URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: Fr. Jackson of the FSSP, recently arrested – Prayer for priests – UPDATED

UPDATE 4 November 2021:

From what I have heard, Fr. Jackson is now being held on federal charges.  This is not a good development, as it implies that there is something more complicated than simple possession of illegal material.

A GoFundMe campaign had been set up for him and it raised a significant amount, but the campaign was axed by GoFundMe.

While we continue in a presumption of innocence, there is little to see that is positive in this case.   While I believe it is good to harbor a sober, eyes-open optimism, at the same time – in my considered opinion – it is also a good idea to begin to steel ourselves for very bad news.

Please continue to offer prayers for Fr. Jax as well as for all those involved in the investigation of this case.  It is important that the truth be the goal of everything that is done.  We all know that that isn’t always the motive of some in either law enforcement or the legal profession… or the Church.


Originally Published on: Oct 31, 2021 

I am distraught to report that Fr. James Jackson of the FSSP was recently arrested and is now detained for possession of … certain images that no one should ever have.

The FSSP issued a statement HERE.

Fr. Jackson, as I have known him, was an upstanding good priest. His book Nothing Superfluous is terrific and will continue to be terrific, all other things notwithstanding.

It kills me to read these things about any bishop or priest, but especially if I know the man.

The Devil hates all of us and wants our destruction. The Enemy’s war on us is relentless and driven with twisted but still angelic abilities. If the Enemy can bring down a bishop or priest, great harm can be done to the Faith and to souls, who can become discouraged.

In the face of this bad news, and whenever you hear of a fallen priest, our first response should be to offer prayers and penances in reparation for sins committed and also for the fallen himself.

Keep this in mind. In these USA we still have the (increasingly tenuous) presumption of innocence when crimes have been committed. While the reporting on these matters looks pretty grim, we don’t have all the facts.

It doesn’t look good but, frankly, it is not impossible that this could be a frame up, things being planted. Again, the Enemy hates priests, especially effective priests, and the Enemy has many willing human agents ready, willing and able to do such things.  Anyone who thinks that such frame ups don’t happen is naive.

That said, we much let the course of justice play out now.

Also, remember that when one member of some group strays, that doesn’t mean that all members of that group are bad.

Fr. Jackson was in the Marines. His crime, if he is guilty, does not stain all Marines. Fr. Jackson is in the FSSP. His crime, if he is guilty, does not stain all members of the FSSP.  Fr. Jackson is a priest.  His crime, if he is guilty, does not stain every priest, though we all suffer by it.

Lastly, if some highly visible Jesuit homosexualist activist happened to be arrested for something awful, I would be writing the same thing about him right now even though he wishes ill upon me. We owe this to our brothers and sisters in charity – eyes-wide-open charity.

That said… damn…. just… damn, this is dreadful news.

Oremus.

O Almighty Eternal God, look upon the face of Thy Christ, and for the love of Him who is the Eternal High Priest, have pity on Thy priests. Remember, O most compassionate God, that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation which is in them by the imposition of the bishop’s hands. Keep them close to Thee, lest the Enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation.

O Jesus, I pray Thee for Thy faithful and fervent priests; for Thy unfaithful and tepid priests; for Thy priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for Thy tempted priests; for Thy lonely and desolate priests; for Thy young priests; for Thy aged priests; for Thy sick priests, for Thy dying priests; for the souls of Thy priests in Purgatory.

But above all I commend to Thee the priests dearest to me; the priest who baptized me; the priests who absolved me from my sins; the priests at whose Masses I assisted, and who gave me Thy Body and Blood in Holy Communion; the priests who taught and instructed me, or helped and encouraged me; all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way, particularly N. O Jesus, keep them all close to Thy Heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen.

IMPRIMATUR
+Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, 6 September 2018

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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84 Comments

  1. Charles E Flynn says:

    From the GoLocalProv story about the arrest:

    Father Jackson’s most recent sermon posted on the St. Mary’s Church’s website was on humiliation, “Every single human being that has ever lived on this earth, and who ever will live, shall find himself sooner or later in the midst of humiliation. The humiliation that St. David was experiencing when he wrote the 118th Psalm was a terrible and grievous civil war. There was no good news for him, there was no refuge but to flee and hide in caves; everything seemed lost. But he was given hope, and that comforted or strengthened him in his humiliation.”

  2. AA Cunningham says:

    I find this hard to believe and am inclined to think that this was a setup. During his time at OLMC in Littleton, there was never a hint of any inappropriate behavior whatsoever by Father Jackson, even from his enemies in the Archdiocese of Denver and at his parish. I find it implausible that this behavior would have started only after his arrival in Providence. The man neither owns or watches television, diligently isolating himself from the cesspool of pop culture.

    It is disconcerting that, according to WPRI, bail has not been posted. At first glance it looks as though his order and the Diocese have not and will not come to his aid. The allegations made at GOLOCALProv would reflect the habitual behavior of an intrinsically disordered, foolish, careless and sloppy individual and Father James Jackson is anything but.

    As we’ve seen with the vindication, but continued absence, of Father Rutler, once an accusation is made it is extremely difficult to get back one’s reputation, as Ray Donovan reminded everyone back in 1987. Father Jackson’s vocation and wisdom will likely be lost forever.

    Continue to pray for all faithful, devout Priests. They are under constant attack by Satan and his foot soldiers particularly those within the Church.

  3. Gaetano says:

    We should also remember in our prayers the victims of this alleged incident, as well as all survivors of such abuse.

  4. The saddest thing about all this is, once an accused priest is found to be innocent (even completely innocent), his reputation is often stained forever. Considerably more fanfare is associated with such announcements as the one described here, than with getting his reputation back.

    In times such as these, there is only one reason for a young man to heed a vocation to the priesthood; because God is calling, and he won’t take “no” for an answer.

  5. Ave Maria says:

    I also find this difficult to believe and pray that if this is a set up that the truth will come swiftly to light. There was never a hint of anything untoward that I know of during his time at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. And he is a brilliant man…I would think too smart to let himself fall into such a thing and where it could be easily discovered.

  6. Semper Gumby says:

    Fr. Jackson’s Nothing Superfluous is a superb book. Good points by AA Cunningham and Ave Maria.

  7. Ave Maria says:

    The word I got from someone in Denver was that Fr. Jackson was pretty computer illiterate. I am suspecting a hack/frame/set up to make not only he but the FSSP and the whole Latin Mass community look bad.

  8. Thomas S says:

    I understand the desire to hope for the best. But don’t we think the Rhode Island State Police would have the wherewithal to sniff out a “frame up” before they make an arrest? Genuinely asking.

  9. AA Cunningham says:

    I understand the desire to hope for the best. But don’t we think the Rhode Island State Police would have the wherewithal to sniff out a “frame up” before they make an arrest? Genuinely asking.

    Richard Jewell

  10. Liz says:

    I’ve known Father Jackson for over 35 years (he was my high school CCD teacher as a new priest back in the day before he was an FSSP priest.) and I, too, find it hard to believe. No matter what comes out of this one thing is for sure: the priesthood is under attack. We need to pray and fast for our priests. Father Jackson will always remain in my prayers. He is fine priest. I find it odd that he just wrote that bulletin piece about what he will do if the FSSP is suppressed and now this.

  11. Richard_amdg says:

    Fr Jackson was our pastor and a friend to our family. Since he was arraigned & was offered a bond, presumably he entered a plea of “not guilty”. I think I know him well enough to say, confidently, that if Fr Jackson states he is innocent of these charges then he is, in fact, innocent. Having gotten to know him over some years, I am sincerely convinced that if he were guilty, he would confess it plainly. This is a man whose profound love for God is matched by dreadful fear of offending His Majesty. Consequently he would consider the public humiliation of such a confession to be a trivial matter compared to the actual offense against God, if he were guilty. Fr Jackson’s mugshot is that of a lamb led to slaughter. Let’s pray that Fr Jackson perseveres in God’s grace, as he follows Christ to Calvary.

  12. Fulco One Eye says:

    Father, like many here this troubles me in many ways. I never met Fr Jackson but we corresponded via email about his excellent book. My wife and I had the chance to attend Mass at OLMC but didn’t meet him.

    Of course, we should hope and pray that true justice be done and the truth come out. I don’t know how to do this but I would be willing to give $100 to start a fund to collect the $5k needed for his bail. He should NOT languish in jail.

    I imagine his former parishioners and his current ones and others may be willing to help. This probably needs to be started by someone in Rhode Island. I could say more but who would care and what would it accomplish? We should put our money where our mouth is.

  13. “As we’ve seen with the vindication, but continued absence, of Father Rutler…”

    I had no idea that Father Rutler had been cleared– and I actually spent a little time looking for some indication of his status a few months ago. I’ve also been following Catholic New York, which as the official archdiocesan newspaper ought to publish that information. (I use “ought” in the prescriptive sense here.) My guess is that he will now be given early retirement without a parish assignment.

  14. Kathleen10 says:

    How depressing. If he’s guilty, he is, if he’s not, he’s not. Either way, innocent children were victimized. Imagine if the force of governments and Vatican were laser-focused on ending the satanic crime of the exploitation of children, rather than flying around the world on private jets and taking 800 staff and 80 car motorcades to convince stupid and gullible people they ought to replace their 100 watt bulb with an LED light.
    Jesus, please thwart the evil people anywhere who seek to harm babies, children, and young people, amen.

  15. Dan says:

    Very sad. I would presume innocence but I also know many good men that you would never suspect who have struggled with addiction to pornography. When men find themselves in that rabbit hole many images come to their computers and there is no way to vet them or clean them.
    Because the images were there does not indicate a desire for or search for illegal images. And if as was said the person using the computer is illiterate in technology they would have no idea how to remove them.
    Of course we now know big tech is searching private images for the fingerprints of known illegal photos so it wouldn’t take much for an accidental or planted download to be used to arrest someone.
    However, from what I have heard of Father Jackson we will not have to wonder long about his guilt or innocence. If it is due to his own weakness I suspect he is man enough to own it as an example

  16. APX says:

    Based on what I read by someone on Musica Sacram forum a computer in the church is was in was found to have CP on it, which was enough to to get the warrant the police needed to arrest him and seize the computer.

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  18. TonyO says:

    I see that we need to pray for our good priests more than ever: so that they do not fall to temptation, and so that they are not targeted by false but career-destroying accusations. We must pray that God protect us and our priests from the ravages of the Evil One. I pray that Fr. Jackson’s innocence will be publicly proved, and soon.

  19. Maria says:

    It is easy to believe this with all the scandals in the church. At the same time if it can happen to the President of the United States of America with all his money and power, a priest who has nothing but only love of God is not an easy target.

  20. Jones says:

    An update from someone who is in his current parish.
    Father Jackson had put together a group of people to pray the Rosary on Friday the 29th at 8 pm in Salem MA across the street from a black mass occurring, in reparation. I believe this is the spiritual backlash.

    This is starting to come out so I’ll relay this to.

  21. Mike says:

    I will pray for this priest that the truth comes out, and that his soul and others who know him will trust more in God’s love and mercy.

  22. Boutros says:

    in my experience these things usually start after activity is noticed by some website. A report is made to the national Center for missing and exploited children. They tie the activity to a specific IP address. Local law enforcement is notified. Generally that would be enough to support a search warrant. Law enforcement would seize any electronic devices. They have pretty sophisticated software that can examine the hard drive and find things. Even things that have been previously deleted. It’s entirely possible that Father was aware this arrest was coming. they likely would’ve wanted to examine the computers prior to arrest.

    I have no idea how the Rhode Island statute as written. But generally the term “distribution” is defined pretty broadly. I am aware of a case where the defendant emailed the images to himself for purposes of storage. That supported a distribution charge.

    I’ve seen some pretty terrible things in my professional life. Some so bad they are difficult to speak of. Child pornography cases are among the worst. Because you know that some caregiver allowed the child to be harmed. Many times it is violent.

    This morning I prayed for God’s mercy for Father, regardless of his innocence or guilt. I know him personally, although not well. We recently corresponded. He is a gifted priest, with incredible gifts. Brilliant and eloquent and always kind. May God have mercy on him. And all of us.

  23. Philliesgirl says:

    How desperately sad. Other good priests have languished (or are still languishing) in jail in spite of being entirely innocent. Cardinal Pell and Fr MacRae cases in point If Fr Jackson is innocent how cruel if he was another one. All we can do is pray for all involved and that true justice may prevail.

  24. j stark says:

    I wanted to address 2 things;

    Firstly, I find it saddening that people assume the immediate innocence of someone just because they like a book, had personally good interactions, or it’s a traditional priest. All people sin; and Traditional priests who are friendly and good authors can still commit grievous sin and crimes against children. For those who say; “there was no hint” and therefore must be in innocent are missing the point that people can live ordinary lives but have a dark side not known publicly. The police arrested based on the evidence they had; a court and jury will determine guilt; I think the hero worshipping and clericalism needs to stop. [THAT is insulting.] A comparison is not here with Cardinal Pell. My daughter came to me recently and said Priests and Sisters don’t sin; I pointed out that they can and do as they are fallen human beings. On the other hand, I know adults who believe the same thing and will follow said Priest no matter what. This is dangerous and leads to a culture of abuse and over up.

    Secondly, the last time I checked, Fr Rutler was innocent of the criminal allegations but never actually denied viewing gay pornography. It would seem some priests, Traditional or not lead double lives. Reformation is required.

  25. Eileen D says:

    I have it on good authority that, as of yesterday, Fr. Jackson’s bail had been, or was in the process of being, posted by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.
    I agree with everyone who thinks that Fr. Jackson is innocent. You cannot fake the kind of holiness that he exudes.

  26. Jones says:

    That’s good to here Eileen because initially hearing him not making bail and being checked into custody has been baffling.

  27. Lurker 59 says:

    Charity demands taking the stance of innocent until proven guilty. This isn’t hero worship or clericalism, just basic prudence, wishing the good of another, and desiring to protect and guard the good name of the other.

    That said, this does not extend to ignoring the fallen nature of man as assuming innocence does not mean deifying the individual.

    —–
    @Ave Maria

    People who lead double lives often are sloppy in their hidden vice because subconsciously their desire is to get caught (either a cry for help or to gain notoriety).
    ——

    Being ignorant of technology (or an intentional Luddite) is not a good defense against malicious stuff. Know how your tech works, control your data, have a chain of custody, implement best practices. The latter is especially important — I cannot tell you how many times I see people violating really common sense things.

    ——

    If you are struggling with a hidden vice and have anything to do with children, don’t be so filled with prideful shame that you don’t let other people know that you are struggling.

    —–
    Initial pleas in the U.S. are always “not guilty”. Many judges often are extremely hard-pressed to let you enter an initial plea of guilty.

  28. Ave Maria says:

    Father Jackson’s homilies and other good works are not from a corrupted mind. He is innocent until proven guilty. The fact that initial pleas are ‘not guilty’ is an uncharitable thing to mention. You are almost accusing Father of living a double life and having a mortally sinful vice.

  29. luciavento says:

    One look at his mug shot leads me to believe this was a set up. I cannot get the sad look in his eyes out of my mind.

  30. Lurker 59 says:

    Generally Speaking

    Initial pleas are meaningless other than that they start the machinery of the Court to function. This is a good thing for prior to the initial plea, the accused is not under the aegis of the Court but is subject to the executive branch/police powers of the State. Once the case begins, the accused is a subject of the Court and has a massive (in the US) amount of protection by the Court against the executive branch/police powers of the State. So getting to the initial plea is important, but it is also pretty meaningless in terms of actual guilt/innocence in the U.S.

    Prudence demands refraining from “circling the wagons” as well as “throwing an individual accused under the bus”. We should desire that the State brings well-founded accusations against individuals to the Court, while at the same time demanding that the Accused be viewed as innocent and demanding that the State “prove it”. Charity demands that we view the Accused as innocent WHILE at the same time it demands that we view the State as acting in good faith and free from corruption/malfeasance until proven otherwise.

    Being charitable towards both parties is a tight rope for the judicial powers of the State stem from God’s sovereign kingship. It is no less of a sin against charity to think that the State is guilty of some unproven sin than it is to think that the Accused is guilty of some unproven sin.

    If we are really that far gone, then we are well past any hope for society and it is best to flee for the hills and the reach of all lawless men.

    —-

    Speaking to this Case:

    I don’t have a strong ability (and a poor track record) in reading the tea leaves of innocence/guilt being too ready to believe people. It does though seem to me that God is / is permitting pieces to be removed from the board at a quickening rate. From institutions to individuals, white is rapidly losing pieces.

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  32. hwriggles4 says:

    @David Alexander and @Andrew Saucci:

    Good points about what happens after someone is cleared (I hope this priest is cleared) that afterwards it is oftentimes hard to return. My mother was a teacher for several years and I remember her telling me a story about a Male teacher she knew who had some accusations. Although the Male teacher was cleared (it was found that several of the kids made up the accusations) this teacher’s reputation was tarnished.

    On another note, one thing that bugs me is because Fr. Jackson is a Catholic priest, the accusations made front page news. Had this been a Protestant minister, it would probably be in the papers but on page 18 on a Tuesday.

  33. j stark says:

    HR

    Catholic Priests, especially those who preach certain realities, probably should be held to a higher moral code. As for your other examples, finding someone not culpable for a criminal act does not necessarily make someone innocent. Bill Crosby comes to mind as well as a few other cases; while the rule of law might find someone not guilty; does not mean they are innocent.

    “One look at his mug shot leads me to believe this was a set up. I cannot get the sad look in his eyes out of my mind.”

    Not sure how a mug shot proves innocence. I hope he is innocent but if not the mug shot you see is not one of sadness at being wrongly being arrested; but the sadness and shame of being caught.

    If this were Fr. James Martin or Cardinal Tobin; I suspect many here would be taking a different tone. [Yet another insult?] Not that I agree with their heresies; but I think we need to start holding people to the same standard,

  34. happymom says:

    We are all called to fast and pray. Let’s do it. Some of us happen to love Fr. Jackson, myself included. He is a priest. We should be praying that all of our priests are holy priests. If we trust in God’s Providence, He has allowed this to happen. It is a source of grace, for Father, and for us. Our Lord’s Sacred Humanity was hidden because of our sins during His Passion. Whether Father is innocent or guilty, he is suffering. May he suffer well, and unite his sufferings to Our Lord’s, purifying himself, the priesthood, and the Church. We may never know the truth. This could be signs of a growing persecution for our priests. Oremus!

  35. mysticalrose says:

    As a mother of boys, I cannot help wondering: should I really be praying and preparing them for possible priestly vocations? I am grateful to each and every man who has said yes to their priestly vocation and meant it, but in some ways it is madness. Not just to conform to Christ crucified and his Cross, but to do so and be despised and suspected of the most disgusting and criminal acts daily. And make no mistake, every priest is viewed as a potential predator now. I can’t even imagine the courage it must take to walk out the door in a Roman collar these days. But my boys …is this the life I want for them???

  36. Lucas says:

    I hope it’s not true..but everyone jumping to his defense because he is holy should realize that doesn’t mean he’s innocent.

    A former friend who was a great priest, holy, traditional and a all around good guy had allegations come out against him. This priest who just bought the baronius breviary and the old Roman ritual books told me that yes in fact they were true and he was leaving the priesthood to marry his male lover. I never once had any inkling about this.

    Again, I hope he is innocent. But people have to realize a lot of criminals are good are putting up fronts.

  37. Ordinary man says:

    Thank you for that prayer for priests. I’ve copied it and will endeavour to say it at least weekly when I say my rosary for all priests and religious.

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  39. Kathleen10 says:

    Can I add one more thing? I do not know Fr. Jackson, and hopefully he is innocent of the charges. The thing about it is, and I can say this from personal experience in my family, as the relative of victim, that it is often the people you would LAST suspect, who are the people you have to watch. These people know how to look good, that’s their stock in trade. This is how trust is built, access to children gained, and they then have opportunity to act out what they have viewed. I’m speaking generally, of course. Haven’t we all seen too much to go back to pretending. I can’t anymore. God protect CHILDREN.

  40. Geoffrey says:

    @mysticalrose: You are not alone.

  41. robtbrown says:

    Lurker 59 says:

    Charity demands taking the stance of innocent until proven guilty.

    Actually. it’s a matter of Justice (and not merely Legal Justice)

  42. Kathleen10 says:

    Every single person who had a child or young person around someone accused of child pornography must take a good look at their child and know the warning signs of molestation. It is absolutely imperative for anyone in the vicinity of the charged to start assessing. A child’s or young person’s life depends on it. Never, say never, time’s a wastin.
    My God, are we still this green.

  43. Liz says:

    mysticalrose, of course you should pray for your sons to become priests if that’s what God calls them too! Just because this horrifying thing has happened to Fr. Jackson doesn’t mean he shouldn’t have been a priest! Think of the countless lives he has impacted with his priesthood. We cannot even begin to count the masses (well maybe that) the Holy Communions received, the baptisms and confessions he has said or heard. It’s staggering what good one holy priest does in this world (and the next!) I sometimes try to figure out what priest I need to be thankful for and/or pray for and if I include my large family, my husband’s family and my parents/siblings I cannot even fathom how many good priests I have to thank or pray for. (The ones who gave my parents and one sibling Last Rites–he lived–and helped my parents have the grace of happy deaths. The ones who said masses for them both before and after they died…priceless.)

    People say all of the time that we shouldn’t have children because it’s such an ugly world. What?! Children are what make the world fabulous. Priests and religious and good Catholic families are what make the Church great.

    I have a seminarian son. I get it. I feel for him and it’s tempting to worry about him especially right now. I pray so much for him and so do many others. They couldn’t do it without everyone’s prayers. I also pray for the mothers of priests all of the time (and their suffering because we all know the mothers suffer right along with their kids!)

    Please don’t stop praying for your sons to be priests if that’s what God calls them to. We need good priests the future too. If they suffer…well, God reward them…in the next life.

  44. AA Cunningham says:

    j stark says:
    1 November 2021 at 9:28 AM

    blah, blah, blah …

    In our system of jurisprudence the presumption is made of innocent until proven guilty. In your case an exception should be made.

  45. kat says:

    Mysticalrose,
    I too have a son in the seminary. My prayer is that he only gets ordained if he will be a holy priest and a saint. I actually believe he is in training for martyrdom, and it frightens me. But how can I ask for my son to avoid such a fate, when he is an alter Christus? His Mother had to suffer too. I won’t pretend I’m not scared. I pray my son is strong. It’s a horrible world; but we need good holy priests.

  46. ProfessorCover says:

    A couple of years ago a retired bishop in my diocese died. His biggest worry apparently was that people would not pray for him after he died. His gravestone reads “Pray for me.” He was a good man but knew that he needed prayers just like all of us do.
    Addiction to pornography in the internet age is a sin that is easily hidden. One priest in my diocese on more than one occasion during a sermon has offered advice on how to deal with an addiction to pornography. (For example, if you look at pornography on your computer, put a photograph of Our Blessed Mother on the screen.) The 19th century priest Thomas Edward Bridgett in a book on the History of Drink in Britain stated that a priest should use the confessions he hears to learn what sins are rampant in his parish and use this information to preach appropriate sermons. I gathered, then, that pornography is a much bigger problem than I realized and this priest had heard a lot of confessions that covered pornography.
    I don’t know whether Father Jackson did it or was framed. But it is always possible he is a basically good man with one major fault that he is rightfully ashamed of. But if each of us carefully examines our self, won’t we find at least one thing that we are rightfully ashamed of and perhaps be glad it is not something that is a major felony. Pray for your parish priest, as well Father Jackson.

  47. Semper Gumby says:

    j stark: “Firstly, I find it saddening that people assume the immediate innocence of someone just because they like a book…”

    I beseech thee, j stark, tarry not in darkness and melancholy not one moment more. Nay, wallow not in the tar pit of benightedness. Let not your heart be troubled. Rejoice! Salvation is at hand. Arise and greet the dawn, darkness hath passed! Behold! A lightning bolt illuminates the landscape, hurled from atop Mt. Olympus by Ye Olde Bloge Moderatore:

    “His book Nothing Superfluous is terrific and will continue to be terrific, all other things notwithstanding.”

    Whilst warming your chapped hands by the fire of enlightenment, enjoy this snappy tune:

    https://youtu.be/MrHxhQPOO2c

    “irie mon”

  48. Jones says:

    That is a good idea Kathleen. Fr. Jackson has been around ALOT of children, families, mothers and fathers for decades. If he’s ever done anything untoward it would come out pretty quickly don’t you think?

  49. monstrance says:

    Also –
    Fr Jackson was interviewed for the film series on the Traditional Mass.
    Another reason for the evil one to target him.

  50. Dr. Timothy J. Williams says:

    I am going to have to see a LOT of VERY convincing evidence, or hear a confession from Fr. Jackson, in order to believe ANY part of these allegations. It is not merely because of his spotless record as a priest. I am amazed at how many Christians will accept the words of police officers, prosecutors and judges in deciding that a person is guilty of such offenses. Our government and its officers at all levels are corrupt beyond description. Add to this a visceral hatred of Catholics, and you have the climate necessary to fabricate charges and convictions against innocent priests. We have seen this many times throughout history. The belief that America is any different is foolish. We already know there are many false accusations, and some priests have been in prison for many years for crimes that never took place. Before anyone accuses me of naiveté, let me add that I have a son who was molested by a priest. That does not alter the fact that a great many allegations against priests – perhaps even the majority – are simply falsified. Money is usually the motivator. In cases like that of Fr. Jackson, I suspect it is simply hatred of a holy priest, or political grandstanding.

  51. ALL: I am trying to thread a needle here in how I moderate this discussion. I will point also to The Rules for commenting.

    In my post at the top, I tried – I think successfully – presume Fr. Jackson’s innocence while not ignoring the serious nature of what was reported, which looks pretty grim.

    What I will not tollerate here is that I did that – or any of you did that – out of “clericalism” or bias because he has been on our side of things, etc. I try to be fair and I ask you to be fair.

    Moreover, I have heard from people nearer to the situation than I am a few things that make me even more wary of the veracity of the accusation.

    As a matter of fact, I have brought up with the Catholic Signal Corps the topic of coaching or teaching priests on computer security, good working habits, self-defense from invasion or planting, etc. Of course there are those who might keep an eye on you and, if you leave the window of your car down when you go into a grocery store, toss a hard drive onto your backseat and call someone with an anonymous tip.

    There was a period when I knew I was being watched and even occasionally followed, not long ago (during the presidential campaign), and I made it a habit to watch my car from a distance after I parked, and repeat the process on the way back to it, even at times using something that could pick up a GPS tracker or other transmitter.

    A woman I know told me about going out of curiosity to some sort of feminist event. Afterward, she was invited by a group for a coffee or something and, during their chat the topic of priests in the area came up. They actually discussed setting up a long-term “honey trap” to target one priest whom they had identified as ungood. Whether they tried it or not, I don’t know.

    This is REALITY today.

    I know a priest in a midwestern diocese who was removed from his parish and suspended under an accusation of child porn. As it turns out, the parish’s wifi was not well secured and someone had been accessing it from nearby. He was exonerated, but it could have gone another direction.

    The internet and technology can enhance all the old techniques of trade craft.

    Anyone who doesn’t think that “troublesome” priests have been, are being and will be targeted are out-of-their-minds naïve.

  52. Liz says:

    Thank you, Fr. Z. I hate that you priests have to deal with such things. We will keep praying. God have mercy on us.

  53. Toto6 says:

    I do not know the Priest Fr.Jackson, but I do believe that people are innocent till proven guilty. I will address the Fr. George Rutler incident, since I do know him. Fr. Rutlers case was thrown out of court, rightfully so. As far as Fr. Rutler not denying the accusation of viewing homosexual pornography, of course he denied it.
    Fr. Rutler is 75 years old, never ever had any accusation in his entire career. He hired security during the elections, the so called security officer who made the accusations, didn’t report this to law enforcement, they called a left wing activist. It was proven a lie, thrown out of court. Anyone who knows Father Rutler, is aware he is a Conservative. The headlines by many of the far left publications read, Homophobic Priest accused …. I think we need to pray for all concerned and not start condemning someone who could be innocent. Fr.Rutler was exonerated and let’s pray for all concerned.

  54. Uniaux says:

    Between Fr. Z’s statement on the current situation with priests being the target of espionage/sabotage, and what seems to be the buried lead which Jones stated, with Fr. Jackson having just organized a rosary across the street from a black mass, in reparation for the heinous actions of the satanists, there is a rather clear picture formed.

    [Could we get more information about that? Someone told me that had happened, but it would be good to see more about it. I think it fills in an interesting section of the puzzle.]

  55. Liz says:

    Here’s what I heard: Fr. Jackson put together a rosary in reparation on Friday the 29th at 8 pm in Salem, MA across the street from a black mass occurring at that time. I don’t know if that helps.

  56. happymom says:

    I also have sons in seminary and discerning. Their eyes are wide open, as men going off to war. We need to be Maccabees mothers, cheering on our sons inspired to holy priesthood, holy martyrdom. Trust in the Lord! Know that He is GOD! Pray for our priests! Thank you, Fr. Z.

    [“We need to be Maccabees mothers…” Wow. Well done.]

  57. majuscule says:

    A Go Fund Me has been started in service of the truth:

    This GoFundMe is in service of the truth. It may be that someone deliberately framed Fr. Jackson — if that is the case, these funds will prove indispensable in revealing who may have done such a heinous thing to a priest. As cyber-security specialists have attested, there are no less than eight ways this could have been done. It is also possible that a review of the evidence will uncover a sad, difficult conclusion.

    Find it here:

    https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-truth-regarding-fr-jackson-fssp

  58. KandM6416 says:

    I have known Fr. Jackson for many years. I have seen and been around him at the parish, hiking, skiing, etc, and I can not think of a single thing that would make me even think twice of his character and integrity. He often preached about starting the day immediately waking up when your alarm goes off and making the sign off the cross vs giving into indulgence and hitting the snooze to start your day. I have never heard him utter a single crude or crass joke and have heard him warn to steer clear of any priests who speak like that. Now I am not trying to canonize him, but I think a man’s reputation has to stand for something and right now he is being dragged through the mud. If a man has lived a good life, he deserves to be seen as innocent until facts are brought to life that prove otherwise. Unfortunately the news already out most likely has forever tarnished his reputation. He needs many prayers right now as this is the trial God has allowed for him for his salvation first of all and maybe for others. I am sure this is so difficult for him. By their fruits you shall know them. Our Lady Queen of Priests pray for Fr Jackson and Fr. Z too! Also if this is indeed a set up the person or persons responsible also need prayers for their repentance.

  59. Toto6 says:

    We must pray for all, do remember presumed innocent till proven guilty.
    This was posted
    Kate Truta (who worked with him nonstop for years at OLMC)

    when I mentioned some people had doubts about father:

    He is a man of great character and virtue and holiness, and it is absolutely impossible that he could have ever been involved in this at all. Period. You know this is true and so does everyone who knows Father. People are giving in to their imaginations instead of sticking to what they know is true. There is no “what if” in this matter at all. Done.

    I have known his sister for many years now. I am in contact with her. She is on top of everything. I cannot give details but he is clearly innocent and a victim of a horrible evil. Unfortunately though it has to play out in the courts.

    And I heard from someone who knows a parishioner in Providence. They said it was found on a parish computer, not on his. He was arrested because he was the priest there, not because it was on his computer.

    This is an unimaginable, horrific evil that has been done to Father and the FSSP. His suffering right now is beyond description. Make no mistake…this is an attack straight out of hell. Even if these charges are dropped his good name will never be fully restored. He is an innocent man, but now a ruined man.

    We need to be speaking what we know is true about Father…his virtue, his holiness, his character. We need to be storming heaven for prayers that these charges are dropped. Father may have to endure several years of limbo…waiting for this to come to trial and not knowing his future. There is the horrific possibility that he could be convicted and he will spend the rest of his years in prison as an innocent man. The world is horribly evil right now and he is not the first priest to be set-up and falsely accused and imprisoned. There are prosecutors and jurors and judges who are eager to see a good, holy Catholic priest dragged through the streets.

    Let us see this for what it truly is. This is a long, painful martyrdom for Father. He is like Job, stripped of everything, sitting alone on his dunghill, humiliated beyond belief, yet trusting in God. Pray, pray, pray for him like you have never prayed before!!!

  60. Toto6 says:

    We must pray for all, do remember presumed innocent till proven guilty.
    This was posted
    Kate Truta (who worked with him nonstop for years at OLMC)

    when I mentioned some people had doubts about father:

    He is a man of great character and virtue and holiness, and it is absolutely impossible that he could have ever been involved in this at all. Period. You know this is true and so does everyone who knows Father. People are giving in to their imaginations instead of sticking to what they know is true. There is no “what if” in this matter at all. Done.

    I have known his sister for many years now. I am in contact with her. She is on top of everything. I cannot give details but he is clearly innocent and a victim of a horrible evil. Unfortunately though it has to play out in the courts.

    And I heard from someone who knows a parishioner in Providence. They said it was found on a parish computer, not on his. He was arrested because he was the priest there, not because it was on his computer.

    This is an unimaginable, horrific evil that has been done to Father and the FSSP. His suffering right now is beyond description. Make no mistake…this is an attack straight out of hell. Even if these charges are dropped his good name will never be fully restored. He is an innocent man, but now a ruined man.

    We need to be speaking what we know is true about Father…his virtue, his holiness, his character. We need to be storming heaven for prayers that these charges are dropped. Father may have to endure several years of limbo…waiting for this to come to trial and not knowing his future. There is the horrific possibility that he could be convicted and he will spend the rest of his years in prison as an innocent man. The world is horribly evil right now and he is not the first priest to be set-up and falsely accused and imprisoned. There are prosecutors and jurors and judges who are eager to see a good, holy Catholic priest dragged through the streets.

    Let us see this for what it truly is. This is a long, painful martyrdom for Father. He is like Job, stripped of everything, sitting alone on his dunghill, humiliated beyond belief, yet trusting in God. Pray, pray, pray for him like you have never prayed before!!!

  61. DonaNobisPacem says:

    Thank you for the update Father. It’s good to know your opinion on this case at this point. It does seem prudent to prepare for the ugliest of possibilities… I still retain some hope though. Having been around him and spoken to him personally…. These contrarieties: the way he has lived his life, the things he has seemed to have known and loved and the accusations that are laid against him don’t seem to fit together. It will be a great blow to the heart if he is guilty. It serves a good reminder whether he be innocent or guilty that there is no point in our life that we should assume we are safe from fall.

    The excerpt at the beginning of compline gets me every time:

    Fratres, sobrii estote et vigilate,
    quia adversarius vester, diabolus
    tamquam leo rugiens circuit quaerens quem devoret,
    cui resistite fortes in fide

  62. j stark says:

    Sex abuse scandals are not just for the Novus Ordo Church; they happen for Traditional Priests as well. People can go decades without being caught. The graphic nature of the abuse Fr Jackson was allegedly watching was sickening; demonic. I have no idea what clicks in someones brain and conscience to go down this path. Fr obviously had some awareness of tech; he was using an external hard drive and was being monitored for quite some time.

    Priests fall; Traditional Priests fall; Liberal Priests Fall; one is not holy by merely writing a good book, sounding Orthodox, and saying the Traditional Mass etc. Wolf in sheeps clothing. [You just don’t get it, do you. I’ll let this comment stand, but this is the last time this sort of insulting implication will be posted. You seem to have the idea that people in this combox – and who write these posts – are so stupid as to think what you imply. Enough.]

  63. I do not know Father Jackson at all, even by reputation. So I have absolutely nothing to offer about his character or about this accusation. Nothing that follows is meant to suggest or imply anything about him.

    That said…

    What I have seen and learned about pornography addiction leads me to say that, first, the problem is far more widespread than many realize. After all, it is almost entirely hidden. Lots of married people are addicted, and I strongly suspect that while spouses may wonder what, exactly, may be going on with their spouse, they are not aware, and may not even suspect, that their spouse is consuming porn.

    Moreover, those who consume it know it is horrible — better than almost anyone. It is an extremely powerful “drug” for many people, and how it actually works on people is hard to unravel. I have been reading about this, trying to get a handle on it, for many years, in order to help those who, almost entirely, share this with me in the confessional.

    I can readily believe that someone who, to all outward appearances, is eminently admirable and impressive, would have a secret addiction to porn.

  64. Discerning Altar Boy says:

    Please pray for all the members of the parish, especially the 10 who were threatened at gun point after Mass on Monday. And please pray for Mr. Nesbitt as well.
    https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/man-28-threatens-priest-and-parishioners-with-a-gun-at-providence-church/

  65. Lurker 59 says:

    One will always get Federal charges with internet crime as data transfer crosses State lines, thus becomes Fed jurisdiction. Unless one is doing P2P transfer from your state to your state, it is highly likely that the data goes outside of the state before coming back into it (even then, giving routing tables). (Might even pass outside of the nation, depending on which path it takes.) A given, not an “it looks worse”. That is before consideration of the question of the Feds regulating certain crimes to themselves.

    Using Gmail to transfer illicit data? Congrats you just stuck illicit data on a 3rd party’s server located who knows where using your ISP and whatever upstream data provider’s lines. The data went through lots of “hands” in a lot of different places forcing other entities to be participating in the crime. Watch the charges start stacking.

    But loads of Fed charges don’t imply guilt, they just are the normal process of the unfolding of charges. Loads of charges for a crime also indicate that the State really does not tolerate the particular crime, so charges excessively on the theory that, while a jury might not convict on 1, the might convict on 1 out of 20, thus increasing the likelihood of a plea deal/conviction for some time rather than no time.

    Guilt is implied by the evidence ACCEPTED by the Court, not the type/number of charges. Many people, though, look at the charges and assume guilt based on the number of charges and level of charges (which causes jury tainting). They don’t look at the evidence accepted in Court (both sides) but rather judge prematurely. One must refrain from bias towards the State (if the State charges, there has to be guilt) to uphold innocent until proven guilty.


    Side Note: It must not be forgotten that SOMEONE accessed, transferred, etc. illicit materials here. There is a someones that needs to be flushed out into the light and have the hammer of the Court fall upon them.

  66. michele421 says:

    No one has mentioned this so I will. Addiction to child pornography is more than a temptation and a grevious sin. It’s not normal. It’s a pathology, a sickness of the mind and spirit. Same with pedophilia. Something is wrong; there are simply too many priests with these problems. Very few men want to be priests, but the Catholic Church must have priests to function. Seminaries have to take what they can get [NO! They don’t.] but it seems that all they can get are broken men. Some hide it very well and become priests. I’ve been trying to step around it but the bottom line is that not enough good men want to be priests. The system isn’t working. Something needs to be done so that more healthy men will want to answer God’s call to serve His people.

    [This is not limited to priests. Check out school systems, yeshivas, etc.]

  67. maternalView says:

    Last I looked everyone is capable of sin including priests. Not saying Father is guilty. I personally don’t want to believe it. But how glorious our Church allows us a way to banish any and every sin and permit us to make reparation and joyfully and gloriously enter into the Church Triumphant.

    Christ through our Church offers mercy to the repentant. No other entity does.

    If he’s a lost soul, he needs to be put back on the right path– that is the accompaniment he needs. And we should be happy when that happens.

    If he’s innocent then we should know that in God’s providence this occurred despite I would assume many prayers said for this priest over the years. May those prayers give him strength now.

    Striving for holiness doesn’t prevent someone from falling into sin–that’s what confession is for!

    “there is no point in our life that we should assume we are safe from fall”

    as posted above…or from false accusations…this is a good thing to remember every single day and arm against.

  68. rdowhower says:

    Honest question for which I do not know the answer…assuming arguendo that a priest has the sort of addiction mentioned above and spoke of it in the confessional, does the priest hearing the confession have an obligation to let his ecclesiastical superiors know what he has learned, or is something like this governed by the seal of confession? Not sure if there might be some kind of exception given the potential danger to children.

    [The SEAL OF CONFESSION obliges a confessor NEVER to divulge to a third party what he has learned in the confessional.]

  69. sibnao says:

    I must agree with Lurker’s last comment: SOMEONE in that rectory accessed and either sent or received this vile stuff. And I must say, although I am near to heartbroken to hear of the possibility of it being Fr. Jackson, if it was him, I hope he gets the appropriate punishment. If it wasn’t, I pray that our Lord makes it abundantly clear who it was, so that THAT guy can make some restitution (not to mention hopefully be prevented from doing that ever again).

    If I could send an open letter to every churchman alive, I would say: YOU WILL BE DISCOVERED in your serious sin. There is no possible way to hide it. If you find you have committed such a sin, even once, you not only need to go to confession, you need to tell your bishop and let him deal with you. Hoping that it will be hidden only ensures the further scandal, heartbreak, and fury of those souls that you claim to love. People’s faith is being shaken and in some cases killed. Given we are all sinners, given that good priests sometimes do heinous things (?), in the name of whatever love you have in your hearts, please confess and then get out of the business.

  70. kat says:

    Michele421,
    As the mother of a young seminarian, I can assure you he’s not what you think seminarians are. Nor are his classmates. These young men are intelligent, love God, and are already living a sacrificial life, in order to work for the salvation of others. Your words are insulting to the good priests and seminarians called by God to a difficult life. And I can assure you the seminary doesn’t take just anybody. Generally over half of the young men who enter in a particular year are no longer there at the end of 7 years for ordination. They are admired for trying their vocation. Pray for good priests. Pray more and more young men will listen to hear if they are being called by God to carry His cross.

  71. Dave P. says:

    They said it was found on a parish computer, not on his. He was arrested because he was the priest there, not because it was on his computer.

    So blame it on the priest, even if it wasn’t on his computer…how convenient. Much simpler than finding out who else was on the computer, or if it got there by other means.

    Praying for Fr. Jackson. If it is indeed true that it wasn’t on his computer, then I fear for a Fr. MacRae – level miscarriage of justice to happen…

  72. Semper Gumby says:

    michele421: Your concern for this topic is understandable- certainly we Catholic laity and clergy must do better. As Fr. Z suggests, for added perspective see the reporting on the general population, school teachers (note the small but growing problem among female teachers), preachers, rabbis, imams and military.

    Kindly allow a suggestion or two:

    “there are simply too many priests with these problems.”

    This might not be the Anecdotal Fallacy but it might be the Hasty Generalization Fallacy.

    “but it seems that all they can get are broken men.”

    This may be the Base Rate Fallacy, Confirmation Bias or Extension Neglect.

    Also note that media outlets often focus on Catholic abuse cases while under-reporting others. This was illustrated in the New York Times years ago when a priest who mishandled (intentionally, if I recall) about 20k in parish funds was front page news, while in the same day’s paper on page 16 (or maybe it was 18) it was reported that two rabbis were found guilty of sexual misconduct. This type of “news reporting” resembles the Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy (in which a gunslinger shoots several holes in a wall then draws targets around each bullet hole). It is cherry-picking data to highlight a predetermined conclusion. One way to view the Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy is as a conscious and willful form of Confirmation Bias.

    “I’ve been trying to step around it but the bottom line is that not enough good men want to be priests.”

    Sometimes God only needs a few good men, such as Gideon’s 300. Cheers.

  73. TonyO says:

    To all those arguing restraint in the absence of evidence, I commend you all: we don’t have to make judgments here. We are allowed to (no, we SHOULD) wait to hear more evidence before even forming so much as an opinion, much less a judgment. Charges are not evidence.

    In this country, thank the Good Lord, a person is innocent until proven guilty before the law. That means that for purposes of LAW, they receive the benefits of being considered innocent, in respect of all those matters where the law (a) metes out punishments, or (b) withholds honors and benefits, on account of guilt. The law uses a trial and a standard of “beyond reasonable doubt” to find guilt, and ONLY THEN imposes legal punishments.

    Society is broader than merely “the government” and “the law”. Society is not bound to be restricted to a trial, and to “beyond a reasonable doubt” in order to decide on SOCIAL benefits, punishments, honors, etc. (Including friendships). In social arrangements, people can make up their minds without a jury of 12 peers, and they can decide before they have evidence sufficient to dispel all reasonable doubt. And ALL SORTS of little pieces of evidence can be used to narrow down one’s thinking – even evidence that would not be allowed in court. So, on a social level, people might choose to (for example) withhold friendship from someone in Fr. Jackson’s shoes, on account of, say, merely the PREPONDERANCE of the evidence – assuming we ever do in fact get any evidence coming our way for his specific case.

    But two points here: (1) even so, it is a sin of rash judgment to make judgments of (even “probable”) guilt where you don’t have evidence to form such a judgment even on a probable basis. A person has a right to be assumed to be reasonably and decently wholesome in advance of evidence. The proper attitude in advance of having definite reason to treat someone as a grave, heinous sinner is to withhold definite judgment along with the presumption, in favor of charity, of probable innocence. Yes, even Catholic priests get that.

    (2) Just like all sorts of little bits and pieces of evidence can be used to discern a probability of guilt in social contexts, so also all sorts of little bits and pieces of evidence can also be used to discern some probability of innocence for social purposes (as distinct from legal purposes). And out of the starting gate, for those of us who know Fr. Jackson only by his public situation, that evidence is suggestive (not definitive) of a probability of innocence: the totality of the (admittedly meager, vague, and general) evidence that we have – not evidence that is particularly useful in a court of law, to be sure – can be legitimately pointed at to say that, so far, we have more reason to think he is probably innocent and erroneously accused, than the reverse. But this limited, restrained result doesn’t even arise to the level of an opinion that he is innocent, much less a firm conviction of it…yet. (Those who know him personally may have much greater weight of evidence to rely on than the rest of us.)

    We can all, I hope, pray earnestly that the FULL truth will come out, victims will be assisted, and those actually guilty will be punished.

  74. Lucas says:

    I’m hesitant to post again, but I want to touch base on a couple things I’ve seen here. I’m speaking to you from a place of charity as well as someone who had a close relative work for many years with the federal law enforcement specifically dealing with cases like this.

    1) It was just on the parish PC and no evidence he downloaded it.

    They can tell when a file was downloaded. When it was accessed. Let’s say, hypothetcially, a improper file was downloaded at 1:30PM on a Tuesday. The police know when and where it was downloaded but 3 people have access to the PC. They will check to see who had access at the time it was downloaded and opened.

    2) He’s computer illiterate

    This is actually a bad thing because he may not have the ability to actually cover his tracks. No VPNs, no spoofing your IP, or any of that.

    Now the Feds are involved and they would not get involved if it was 1 or 2 files downloaded. Also, the Feds are smart, they won’t stick their noses in unless they had the evidence. There had to have been more files uploaded, and a quick google search led me to this:

    https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249505/fssp-priest-father-james-jackson-facing-federal-child-pornography-charges

    “A forensic analyst with the Rhode Island State Police found “hundreds of image and video files depicting [child sexual abuse material]” during an on-scene forensic preview of a two-terabyte external hard drive located in an office area adjacent to Jackson’s bedroom, according to an affidavit filed in support of the federal charges.

    “These image and video files depicted prepubescent females, including infants and toddlers, engaged in sexual acts,” the affidavit states.

    The warrant stemmed from a state task force investigation that identified a computer or other device “sharing files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) using a peer-to-peer file-sharing network,” the affidavit states. Investigators traced the device to St. Mary’s rectory, according to the affidavit.”

    Again. I hope he is innocent. I pray that he is. But even more so I’ll pray for all those children who are in those horrible images and videos.

  75. B says:

    Most FSSP parishes have more than 1 priest assigned there. As Fr. Jackson was new to this parish, is there another FSSP priest assigned there as well before this all came down?

  76. oledocfarmer says:

    Very disturbing, but my $$$ is on a frame-up. Fr Jackson’s NOTHING SUPERFLUOUS demonstrated such a profound love for Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Mass that it could only have been written by a man of deep prayer. And no man of prayer could/would ever commit these crimes.

    Hell and even satan — while very powerful — have only finite power. They must focus their efforts on particular objects so as to conserve it. In the 1930s-1940s the focus was the Jesuits. They perhaps were ripe…the Superior General (Black Pope) at that time was a rabid anti-Semite who also did much to persecute St Josemaria Escriva.

    Within 20-30 years the Jesuits had been reduced from the Church’s intellectual powerhouse to a nest, a brood of the most rank heresy. The lower-level Jesuits became the beigiest of bourgeois bureaucrats. Of the social worker bent. Social Justice or death!

    Hell accomplished its goal with the poor Jesuits. On the Last Day, St Ignatius will not be able to recognize them.

    So Hell just focus its efforts on a new target. The Church’s powerhouse today is the Traditional Movement. And so we see it all unfold. satan himself surely has an exquisite, burning, white-hot hatred for Fr Jackson. I wouldn’t be surprised if he himself is involved in this praeternatural, infernal nonsense.

    Just an opinion.

  77. Ave Maria says:

    Michele21: The seminary in Denver is turning out wonderful, holy, young priests! They are NOT broken men nor the dregs of society! I have been impressed with the quality of the young priests coming from the 2 seminaries there. And, as to Fr. Jackson, there has never ever been even a hint of him having a corrupt mind. I would stand by his innocence. He must be suffering terribly.

  78. TonyO says:

    My daughter came to me recently and said Priests and Sisters don’t sin;

    @ j stark: I don’t know any of the particulars, but given the highly publicized scandals of the last two decades, the prospect that even a minimally informed or educated Catholic could think, and could teach a child to think, “Priests and Sisters don’t sin”, is utterly unbelievable. Nobody in the Church who is educated and informed has ever thought this, and no teacher even half-decently trained would have tried to “teach” this balderedash to their students.

    I think the hero worshipping and clericalism needs to stop.

    We ought to regard some people as heroes: the saints and martyrs are real heroes, and well merit our high regard. The Church has always accepted that some saints – even during their lives – give such eminent WITNESS to the good God that their holiness is manifest to all, and (while admitting the possibility of sin in ANYONE not yet dead) these still-living witnesses to Christ are properly revered. (Not “worshiped” with the worship due to God alone.)

    Claricalism is only one of the failings available today, and far from the more grave. Much more common is the failure to give to the Church, and the hierarchy, the respect and obedience properly due to them as Christ’s vicars on Earth. C.S. Lewis rightly pointed out that one of the favorite ploys of Satan is to get Christians to over-focus on certain sins – especially sins they are unlikely to fall to – and ignore the sins they are prone to commit. In this day of democracy and hyper-laicization of theology and ministry, the error that lies opposite to clericalism is a greater danger.

    I find it saddening that people assume the immediate innocence of someone just because they like a book, had personally good interactions, or it’s a traditional priest.

    Fr. Z and the commenters here have specifically AVOIDED “assuming” that Fr. J is innocent. They have been cautious about the matter, and refused to assert definite claims of his innocence, even when they DO know him personally. Your comment is overbearing and unnecessary.

    The police arrested based on the evidence they had;

    It is often the case that police arrest based on the evidence they have. But they, too are human and subject to many pressures other than just those of “following the evidence”. They sometimes arrest due to OTHER reasons than the bare evidence: ill-will, publicity, getting higher authorities out of their hair, and even giving in to political pressure from higher up. I have friends in law enforcement, and greatly admire them and their careful, hard work. But not all police are careful, and not all of them are pristine in motives. That’s one of the reasons we have courts. While it is probable that the police arrest was based on reasonable evidence, it is not a reliable certainty that they did so.

  79. J Stark said:

    “My daughter came to me recently and said Priests and Sisters don’t sin…”

    May I ask the age of your daughter?

  80. Jones says:

    Since a lot of people think this is demonic in origin, me included, I think everything in this case should be explicitly entrusted to Our Lady. Every rosary I pray I invoke Our Lady under the title of Virgo Potens. I would like to view this as a chance to exhault her name and for her triumph. Things look very grim otherwise.

    [Virgo Potens! And Joseph, Terror of Demons!]

  81. matt from az says:

    I find it remarkable that with as many scandalously bad priests on the Left, they are rarely if ever the target of prosecution. Yet priests who appear to be clean and orthodox suddenly turn out to be secret perverts.
    If a man like Cardinal Pell can be dragged through hell and back by dishonest prosecutors with the help of Vatican insiders, what can priests like Rutler and Jackson do?
    The full power of the satanic state is against them.

    Fr Martin will roam free while good priests will be persecuted. The leftists will be held up as the example of what priests should be. It’s a political ploy to force married, openly homosexual, and women priests upon the Church.

    As an old Cold Warrior, I suspect that Fr Jackson is being framed. I wouldn’t put it past the RI and federal law enforcement to do so as a prelude to greater persecution. This is an old Soviet tactic: accuse the enemy of a sexual sin. The people rightly find it reprehensible. Door is then opened for further persecution of the accused’s group.

    The message is loud and clear: priests, you will become an agent of the State and teach what the government wants or you will perish.

  82. AA Cunningham says:

    Posting the following in its entirety, hopefully with Father Zs indulgence, in case it later disappears into the www 404 round file.

    Father James Jackson wrote about sex abuse scandals, called McCarrick a ‘creep’

    By Joe Bukuras

    CNA Staff, Nov 6, 2021 / 09:08 am

    In the weeks leading up to his arrest on child pornography charges, Father James W. Jackson wrote at length in his parish bulletin about sex abuse scandals perpetrated by “psychosexually dysfunctional” priests, singling out former cardinal Theodore McCarrick as a “creep” who hid a sinful private life with outward good works with the help of corrupt friends in the Catholic hierarchy.

    “Any man who tries to live his celibacy without faith, sanctifying grace and a serious life of prayer and dedication to the interior life will eventually (and sometimes this takes only a few years) turn to empty amusements and pleasures in drink, food, fancy vacations at best and pornography and the pursuit of sexual relationships at worst,” he wrote.

    “Without the faith (I mean real belief in God) and the pursuit of the interior life,” he continued, “celibacy just creates a class of professional bachelors who are still saying Mass and doing baptisms, but are overcome with isolation and even depression.”

    “They naturally turn to the natural for consolation,” he warned. “And with that turning from God, there is hell to pay.”

    Jackson’s writings appear in weekly church bulletins of his former parish, St. Mary’s Church in Providence, Rhode Island. Reviewed by CNA, they provide a window into the priest’s thoughts at a time when authorities allege Jackson possessed and distributed child sex abuse material online.

    Jackson, 66, was arrested Oct. 30 by members of a Rhode Island state task force executing a search warrant at St. Mary’s rectory. He was charged with possession of child pornography, transfer of child pornography, and child erotica prohibited.

    Two days after his arrest, federal authorities filed additional charges against him — distributing child pornography and possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography — in U.S. District Court in Providence.

    A forensic analyst with the Rhode Island State Police found “hundreds of image and video files depicting [child sexual abuse material]” during an on-scene forensic preview of a two-terabyte external hard drive located in an office area adjacent to Jackson’s bedroom, according to an affidavit filed in support of the federal charges.

    “These image and video files depicted prepubescent females, including infants and toddlers, engaged in sexual acts,” the affidavit states.

    Jackson was released from custody with electronic monitoring Wednesday on an unsecured bond. A federal magistrate has permitted him to live with a relative in his home state of Kansas until the charges against him are adjudicated, though a Providence television station has reported that Jackson has COVID-19 and must fully recover before leaving Rhode Island.

    Meanwhile, an online fundraising campaign has garnered tens of thousands of dollars for Jackson’s defense fund, with many contributors attesting to his character and asserting his innocence.

    A former Marine, rugby player

    Jackson, a member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), became pastor at St. Mary’s Aug. 1. Prior to his assignment in Providence, Jackson spent 15 years at the FSSP apostolate at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Littleton, Colorado.

    Jackson is the author of “Nothing Superfluous,” a book about “??the rich theological meaning behind the art, architecture, words and gestures of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the Rite of St. Gregory the Great.”

    In the biography he provided in the St. Mary’s bulletin shortly after he arrived in the parish, Jackson said was raised “nominally Protestant” in Kansas.

    “My boyhood was spent playing sports, hunting, fishing, camping and participating in the Boy Scouts (I didn’t get my Eagle),” he wrote.

    “I especially liked winter camping. I learned snow skiing at Steamboat Springs, CO in 1963 and have been an avid skier since. I also picked up scuba diving and dove for about 22 years. I even dove down to see a German U-Boat which the U.S. Navy sunk in 1945 located a quarter of a nautical mile off Narragansett, RI.”

    Jackson said his studies in the Pearson Integrated Humanities Program at the University of Kansas, where he played rugby for three years, set him on a new path.

    “In this program I fell in love not just with learning but the truth. That was the basis of my conversion to the Catholic Faith,” he wrote. He said he was received into the Church in 1976.

    “I thought I wanted a career in the Marine Corps and was in the Platoon Leaders Class for that purpose, but with conversion came an intense desire to serve God more directly,” he wrote.

    “I left to enter a Benedictine Monastery in France — Notre Dame de Fontgombault. My vocation was not monastic, and not knowing where to go, I joined the Diocese of Wichita, KS and was ordained in 1985.”

    “Slowly but surely” Jackson “fell in love” with the Traditional Latin Mass, and he entered the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps, serving with the 1st Marine Division.

    “I joined the FSSP in 1994 and it has been a good home to me,” Jackson wrote at the conclusion of his biography. “And I drive an old red truck.”

    Focused on scandals

    In the church bulletins CNA reviewed, which span mid-August through Oct. 31,

    Jackson covers a wide range of topics, including his strong opposition to priest “burnout,” COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and corruption in the Vatican.

    Repeatedly, however, he returns to the subject of sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church, including those involving McCarrick and the recent disclosure of widespread clerical sexual abuse in France.

    “The astounding statement about the abuse of minors in the Church in France is staggering,” he wrote in the Oct. 10 bulletin.

    “I want to address this with you by using an American case. I don’t know if what the press is saying in France is the truth, but the truth must be told, the boil lanced, the infection drained. All of which is a very painful process. Please God good will come of this,” Jackson wrote.

    Jackson wrote that during his seminary years in Emmitsburg, Maryland he had encountered then-Bishop McCarrick in his role as head sacristan.

    Jackson wrote: “At table after one of [McCarrick’s] talks, one of the guys asked me what it was like to work with him. I responded simply that I could hardly stand to be in the same room with him; everything about him repelled me; I thought he was a creep. The seminarian took umbrage at this, thinking the bishop a fine fellow.”

    McCarrick was protected by “very powerful American prelates who were experts at deflection,” Jackson wrote.

    “They were extraordinarily deft at diverting any accusations or suspicions by such things as vigorously preaching and working to alleviate the hardship of the poor,” he wrote. “As to whether these efforts were truly beneficial to the poor can be disputed.”

    Jackson returned to the same theme a week later, writing about what he called the atheistic mindset of many worldly priests and religious.

    “Continuing with the question about the scandals from hierarchy and clergy in the One, True Church and to grasp how these men (and nuns) could do such things, we must face a dark truth that their conduct points to one thing especially, that these prelates, clergy and religious were, as a matter of fact, atheists,” he wrote.

    “Yes, they were concelebrating Mass and blessing the pets and presiding at fundraising events with prayer, but deep down they were atheists,” he wrote. “In the lives of countless clergy and laity, a consistent and profound compromise with the world has resulted in Catholics being riddled with doubts that paralyze any growth in the interior life.”

    Jackson resumed the discourse in the Oct. 24 bulletin.

    “Continuing for a bit about the scandals, and using the case of Mr. McCarrick, the easy answer so clung to by many is the practice of mandatory celibacy. Just change the ‘rules,’ let the priests and seminarians marry, and poof, the problem of abuse goes away,” he wrote.

    “Now God created us as sexual beings. We have a natural instinct and desire for the marital act. This instinct is powerful, put into us by our Creator, yet it has been damaged and distorted by sin,” he wrote.

    “To address this instinct (and its distortion), dioceses and seminaries have turned to psychological examinations, background checks and various ways to address the damage done to young men from a culture saturated with pornography and video games, which are in themselves quite harmful to a vocation,” he went on.

    “Training in Virtus or Safe Environment programs is mandatory. I don’t advocate the abandonment of these programs, but I do say that without a serious adherence to the Catholic Faith, and the pursuit of the interior life, they are of little value.”

    Final reflections before arrest

    Jackson’s last reflections appear in the Oct. 31 bulletin, which was available at St. Mary’s the weekend of his arrest. In it, he discusses “the golden mean,” which he says is when one “chooses the good over the convenient, the true over the plausible.”

    “The loss of virtue and of the golden mean is at the heart of the crisis of faith we experience in the Church of our times,” he wrote. “Without faith, and without the corresponding virtue, the celibate state simply creates a class of professional bachelors who lead pleasant lives with good food and lodging and electronic entertainment but are locked into a depressive and lonely isolation devoid of any form of chaste intimacy.”

    He cites the case of Father George Rutler, a New York priest and author who was charged with sexual assault and has since been exonerated.

    “Add to this the grim statistic from CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) which claims that 85% of priests are not praying their Divine Office,” he wrote.

    “And, if that were not enough, we have the phenomenon of a small but significant minority of men who are drawn to the seminary precisely because they are emotionally immature and psychosexually dysfunctional, and you get a Theodore McCarrick,” Jackson wrote.

    “Such men who seek pleasure, comfortable living and amusements turn to minors who are just vulnerable enough to become pliant and coerced.”

    The bulletins may also shed some light on Jackson’s whereabouts while authorities were monitoring a peer-to-peer sharing network that contained child sex abuse material.

    In the Sept. 26 bulletin, Jackson wrote that he planned to leave for a monthly day of recollection that afternoon. According to the affidavit, a detective observed a computer or other device accessing the network on Sept. 26 at 5:32 p.m.

    Jackson and St. Mary’s parochial vicar, Father Thu Truong, planned to travel to Nebraska Oct. 25-29 for a recollection and ordination.

    Jackson was arrested later that week, on Oct. 30. He was released from custody on an unsecured bond Wednesday and will be allowed to live with a relative in Kansas pending the adjudication of his charges.

    It was disclosed in federal court that Jackson has COVID-19 and won’t return to Kansas until he recovers, Providence television station WPRI reported. He is scheduled to be arraigned on state child pornography charges Nov. 15.

  83. Imrahil says:

    “Any man who tries to live his celibacy without faith, sanctifying grace and a serious life of prayer and dedication to the interior life will eventually (and sometimes this takes only a few years) turn to empty amusements and pleasures in drink, food, fancy vacations at best and pornography and the pursuit of sexual relationships at worst,” he wrote.

    This is an interesting statement. It doesn’t mean he’s innocent; it doesn’t mean he’s guilty; but it does mean that if he were guilty, he would probably have written the latter part about himself. From what appeared in the comments, here, it seems to me clear that he had faith; but he doesn’t speak of faith only, here, but also sanctifying grace (I imagine it’s really soul-damaging to do priestly things when you have a habit that happens to be mortally sinful and you at least suspect your Confessions aren’t valid due to lack of purpose of amendment), and an interior life of prayer…

    I’d say, of course, that the former part, the so-called “empty” amusements, drinks, food, fancy vacations etc. are not so much of a problem at all. (With a little cut-down between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday.) By the way, I don’t like to speak about the good things Covid-19 brought but it did make me realize that these were not so “empty” as the moralists have had a habit of telling us; if they were, I wouldn’t rejoice as much in seeing the people I met there again. I believe loving people, in the nonsexual sense of the word, is a good thing even if they aren’t either family or the ones you “greet without expecting to be greeted back” the Bible mentions, but I digress. – Anyway, I bring that up now because I am firmly convinced that at least part of the strategy of battling immoral (and more than immoral) amusement must be tolerance of moral amusement.

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