Pope’s Envoy Scrambles To Contain Legion Fallout

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The pope’s envoy to a disgraced religious order is scrambling to contain fallout from the resignation of the head of its women’s branch and a decision by 30 members’ to split from the movement.

In a letter released Friday, Cardinal Velasio De Paolis urged those leaving the Legion of Christ not to “try to persuade or proselytize” others to come along with them, and confirmed that the exodus wasn’t just of rank and file members but also of senior directors.

Pope Benedict XVI tapped De Paolis to take over the Legion in 2010 after a Vatican investigation determined that its founder was a pedophile and fraud who had created a cult-like movement where members endured emotional, spiritual and psychological abuse.