Father Marcel Maciel Degollado
Diocese of St. Augustine/Legion of Christ
Ordained: 1944
Dead: 2008
Assignment History:
- Unknown
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Marcel Maciel Degollado:
Fr. Marcel Maciel Degollado was ordained a priest by his uncle in 1944. Degollado is from Mexico and he was rejected by multiple seminaries. He is the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, established in 1941.
In 1956, Maciel was suspended from the Legion leadership reportedly due to accusations of drug abuse and abuse of boys in Mexico. He was then reinstated in 1958. The reports of abuse were ignored and surprisingly, Maciel was celebrated.
By 1997, the Legion had seminarians that were as young as age 10 years old. Maciel sexually abused young boys throughout his career and fathered at least three children with two women. In 1997, nine men publicly accused Degollado, alleging abuse as young boys when they were seminarians.
According to media reports, Degollado was accused of molesting the victims in Spain and Italy during the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. Allegedly the abuse would entail Degollado stating that his stomach hurts and needed to be rubbed, then, the abuse would end in mutual masturbation.
In 2006, Degollado was given a life of prayer and penitence in Jacksonville, Florida.
According to media reports, in 2008, Degollado died at the age of 87 in Houston, Texas.
In 2020, Degollado was listed on the Office Of Statewide Prosecution's Report On Sexual Abuse In The Catholic Church In Florida.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of St. Augustine in Florida. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Florida, contact our office today. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Florida and nationwide. We can help.
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