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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Bravo to an heroic man Jun 15, 2009
I could not put this book down. I was raised in a Catholic orphanage by a very stern and controlling order of nuns, some of whom could have been the twin sisters of a few of Paul Lennon's legionnaires. I understand how difficult it is to trust your own God-given intelligence and instincts after you have been brain-washed not to think for yourself from a young age. The fact that Paul was finally able to free himself from the mental and emotional chains of the cult-like Legion of Christ, is a testament to his strength and integrity. Although he had committed himself totally to the Legion and spent many years as a priest, when it became clear to him that there was serious rot in the organization, most of which was the result of a depraved and self-serving leader, he rebelled. Catholics should not be afraid to read his book. Recognizing that there can be rotten Catholics or Catholic organizations should not
threaten their faith or keep them from believing there are many good Catholics and Catholic organizations.
10 of 11 found the following review helpful:
 Fair & Lyrical: Paul Lennon Looks Back at the LCs Jan 15, 2009
I have rarely encountered such a fair, balanced and honest response to religious abuse and the perpetrator of such a wicked attack on the human spirit. Lennon's memoir of his years with the LCs is not only 'all that' but, through the use of song lyrics, Hesse's novel SIDDHARTHA, his account is both lyrical and emotionally compelling.
Perhaps because Lennon was not sexually as well as spiritually and emotionally abused by Fr Maciel as so many others were, he is able to chronicle the repressive nature of his formation and life as an LC more dispassionately. But there may be something more: despite all the cultic nonsense with which Lennon was inundated, the strength of the Irish character, virtues of his family, a passion for justice, a willingness to make friends, as well as a kind of dark faith bring him through. Not without horrendous hurt and confusion but through nonetheless.
I would hope OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN BED [a play on on Nuestro Padre's bedroom, the scene of his crimes against young men as well as his constant neurotic illnesses] receives the wide reading the book deserves. It is bittersweet to reflect that Lennon, utilizing his own painful experiences, continues to help those in psychological distress, not least many ex-LCs. As Kierkegaard observed, the foot the steps on the thorn leaps the highest.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Catholic Cults Oct 26, 2008
For anyone that has been adversely affected by cultic new groups in the Church such as Legionaries of Christ, Regnum Christi, Opus Dei, or Miles Jesu, this is the book for you! Excellent book!
6 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Inside a priestly cult Oct 15, 2008
In my new book, "An Irish Tragedy, how sex abuse by Irish priests helped cripple the Catholic church", I noted how Pope John Paul II looked to Ireland to help maintain a strict morality in his church, but at the same time protected Macial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legionaries of Christ and a notorious sex abuser. The pope did so even though Maciel was accused of sexually abusing more than 20 young seminarians and priests in his religious order. Why? I contended that John Paul didn't want to challenge the man who was churning out many, many priests who shared the pope's conservative beliefs.
But I didn't know why these priests remained so loyal to their corrupted leader. Now I know. As one of those priests, Paul Lennon explains in this book how the "great leader" brainwashed his followers, enforcing silence, isolation and blind obedience. Paul joined the order as an idealistic Irish youth of 17, and remained in it for 23 years, until he could no longer tolerate the repressive culture of the cult and left to rejoin the real world. Rather than describe Paul's experiences--like eight years separated from his family--I urge readers to obtain his book and get an unprecedented look inside the pope's legion.--Joe Rigert, investigative journalist and author.
5 of 6 found the following review helpful:
one brave former priest Oct 14, 2008
Would you, as a loving parent, send your seventeen year old son to dedicate his life to a highly manipulative organization controlled by a sexual predator? Of course, you would not and neither did the loving parents of John Paul Lennon but...it did happen. As told in this book, what happened was a culturally motivated, naive young man from Ireland accepted the glowing promise of Catholic recruiters to help form a new religious movement in Mexico in 1961. Lennon felt drawn to the adventure with holy men who would guide and protect his journey. What could be better? Despite lingering doubts about everything from his sexual expression to the existence of God Lennon signed on and served eventually as an ordained priest in the Legion of Christ for 23 years. He formally left the "congregation" in 1984. This book answers the question, why?
The Legion was founded by a young Father Marcial Maciel in 1941. In many respects, the Legion of Christ and its lay subsidiary Regnum Christi closely resembles Opus Dei, the Catholic organization maligned in The Da Vinci Code. Both are controversial, conservative, hierarchical Catholic groups formed ostensibly to provide members with rules for a saintly life and a way to serve others. Both groups target wealthy donors and aggressively seek favor from the Vatican. Indeed, Opus Dei's founder was a canonized recently. The same beatific fate may not befall Father Maciel as long as strong evidence continues to appear regarding his mismanagement of the Legion and his decades' long legacy of sexual abuse of young men.
J. Paul Lennon's self-published autobiography is the second significant exposé in English of the Legion and Fr. Maciel, the first being Vows of Silence (2004). There are many exposés in Spanish. Lennon's story brings the Legion experience into intimate focus through the lens of his life, his dreams, his sins, and his struggles. Lennon broke with the Legion after confronting the leader publicly about mistreatment of relocated members. He was also fed up with the double standards regarding vows of poverty while the leaders basked in favors and food from wealthy donors. Though Lennon never encountered sexual abuse personally while a Legion member, he documents what he learned after he left the group. Be prepared for specificity regarding Maciel's controversial behavior toward the end of the book. (The title refers to Fr. Maciel's dubious illnesses that required frequent time-outs for days in bed complete with injections of Demerol and erotic massages from boys).
'Our Father, who art in bed' reads well enough as a self-published effort by a first-time book writer. I enjoyed Lennon's anecdotes about his life in Ireland and Mexico. The reader finds a sense of place and culture as Lennon reflects on his struggles to make sense of his psychological isolation while serving others. The Legion restricted every aspect of a member's life including friends. "What friends" asks Lennon on page 111? "I had to have a motive and objective to contact outsiders; all activities not sanctioned by the very detailed rule had to be approved by my superior." He was able to visit his family only five years after he joined. Lennon would not know the songs of Bob Dylan or the other John Paul Lennon and The Beatles until after 1984. Lennon served as a priest in the Washington, DC area for 5 years after he broke away. He applauds the open kindness of Catholic clerics there who restored his faith in the Church. Nevertheless, Lennon requested and was granted a release from Holy Orders in 1989.
Lennon eventually recognized that his Legion experience matched many stories of ex-cult members from any number of other controversial groups. He and other ex-Legionites eventually formed a helping network called REGAIN that has a website. As his book documents, Lennon and REGAIN were sued last year by the Legion of Christ over violation of allegedly confidential information. This book is in part an appeal to the Church, the Legion and the public to recognize the truth of the matter. If nothing else, Lennon's legacy is set as one brave former priest that took on a festering cult that the Catholic Church has yet to adequately lance and to heal from. As a Catholic myself, and a professional consultant about cults, I can sympathize with Lennon's account thoroughly.
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