Welcome to THE FLASHLIGHT where grifters and gaslighters are trapped and exposed.
Church Militant is obviously feeling the sting from the challenge by former novices of the Wyoming Carmelites. You can know that because they've now brought in the BIG GUN, a WOMAN and former novice with NO experience of the Wyoming Carmel AT ALL.
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| CM grifters double down on their attack with new "expert" witness. |
Here's what CM says about their latest "whistleblower" who is affirming Augustine Inferrara's story without having any personal knowledge or experience with the Wyoming Carmelites or even, apparently, with Augustine. Everything is based on her impressions and opinions from watching Christine Niles' Spotlight attack piece:
Alycia Hartley, a former novice for five years in a religious order, speaks on her own experiences in religious life and how to recognize the signs of toxic communities.
Wow! Alycia is an expert. She's even asked about Stockholm Syndrome:
Talk about Stockholm Syndrome -- does it exist among former members of religious communities?
By this question, CM implies that all the former novices defending the Carmelites are mentally ill victims of Stockholm Syndrome. Exactly what is Stockholm Syndrome? The term comes from a bank robbery in Stockholm with hostages and a six-day standoff with police. According to Medical News Today:
The term Stockholm Syndrome is the name for a psychological response to captivity and abuse. A person with Stockholm syndrome develops positive associations with their captors or abusers. Experts do not fully understand this response formation but think it may serve as a coping mechanism for people who experience trauma.So... the latest grift is the implication that all the former novices speaking out were being held captive and abused at the Carmelite monastery, but learned to love their abusive captors. They developed positive feelings toward their superiors and now speak out as victims of "Stockholm Syndrome" to defend the abusive superiors.
I found this particularly sickening, but nothing is too low for CM. So they use Alycia Hartley as their psychological "expert" to double down on their attack against the Wyoming Carmelites. They are turning that Spotlight into the Everyready attack rabbit.
Alycia the "expert" describes how she's seen the syndrome before among those who leave religious communities. She's "heard all kinds of stories" about people being abused by religious orders, but defending them. Interesting, though, that it took her five years to recognize how "toxic" her own community was. But obviously she's not a victim of Stockholm Syndrome because after five years of being held captive she describes the toxicity of her order?
CM tells us absolutely nothing about Alycia or her background. They also don't tell us a single thing to justify her being their "expert" to affirm Augustine's allegations.
I did a little research and found a 2014 article about Alycia on the website of Greater Columbus Right to Life ironically titled Volunteer Spotlight on Alycia Hartley. Alycia was a sidewalk counselor at Planned Parenthood and was recognized as she left to enter the Sisters of the Congregation of the Divine Spirit, a member order of the orthodox group, CMSWR (Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious). Alycia sounds like a very nice young woman. That still doesn't give her any particular expertise to affirm Augustine's story.
Of course Christine Niles, the crackerjack investigator, must know that Alycia's "testimony" has nothing whatsoever to do with the Wyoming Carmelites. She is a red herring used to discredit the former novices defending the monks who are all obviously psychologically impaired and victims of Stockholm Syndrome.
The piece is interesting nonetheless. Based on her personal experience, Alycia is dubbed by CM as an expert at recognizing "toxic religious communities." In view of how easy it was to access the article below, many people will know the order Alycia accuses of being a "toxic community." Will CM's next Spotlight be an in depth accusation against the Sisters of the Congregation of the Divine Spirit and an attempt to destroy their apostolate to children and vulnerable adults? If not, why not? Their latest "whistleblower" can no doubt provide plenty of juicy details to make them sound as evil as possible. What do you say, Christine? The sisters next?
From the website of Greater Columbus Right to Life
Alycia Hartley is a one of our amazing sidewalk counselors at GCRTL. She can often be found at the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic (3255 E Main St) praying for the women and the workers inside the clinic or offering encouragement to visit the prolife pregnancy help center across the street. Alycia is working to enter into religious life in the next few months with the Sisters of the Congregation of the Divine Spirit, a Catholic religious order that works in the education of children and the care of the elderly. Since Alycia will soon be moving, we thought we’d share her story as the May Volunteer spotlight of the month. Below, she shares – in her own words, why she became involved with the GCRTL Sidewalk program.
As I became older, I remembered what abortion was, and the truth of what it really was. As my eyes were opened to how horrific abortion is, in its procedure and number of victims, I felt a strong pull to do something significant to end this tragedy. The reality of abortion became all too real for me one day, when before the Ohio 20-week abortion ban, I saw a very young woman with a large “baby bump” enter the abortion mill to terminate her pregnancy. This was shocking for me to see, but I began to realize there really isn't a difference between this advanced pregnancy and someone only several weeks pregnant. Both pregnancies contain a life that must be cherished and protected.
When I learned about GCRTL's Sidewalk Counselor Training program, I knew that this would be a real, tangible way to reach out to women in need, and hopefully save them and their babies from a horrible choice.
During the course of the GCRTL SWC program I have been witness to, and told of, great things that are happening on the sidewalks of Columbus's abortion mills. The SWC program is definitely changing lives, and I am sure it will only continue to do so as more heroic pro-lifers work as SWCs to end this injustice.
Thank you, Alycia, for the many hours that you have dedicated to helping build a culture of life here in our community! You will be missed greatly.
If you’d like to learn more about Alycia’s decision to enter into religious life, you can visit her Aspirant page online.
Knowing a legion or two of those who have left religious life across a spectrum of years of service since the late nineteen sixties -- including myself -- rest assured, there is no Stockholm Syndrome in place in anyone that I have known. Departures generate out of serious discernment. Not infrequently, particularly among those in formation, they are sparked by an abuse of authority by a superior and/or a personal hurdle with chastity. Then, of course, there are the daily -- hourly even -- challenges which arise from life in community. Not infrequently there is a significant amount of resentment, justified or not, in the individual making the departure. That there are any young men willing to publicly testify as to the integrity of life -- a very demanding monastic practice -- as lived by the Wyoming Carmelite monks is all I need to know. The community is fine but for the antagonists who have placed a bullseye on their back.
ReplyDeleteFor what purpose?
What is not fine is the fragile accuser who I understand -- perhaps mistakenly -- has made more than one stab at religious life, nor are the reflections of the side-walk psychologist, her agent Christine Niles or her colleague Michael Voris -- neither of whom know anything regarding monastic existence or the Carmelite charism. From whence the anger and hate that flows out of the stage in Ferndale? A lotta wanna-bes hungry for the limelight substituting for what other drives?
Mary Ann: as the Carmelites say... May God reward you.
ReplyDeleteI saw a headline about this last night and clicked on it which took me into the CM website. Usually, when that happens, I leave immediately because I don't want to give that vile, tabloid trash channel another metric. But, I stayed and watched as much of the interview as I could stomach (I could not watch the whole thing). Immediately, I noticed that neither the monastery, nor the religious order where this young woman spent time was mentioned. So yes, right from the bat, the goal was to imply that she was in a Carmelite monastery, affiliated with the men's Carmel in Wyoming. Who knows if she revealed the order and location to CM - if she did, they were uber sleazy in editing it out of the final video.
Isn't it interesting how CM is doing exactly what Bergoglio and his henchmen in the antichurch are doing... targeting the traditional wing of the Church that is booming with vocations. Why, it's almost as if they want to personally destroy the Carmelites and the priests who say the Traditional Latin Mass. catholics (intentional lower case c) like Voris and Niles, love the Church about as much as the freemasons do.
Andrew Dunn,
ReplyDeleteYou obviously didn't read the last comment I made in response to yours on the last thread about this issue.
I knew some novus ordo 'conservative' Catholics who defended the Legionaries of Christ and its founder without reservation, despite my concerns, which I made known to them. Many good people in the Church supported them. Even Pope John Paul II did - to the very end of his life - as is public knowledge. And then the truth was finally exposed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcial_Maciel Bear in mind there are very few of the Wyoming Carmelites compared to the Legionaries. Many were abused inside and outside the Legionaries by Fr Marcial Maciel. Very many former and present members kept quiet or for some strange reason defended them. Many spoke out and were ignored/sidelined. As I said in my previous email, I am not saying the Wyoming Carmelites are guilty as charged by CM. I am asking you not to let your dislike of CM (which I share) blind you to being open to the pursuit of truth. I would give the same advice to you as I gave to the Legionaries supporters - to exercise prudence and caution and keep a more open mind. Even that woman in the video, admitted that her order observed modesty 'almost to a fault'. So whatever her agenda is (and I strongly suspect there is one) she at least recognised that her order observed modesty. Also, I would like to bring up the point of whether these are real Carmelites or not. The first CM video stated in a letter from the local Ordinary that 'the New Mount Carmel Monastery is not a religious institute of diocesan rite. It is a public association of the Christian Faithful, which means the monks who attend there are not religious'.
I don't know very much about lay associations of the faithful, but, from what I've read, it seems that is often the way a new religious order begins. Here's one example described by Peter Kwasniewski in a 2017 article:
ReplyDelete"ON JUNE 9th, 2017, with the permission of the local Ordinary, His Excellency Bishop James Vann Johnston, Jr., a new semi-contemplative traditional community of religious sisters will begin ad experimentum in the Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph. The beginning of the community and the entrance of the first two postulants will be celebrated with a Solemn High Mass in honor of Our Lady, Mother of Divine Grace, at Saint Mary’s Parish at Independence, MO, at 12:00 Noon." You can read more at:
https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2017/06/announcing-new-traditional-womens.html
The sisters appear to have a connection to the FSSP parish of All Saints in Minneapolis which publishes some of their news. The most recent was from this month.
https://fsspminneapolis.org/announcements/heartfelt-gratitude-from-the-filiae-laboris-mariae/
To say that an association of the faithful is not a "real" congregation seems to me to be a stretch. How do most new religious orders begin? All the saints who founded orders did not start with approval. POOF! Some saints experienced waits of many years before their orders received sanction. St. Ignatius began gathering supporters while he was a student. They took vows a few years later in 1534 but weren't approved as an order until 1540.
I'd be interested to hear more about how new religious orders begin and gain approval, but it seems to me that they start as "associations of the faithful."
Hi Kevin. No, I did not see your reply on the earlier thread.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the Wyoming Carmel not being a religious institute of diocesan rite. I have not seen the letter from the local Ordinary (and I'm not going to go to CM's website to see their version of it). Carmels are not diocesan so that would be true. They are, well, Carmelites. They exist within dioceses with the permission of the local bishops and the local bishop there doesn't seem to have denounced them or told them to leave. So, they are legit from what I see and read.
You are spot-on that I dislike CM. I see no evidence whatsoever that they are helping The Church in any way, shape or form. The fact that they've as of late, targeted the SSPX, FSSP and now the Carmelites, is very telling. The traditional wing of the Church is the one that is growing with Mass attendees and vocations. CM is literally obsessed with trying to discredit the SSPX who kept the sacramets flowing during covidism while dioceses in our country couldn't shut down fast enough. They pre-convicted Fr. Jackson of the FSSP right away and have been hysterically attacking RTF for having the audacity to raise legal funds for this priest. Now their venom is aimed at the Carmelites - the prayer warriors of the Church. They act as if they're taking directions from Bergoglio and/or the freemasons.
I said it before and I'll say it here again. If this was 2,000 years ago, CM would be out there in the public square, slandering the apostles and trying to discredit them at every turn.
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ReplyDeleteMary Ann, as I recall your understanding that an Association of the Faithful within a specific diocese can be the first step in establishing a religious congregation is correct. But several months back the Bergoglian pontificate issued new rubrics regarding the development of new congregations taking critical rights away from the local ordinary and reserving them for Rome. This was done with a view to stifle the increasing developments of new traditional communities.
ReplyDeleteIt is true, as far as I know, that the Wyoming monks are not affiliated with either the Calced or Discalced Carmelites -- they are not answerable to the Father Generals of either expression of the Carmelite charism. They are subject to the local ordinary. That does not mean they are disengenous adopting the title of Carmelites or not practicing a legitimate expression of the Carmelite charism or that they are inauthentic monastics in any manner. It is quite obvious to anyone familiar with the Carmelite Friars that they are mendicants -- not monastics. Wyoming is a monastic community with an element of the eremitical tradition which was at the root of the Carmelite Order on Mount Carmel in the twelfth century.
I have little doubt that Ss. Albert of Jerusalem, Simon Stock, Teresa of Jesus and John of the Cross would be deeply proud of the unique expression their charism finds in the wilds of Wyoming.
Further, the scandal found among the clergy and revealed over the last decades is real, but we really have to resist viewing these expressions of grace in the life of the Church with suspicion. Their bishop is not going to put his neck on the line to defend a fraudulent enterprise. He dispatched a canonical visitor to the community after the accusations of the fragile candidate. Rest assured, in the current climate the place would have been exposed as morally suspect if that was the case. There is no advantage to lying about these situation after all we have learned over the past forty years. It appears that only the gaze of the Vatican is presently able to put lipstick on a pig these days. If nothing else the local diocese is not willing to shoulder a financial penalty to protect immoral eccentrics in a habit. It the bishop stands by the Wyoming community we can be assured that nothing wrong is going on. In all likelihood their greatest vulnerability is their traditional liturgy and practice of monastic observance. They have a completely other bullseye on their backs. Lets pray for them. Trusting that they are all they appear to be, our Church desperately needs them.
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ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I originally posted your comments, but on second thought I am not willing for the comment section to become an echo chamber for Church Militant. For all I know you are one of their flunkies. We get plenty of visitors from the Ferndale area.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann K - I have learned that the comment section is an extension of the blogger's mind and intent. We comment here as guests. Every blogger is different in how they moderate comments on their chosen topics. We visitors come and read that which we find interesting, illuminating, beneficial. Usually, not always, a nice feature of a blog is the comment section in which a blogger's thoughts are augmented by responses, perhaps differences ... the Socratic dialogue as you recently put it in a post. Sometimes bloggers don't open up for comments (Barnhardt, AKACatholic). Others do with no restrictions. Most have various levels of moderation. And in the end, again, it becomes a feature of the blog which is the audience for which the blogger, at some level, writes.
ReplyDeleteWe all budget our time differently depending on personal circumstances. I self-limit the blogs I read to a small, manageable number - those blogs change over time. We all do this in our own ways. I've found your limitations quite reasonable, even when applied to me; certainly in this case about CM. I appreciate your blog, and your long term contributions to the Catholic community. My wife runs an adoption specific Facebook group(s), so I know how much time goes into such things in the budgetary-choice process. I also see how much good these things can do, when the heart is set toward God and the advancement of His Kingdom.
And so ...thank you for your blog and ongoing efforts to illuminate and enlighten ... and sometimes entertain.
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Aqua. Please pray for me and my family as I will for you and yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks for those elaborating on the lay associations and thanks, Kevin, for your reminder to keep an open mind. I try to do that. And I cannot condemn CM altogether for exposing real scandals. It's actually the reason some friends and I started Les Femmes in the Diocese of Arlington when the dissent group, Call to Action was organizing in our parishes.
But I also remember the Salem Witch Trials, which I've studied, and the horrible accusations against the day care centers back in the 1980s which gave us six years of absolute hysteria. Child psychologists oftenmanipulated children to make the wildest accusations of sex abuse and satanism against day care providers. One couple accused was recently released from jail after 21 years when the medical evidence of the doctor that played a huge role in the guilty verdict was found to be a "mistake." There is too much he said/she said, presumption, innuendo, and exaggeration at CM for me to accept anything they say without a big question mark.
I'll be doing another Flashlight post on that in a few days.
Mary Ann,
ReplyDeleteI'm very sorry that you deleted those comments earlier on. And as has been proven to you, I am no Church Militant stooge, and they were not from me, but even so, I would have still liked time to study them. Your actions show a complete lack of objectivity or balance. Catholic Truth Scotland - a blog which I very much admire - allows dissenting views and then answers/corrects them – that is the nature of debate (and the beginnings of 'instructing the ignorant' - one of the seven spiritual works of mercy) but you don’t seem to understand that. You just seem to be in a "Wyoming Carmelites = good versus Church Militant = bad" mode of thought, which blinds you to anything else. Sometimes - as I have tried to point out in my previous emails - the truth isn't always that easily discernable, and the fact is, individuals and organisations that we don't like, may sometimes be right. The flip side of that is that individuals and organisations who we think are good may in fact not be so. I feel as though I'm banging my head against a brick wall on Les Femmes about this topic now, so I will bow out gracefully and wish you every grace and blessing.
God bless,
Kevin
Small correction, release of the couple, Dan and Fran Keller, was 2013 almost a decade ago. There's an interesting article here that talks about the case and the "witchcraft fever" of the time and how children were impacted to make up fantastic stories by questionable interview techniques.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/05/texas-couple-kellers-released-prison-satanic-abuse
CM often using leading questions to get the most damaging descriptions from their
"whistleblowers." Some things make absolutely no sense. For example, Fr. Duverger was accused of "grooming" but told his accuser to talk to her parents. Pretty strange grooming technique! There are plenty of things like that in their repertoire of scandal. But, hey, if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.
Sorry to see you go, Kevin. All of that information is in the dossier and on CM's website if you want to pursue it. I agree that the truth is not always easy to determine, but I am not willing to simply allow reiteration of what's on CM's website. I'll be happy to email you the comments if you want to pursue it further. And I wish you every grace and blessing as well. Mary Ann
ReplyDeleteyou probably won't publish this link, but mine are the comments you deleted. Since you said they were all at CM already, I decided to go verify. All I was aware of was the video and the report and the other video you linked to in this post (i found yesterday AF has his own site yesterday which I prefer to CM). I have not yet watched the video, but I am reading the comments which kept referencing this sr. anne letter which they finally linked to in the comments and I am now reading: if you have read it, not sure how you can say AF is a liar, since this letter already contains all his stuff about the prayer life and the work all day long (i have only read half so not sure if it gets into the immodesty). It is about no mental prayer etc. I did encounter one ref in the comments from CM about the family work camps and perhaps the monastery is emulating them (i firmly believe no one would donate to this place if they knew the horrors of those places) and perhaps there is more in the video. See no info about the body builder board member dr. jeff golini; sure I could just email the info to CM. I really have not frequented CM since found out about Voris' past and opus dei connections. I agree w/you that he should not be giving spiritual retreats. I am wondering if this is not also an opus dei operation. Surely it's a vast money maker for the principals, much free labor, but at what cost to the church of losing so many potential religious vocations who go thru the new mount carmel sawmill and blame themselves/believe they have no vocation? I applaud AF for standing up against so much opposition and putting this info out. People have a right to know so they don't give to bounders. I am sorry CM threatened to sue you. I have never donated to them. I also feel sure this place would threaten to sue you too if you threatened them in any way.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.churchmilitant.com/pdf/Sr._Anne_Letter_full_.pdf
What do candidates for Religious Life expect in a religious order today? As a candidate – Postulant or Novice – what do you expect and what is expected of you?
ReplyDeleteI hear more and more of what the candidate expects and less of what the Order or the Order’s Rule expects. Religious Orders usually have a Rule of Life – a rule for the members to follow. It could be the Benedictine Rule, the Augustinian Rule, the Ignatian Rule, the Carmelite Rule, etc.
The Rule lays out how the members are to live in order to achieve – or at least strive for – perfection and exercise the charism (I hate that term, and prefer ‘spirit’…) of the Order… It is not arbitrary. You do not get to pick and choose which elements you adhere to. It is all or nothing… Strive to adhere to it - or depart.
While the traditional Orders have lengthy experience – hundreds or even a thousand-plus years of adherence to the ‘Rule’, some of the newer communities lack the history of the older Orders. Consequently some may have debatable conditions and questionable procedures.
The classic – but not unique – case is the Legionaries of Christ. Elements of their ‘Rule’ were recipes for abuse. Example: you may not criticize the Superior and especially the Founder (Macial). There was even a vow about this! Given that superiors and founders are human, this should have been a huge red flag – but it wasn’t and the abuse continued for decades.
Religious life requires a number of things – charity, humility, self-denial and honesty – for a start. I don’t know all the details of the Carmel in Wyoming but have seen some positives.
I spent 11 years in religious life in the early 60s to early 70s and obviously things have changed in the last 60+ years. But the pursuit of perfection hasn’t changed and will always be a daily struggle.
Well, I did watch the video and they did cover golini and the parents' work camps. They didn't cover branding w/a cross or the holy cow girls nor go into detail about inmates not being released but told they couldn't leave and moved into adult camps. Also didn't cover something I didn't put into my comments that several youth alleged were not released until had written something positive about the camps (I guess to counter any allegations the inmates later made). Really how you can defend these people I don't know. Unfortunately, just because someone says they are traditional (like CM or Fr. Corapi or Bishop Barron etc. etc.) must do your own research in these times when the Church hierarchy is not doing it's job. You say you are 'for truth' in your name. You should present evidence countering CM info if it is there, but if there is no evidence, you just destroy your own good name and credibility as well as maybe mislead some innocent people into being harmed by NCF. I wonder why CM didn't seek to interview any of the youth from the work camps who are suing, but maybe they are only interested in the corruption of the church religious/priests.
ReplyDeleteThe kids at the two ranches are troubled. That's why they're there. I read the testimony of one mom who said her daughter was suicidal and had tried to kill herself before they sent her to Trinity. She said they saved her daughter and her daughter disputed some of the accusations. So whom do you believe?
ReplyDeleteWith regard to the "branding" I find that very hard to believe. I accept the fact that the child had the brand, but I know several kids who were into cutting themselves. Did that child brand himself (I think it was a boy) to get away from the camp? These are troubled kids. Maybe what they are saying is true and maybe it isn't.
I know of a teenager who was in a foster home with family friends. She wanted out and accused the dad of molesting her. My friends had cared for dozens of kids and had a large family of their own. The dad ended up pleading guilty because of the devastating impact that was happening to his family, not to mention the financial ruin involved in trying to defend himself. I could have as soon believed my husband was guilty of such a thing as my friend. He and his wife are holy people with hearts for those in need. But he ended up on one of those lists of child molesters.
Let's face it. There's a lot of money to be made by false accusations. I think the six ex-novices defending the monks are very credible.
This YouTube produced by the monks came across my screen this morning. It is about twenty minutes long but absolutely worth the viewing. The monks require no defense after seeing this. I cannot recall a more edifying depiction of contemporary monastic existence. Would that every community could present the reality of their life with such simple honesty. It should neutralize the enthusiastic cynical greeting with which the accusations have been received. This entire situation brings to mind Isaiah 5:20: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
ReplyDeleteDo take a few minutes to view:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=034ZzQA_w2w