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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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 difficult reality. What other secrets did his father keep hidden in that briefcase?

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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 the tip of the iceberg.

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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.

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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.

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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 this episode come from the Oscars. The title of the referenced news article comes from The Hartford Courant.

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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 the holy facade lay dark secrets. 

The archival audio clips used in this episode come from Rome Reports, Milenio and Televisa. 

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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 manipulation. As the women are molded into ideal servants, they are tasked with recruiting new members and raising funds, becoming key players in the Legion’s expansion and financial empire.

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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 manipulation, as well as the silence and complicity that allowed him to thrive. Blending survivor testimony and in-depth reporting, the show reveals how faith, power, and secrecy collided to protect a predator, and how those who lived inside his empire found the strength to break free.

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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 opens up about one of the most challenging financial moments of his life and his commitment to giving away a significant portion of his income.
Hanif is an award-winning poet, cultural critic, and author from Columbus, Ohio. He’s written six books, several of which are bestsellers, including his most recent, “There’s Always This Year.” His work spans sports, pop culture, and politics, often focusing on issues of race and class, while also exploring themes of grief, beauty, and love. Hanif has received a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” and was a finalist for the National Book Award, among other accolades.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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On March 24th, 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero was presiding over mass when he was shot through the heart. His gruesome and public murder sent a signal to the people of El Salvador: None of you are sacred. None of you are safe. The Archbishops death would spark a war that would change the lives of thousands of people, including our host, Jasmine Romero. While on a quest to understand the Archbishops murder, she finds deaths in her own family that connect back to the slain priest.

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Leaving a high control group isn’t as simple as walking out through the front door. A cult is not simply a physical location, it’s a lifestyle, a belief system, a community and a state of mind.

So is it possible to know if the preacher, the yoga guru, or the beloved politician you, or a loved one, are so taken with, is really a narcissistic psychopath cult leader in disguise?

In this episode, we attempt to highlight some of the signs, that can signal the red flags.

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Through the perspective of whistleblower Sochil Martin and the emergence of an online forum, we delve into the intricate web of events that led to the downfall of Naason Joaquin, the leader of the controversial religious organization La Luz del Mundo.

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The counts against Naason are plenty. The Accusations are damning! And finally, after countless postponements, the five Jane Does get ready to face their abuser in court. But nothing goes as planned.

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