Published by Charleston Voice, 2.18.2012

Maryknoll/Orbis Books Profiled

Maryknoll is dedicated to the spread of Liberation Theology throughout the United States and the Third World.

Founded in 1911 as the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, Maryknoll had the formal approval of both the American Bishops and the Vatican. For some fifty years, all seemed well. Missions were founded in one country after another, and the society eventually established its presence in all continents.

In 1912 a companion congregation of nuns, the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, was formed and eventually approved by the Holy See.

Their purpose was similar to that of the Maryknoll fathers: the bringing of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those in need of salvation.

Then the words of Father Miguel D'Esccoto
Brockman: "The terrorist, murderer and
genocidal U.S. empire, you call the United
States, as a follower of Christ I call it: terrorist,
murderer and genocidal imperialism. Because,
well, I have to be deep, every fiber of my
being, anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist". Read more

Then Maryknoll embraced Liberation Theology and the promotion of political activities(revolution) in one of the most remarkable changes in a religious organization in the United States. Under the influence of Miguel D’Escoto and others, Maryknoll adopted Liberation Theology as its primary form of ideological expression.

In 1970, D’Escoto founded Orbis Books, Maryknoll’s publishing house. He is also responsible for the change in orientation of Maryknoll Magazine from a traditional missionary publication to an instrument of political indoctrination that is distributed to about one million readers worldwide.

(pictured with Chicago's Rahm Emanuel) The Chicago Sun-Times reported Feb. 4 that d’Escoto Inc. and other companies with close ties to UNO were paid millions of dollars to help build schools under a $98 million grant approved in 2009 by lawmakers in Springfield and Gov. Pat Quinn. Miguel d’Escoto’s son, Federico “Fred” d’Escoto, also works for d’Escoto Inc. (read more)

The results of these changes were devastating. From more than 800 priests in 1969,Maryknoll is down to less than 700 today. The nuns have been similarly reduced from more than 1,400 in the 1960s to less than 900 today. Whereas there were 330 major and 447 minor seminarians in 1960, there are less than 25 today. Maryknoll’s five seminaries have all been closed, reportedly, over the teaching of Marxism instead of Christian theology.

Orbis Books publishes dozens of books every year. Although some titles appear innocuous, Orbis is the main vehicle for the production of liberationist material in the United States.

According to Orbis, the list of cities requiring liberation does not include Moscow,Havana, Beijing, Hanoi, or Prague.

The complete Orbis catalogue of over 200 titles maintained this distinction. The majority of titles are concentrated on Latin America, a few on Africa, Asia, and elsewhere, none on communist lands, even though such countries were once the target of intensive missionary effort.

The current spirit that prevails within the Maryknoll organization is well captured in the recognition given to Miguel D’Escoto. Although defrocked by the Vatican, D’Escoto remains in good standing within Maryknoll.

----------Father Enrique Rueda