Statistics of the Legion of Christ as of December 31, 2016

The statistics are calculated on the basis of the information provided by the territories. For statistical purposes the houses of Rome and the Delegation for the Holy Land are regarded as one territory.

At the end of 2016 the Legion of Christ has established religious communities in 21 countries. It is articulated into 9 territories, a Delegation for the international houses in Rome and a Delegation for the Holy Land. The Legion has (1) general and the others territorial, 117 apostolate communities, a center for philosophy, two (2) theologates, a community of priests dedicated to study, two (2) centers of humanities, six (6) novitiates and 11 minor seminaries.

The Legion of Christ also directs a pontifical international seminary in Rome and a seminary in Brazil. It also directs the minor seminary of the Territorial Prelature of Cancún-Chetumal.

At the end of 2016 there was a total of 1582 Legionaries of Christ: 4 bishops (no variation), 961 priests (+2 from last year)[1], 492 religious in formation (-54) and 125 novices (-16). The variation of members with regard to the previous year is -4%.

[1] Due to a statistical error, the data for 2015 did not include a priest who had left the Congregation and was readmitted. This is corrected in this year’s statistics.

Table 1: Number of members and comparison with the previous year.

Counted among the 961 priests are the 36 Legionaries who were ordained on December 10, 2016. Also included in this total are 14 priests who were exclaustrated in accordance with can. 686 of the Code of Canon Law, as well as 22 priests with permission to live outside of community, in accordance with can. 665 §1, for reasons of apostolic work, studies, health or personal motives. 15 priests were in an irregular situation[2].

Two Legionary priests died in 2016. In this same period 21 priests were incardinated into a diocese. Additionally, in 2016, 10 priests have requested dispensation from celibacy and the obligations related to holy orders. Two priests were dismissed from the Congregation.

In 2016, with regard to legionaries in their initial formation[3], 77 novices entered, 57 made their first profession of vows and 25 made their perpetual profession. By the end of the year the Legion had 106 religious with perpetual vows in their initial formation period, 387 with temporal vows and 125 novices. In comparison with last year there has been a 30% increase of new novices, a 5% decrease of first professions and a 150% increase of perpetual professions.

During this same period, 29 young men left the noviciate. One brother with temporal vows died, 13 religious with perpetual vows asked and received dispensation of their vows from the Holy See, 27 religious with temporal vows asked and received dispensation of their vows from the Legion’s General Director, 17 decided to not renew their temporal vows after concluding the time period for which they had been made. During the past year the overall number of novices has decreased 11% and the overall number of religious in formation has decreased 10%.

The average age of Legionary priests is 47. The average age of all the members of the Congregation is 39.

[2] Irregular situation means that the period granted to a religious for a leave of absence from their community or the period of exclaustration has expired, the Holy See has not yet granted them the indult of departure from the Congregation and they have not returned to community life.

[3] Initial formation is the period from entrance to the noviciate to the priestly ordination.