“Mexican clergyman abused at least 60 children”

The Mexican clergyman Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legion of Christ, one of the largest priest orders within the Roman Catholic Church, has abused at least sixty minors during his lifetime. This is evidenced by a new report published on Saturday by the order itself.

Maciel was put on hold in 2006 after years of accusations that he had abused boys. By order of the Vatican, he had to spend his further life in prayer and repentance. Maciel died in the United States in 2008 at the age of 87, without ever facing his prosecutors.

Founder Maciel was not the only one in the order who took care of children, the report shows. It contains a list of 175 cases of child abuse, committed by 33 priests since 1941.

Of them, six have died, eight have laid down the priesthood, one has left the order and eighteen are still working within the order but not in the presence of children, the report said.

Of the priests who were guilty of abuse, fourteen were themselves abused within the order.