The Catholic Church is one of the institutions that keeps the most secrets. Cases of abuse, assault, and misconduct have occurred in churches worldwide, but one of the most notorious involves the priest Marcial Maciel, who became a central figure in one of the darkest chapters of the religious community in Mexico. Who was he and what did he do? HBO explains it all in its new series Marcial Maciel: The Wolf of God.
The first two episodes of the docuseries premiered last week on the Max streaming platform. If you haven’t seen them, here’s everything about this sinister figure, who went from being admired and respected to being despised by Christians and followers of other religions.
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Who was Marcial Maciel?
For decades, Marcial Maciel projected the image of an exemplary and charismatic priest within the Catholic Church, earning admiration from many followers; however, behind this façade was a life marked by abuse and deceit contrary to the values he preached. The Marcial Maciel: The Wolf of God series exposes the crimes of the priest and how ecclesiastical structures protected him for years.
Maciel founded the Legionaries of Christ, building one of the most influential congregations in the Church. At the same time, he committed sexual abuse against minors for decades, starting in the 1940s. Despite allegations in the 1990s, including a Connecticut newspaper report in 1997, he never faced a formal trial. The Vatican conducted late investigations, and in 2006, Benedict XVI ordered him to retire to a life of prayer and penance due to his advanced age.
He died in 2008 without facing legal consequences, and after his death, further hidden aspects of his life emerged: he had several children, was addicted to morphine, and plagiarized texts. The Church and the Legionaries took nearly a decade to publicly acknowledge the abuses.
In 2010, the Holy See described his conduct as “gravely immoral” and unscrupulous. Later, the congregation documented that at least 60 minors were victims of Maciel, part of a total of 175 victims of abuse by Legion priests between 1941 and 2019. Despite these revelations, the call for justice and reparations for victims remains ongoing.
What are the Legionaries of Christ?
The Legionaries of Christ are a Catholic religious congregation founded in Mexico in 1941 by Marcial Maciel. Their main mission is spiritual and educational formation, focusing on teaching, evangelization, and pastoral work in various countries.
Over the years, the congregation has established schools, universities, and religious training centers, becoming one of the most influential orders in the Church in Latin America. However, it has also been embroiled in controversies due to the abuses committed by its founder, shaping its history and institutional transformation.
How many episodes does Marcial Maciel: The Wolf of God have?
The HBO Max docuseries consists of four episodes, released weekly on Thursdays.
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When is the next episode of Marcial Maciel: The Wolf of God?
Episode 3 was released on Max on Thursday, August 21, and is now available to watch. The first two episodes premiered on August 14, while the final episode will air on Thursday, August 28.
Who appears in Marcial Maciel: The Wolf of God?
The series includes testimonies from witnesses, whistleblowers, and journalists who investigated the case, such as:
- Juan José Vaca: Former superior of the Legionaries in the U.S. and one of the first to denounce Maciel.
- José Barba: Former member and co-author of the 1997 Open Letter to the Pope that made accusations against Maciel public.
- Alejandro Espinosa: Ex-Legionary who documented Maciel’s abuses and control in El Legionario.
- Elena Sada: Former Regnum Christi member who recounted recruitment practices and fundraising in Ave Negra along with her personal experience.
- Emiliano Ruiz Parra: Journalist and writer who investigated Maciel’s power network and abuses.
- Carmen Aristegui: Mexican journalist who documented Maciel’s crimes and complicities in Marcial Maciel, Historia de un Criminal.
- Raúl Olmos: Investigator who traced the financial empire of the Legionaries and Maciel’s consolidation of power.
- Jason Berry: U.S. journalist who revealed decades of abuse and cover-ups in The Hartford Courant.
- Marco Politi and Iacopo Scaramuzzi: Vatican analysts who studied alliances and international repercussions of the case.
- Idoia Sota: Spanish journalist who gathered testimonies and evidence on Maciel’s institutional protection.
