Vatican disciplines Mexican priest after abuse case

VATICAN CITY, May 19 (Reuters) The Vatican said today it had disciplined an ageing Mexican founder of a Roman Catholic religious group who has been accused of sexual abuse, ordering him to retire to a life of ''prayer and penitence''.

The order, the first major decision involving sexual abuse charges decided by Pope Benedict since his election last year, involves Marcial Maciel, the 86-year-old founder of the Legionaries of Christ.

Maciel, who lives in Mexico, has been accused by some former members of abuses dating back to the 1940s and 1950s. Maciel had long denied the accusations.

But a Vatican statement said the decision affecting him was issued with the approval of Pope Benedict ''after carefully studying the results of an investigation'' by the Holy's See's doctrinal department.

It said Maciel had been ''invited'' to withdraw to ''a reserved life of prayer and penitence and not carry out his ministry in public.'' The statement did not specify whether the Vatican had definitively concluded that the allegations were true but that because of Maciel's age and failing health, it had decided not to launch a full-scale Church trial.

The statement was issued after the National Catholic Reporter, an independent U.S.-based Catholic weekly, reported yesterday that the Vatican was about to make its decision public. It was not clear when the decision was taken.

The Vatican statement gave no details of the limitations but NCR said the order limited Maciel's public activity, including his capacity to celebrate public masses or give lectures, public presentations or interviews.

Maciel stepped down as leader of the conservative religious order, citing his age, shortly after the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said in December, 2004 it would look into the allegations.

At that time, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who has since been elected Pope Benedict, headed up the congregation.

Founded in 1941, the order has around 600 priests and 2,500 seminarians around the world. It also runs a major Pontifical university in Rome.

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