More Maciel
June 8, 2010, 10:18 am
Posted by John McGreevy
The New York Review of Books has its distinguished Latin American correspondent, Alma Guillermoprieto, analyzing the extraordinary Maciel story. Ignore Guillermoprieto’s dimestore psychological analysis of the priesthood. But what she convincingly suggests is the importance of the Maciel story for Mexican Catholicism, where Maciel was a major figure with deep roots in the country’s elite and among those Mexicans descended from early twentieth century Cristero Catholic activists.
Guillermoprieto’s article is informative on a number of fronts. While acknowledging the important work of Jason Berry and Jerry Renert in reporting on the Legionnaires, she adds to it an account of Maciel’s biography from Mexican sources that probably most of us have never seen. And then, she makes clear her own distance from Catholicism; this may explain the cool and careful description she provides. Excellent journalism, well worth reading.
Yes, and once again we seen a tragically abused child turn into a thoroughly abusive adult. The only thing I found a bit odd was Guillermoprieto’s suggestion that the Maciel affair might be a scandal not only for Mexican Catholicism, but for Catholicism as a whole (especially given M’s ties to the papacy). One wonders a bit how long it took her to reach this rather unsurprising conclusion; it seems to me it’s been all over the Catholic press, at any rate.
Guillermoprieto’s article in the NYRB touches on the notion that sexual repression of the clergy may be associated with later sexual perversion. Is this a valid suggestion?
Per the expert you read or visit and the specific individual perp, yes, you can make connections. In the same way you can connect pedophilia and perps and the fact that more than 50% of all perps were also abused.
Your question is an excellent one – not sure the literature or studies or even current behavioral health experience can make direct links. It becomes especially difficult when you start to look at 17-20 year old (epephobilia) victims and perps who are in their late 20′s or 30′s and recently ordained.
There is definitely a link between repression and acting out behaviors; inappropriate behaviors, etc. Whether you call those behaviors perverted or not; some are criminal because of the age of the victim.