What's Not Catholic About Michael Voris?

I think we all know that, while the Archdiocese of Detroit is saying that RealCatholicTV cannot use the name “Catholic”, they are directing their criticism at Michael Voris. (The ins and outs of the canonical situation are out there; you can google it, or go to this one, which is very good, especially if you read all the comments.)

But…what’s NOT Catholic about Michael Voris?

I’ve seen some negative comments on various blog posts about Voris, but haven’t seen any substantive criticisms. Push come to shove, it’s just darn hard to say that the guy is not speaking Catholic truths.

Catholic Culture, though, does offer a review of RealCatholicTV, with some criticisms that they back up with a few examples. You can read their full review at the link, but the main thrust seems to be that the programs are too critical of the Church and of Church leaders, and purport to present “the real Catholic” position on various issues. “Thus, those who disagree find their Catholicism put in question”.

Well, no one denies that Michael Voris – especially in “The Vortex” episodes – is often “in your face”.  But few can deny (and keep a straight face while doing so) that he is right. You simply find very, very few critiques saying he is wrong – and giving evidence thereof – about what he preaches and teaches. 

Basically, I think, it comes down to the fact that Michael Voris’s style offends some people. And his content offends others. Michael Voris holds up the “ugly mirror”, to use a term of my new bloggy friend, Wendi. She says, “Ugly mirror is a term my husband came up with to describe the act of convicting someone about their actions.  It's harder to rationalize sin when someone holds a mirror in front of you and you can see it reflecting back at you.”

Indeed. And when that mirror is held up on “The Vortex” or other RCTV programming, people do notice…whether they consider themselves “liberal” Catholics, or “orthodox”, or “traditional”. There’s always room for progress toward holiness.

Michael Voris says it best himself, in this “Vortex” episode, which was released last April to respond to the Scranton, PA situation, when a Voris conference had to be moved to a secular site from the “Catholic” college site where the talks had been originally scheduled. Be sure to watch all the way through – the most cogent remarks are in the last two minutes.

 Regarding the general issue of orthodox priests and laity alike being treated like criminals, “Tantamergo” sums it up nicely in this excerpt from his blog (my emphasis):

Why are the orthodox often given rough treatment, if not outright dismissed/ignored?  So many faithful Catholics are outraged or severely disappointed by so many actions taken by ordinaries, from allowing heterodox, apostate “catholycs” to be employed and corrupt the minds of Catholics at local universities, to allowing Sr. Militant New Age Lesbian Feminist to lead a parish retreat.  We’re not blind.  We’re not stupid (well, we are, in a way, more later).  We see what goes on.  Many are outraged.  Why are we having to do what is in actuality their job?  Why are the bishops often attacking (or ignoring, or blacklisting, or…..) those faithful Catholics, who, in the words of Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand, should be their very pride and joy?

We are sort of suckers, though.  Many of us keep going back to that parish with the new age nun DRE, or the heterodox vicar, or whatever.  Most of all, we keep sending in the checks.  If you want to see change in your local church, wherever it may be, MOVE.  Stop going to or supporting in any way heterodox parishes. Most of all, stop giving them your money.  Find an orthodox parish and go there.  It’s infinitely more important for you to go to a faithful parish than it is to “be loyal” to your neighborhood/town parish.  The latter is a fool’s game.  And, no, we don’t go to Mass or to a parish to “witness” to others- we go there to get holy and get saved.  It is the job of the priest to lead us in sanctification.

If you want change, stop going to the bad parishes.  If the whole diocese is bad, pick out the least worst one you can find and assist at Mass there, but send your money to an orthodox religious order like the Benedictines of Norcia or our good Carmelites here locally.  Stop sending money.  Attendance is one thing, but if you want to see change, stop sending in money – make sure you let them know why. 

I couldn't have said it any better! Go there and read the rest of the post, and the comments.(And Michael Voris made some of the same remarks on a recent “Vortex” episode, which I discussed here.)

Pray. Fast. Fight the good fight.