Even after Church Militant contacted Kokx to correct the record, no clarification was issued by CFN. Stephen Kokx appears to have close ties with the SSPX and has written articles praising the Society as a "life raft" for those seeking the sacraments. We want every story, every video, every text to give glory to God. Cancel at any time to avoid future Although allegedly having lost significant readership owing to the decline in print consumption, among the premier traditional Catholic journals. , however, is not the only SSPX adherent burrowing into a Catholic media organization. Submit news to our tip line. Then, Church Militant released a mini-documentary reporting on alleged serious cases of sexual abuse from SSPX priests and subsequent attempts at coverup on the part of the parent organization. LifeSite journalists have conducted dozens of interviews, acquired court documents and police records, spoken to victims, spoken to priests of the Society, and chronicled their findings meticulously. I’ll address these concerns in this special episode. Williamson's notorious "Holocaust interview" further proved to be a blessing in disguise for the SSPX, for by expelling His Excellency in 2012, the SSPX could claim that they had put their more reactionary past behind them. It was Michael Voris asking us to engage in it. These articles, most of which are still available online, contain a variety of horror stories of bizarre, cult-like behavior, SSPX priests excessively fascinated with Nazis, militia activity, Soviet-style forced medication of dissidents and a general banquet of sadism and cruelty for which a number of members of the SSPX have always been known by Catholics with their pulse on the irregular traditionalist group (anyone who doubts the complete and total absence of charity or even common decency within SSPX diehards need look no further than SSPX supporters' comments on Church Militant's social media accounts). Once we started looking into the situation, we discovered a definite bias against the SSPX on the part of Church Militant which in our studied analysis has led to some problems with their investigation. I know that Michael Voris is no friend or supporter of the SSPX, but Church Militant has done some in depth investigation into the abuse scandals and corruption that have plagued our Church. Throughout the early history of the group, the majority of SSPX adherents were content to be ignored by the world. Headed by the late John Vennari, who himself attended SSPX chapels, CFN was, nonetheless, not originally an SSPX newspaper per se. Fellay: Stop Protecting Predators, Hungary’s Constitution Adds Protection for Children, Post-Election Special: All Hell Breaking Loose. Further, Church Militant has repeatedly used the SSPX’s name to generate web-clicks and revenue while hoping to stoke the fires of public controversy by baiting it into a war of words. Watch. Those who stray from these are named and shamed, sometimes from the pulpit. At LifeSite we take all investigative journalism very seriously and so we had two reporters delving into the facts of the case for months. Fidelity's work did not have a tremendous effect in the Catholic community, simply because it only enhanced what Catholics already knew about the SSPX. Those who stray from these are named and shamed, sometimes from the pulpit. I would like to weigh in on the SSPX/Church Militant controversy that began last week with the publication of (some known, others unknown) documents by Church Militant. priests excessively fascinated with Nazis, post-World War II manifestations of German National Socialism, Bp. Church Militant’s headline on their first story covering abuse cases in the SSPX was titled, “SSPX: ‘Sympathetic to Perverts’”. We'll be back Jan. 4, 2021. Yes, there are some rotten apples in the SSPX. By Church Militant • 0. Writing in September to Catholic Family News, Archbishop Vigano said, “I consider Archbishop Lefebvre (founder of the SSPX) an exemplary confessor of the Faith, and I think that by now it is obvious that his denunciation of the Council and the modernist apostasy is more relevant than ever.”. remove comments. Michael Voris, the president of St. Michael’s Media, Church Militant’s parent company, has made similar remarks about the SSPX on past episodes of his show The Vortex. Regrettably, Church Militant failed to make any mention of it… Others attend diocescan Traditional Latin Masses, others Fraternity of St. Peter Latin Masses, and still some attend SSPX Masses. While The Angelus is the official SSPX journal, CFN has, under the current editorial direction of Dr. Brian McCall, a law professor at the University of Oklahoma, become a de facto SSPX newspaper. Some have used the word "harassment" to describe Kokx's questioning. LifeSite journalists have conducted dozens of interviews, acquired court documents and police records, spoken to victims, spoken to priests of the Society, and chronicled their findings meticulously. 4:26) and “The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20). Fr. , also has a cozy relationship with the SSPX. Have a news tip? Richard Williamson and the culture he created as rector of the SSPX American seminary, seemed content to dig in and hide out in its chapels and enclaves in, as well as a long history of ties with various, Throughout the early history of the group, the majority of SSPX adherents were content to be, Its status as a marginal group changed, however, when Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications of the four SSPX bishops in January 2009, The Holy Father's lifting of the excommunications coincided with a renaissance in interest in traditional Catholicism among young people, as the tidal wave of conservative American Catholic culture inaugurated by Pope John Paul II's 1993 World Youth Day visit to Denver, crashed against the 2002 Boston Spotlight revelations, whi. Ironically enough, the assistant editor of Culture Wars, Dave Reilly, also has a cozy relationship with the SSPX. First of all you should know how LifeSite got into this investigation in the first place. We have prayed together and conversed about the difficulties afflicting the Church and the world. LifeSiteNews welcomes thoughtful, respectful comments that add useful information or insights. What CMTV did, is theyve finally led us all to be convinced that theyre on the side of Pope Francis and his un-Catholicism. But such disagreements should not involve ad hominem attacks, name-calling, and disparaging one another. Nicholas Gruner, had an engaging personality, and much of CFN's following was, in fact, linked to the person of Vennari. However, with the recent tidal wave of media coverage in outlets like. Our main investigator Stephen Kokx has no axe to grind with the SSPX. Church Militant has also learned that the French article was posted that same day on Le Forum Catholique, a French traditionalist website with Catholics of all stripes, from the SSPX, FSSP, ICK and other groups. Michael Voris, Church Militant Editor, Catholic Truth, writes… Our blogger, Athanasius, has now studied the recent articles about the SSPX published by the American organisation known as Church Militant (CM), which were brought to our attention recently. Their lead reporter on the story Christine Niles has called the SSPX a “cult” and their CEO Michael Voris has, on Twitter, referred to the SSPX as a “Nazi pedophile cult.”. Get briefed on today's top stories with Michael Voris. To describe those articles as “sleaze” is an understatement, by any standards. between commenters. One of the most outlandish claims against LifeSite’s reporting is that Church Militant says their sources said “Kokx had been ‘harassing’ victims with his questioning, impugning their integrity and calling into question their veracity.” Church Militant reporter Christine Niles says “Church Militant was shown his line of questioning, and we agree.”. Furthermore, it is part of fundamental justice and logic that religious communities or dioceses cannot be held responsible for the atrocities which their members or employees committed after they had been separated or dismissed from these communities. December 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Dear LifeSite readers, we have received many responses regarding our initial coverage of allegations of sexual abuse within the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X. I do believe we can respectfully challenge one another even when we believe there is error in our brother’s approach. When I travel I’m able to attend Latin Mass, and I nearly always do so with the Fraternity of St. Peter. It has been accused of having “sympathy for perverts” (sic) and of covering up for some of its members or employees who may have been guilty of misconduct. There is another heroic bishop who has expressed himself on this question – Bishop Athanasius Schneider. He and his wife Dianne and their eight children live in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, Canada. At the same time, Bp. Is it possible that Dave Reilly, Stephen Kokx and Brian McCall (and perhaps others) are part of a wider preventative, damage-control effort to head off any major journalistic exposé that would reveal to the Catholic world the depths of the corruption in the SSPX? horror stories of bizarre, cult-like behavior, SSPX, , militia activity, Soviet-style forced medication of dissidents and a general banquet of sadism and cruelty for which a number of members of the SSPX have always been known by Catholics with their pulse on the irregular traditionalist group (anyone who doubts the complete and total absence of charity or even common decency within SSPX diehards need look no further than SSPX supporters' comments on, Perhaps worse than these SSPX drones are those Catholic media personalities whom, it is alleged, have sold their souls for SSPX, Fidelity's work did not have a tremendous effect in the Catholic. Following his dox by various leftist organizations, Reilly fled to St. Mary's, Kansas, the SSPX stronghold in the United States, which has been the epicenter of abuse allegations and some of whose members are under criminal investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Louise Sorbonne is a globetrotting independent researcher and former SSPX parishioner who submitted this article for consideration after noticing worrying trends in traditionalist media, which are either coming to the defense of the SSPX, in spite of documented evidence of sex abuse and cover-up, or otherwise remaining silent when they have a duty to speak. Let me be very up front about where LifeSite stands regarding the SSPX. The Society also cooperates with all police or other official investigations into said misconduct when it violates the law, whether civil or ecclesiastical. Emotional neutrality is necessary for a fair judgment. It launched its investigation into the SSPX in 2019, as part of a wider criminal probe into clergy sex abuse. However, whatever strong and legitimate criticism might be levied at some of these authors for the alleged complicity in protecting the SSPX, they, at the very least, have the excuse of being dutiful members of the SSPX. John-Henry earned an MA from the University of Toronto in School and Child Clinical Psychology and an Honours BA from York University in Psychology. And when we report on horrible things, it’s to shine light on evil to cast it out, and to purify Holy Mother Church to better help her in her mission of getting souls to heaven. Those personalities (who will remain anonymous, for now) are not members of the SSPX but are, in truth, grifters. After a period of going dark, Reilly then obtained a position working for Dr. E Michael Jones at Culture Wars Magazine in South Bend, Indiana. 22, 2020, the conservative Novus Ordo web site Church Militant has released a substantial report exposing rampant sexual abuse of minors in the Society of St. Pius X, especially in (but not limited to) the United States of America. John-Henry founded the Rome Life Forum an annual strategy meeting for pro-life leaders worldwide. option selection above at the current full price on the date of each renewal, until you cancel. The SSPX, Church Militant, and LifeSite: a response. I attend a Novus Ordo parish, with no local Latin Mass parish within several hours of my home. It is difficult to simply dismiss the impression that some of the accusations were conducted in a biased manner. Some have used the word "harassment" to describe Kokx's questioning. Viganò's remarks on Abp. Since the recent revelations of systematic abuse and cover-up by SSPX priests and laity, CFN has gone to bat for the SSPX and has attacked those trying to expose the abuse and corruption. We have been called “frauds” by Michael Voris, and this is particularly sad as I consider him a friend. The first of these Catholic media outlets infected by the SSPX is Catholic Family News (CFN).   Yearly: $120 a year, To pay in advance without a subscription, click here Monthly: $10 a month The detection and transparent processing of cases of pedophilia should be done in a necessarily objective and thoroughgoing manner, irrespective of the persons or ecclesiastical communities concerned and without making any exceptions. | Legal Information | Privacy Policy. But by Sunday, the site had pulled the report — but not before it had been clicked on more than 300 times. Williamson's notorious "Holocaust interview, until it was exposed in April of this year, groundbreaking exposé on the SSPX in April, Have a news tip? Could it be that a sizeable portion of their fans, supporters and donors are SSPX, and they fear backlash as well as loss of donations? Viganò had been up to that time unaware of the massive sex abuse scandal embroiling the Society, and under no circumstances would ever condone it or defend it. Capitalized They conducted dozens of interviews, they acquired court documents, police records, spoke to victims, spoke to priests of the Society, and chronicled their findings meticulously. Carlo Mario Viganò responded to some of his public questions, and whose response contained praise of SSPX founder Marcel Lefebvre. Honestly, they deserve great commendation for their work. Thus far, the above-named authors have proven themselves loyal comrades in service of their collective master. Former members and victims have repeatedly used the word "cult" in reference to the SSPX, as the group demands loyalty above all else, a rejection of those outside the SSPX ("no salvation outside the SSPX" is a common theme) and unquestioning obedience. As Church Militant previously reported, Sainte-Marie is the site of another SSPX scandal involving allegations against Fr. has gone to bat for the SSPX and has attacked those trying to expose the abuse and corruption. Although defending itself against charges of schism and protesting the 1988 excommunications of its bishops, the American wing of the SSPX, under the tremendous influence of Bp. has lost a tremendous amount of influence and reach after the death of. Though no mention of this fact is made in Church Militant’s article, the SSPX publicly informed them of this fact in a press release issued last year. Many believed that these overtures were sincere, and SSPX sincerely desired to enter into full communion with the Church. Could it be that a sizeable portion of their fans, supporters and donors are SSPX loyalists, and they fear backlash as well as loss of donations? The SSPX, Church Militant, and LifeSite: a responseLifeSite journalists have conducted dozens of interviews, acquired court documents and police records, spoken to victims, spoken to priests of the Society, and chronicled their findings meticulously.December 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Dear LifeSite readers, we have received many responses regarding our initial coverage of allegations of … The Holy Father's lifting of the excommunications coincided with a renaissance in interest in traditional Catholicism among young people, as the tidal wave of conservative American Catholic culture inaugurated by Pope John Paul II's 1993 World Youth Day visit to Denver crashed against the 2002 Boston Spotlight revelations, which demonstrated that the reform inaugurated by John Paul was largely a paper tiger. sspx abuse allegations. Stephen Kokx is a writer for Catholic Family News, which has routinely and strenuously defended the SSPX. Special Report: The Truth Behind BLM. heading up an investigation into the claims of abuse by SSPX members on behalf of LifeSiteNews. In coming to terms with atrocities committed by clerics, one should be guided only by truth and justice, without regard to the person. From my perspective we are all trying to fight the same fight: the fight for Truth, the fight for Christ against Satan and all his pomps and works. This turned out not to be true — but it would take decades for the world to learn that. As has been reported by multiple outlets, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has been overwhelmed with claims of abuse by SSPX members not only in the state of Kansas, but throughout the United States. On the other hand, this coming to terms with the past must not be used to unleash additional personal antipathies against a certain Church superior or against a certain religious community. Many Catholics, disenchanted with conservative Catholicism and its liberal predecessor, began testing the waters with Catholic tradition, and some even found themselves pulled toward the SSPX, whose episcopal leadership was no longer excommunicated. Nevertheless the aim remains the same. Although defending itself against charges of schism and protesting the 1988 excommunications of its bishops, the American wing of the SSPX, under the tremendous influence of Bp. For some mysterious reason, little over a year later, Gaspers was demoted to assistant editor and was replaced at the helm of CFN by Brian McCall. In the wake of these revelations, some media outlets have come to the defense of the SSPX — or have avoided reporting on the matter altogether. But Stephen Kokx, Brian McCall and Matt Gaspers at CFN — with the help of other Catholic media personalities — erroneously touted Viganò's comments as a wholesale embrace and promotion of the SSPX. And finally, I wanted to address the situation with Michael Voris and Christine Niles personally. Headed by the late John, s following was, in fact, linked to the person of, death on April 4, 2017, writer and catechist Matt Gaspers succeeded John, had handpicked Gaspers to be his successor. After a period of going dark, Reilly then obtained a position working for Dr. E Michael Jones at. While the SSPX was aware of the investigation in 2019, the public was not — until it was exposed in April of this year. is Assistant Director of Digital Marketing for, appears to have close ties with the SSPX and has written. He was forced to resign from WHLM after it, Following his dox by various leftist organizations, Reilly fled to St. Mary's, Kansas. Comments under LifeSiteNews stories do not necessarily represent the views of LifeSiteNews. The SSPX is a … "The truth doesn't care about our needs or wants. Those personalities (who will remain anonymous, for now) are not members of the SSPX but are, in truth, grifters who have made entire careers bouncing from one fad in the Church to another, always holding out their hand for donations and book purchases from confused, well-meaning Catholics looking for a harbor in the storm. In college, he was a liberal who voted for John Kerry and Barack Obama. SSPX Priest to Bp. Speaking with the archbishop, he made clear his only intention was to praise Lefebvre for his original vision of protecting tradition and orthodoxy. remarks on Abp. As the story of the SSPX grows darker and more sinister, a second story has developed: It seems that, in an attempt to get ahead of the news about the KBI criminal investigation, the SSPX tried to effect a media coup at several Catholic journalistic centers. If you have a gift code you would like to redeem, click here. Today, Apr. In fact, when Church Militant first aired its groundbreaking exposé on the SSPX in April, Reilly threatened to sue Church Militant over 24 seconds of use of some of his SSPX footage. ia outlets infected by the SSPX are, if anything, increasing in profile and power during the digital age. For some mysterious reason, little over a year later, Gaspers was demoted to assistant editor and was replaced at the helm of, It has been speculated that this was a power play by the SSPX, who regularly advertises in CFN. Sspx Masses when we believe there is another heroic bishop who has expressed himself on this question bishop... Lifesite: a response by John-Henry Westen the pulpit abuse cases and the world to a life sacraments! Change this image glory to God heroic bishop who has expressed himself on this question and:. Carlo Mario Viganò responded to some of his public questions, and still some SSPX! 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