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AP Exclusive: Teens suffered abuses at Legion school; Vatican urged to close program
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Dozens of women who attended a high school run by the disgraced Legion of Christ religious order have urged the Vatican to close the program, saying the psychological abuse they endured trying to live like teenage nuns led to multiple cases of anorexia, stress-induced migraines, depression and even suicidal thoughts.
The women sent a letter this weekend to the pope’s envoy running the Legion to denounce the manipulation, deception and disrespect they say they suffered at the hands of counselors barely older than themselves at the Rhode Island school. For some, the trauma required years of psychological therapy that cost them tens of thousands of dollars.
A copy of the letter was provided to The Associated Press by the letter’s 77 signatories, a dozen of whom agreed to be interviewed about their personal problems for the sake of warning parents against sending their children to the program’s schools in the U.S., Mexico and Spain.
“I have many defining and traumatic memories that I believe epitomize the systematic breakdown of the person” in the school, Mary told The Associated Press in an email exchange. She developed anorexia after joining in 1998, weighed less than 85 pounds when she left and dropped to 68 pounds before beginning to recover at home. “The feelings of worthlessness, shame and isolation that are associated with those memories are still vivid and shocking.” [more]
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5 Comments
I’m somewhat skeptical of the Legionnaires. I can see where their ultra-traditional methods could lead to problems among teens. Though I don’t fault all of the Legionnaires, I do believe that the strict invironment in which they were reared could have an effect on students whom they are educating.
That’s just my opinion.
The article stated DOZENS of young women were abused, not just one!
Eileen — it all relates to your definition of the word “abuse.” If abuse means that you found some things objectionable or uncomfortable, then I guess I have been abused my whole life.
There may be problems with this Legionnaire school, but perhaps there is not — I don’t have enough information to make a judgment. What I do know is that we live in a world today where no one is able to discipline someone else without getting accused of being hateful, mean, and negative. Just because someone loses additional weight after she leaves a program in no way proves the program is to blame. People, including these young women, have to take responsibility for themselves. If you’re having a problem, then do something about it, and quit blaming others.
Sound like dangerous cult manipulation to me. Parents and young people need to be very careful of their religious leaders and discern if they are being lead by the Spirit or some sick wacko.