The Rev. Jim Martin, over on America’s blog, explains why it will be devastating for the Legionaries of Christ if reports are true that its founder, the Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado, fathered a child.

Monequote: The “charism,” or guiding spirit, of an order comes from its founder. His (or her) writings, letters and spiritual practices are carefully studied and emulated by members of the order; such study makes up a large part of the members’ early training. Jesuits pore over the writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola; Franciscans of St. Francis of Assisi; Dominicans of St. Dominic. The founder or foundress is considered as the spiritual father or mother of the order. (Jesuits, for example, are often called “Sons of Ignatius.”) Statues, portraits and holy cards of the founder abound in the communities and works of the order. The influence of the founder or foundress on the life of the religious order he or she founded cannot be overstated. This is one reason why canonization of the founder is so important to religious orders; it is an implicit approval of the order itself: the two are inextricably linked.