Fact Check: SSPX Slams Church Militant for ‘Scandalous Article,’ And, Yes, Church Militant Is Wrong Again

Michael Voris : Church Militant

Facts? We don't need no stinkin' facts! Church Militant's Michael Voris

The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) has fought back after Church Militant published a shocking article accusing the society of "sheltering a sexual predator."

And while we are quite cautious to accuse anyone of "lying" – as lying is when one deliberately deceives – yes, it sure appears that this time Church Militant is lying in its attack on SSPX.

Just the facts

Rev. James McLucas

Rev. James McLucas

The case revolves around a diocesan priest, Fr. James McLucas, whom SSPX says has worked occasionally for them in recent years. In 2018, McLucas was named in the Pennsylvania grand jury report after McLucas' accuser – at the urging of her therapist and "after she had been in therapy many months" – came forward back in 2012 to claim that the priest sexually abused her years earlier as an adult at age 20. (There was a claim in the Pennsylvania report that McLucas abused her at age 14, but all sides agree that this was completely false.)

Knowing that McLucas was doing work with SSPX, Church Militant used McLucas' mention in the Pennsylvania report as a cudgel against the society. And in its attack, Church Militant presented a sobering statement:

Fr. McLucas, Church Militant Falsehood

But the truth is that Fr. McLucas has strongly denied all the accusations against him, and McLucas' denial was in the Pennsylvania report iself. In the response section of the report, Fr. McLucas states that the allegations against him are "categorically false," and he denies "each and every allegation in the strongest possible terms."

In other words, Church Militant's claim that he "never denied" sleeping with a woman is contradicted in simple black and white. The denial of "each and every allegation" means the denial of each and every allegation.

[**Click to read Fr. McLucas' statement from the 2018 Pennsylvania report**]

In its response to Church Militant, SSPX correctly called the group's article about Fr. McLucas and SSPX "scandalous," "slanderous," and "misleading."

Indeed, when it comes to Church Militant: Caveat lector.

Comments

  1. LLC says:

    While I am not commenting on the merit of TCM article (a self-described Catholic news agency shouldn’t have room for sensationalism, in my opinion), it is interesting to note that the writer seems confused between Sweden and Switzerland:

    "Two years ago a Swiss news channel reported that sexual abuse by three SSPX priests and one lay volunteer had been covered up" = from the highlighted Tweet window

    "Two years ago a Swedish news channel reported that sexual abuse by three SSPX priests and one lay volunteer had been covered up" = immediately below, from the body of the article

    Hopefully Mr. Baresel is not as confused about his own findings as he seems to be about geography…

    • Dan says:

      LLC/clown, another catholic division or diocese is accused of "sexual abuse by three SSPX priests and one lay volunteer [that] had been covered up", and you two clowns think it's most important to point out that the writer doesn't know the difference "between Sweden and Switzerland". Just because you could care less about the victims of your church's crimes, doesn't mean you'll get away with your attempts to muddy the waters with your nonsense. The sexual abuse of innocence has more than obviously been systemic among your clergy, bishops and church, to the point where the infestation is incurable. You can make all of your lying claims of zero tolerance and all the improvements the church has made, but in reality we have only seen empty promises, defunct tribunals and deceiving commissions. You think you can con and fool the public and even the All Knowing All Seeing God. 

    • peoples clown says:

      Dan – I guess the "fact" of where info is coming from isn't important to you. If someone said "Dan is reporting from Topeka" ,they might say its the westboro. I know, you just want to pull out my fingernails, since you're in a good mood. Even you corrected yourself on your good/bad moods!

    • Dan says:

      Like I said, "you could care less about the victims of your church's crimes" or that there were more child rapists exposed among your ranks, but instead you once more feel the need to defend the fact that the right location is what's most important . You catholics are sure a special breed of I don't know what!?! Where are those fingernails?

    • LLC says:

      Dan,

      Few points:

      As said in my post, I am not commenting on the TMC article, because I know little about the SSPX. What I do know, instead, is that the SSPX is not “another catholic division or diocese”. Your ignorance of the Catholic Church never ceases to amaze.

      Regarding the difference between Sweden and Switzerland, it is relevant. If this simple yet enormous mistake has passed by the editor, what else in the articles from CM is factually incorrect?

      “Just because you could care less about the victims…” = correct; we could care less, but we don’t, and won’t, because we care a lot about them. You, on the contrary, couldn’t care less about them. See the difference?

      “…has more than obviously been systemic…” = aside from the redundancy (please, keep it simple, complicated sentences are simply not you), this is factually incorrect. The Chicago Public Schools District and the Boy Scouts of America recent stories are proofs that these abuses are endemic in our society, including your little church of one.

      “…the infestation is incurable” = interesting comment, biblically absurd, as you are not the final Judge. Indeed, here you could be found guilty of the unforgiveable sin.

      “…but in reality we have only seen empty promises, defunct tribunals and deceiving commissions” = again, the plurale maiestatis. It makes you look so pompously majestic! Anyhow, you haven’t seen because you are blind, and you do not want to see.

      “You think” = in the immortal words of J. Reacher, “All the time. You should try it”.

      Have a blessed day, brother Dan.

    • Dan says:

      If I should have any ignorance of your catholic church, then I would have to thank my God, because what I do know of your false cult absolutely disgusts me and makes me want to puke. Add to that all the liars and deceivers like yourself and I can honestly say that I wish I knew nothing about your false religion. 

    • LLC says:

      Dan,

      "If I should have any ignorance of your catholic church…" = it's not if; it's how deep your ignorance is (not should).

    • Dan says:

      "the infestation is incurable" = "biblically absurd"? If you knew the Bible at all, then you would realize how true this statement is. You deceivers think you can go around condemning and judging others, while committing or defending some of the most horrific sins against God's children. A cesspool of hypocrites.

      "The spiritual man judges all things, but he is not subject to anyone's judgment." 1 COR 2:15 Do you need me to explain this simple Biblical quote to you? Maybe ask Mary to enlighten you.

  2. St. Longinus says:

    I rarely listen to Church Militant anymore. They're doing more harm than good at this point and Voris has had his own problems and shouldn't be leading this type of organization. 

  3. peoples clown says:

    Just more of the comrade commissars collusion! The evil that comrade commisar Shapiro has perpetrated against the church, continues to send our own people against each other,instead of bringing us all together. There was a time when a movie that was given a bad rating by the legion of decency, doomed it to money loser status, as most catholics would boycott it. That's the kind of unity we need now!

  4. Jim Robertson says:

    Does a strong denial beat a strong accusation?

     

    • LLC says:

      JR,

      "Does a strong denial beat a strong accusation?" = not necessarily; similarly, a strong accusation doesn't necessarily mean certain guilt. At the end, what it counts are the facts.

    • KenW says:

      a strong denial to a strong accusation MANDATES that every tiniest detail be examined in the presence of both accuser and accused BEFORE any conclusion is drawn. PERIOD.

  5. peoples clown says:

    Let Mr. Baresel remember : Sweden, north of Germany, Switzerland, south of Germany.

  6. Jim Robertson says:

    Obviously KenW your church doesn't think so cuz they avoid trials.

     

  7. Ben says:

    Michael Voris should not be leading a Catholic organization like church militant.