Sacred Scandal

In our last episode, we ask ourselves… Was Elena Sada part of a cult? We sat down to talk with Dr. Steven Hassan, an American mental health professional and author who specializes in cults, undue influence, and mind control.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An exclusive interview with Mexican journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva. In this special episode, Ciro explains the struggle he went through before breaking the news about Marcial Maciel’s crimes in 1997. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite distance, memories persist, symbolized by a mysterious package. Elena recounts rebuilding a life in New York, finding solace in writing, and challenging the narrative of Marcial Maciel. The episode also tellsthe story of Mariana Martínez, another former member who found a new path after leaving the consecrated life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When an eight-year-old girl in Cancún revealed that her priest had abused her, her family’s search for justice exposed a powerful network determined to protect its own. Decades later, her story would echo in Chile, Mexico, and beyond—revealing that Marcial Maciel was not an exception, but a reflection of something far darker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maciel’s death unleashed a storm of conflicting emotions throughout the Legion of Christ. While some mourn, others grapple with the dark truth of his legacy. The shocking revelation of the Legion’s secret wealth emerges, exposing a stark contrast between their public message of religious devotion and their private accumulation of riches.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Raul Gonzalez knew one rule: never touch his father’s crocodile-skin briefcase. His mysterious dad, supposedly a Shell Oil executive, traveled constantly. He visited with gifts, taking Raul and his siblings on exotic trips. But questions about his father’s many names and guarded life lingered. A magazine cover revealed a shocking truth about the man he called dad. Raul faced a difficul...

Elena Sada experienced heart-wrenching moments within the Legion of Christ. Her path to freedom was filled with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Meanwhile, at the Vatican, winds were beginning to change. The protective mantle that had sheltered Marcial Maciel for decades was starting to unravel, and many saw a glimmer of hope for achieving justice. But what was about to be revealed was merely t...

In 1990s Mexico, amid political chaos and a visit from Pope John Paul II, a priest named Alberto Atie learns about shocking secrets involving a prominent figure, Marcial Maciel. After agreeing to help a former legionary priest seek justice, Atie begins a painful fight within the Church’s system, a fight that would span decades. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1960s Spain, Marcial Maciel’s desperate search for morphine hints at a hidden addiction and a dark undercurrent to his revered image. Years later, Jason Berry’s explosive article threatens to expose Maciel’s secrets, but Jose Barba refuses to let the truth be buried. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of investigating abuse in the Catholic Church, journalist Jason Barry is ready for a quieter life. But when a mysterious box of documents arrives on his doorstep, he’s pulled into a new investigation. This time, the allegations point to a powerful Mexican priest, Marcial Maciel, and a cover-up that reaches the highest levels of the Vatican.  The archival audio clips used in...

When Elena Sada was eight, she met a priest who would change the course of her life forever. This priest, Marcial Maciel, founded the Legion of Christ, which became one of the world’s largest and wealthiest Catholic institutions. As a child, Elena was drawn into Maciel’s world, attending a Legionary school and eventually dedicating 21 years of her life to the organization. But behind t...

Elena Sada recounts her early experiences with the Legion of Christ, including the moment she felt “chosen” by its founder, Marcial Maciel. Lourdes Barroso shares her story of being personally invited by Maciel to become a consagrada. Both women describe the “spell” that Maciel cast, blurring their perceptions and leading them down a path of strict obedience and hidden mani...

Sacred Scandal is back for a fourth season. The Many Secrets of Marcial Maciel is a gripping investigative podcast that uncovers the mysteries behind one of the Catholic Church’s most powerful and controversial figures. Through the voice of Elena Sada—a former consecrated lady in the Legion of Christ—the series exposes Marcial Maciel’s double life of abuse, fraud, and manip...

To kick off Marketplace’s season premiere, we’re sharing a conversation with one of our favorite writers, Hanif Abdurraqib. He joins Reema for a wide-ranging discussion about the moral judgments often made regarding people’s financial circumstances, notions of success and legacy, and what it means to be “good” versus “bad” in an unequal world. Hanif also o...

An extended interview with writer and professor Roberto Lovato, whose book “Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs, and Revolution in the Americas” helped inspire the series.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A special conversation with Salvadoran American comedian Marcella Arguello, whose giant tattoo of Oscar Romero sparked the series.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rise of President Nayib Bukele, and what that means for El Salvador’s future.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the aftermath of the Salvadoran Civil War, gangs like MS 13 and Barrio 18 rise to power in the US and El Salvador. Jasmine interviews her aunt Vilma about the murder of her son.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The murder of 6 Jesuit priests finally ends the war in El Salvador, and brings into question who really holds the power.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lonely town in the Salvadoran mountains becomes a symbol for the lies of the government.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Days after Jasmine’s mother, Ana, left for the US, her sister Margarita was “disappeared.” Her body was later discovered on a rural road, along with the bodies of 4 men. Through interviews with her family, Jasmine finally reveals the mystery of who is responsible for the murders.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jasmine gets an unexpected visit from some cousins, who reveal the reason why her family left for the US.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The bodies of four American Catholic nuns are found on the side of a rural road. As violence spiraled out of control, this tragic event sounded the alarms in the country that was the biggest sponsor of the Salvadoran military: the United States.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roberto D’Aubuisson, a military officer who plotted a coup and came back as a respected political figure, was beloved by some but feared by many. He was a boogeyman of sorts, one that created and led vicious death squads that terrorized El Salvador.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the Archbishop’s murder, thousands gather to mourn Oscar Arnulfo Romero. His funeral becomes the battleground, where the two sides of the war finally show their faces. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.