Call for Vatican to close legion scheme

Dozens of women who attended a school run by the disgraced Legion of Christ religious order have urged the Vatican to close the programme, saying the psychological abuse they endured trying to live like teenage nuns led to multiple cases of anorexia, stress-induced migraines, depression and even suicidal thoughts.

The women sent a letter over the weekend to the Pope’s envoy running the legion to denounce the manipulation, deception and disrespect they say they suffered at the hands of counsellors barely older than themselves — trauma which for some required years of psychological therapy that cost them tens of thousands of dollars.

A copy of the letter was provided to The Associated Press by the 77 signatories, a dozen of whom agreed to be interviewed about their personal problems for the sake of warning parents against sending their children to the programme, which exists in the United States, Mexico and Spain.