal, it seeks to protect and channel the life that God wants to awaken in people, and which always has to make its way among the personal and collective manifestations of sin and limitation.

Mercy and patience are sample of hope beyond the human capacity of foresight. Of faith that God "can", if we want to cooperate with good will.