VALLADOLID, Spain, NOV. 10, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is a letter from Archbishop Ricardo Blázquez of Valladolid, Spain, who was appointed apostolic visitor for the consecrated members of the Regnum Christi movement, which is linked to the Legionaries of Christ. The letter, dated Nov. 9, was directed to the consecrated members.
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:
I greet each one of you with respect and affection. As I give thanks to God for your consecrated life, I entrust you to His grace in the situation you are going through, particularly marked by suffering and trials, discernment and purification, renewal and hope. I offer you my closeness and readiness to give you all the help I can in the task entrusted to me. I pray to God the Father of mercies for you and I ask for your prayers. In the Church we are never alone; the fellowship of brothers and sisters in the faith is shown especially in difficult situations.
Through the letter the papal delegate Cardinal-elect Velasio de Paolis wrote to you on October 19, 2010, you know that I have received the responsibility of Apostolic Visitator for the consecrated members of the Regnum Christi Movement. I am sincerely grateful for the trust the Holy Father has shown in entrusting me this task; for my part, I will seek to fulfill it faithfully. In that same letter he writes that «this visitation will be carried out under the responsibility of the papal delegate and in coordination with the responsibility he exercises over the entire Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement». I visited the papal delegate in Rome this past October 16th in order to receive his guidelines. I will maintain ongoing contact with him.
The apostolic visitator’s role «is to meet people, gather information for the purpose of getting a picture of the current situation, and offer the competent authority suggestions and proposals» in order to resolve the situations that must be changed. At the conclusion of the Visitation, I will submit a report to the papal delegate that takes into account what I have heard as well as what, in conscience, I have seen. Starting now, I ask you to help me through your interaction to offer you the service that is hoped for from the Apostolic Visitation.
In a meeting held in Valladolid November 2nd with the assistants to the general and territorial directors for the consecrated women, we spoke amply about the Apostolic Visitation and we clarified some points. On November 5th I had a similar meeting in Madrid with the assistant to the general director for the consecrated men. I would like to finalize the Visitation before June 30th, 2011 so that I can hand in the report within the timeframe I have available.
I will visit your centers, where I will be available to listen to what you have to say and receive whatever you want to write me. Anyone who so desires will also have the opportunity to speak to me personally in the most convenient place. I am here for you. All of you may personally speak to or send your letters to the Apostolic Visitator. I invite you to live these months as a providential time God has given you. It should be a period characterized especially by Christian hope, which involves prayer, reflection, penance and conversion, patience, work to reread — personally or in community — the Church documents on consecrated life. May it be an active and serene wait! Br. Rafael, a Trappist in the monastery of Venta de Baños (Palencia), recently canonized, used to say with Gospel wisdom: «Our knowledge consists in knowing how to wait.» His words do not invite us to a passive «wait and see», but rather to an active hope. Rush is not a good councilor; we need to give enough time to each stage along the path.
Ever since I received my responsibility as Apostolic Visitator, I have prayed for you to the Lord in a particular way. I place this work in the hands of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, Mother of mercy and our hope.
I greet you cordially in the Lord.
Ricardo Blázquez
Archbishop of Valladolid
