Case from the Territory of Spain

On March 6, 2025, a Legionary priest serving at the Highlands School El Encinar in Madrid, Spain, was arrested by local police after accusations of sexually abusing minors.

The Legionaries of Christ in Spain and the Highlands School in Madrid are cooperating fully with the police investigation and have initiated a third-party investigation corresponding with the requirements of a canonical investigation.

In a letter, the territorial director of the Legionaries of Christ in Spain, Fr. Javier Cereceda, LC, stated that he is “deeply saddened by all the suffering this situation is causing, and I ask that we unite in prayer, with the commitment to support, above all, the affected families and to do everything we can until we establish the truth.” He communicated a list of public commitments including support for all those impacted by this situation, an external audit of all safe environment processes and protocols, and continued communication.

The accused priest has never been assigned to the North American Territory (the United States, Canada, the Philippines, and South Korea).

We ask you to join us in praying for everyone impacted by this painful situation.

For ongoing official communications about this case, please see the Regnum Christi Spain website.

The Legionaries of Christ are firmly committed to creating and maintaining a safe environment for all people who interact with our priests and are involved in our schools and ministries. Every Legionary of Christ in North America receives ongoing training by VIRTUS in keeping with our Praesidium accreditation.

We encourage anyone who has been abused by a member of the Legionaries of Christ to contact the appropriate authorities, regardless of when the alleged abuse occurred, and to contact the Legionaries of Christ’s pastoral care advocate for the United States, Abby Foley.

For any questions about safe environment policies or complaints regarding misconduct or sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult by a Legionary, contact Abby Foley at afoley@arcol.org or by phone at (678) 467-9348. The Congregation has also established a channel for listening to concerns and responding to accusations at www.0abuse.org.