Toontown City: Church Militant Peddles Another Nutty Conspiracy Theory

Church Militant : Rev. Joe Moreno : Buffalo

Michael Voris' Church Militant now exploits the life and tragic death of Buffalo's Rev. Joseph Moreno

And you thought they couldn't get any crazier. In what it calls a special "Spotlight" report, Church Militant is now promoting a conspiracy theory that the tragic 2012 suicide of Buffalo priest Rev. Joseph Moreno was not a suicide at all, but a murder, and then nefariously hints that Church officials could be involved, as Moreno was about to "blow the whistle" on them.

But despite Church Militant's crazy machinations, there still is no credible evidence whatsoever that Moreno's death was anything other than a suicide. Church Militant's reckless speculation that he was murdered is nutty stuff done presumably only to drive fundraising for the increasingly unhinged organization.

Obvious facts ignored by Church Militant

Sadly, Fr. Moreno was a troubled individual with a very unsettling past. Under the circumstances, a suicide was not entirely shocking.

Rev. Joe Moreno : left hand

Fr. Moreno on video using his left hand that Church Militant claims was 'crippled.'

Indeed, Jay Tokasz at the Buffalo News wrote an eye-opening article (pdf) about the priest shortly after his death and uncovered a slew of disturbing facts about Moreno that Church Militant conveniently leaves out of its conspiracy theory: A guilty plea to arson in connection with a fire at the parish where he was working … A 2005 bankruptcy declaration in U.S. Court with an incredible $447,086.55 in debt, mostly to credit card companies … A reported history, despite his massive debt, of "extensive stock trading," considerable resources playing the lottery, and giving "extravagant gifts to fellow clergy" … And even a reported stint in a residential facility for mental health issues … and more.

Moreno's behavior was reportedly so unpredictable and erratic that he would even miss Mass when he was supposed to be the celebrant. As Tokasz reported, "some priests suspected that Moreno suffered from depression or bipolar disorder and wasn't adequately treated"; a "tortured soul [and] an enigmatic man who craved attention."

Already investigated

Fr. Moreno suicide

None of the many surveillance cameras outside the rectory reveal any unusual entries or exits during the afternoon of Fr. Moreno's suicide.

Law enforcement in Buffalo have conducted three extensive investigations and strongly insist that there is no evidence whatsoever indicating anything other than that Moreno committed suicide. Shortly before killing himself, a new ministry assignment from the Buffalo Diocese for Moreno left him noticeably upset and depressed, according to other priests, and likely led to his ultimate despair.

Was Fr. Moreno really a "whistleblower priest"? No, he wasn't, and Church Militant provides zero evidence that he was.

The death of Fr. Moreno was tragic, and our hearts ache for his family, friends, and parishioners.
The fond memory of Fr. Moreno deserves much more than crazy conspiracy theories peddled by the opportunists at Church Militant.

[Previous: "Shameful: Church Militant Continues To Falsely Defame Buffalo Priest" (Dec. 2019)]

Comments

  1. Colm J says:

    Speaking of conspiracy theories, I have my own theory that the Catholic right – both "conservative" and "traditionalist" is heavily infiltrated by "Judas Goats" – or anti-Catholic agennt provooateurs -who seek to leverage justifiable discontent at undue liberalism in the Church and thereby turn right-wing Catholics into willing agents of the endless media and political hate campaign against the Church

    • Scattergood Baines says:

      Always best to be careful and diligent.  There's no doubt that there are cabals that wish to permanently destroy tradition and what better way than infiltration which as we know from Bella Dodd, Manning .  Knowing this, traditional laypersons, groups, churches and especially the societies, themselves, have a responsibility to be observant with simple yet effective safeguards and discerning of your priest, teacher, summer camp, and Catholic media.  

      Bella Dodd, a former communist agent and eventual "revert" to Catholicism: "In the 1930s, we put eleven hundred men into the priesthood [in the United States] in order to destroy the Church from within." Another former communist, Manning Johnson, testified to Congress: "In the earliest stages it was determined that with only small forces available to them, it would be necessary to concentrate Communist agents in the seminaries…. This policy of infiltrating seminaries was successful beyond even our communist expectations."

       

  2. Colm J says:

    I completely agree- I think there's a blithe assumption among many right-wing Catholics that only the left of the Church has infilrators – but that's not how real infiltration works. If anything it's probably more important to infiltrate the right – since many orthodox Catholics no longer regard liberal or leftist Catholics as real Catholics at all – and expect them to invariably take the secular media's side against the Church on most issues. Therefore self-declared leftists' ability to damage the Church;s reputation is quite limited – whereas someone who poses as a hardcore Catholic trad can gain much more traction among the faithful when he or she promotes as fact unproven allegations against the Church..

    • Dan says:

      Sounds like you're admitting to your church being an organization filled with deceivers and traitors. Sad that your church's enemy is the truth of the Almighty, who is salivating over His destruction of all liars who refuse to turn from their idolatry, greed and sexual abuse of innocents. Wake up, repent, remove the blinders and ask Christ for forgiveness. 

  3. I wonder when will all of this stops. Almost every week there's a Conspiracy Theory. Incidents like these will just bring the church's reputation to the floor and nobody will care then. This has to stop.