As someone who grew up in a conservative Mexican Catholic family, attended an all-girls Catholic school and whose social circle was mostly made up of individuals who also attended Catholic schools, I’m very aware of the scandal surrounding Father Marcial Maciel, the late founder of the Legion of Christ. 

That’s why I wondered why so many people still trust the legionaries with their children’s education. 

Legionaries of Christ in Mexico

The Legion of Christ was founded by Maciel in Mexico City in 1941. Over time, it grew to an international organization spanning over 70 private schools across 19 countries, with 50 schools in Mexico alone. Instead of calling them the Legionarios de Cristo, their detractors would call them the Millionarios de Cristo (“Millionaires of Christ”), as Maciel built a charismatic reputation, creating close ties to wealthy families within conservative Catholic circles. 

However, Maciel’s legacy was overshadowed by numerous accusations of sexual abuse against minors, as well as revelations of different identities, secret marriages and even children of his own. 

He was never prosecuted in Mexico nor in any of the countries where his organization operated. Instead, the Vatican ordered him to step down as leader of the Legion of Christ in 2005 and withdraw from public ministry “into a life of prayer and penitence,” during which time he died at age 86 in Florida. 

And yet, despite years of scandal, the 51 private schools run by the Legion of Christ in Mexico have not only survived but continue to thrive.

Why would parents enroll their children in Legion of Christ schools?

I witnessed this phenomenon first-hand while attending a Christmas festival organized by one of these schools in Guadalajara last December. As I sat there among family members and hundreds of parents proudly watching their kids perform, I couldn’t help but wonder why so many families are attracted to the legionaries. 

So, I asked people in my circle who decided to enroll their children in these schools why they did it. Two moms agreed to speak to me about the matter.

“It was very important for me that my children attended a Catholic school,” Sofía Rosas, who’s originally from Guadalajara but has lived in Monterrey for over a decade because her husband is from there, told me. “It was also very important for us to find like-minded families and a like-minded community.”

Rosas said that her husband and everyone in her husband’s family attended a Legion of Christ school in Monterrey, so it made sense to continue within that social circle. But the main reason, she says, is the opportunity the school gives them to get involved in their children’s lives.   

The scandal isn’t as important a consideration as other factors

“The school makes a lot of effort to integrate families. Parents are extremely involved in the school and that’s what my husband and I wanted. I mean, we want to know who our kids befriend and who the families of those children are,” she said. 

For Rosas, the scandal was never a factor in their decision.  

“I didn’t know about the scandal. I attended a school run by the Opus Dei, so I wasn’t aware of all the details. I knew he (Maciel) had been found to have a wife and kids, but it wasn’t until I watched the HBO Max series on the life of Maciel that I found out about everything. But it doesn’t change our decision. I’m extremely happy with the school and so are my children,” she said. 

Meanwhile, a woman who asked only to be identified as María, a graduate from a Legion of Christ school in Guadalajara, told me that she and her husband had two schools in mind: a boys and girls school run by the Jesuits, and a girls-only and boys-only school run by the Legion of Christ. They ultimately chose the school operated by the Legion of Christ because they considered it to have an outstanding level of English, in addition to great academics. 

“Academically, we knew that the schools excel in English compared to others. They also hold certifications that align with our intention of giving our children the best education available,” María added. 

 Conservative values

The network of schools run by the Legion of Christ operates under the Latin slogan Semper Altus (“Always the Tallest”) and has, according to school websites, collaborations with institutions like National Geographic Learning, Oxford and Pearson Education, among others. Beyond the academic input, the Legion says it educates students to become leaders with Christian values like humility, generosity and compassion — values conservative families in Mexico are looking for. 

María said that comparing her experience as a former student to those of current students, the schools have “really stepped up their game to avoid falling apart and to overcome what they unfortunately faced due to Father Maciel,” she said.  

“As with any institution, there are things they could do better, but overall, we are very happy,” María added. 

Overcoming scandal

On the school’s website, there’s no mention of Maciel, except for a specific page that addresses the founder’s biography, acknowledges the crimes he and other members of the Legion committed, and explains how the organization has moved forward despite the founder’s “immoral acts.”

“Given the seriousness of his offenses, we cannot view him as a model of Christian or priestly life,” the Legion of Christ acknowledges. 

The testimonies of María and Rosas, and the community spirit I witnessed at the Christmas festival back in December, reveal that the organization has managed to overcome the scandal and operate based on the Christian values Mexican families appreciate — values that the founder himself failed to follow.

Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.