Another Lawsuit Filed against Former Bishop Bransfield: for Sexual Abuse of Adolescents and Young Adults

Wheeling has become a real flash point in the sex abuse saga. The Bransfield scandal shows big time that it ain't over, and that a primary problem is the bishops. Remember that Bransfield was a crony of McCarrick. He is also good buddies with Wuerl. Anyone who thinks this is over without a lot more bishops being exposed (no pun intended) is dreaming.

The latest allegations against Bransfield aren't decades old. They occurred within the past few years. Like McCarrick, Bransfield had a reputation for being an active homosexual who harassed seminarians. When he was the administrator for the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. his lavish parties were the talk of the town. Once he arrived in Wheeling he enjoyed every luxury money could buy spending like a drunken sailor on his own personal comfort.

Good News from Wheeling: Three Bransfield Enablers Resign from Chancery! Bad News: Two Get Parishes!

Frederick Annie       Anthony Cincinnati        Kevin Quirk

Three "my Lords", Quirk, Annie, and Cincinnati have resigned from their Church leadership positions at the chancery after a Vatican report that found them complicit in enabling harassing and abusive behavior by Bishop Michael Bransfield.

No reason was given for the resignations, but Nabi wrote often about them and the people of Wheeling know they were all enablers (and beneficiaries one presumes) of Bransfield's gratitude for their silence. Annie bought the booze to the tune of tens of thousands of diocesan money. He lived with Bransfield which leads one to wonder whether he was the bishop's drinking buddy. 

Unfortunately, two of these men, Annie and Cincinnati, are getting local parishes. They better have good finance councils in place is all I can say. The poor people of Wheeling have suffered enough. I hope they refuse to bankroll these men.

Nabi Sayeth: What Made FORMER Bishop Bransfield Tick? STUFF?

Former Bishop Bransfield Consecrates New Marble-Topped altar at Co-Cathedral in Charleston.

Nabi Asketh: What made FORMER bishop Michael Bransfield tick? Why was he so materialistic? Why did he spend so much money on “stuff”: Fine dining, expensive wines, hundreds of thousands of dollars on imported flowers, many first-class flights to Rome? Why did he cover up and protect clergymen who had sexually abused teen and post pubescent boys/young men? Why was he so silent on very important issues for the Catholic Church, especially homosexual “marriage” and the right to life of the Unborn? It must be known that not only was he mostly silent about the murder of the Unborn but he punished those priests under his command who did speak out in defense of the Unborn. How could he do this? 

A Letter to God -- "Help me, Lord, during these very dark days."

A priest friend sent me a letter to God this morning written by a self-described "lover of God begging for healing." That is something we certainly need so I want to share it. [See below.] I thought her comment about the "glitter and gold, the luxurious cars and mansions" points to a major problem in the episcopacy so I hotlinked to a CNN article about diocesan mansions. How many people in the pew, the sons and daughters of these spiritual "fathers," live like that?

The Bible tells us that "love of money is the root of all evils" and there is plenty of evidence in the episcopacy proving some bishops are "material" boys. I thought of that yesterday on the feast of Pope St. Pius X, the son of peasants, who once said he was born poor, lived poor, and would die poor. That is certainly not the lifestyle of many of our bishops, like Bishop Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston. He could be described as one of our own "bishops of bling" here in the U.S. He scandalized many of the flock when he arrived in 2004 (including several of my husband's siblings who live in the diocese) with his "renovations" to the bishop's house. Here's what I wrote about him in 2012 when he was named in an abuse trial:

Nabi Sayeth: But What If He Doesn't Repent?

The mosaic of Jesus Christ
as Judge looms over Bishop
Michael Bransfield at the
Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D.C.

Nabi Sayeth: One of the Most hope-filled Scriptures found in our Holy Bible is found in John 6:39….

39  “And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day.”

Our Lord Jesus came to save the world. But because He respects our freedom of will, He loves us first and then gives up the freedom to respond to His love.
Throughout the Lenten season, we Catholics hear the words of John the Baptist and our Lord Himself say to us over and over: “Repent”. 

Guest Post: When a Father has Courage, He stands Up to Dragons!

"The wicked witch is dead!"

Editor's note: Fr. Sobus didn't choose the title for this post. I did. He is, indeed, a man of courage. May God give us many more such priests. Remember, you fathers out there, one of the most important things you can do for your children is to give them an example of courage. It isn't easy standing up to a corrupt bishop or a corrupt culture, but like the early Christian martyrs, we face murderous tyrants. Teach your children to be martyrs. It may come to that.

Fathers' Day Post by Fr. James Sobus

One of the most powerful scenes in that great classic movie, The Wizard of Oz, was the castle scene. Do you remember that one? Dorothy and her friends were trapped inside the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West and being chased by her furry castle guards and the flying monkeys. Then the grande encounter occurs: It’s Dorothy and her companions face to face against the Witch and her minions. It seemed the odds were completely against them. The scarecrow’s arm is set on fire by the Witch and Dorothy, in an attempt to save him grabs a bucket of water and tosses it at the burning arm but inadvertently splashes water on the Witch melting her to death. Then comes the moment of truth: what will the Witches’ minions do to Dorothy and her friends for having killed their leader??? To their shock and amazement, the soldiers bow down proclaiming, “Hail to Dorothy, the Wicked Witch is dead!”

And the winner is....Grading the USCCB Committee Picks

The bishops have voted, the tallies are in, and new sub-heads at the USCCB are chosen. Some good news; some bad from my perspective (take that for what it's worth). If I were grading the picks on a pass/fail scale here's what I would say:

FAIL -- The new Conference Secretary is Bishop George Murry, SJ of Youngstown who will continue in the position he took over last year when Bishop Gerald Kicanas was elevated to Conference Vice President. He beat Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton 150 to 69. While I don't know a lot about either bishop, Bishop Blaire was a strong and outspoken proponent of Proposition 8 in California. In view of the battle he definitely earned combat points. On the other hand, the SJ behind Bishop Murray's name cannot, unfortunately, be taken as a good sign these days. As an order, the Jesuits are among the chief underminers of Church doctrine, particularly through their scandalous Catholic colleges. Bishop Murray has served on the Board of Detroit Mercy which is among the worst Catholic colleges in the country, but bishop board members are often mere figureheads. I pray that Bishop Murray is among the few (and lonely) holy Jesuits around.

PASS ++ Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas beat out Bishop Michael Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston 139 to 84 to head the National Collections Committee. Thank God! Bishop Bransfield, former rector of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, was known for his lavish parties in Washington, D.C. The first thing he did in the See of Wheeling, my husband's home town, was to renovate the bishop's Victorian mansion to the tune of over a million dollars. He called for every fireplace (I believe there are nine) to be brought up to working code and installed a wine cooler that cost tens of thousands of dollars and a large-screen plasma television. In a city where many workers are losing their jobs and pensions due to the collapse of the steel and coal industries, Bishop Bransfield's lavish spending on his personal comfort is a scandal. Some of the workmen on the renovation who were not Catholic were sickened by what they saw. Great ad for Catholicism eh? That 89 of his brother bishops thought Bransfield was fit to oversee national collections does not speak well of their discernment.

FAIL -- Archbishop Donald Wuerl of D.C. defeated Bishop Jerome Listecki of LaCrosse 140 to 85 to become head of the Doctrine Committee. I think this is another unfortunate sign of business as usual. Bishop Listecki has spoken clearly on Church doctrine relating to the life issues, chastising pro-abortion politicians like Nancy Pelosi. Archbishop Wuerl has frequently demonstrated that it's politics as usual (following the McCarrick model) since he took over Washington. He has made it clear that pro-abortion politicians will not be impeded from photo ops at the Communion rail.

FAIL -- Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston will preside over Pro-Life Activities beating Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City 165 to 59. Both bishops have been outspoken on the life issues, but Archbishop Naumann is a personal hero of mine since he has made it clear he will implement Canon Law 915 by refusing Communion to rabid pro-abortion governor Kathleen Sebelius. Sebelius is a fellow alumna of Trinity College in Washington, D.C. graduating two years behind me. I'm afraid the bishops' vote shows they don't want someone who takes Canon Law TOO seriously to be the national spokesman on pro-life. It might make their wishy-washy (political)positions obvious. Are they being pastoral when they let pro-abortion politicians receive the body of the Lord sacrilegiously or are they cowards? You can probably guess my answer to that question.

FAIL -- Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala of Los Angeles beat out Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas 129 to 97 for the Office of Communications. Zavala is the bishop rep of Pax Christi, whose peace position never extends to the war against society's weakest members. Zavala falls short on communicating the fullness of truth about the pro-life cause. This was not a good pick for the unborn since Bishop Finn speaks with strength and clarity, perhaps more clarity than the majority of the bench of bishops will tolerate.

PASS ++ Coadjutor Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento beat Bishop Terry Steib of Memphis 134 to 92 to take over the committee on Cultural Diversity. Bishop Soto's strong and unequivocal address to the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries last September gives me confidence in his choice for this position.

Unfortunately, the bulk of the picks illustrate that, despite many bishops being a sign of contradiction to the world according to their evangelical calling, the old guard, the bishop-politicians, are still running the show. If they elevate Bishop Gerald Kicanas next year to president, which is almost certain, faithful laity (and orthodox bishops), will still be out in the cold. That Bishop Kicanas would not allow the distribution of the excellent voter guide developed by Bishop Olmstead speaks volumes. The Holy Family Society of Tucson has posted many articles about the troubling positions and actions of Bishop Kicanas. Start now to oppose his elevation as President of the Conference.

Pray for all the bishops, strong and weak, as they continue to lead their flocks. That Catholic voters ignored the teachings of the Church when they went into the voting booth this month is a sad reflection of the shepherding most Catholics receive today in their parishes and dioceses. Pray, fast, and work for Church renewal.

Nabi Sayeth: Who Didn't Know about FORMER Bishop Michael Bransfield?

That's no halo; it's a big ZERO!

Nabi Asketh: Who didn’t know about the vanity-filled and lustful lifestyle of FORMER bishop Bransfield? The result of a month-long investigation by a reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer produced the following report:

Even church leaders admit it: One of the glaring gaps in the sex-abuse reforms is the lack of a system to report and investigate allegations against bishops. 

It was obvious in the years between the first reports of Cardinal McCarrick’s misconduct — his sexual relationships with seminarians and younger priests — and his July resignation.

Nabi Sayeth: Where Have All the Good Shepherds Gone?

Nabi’s Heart is heavy because of what Nabi knows about the machinations, maneuverings and misdeeds of those who clawed their way into positions of power in Holy Mother Church and who did so underneath the noses of the very trusting laity. Nabi often wonders what is going on in the head of a clergyman each time a particular reading is read at Holy Mass that describes the true role of the shepherd who is supposed to be a disciple of Our Lord, such as Mark 10: 45…

Money, money...who's got the money?

For Bishop Bransfield

Vatican cardinal, others to return cash gifts from ousted WV bishop Bransfield

I predict that the exposure of the financial disgrace in West Virginia is just the beginning. Is anyone so naive they think Bransfield was the only embezzler in a miter. As a priest warned me recently, "Don't trust anyone in a pointy hat."

Every cleric who accepted money from Bransfield should be investigated along with what they are doing with money in their own dioceses. Open the books! How many other bishops are doing exactly the same thing Bransfield was doing in Wheeling? How many, like Bransfield, look at their diocesan bank accounts and say, "It belongs to me?" 

In view of the mansions and luxury vacation homes of so many, I suspect their number is legion. As Lord Action said, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." These bishops operate in many cases with absolute power. The financial overseers in Wheeling did not do their jobs. How many other financial boards in other dioceses also bow to the perverted will and whims of their bishops and let them squander millions of dollars on their personal lifestyles while they close parishes and schools? 

Will Huge Church Financial Scandals be Next?

In view of the on-going scandals in Wheeling with disgraced Bishop Michael Bransfield, one can expect the answer is a resounding YES. I was told years ago by a priest friend on the West Coast that a papal financial advisor privy to inside information was predicting the next huge scandal would be over the money. There is too much money and too little accountability. Rod Dreher recently weighed in on the Bransfield scandal here based on the Washington Post's expose. Here's a bit of his commentary:

Follow the Money in the Diocese of Wheeling!

Today, I’m introducing a special guest who will be sharing insider information about the Diocese of Wheeling. My guest chooses to call himself “Nabi” (the prophet) and I welcome his input and wisdom. The prophets of the Old Testament were bold in revealing the sins of Israel (especially those of her rulers and religious establishment) and calling for repentance. Nabi will be exposing Bishop Bransfield’s shameful administration of the diocese and financial mismanagement to fund his own lavish lifestyle. It is not surprising. Homosexual immorality and financial theft to fund the lifestyle commonly go together. 

Wisdom from the Nabi....

Nabi Sayeth: If the Chancery Walls Could Talk, What a Story They Would Tell!

Nabi asketh: Where have all the Good Servants gone?

During FORMER Bishop Bransfield and his Lavender circle’s reign of opulence, numerous devoted, faithful and self-sacrificial people were “disappeared” from Diocesan positions. Why? Because they were devoted and faithful TO OUR LORD and generous in the amount of time they gave in service. But that wasn’t good enough for the crew.

Nabi Sayeth: How Much Did the Faithful Pay for Bransfield’s Life of Luxurious Debauchery?

Editor's Note: Have you ever noticed how many of the lavender mafia are engaged in all kinds of nefarious activities to finance their lurid lifestyles? How much money gets lifted from the collection basket? Do the parish financial procedures protect the integrity of the flock's donations? Here's just one story about a "my lord" who used his position to defraud and embezzle hundreds of thousands from the Church. MSGR Arsenault (Isn't it interesting how so many of the gay guys get that title?), a top aide to his bishop, . Sound familiar? If you're reading Nabi's posts, it is sickeningly so! 

Nabi Sayeth: How Could It Happen? Inquiring Minds Want to Know!

Climbers love photo ops with
powerful men in the Church! 

Nabi Sayeth: Many good and decent people, people who have been faithful to Our Lord and His Holy Church are asking: “How could this be….how could a man such as Michael Bransfield rise to such a powerful position and remain in that position for so long?” In what follows, please find my humble attempt to illustrate how such a thing happened to the good people of West Virginia:

• It is crystal clear that the “Who loves Uncle Teddy” philosophy dominated bishop appointments for many years, especially in the eastern section of the US. Bransfield was rector (manager) of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in DC at the exact same time that “Cardinal” MCCarrick CONTROLLED Washington, DC. MCCarrick had a major connection to more than one pope and was “friends” with numerous Vatican department heads (the departments are called “congregations). As soon as the diocese in West Virginia became open due to the retirement of bishop Schmitt, Bransfield’s new “home” was ready for occupation.

The Nabi Discusses Bishop Bransfield and his Lavish Lifestyle!

Maybe if we dye our feathers brown, nobody
will recognize us. But I'd sure miss being pretty
 in pink and gay pride parades would be so drab!

Are you reading the series on the Diocese of Wheeling Charleston and Bishop Bransfield’s profligate spending? If so, you will find this post shockingly enlightening and a window into the greed and indulgence of the lavender mafia. Read part 1 here and part 2 here and pray for the Nabi. I assure you this prophet of God knows of what he/she speaks. The financial scandals of these selfish and evil men need to be investigated along with their abuse of children and young men. 

Like McCarrick, Bransfield’s proclivities were well known. And along with investigating him, those he placed in positions of authority in the diocese should be investigated as well. As my mom always said, “Birds of a feather flock together.” The pink and lavender birds need to be caged and tagged

Wisdom of the Nabi sayeth:

Apostolic Nuncio Releases Communique on Bransfield

Will predator Bishop Bransfield land on four feet like the proverbial cat with nine lives?

Well, the latest is out on former bishop Michael Bransfield. Will it mean anything?

Nabi Sayeth: Parents Beware, Msgr. Dean Borgmeyer is a Porn-Loving Pastor

Rev. Msgr. Dean Borgmeyer

Nabi sayeth: If a clergyman is not happy with the Holy Catholic Church and if he cannot assent to Her teachings then he must go….pure and simple. If he is afflicted with sexual lusts and addiction, especially for boys, teens, young men, he must be expelled from Holy ministry. We live in a free country, for now, so his options for a religious experience are aplenty if he cannot live the way of the Church.

Several bishops in recent history have supported the climb of one particular clergyman who made his way “to the top” as vicar of a vicariate. He is currently pastor of a parish with both a Catholic grade school and high school. And yes, young boys and teens are in attendance. [Editor's note: Nabi refers to Dean Borgmeyer, pastor of St. Joseph's in Huntigton, who was made a "my lord" by FORMER Bishop Bransfield in early 2018. See the announcement here. Consider how the lavender mafia advances and raises its own to positions of greater power.] 

Two Banned Bishops "Sent to Coventry!" Not Nearly Enough!

Archbishop William Lori, Administrator of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese released a letter yesterday permanently banning two bishops from ministry there and in his home diocese of Baltimore. Bishop Michael Bransfield, former bishop of the West Virginia diocese and Bishop Gordon Bennett, S. J., former auxiliary bishop of Baltimore are accused of sexually harassing adults. Bransfield also stands accused of financial improprieties. (No surprise! He spent buckets of money in Wheeling on his own personal comforts with expensive renovations to his residence, a personal chef, wining and dining at fine restaurants, etc.)

Guest Post: Speaking Truth to Power, the Call to Prophesy by Fr. James Sobus

Old Testament Prophet Elijah: Speaking Truth to Power

When I was in school I spent a great deal of time at the graduate level studying the prophets of the Old Testament. They were people like us all, sinful and weak who, nonetheless, were called by God to preach during troubled times to the king, then to the king’s priests and prophets (who were on the king’s payroll and who, therefore, spent their days tickling the king’s ears with only what the king wanted to hear) and finally, the people, all of whom had turned away from God.