Legion Visitation Set to Begin July 15

The Legion said they 'welcomed) the visitors to each and every one of our communities with sincere charity and faith.'

ROME (Zenit) - The Legionaries of Christ are expecting the announced apostolic visitation of the congregation to begin July 15.

The Legion posted on its Web site today that Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, secretary of state for Benedict XVI, has officially informed Father Álvaro Corcuera, the general director of the Legion of Christ, of the visitation's starting date and the names of the five visitors.

The work of the apostolic visitors will consist in getting to know the operations and apostolates of the congregation. The visitors will then compile a report of their findings and submit it to the Holy See.

Due to the size of the Legionaries of Christ and number of formation and apostolic centers, each visitor will cover a specific geographic area.

The named visitors are:

-- Bishop Ricardo Watty Urquidi, of Tepic, Mexico, in Mexico and Central America.

-- Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, in the United States and Canada.

-- Bishop Giuseppe Versaldi of Alessandria, Italy, in Italy, Israel, South Korea and the Philippines.

-- Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati Andrello of Concepcion, Chile, in South America.

-- Bishop Ricardo Blázquez Pérez of Bilbao, Spain, in Europe (with the exception of Italy).

When sharing this news with all of the members of the congregation, Father Corcuera said, "I invite all of us to give thanks to God and to the Church for the help that the Holy Father is offering us, and to welcome the visitors to each and every one of our communities with sincere charity and faith as representatives of the Vicar of Christ."

Last February it was revealed that the congregation's founder, Father Marcial Maciel, who died last year and was buried in his native Cotija, Mexico, had a relationship with a woman and fathered a daughter.