Legionaries of Christ Leader Maciel Dead at 87

The Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado, the charismatic founder of the religious order Legionaries of Christ, who was disgraced toward the end of his life by Vatican censure over sexual abuse accusations dating from the 1950s, is dead at the age of 87.

According to the Legionaries of Christ, the powerful Mexican priest died Wednesday of natural causes in the United States. His death was reported for the first time Thursday. The Rome-based Legionaries has a presence in Connecticut: Its U.S. headquarters is in Orange and it has operated a seminary in Cheshire.