RHODE ISLAND
Church Militant
by Stefan Farrar • ChurchMilitant.com • January 10, 2017
Claims group swindled woman out of her inheritance
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (ChurchMilitant.com) – The Legion of Christ (LC) is facing a lawsuit that could cost them millions. Last week, a Rhode Island judge allowed Americans United for Life (AUL), a pro-life group, to continue its suit against the religious order. The lawsuit alleges the LC interfered with an inheritance AUL was supposed to receive from Gabrielle Mee, a widow worth $60 million dollars.
The AUL is accusing the LC of convincing Mee to leave her entire fortune to the Legion, thereby cutting AUL out of her will. This lawsuit is another legal battle for the order, which is still dealing with fallout from Fr. Marcial Maciel’s sexual abuse, founder of the LC. An official investigation by the Vatican found that Maciel sexually abused minors (including his own children), seminarians and had three children with mistresses, and forced him in 2006 into retirement, counseling him to spend the rest of his days in prayer and penance
Jim Fair, spokesman for the LC, commented, “We believe the Legion of Christ acted appropriately in its relationship with Mrs. Mee.” Rhode Island Judge Michael Silverstein didn’t dismiss the entire suit against the LC, although he did dismiss the claims of fraud and undue influence in the lawsuit.
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