The number of people saying that it’s totally okay for a priest to pick up a lock of a girl’s hair and “she’s just fine” is disappointing but not at all surprising. A brief 🧵 (1/10) Having been a girl once upon a time, I can name COUNTLESS interactions with grown men that were not overtly sexual or even criminal in which I felt uncomfortable and unsafe. (2/10)

Celebrity Exorcists.🧵 A few weeks ago, a man I criticized for his involvement in an exorcism during which he pinned a young woman to the ground acting as a “restrainer” went on Martins podcast to trade war stories and make jokes about being a bouncer for Jesus. (1/10)

https://twitter.com/pillarcatholic/status/1860474129733869661

Today, I once again objected to following another celebrity priest, Father Ripperger. I called him a fraud, and a dangerous one, because he is. (2/10)

A few weeks ago, I said that an increased fascination with the demonic is how one ends up with clergy abuse.

A thread. 🧵 (1/14) At Franciscan University of Steubenville, students across several generations attest to the fact that deliverance prayers and exorcisms were prevalent on campus. These prayers were given to students by the TORs who own and staff the university. (2/14)

There’s something to be said about the brazenness of @HallowApp featuring a man currently being investigated by the authorities for four separate instances of sexual assault and abuse allegations. (1/6) It feels so in your face, so very intentional. As if to send the message that sexual assault is no big deal. Russell Brand isn’t their first, of course. Bret Favre has been accused of sexual harassment by more than one woman, not to mention his other offenses. (2/6)

Father Chad Ripperger and his assistant, Kyle Clement. A thread.

I’ve expressed my distrust of Father Chad Ripperger before and of all so-called celebrity exorcists. Exorcists are by their job description supposed to be quiet and unknown. (1/13) Anyone who boasts of this role sets off my spidey senses. I grew up attending way too many “spiritual warfare” lectures listening to people like Mike Warnke (fraud) and Ken Roberts (laicized child abuser) detail all of their depravity to somehow prove evil exists. (2/13)

A brief thread on my complaints about chastity educators. This isn’t solely focused on Jason Evert, but admittedly, his is the most popular game in this particular town. First of all, and again, not the only man doing so, (1/22) I find it sends mixed signals to have a man of nearly 50 address teen girls regarding these delicate issues. We know a real problem exists within the church and recognizing boundary violations. We must consistently model safe boundaries for our children. (2/22)

A THREAD for @archbalt and Archbishop Lori in response to the email I received last night encouraging me to oppose Maryland House Bill 001 and Maryland Senate Bill 686 which would remove the statute of limitations on civil claims for future incidents of child sexual abuse (1/10) and retroactively revive claims that are currently time-barred, no matter how long ago the alleged abuse occurred.

Your Excellency, I am disgusted. You complain that it's not fair, that the church is singled out, and that this creates two classes of survivors, BUT (2/10)

The following documents supplement the police report and lawsuit draft I previously disseminated regarding @FranciscanU and the case against Fr. David Morrier. While several have speculated that the victim in this case provided the documents, she is not the source. (1/15) These documents have been independently verified and are authentic. I have redacted the victim's name to protect her identity as well as the names of several innocent parties. (2/15)

On 3/11, Father David Morrier, TOR, pled guilty to one count of sexual battery. Franciscan University claimed they had no idea what Morrier was up to. I was provided a copy of the lawsuit by someone (not the victim) involved. dropbox.com/s/20ntkzph1lpo… University President Father Dave Pivonka, chaplain Father Shawn Roberson, then-Minister Provincial Father Richard Davis, and Father Michael Scanlan, now-deceased former president and chancellor of Franciscan University knew that Morrier was conducting these deliverance sessions.

Last night, someone I considered a friend posted on FB that it was performative to announce unity with the Jewish people in light of Kanye's hatred and incitement of violence. That mental illness makes people do and say all sorts of horrible things. (1/13) And that these same folks best not post a suicide hotline because it was clearly all performative. When I gently pushed back on this post, I was called a hypocrite who was unsafe for people whose family members died by suicide. (2/13)

Today is the Catholic feast of St. Maximillian Kolbe, who gave his life in Auschwitz for a fellow prisoner who had a family. He was starved and finally executed via injection of carbolic acid when he wouldn't just die. He was a hero. He was also an antisemite. A thread. (1/12) Now why speak ill of the dead? Well, here's why: first of all, the truth matters. Being honest matters. But for far too long, well-intended Catholics have used Kolbe to express pride in Catholicism during WW2 and reject any criticism of inaction or worse, to deny evil. (2/12)