Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ (L.C.)

Also known as: Legionäre Christi (Deutsch) / Legionarios de Cristo (español) / Legionários de Cristo (español) / Légionnaires du Christ (français) / Legionari di Cristo (Italiano) / Legion Chrystusa (polski) / Legionários de Cristo (Português) / Legionairs van Christus (Nederlands) / 基督軍修會 (正體中文) / Congregatio Legionariorum Christi (latine)

Type: Clerical Religious Congregation of Pontifical Right (for Men)

Depends on: Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life

Websites:

History

1941.01.03: Established as Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ (English) / Legionäre Christi (Deutsch) / Legionarios de Cristo (español) / Legionários de Cristo (español) / Légionnaires du Christ (français) / Legionari di Cristo (Italiano) / Legion Chrystusa (polski) / Legionários de Cristo (Português) / Legionairs van Christus (Nederlands) / 基督軍修會 (正體中文) / Congregatio Legionariorum Christi (latine) / L.C.
1959: Branched to create Regnum Christi Apostolic Movement

Contact Info

Address: Via Aurelia 677, 00165 Roma, Italy

Phone: 06.88.961

Superiors

Director General:

Fr. Carlos Alberto Gutiérrez López, L.C. (51) (2026.02.04 – ...)

Past Superiors

Director General:	Fr. John Lane Connor, L.C. (2020.02.06 – 2026.02.04)
Director General:	Fr. Eduardo Robles-Gil Orvañanos (2014.02.06 – 2020.02.06)
Director General:	Fr. Álvaro Corcuera Martínez del Río, L.C. (2005.01 – 2012.10.15)
Director General:	Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, L.C. (1948.06.13 – 2005.01)
Vicar General:	Fr. Sylvester Heereman, L.C. (2012.10.15 – 2014.02.06)
Pontifical Delegate:	Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, C.S. (2010.07.09 – 2014.02.25)
Pontifical Assistant:	Fr. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, S.J. (83) (later Cardinal) (2014.07.04 – 2019.05.31)

Founder

Founder:

Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, L.C. (1941.01.03)

Other Present Members (2)

Fr. José Enrique Oyarzún Tapia, L.C. (56), Rector Magnificus of Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum

Fr. David Gerard Steffy, L.C. (63), Director of Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jersusalem Center

Other Former Members (4)

>2020: Fr. Juan María Solana Rivero, L.C., Director of Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jersusalem Center

>2019: Fr. Jesús Villagrasa Lasaga, L.C., Rector Magnificus of Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum

>2013: Fr. Amador Pedro Barrajón Muñoz, L.C., Rector Magnificus of Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum

>2007: Fr. Paolo Scarafoni, L.C., Rector Magnificus of Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum

Living Bishops (1 Cardinal, 1 Bishop)

Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, L.C. (80), Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria della Mercede e S. Adriano a Villa Albani and Member of Council of Cardinals

Bishop Brian Farrell, L.C. (82), Titular Bishop of Abitinæ, Secretary emeritus of Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and Vice-President emeritus of Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews

Deceased Bishops (2 Bishops)

2026: Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas, L.C., Bishop of Cancún–Chetumal (Mexico)

2023: Bishop Jorge Bernal Vargas, L.C., Bishop-Prelate of Cancún–Chetumal (Mexico)

Chile

Capilla Mater Ecclesiae, Las Condes, Metropolitana de Santiago
Iglesia Sagrada Familia, Lo Barnechea, Metropolitana de Santiago

Italy

Basilica di Nostra Signora di Guadalupe e San Filippo in Via Aurelia, Roma, Roma, Lazio

Spain

Santuario Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles, Ávila, Ávila, Castilla y Leon

USA

Church of St. Brendan the Navigator, Cumming, Georgia
Legion of Christ College of Humanities and Novitiate, Cheshire, Connecticut

Statistics (2023.12.31)

Houses: 112

Members: 1,316 (1,020 priests)

Last updated on 2026.02.27

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