Madrid, Spain, Mar 13, 2025 /
15:35 pm
Regnum Christi has announced that it will review the safe environments protocols it has in place in Spain following five allegations of sexual abuse against the former secretary of Marcial Maciel, Legionary priest Marcelino de Andrés Núñez, who worked at the Highlands El Encinar school in that country.
Maciel, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi, was found to have sexually abused at least 60 minors, most between the ages of 11 and 16, according to a report issued by the Legionaries of Christ in December 2019.
The measure was announced in a letter to the students’ parents dated March 11 listing a series of “public commitments” that were reportedly conveyed to the students’ parents in an in-person meeting held Monday.
The section on reviewing processes and protocols begins with the decision to “select and hire an external auditing firm to review existing safe environment protocols and to identify and implement areas for improvement.”
Additionally, the current protocols and codes of conduct as well as the hiring process for all school staff will be examined, and it will be verified that all persons in contact with minors “have an updated Sexual Offenses Certificate.”
In addition, a one-month period has been established for the governing board of Regnum Christi schools to review whether the school’s principal, Father Jesús María Delgado, LC, should remain in his position.
Previous protests by parents
Upon learning of the priest’s arrest, Regnum Christi acknowledged through a FAQ section on its website that some parents had protested the priest’s hiring in 2023.
“They asked that he not continue at the school, and their opposition had to do with the fact that the priest had been Marcial Maciel’s secretary, not because they had perceived inappropriate behavior with minors,” the website states.
This situation had already occurred in 2015 at another school in Madrid, Highlands Los Fresnos, where Maciel’s former secretary had worked since 2011. Due to the protests, “it was then requested that he take a secretarial job in Rome, and he did not remain at the school.”
Support for victims
Among the announced commitments, Regnum Christi offers families who report abuse to listen and attend to their needs, “whether or not they are in school,” as well as “independent and specialized services from experts in listening and comprehensive care.”
In addition, Regnum Christi will provide “psychological counseling sessions in specialized private centers” for all families at the school, helping them address the issue in a conversation at home.
Two additional complaints
In a new statement dated March 13, the sixth since the priest’s arrest, the school’s administration said that it is seeking “official confirmation” from the police about two additional complaints against the priest, which were reported on by a popular television program in Spain.
“We have not received information from the police regarding this development, but we wanted to share it with all of you while we seek official confirmation,” the statement explained.
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This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Nicolás de Cárdenas has been the correspondent for ACI Prensa in Spain since July 2022. In his journalism career he has specialized in socio-religious topics, and he has also worked for local and international civil associations.
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