July 23, 2010. Rome, Italy. In the following letter Pope Benedict XVI appoints Archbishop Velasio De Paolis, CS, as papal delegate for the Legionaries of Christ. The appointment was published by the Holy See’s Press Office on July 9, 2010. On the next day, Archbishop De Paolis presented it to the congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in Rome. The original Italian text can be read here, and an unofficial English translation is presented below.

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To our Venerable Brother
Velasio De Paolis, CS
Titular Archbishop of Telepte

The recent Apostolic Visitation of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ has made clear, besides the sincere zeal and fervent religious life of a great number of the Congregation’s Members, the need and urgency to undertake a path of in-depth revision of the Institute’s charism. Moved by the desire to follow closely, support, and guide this journey, I have seen fit to appoint a personal Delegate for this Religious Family, to be both a concrete sign of my closeness and to act in my name.

Venerable and beloved brother, given your preparation and experience in the juridical and ecclesial spheres, enriched by your spirit of service, pastoral solicitude, and your sense of religious life, I wish to entrust this responsibility to you. Thus, by means of this letter, I am naming you my Delegate for the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, and I confer on you the task of governing this religious institute in my name for as long as it takes to carry out the path of renewal and lead it to the celebration of an extraordinary General Chapter, whose main purpose will be to bring to completion the revision of the Constitutions. Some additional modalities for the fulfillment of this office will be indicated through a specific decree.

I am well aware of the importance of this mission I entrust to you today, and the weight of responsibility it involves. I thank you in anticipation for the readiness and generosity you will no doubt show in this further act of service to the Holy See, which will not fail to produce abundant positive fruits.

I entrust your person, the beloved religious of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, and the members of the Regnum Christi Movement to the heavenly protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. I assure you of my spiritual closeness in my heart and prayer, and I cordially send to all my special apostolic blessing.

From the Vatican, June 16, 2010

Benedict XVI

(original text in Italian)

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Related documents:
• Decree from the Holy See defining the modalities of the papal delegate’s work.
• Archbishop Velasio De Paolis’ letter to the Legionaries of Christ (July 10, 2010).
• Archbishop Velasio De Paolis’ homily during Mass with the Legionaries of Christ at the Center for Higher Studies in Rome on July 10.