Catholic Group Spent $4M Tracking Priests Who Use Gay ‘Hookup Apps’

Catholic Group Spent $4M Tracking Priests Who Use Gay ‘Hookup Apps’

(Link): Catholic Nonprofit Secretly Spent Millions on Gay Priests’ App Data, Report Says

A Catholic nonprofit based in Colorado is spending millions to purchase tracking data that identifies members of the priesthood using dating and hookup apps, according to a new investigation from The Washington Post. The Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal group has used this data to prepare reports for bishops across the country on individual priests’ usage of apps like Grindr—a hookup app for gay men—the outlet reports.

(Link): Catholic nonprofit in Colorado spent millions for data from hookup apps to identify gay priests: report 

Excerpts:

March 9, 2023

A Denver-based Catholic nonprofit spent millions of dollars to purchase tracking data from gay dating and hookup apps to identify gay priests. They then shared that information with bishops across the country, a new investigation has found.

Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal — a group whose goal is to “empower the church to carry out its mission” by providing church leaders with “evidence-based resources” so they can better train priests after identifying their weaknesses — obtained tracking data from popular dating and hookup apps from 2018 through 2021, according to an investigative report published Thursday by The Washington Post.

(Link): Catholic group spent $4M tracking priests who use gay ‘hookup apps’

March 10, 2023
by Lee Brown

A Colorado Catholic group spent millions tracking clerics who used mostly gay “hookup apps” — then outing them to bishops.

The head of Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal admitted its secretive research in a lengthy response Thursday to an exposé by The Washington Post.

The DC paper detailed how the Denver-based nonprofit spent at least $4 million buying up data mostly from Grindr, but also from Scruff, Growlr, Jack’d and OkCupid.

Priest Close to Pope Francis Accused of Inviting Two Nuns to Take Part in a ‘Holy Trinity’ Threesome

Priest Close to Pope Francis Accused of Inviting Two Nuns to Take Part in a ‘Holy Trinity’ Threesome

(Link): Priest close to Pope Francis accused of inviting two nuns to take part in a ‘Holy Trinity’ threesome 

(Link): Priest accused of inviting nun to join ‘Holy Trinity’ threesome

Dec 20, 2022
by Tom Kington, Rome

A Jesuit priest at the centre of a sex scandal at the Vatican tried to arrange a ménage à trois with two nuns, likening the tryst to the Holy Trinity, one of the nuns has said.

The allegation against Marko Ivan Rupnik adds to revelations of sexual antics dating back decades, all of which could be an embarrassment for the Pope, who is said to be close to the priest. Rupnik, 68, has produced mosaics that feature biblical scenes for a papal chapel at the Vatican.

(Link): Priest ‘close to the Pope’ is accused of inviting two nuns to take part in a ‘Holy Trinity’ threesome

Dec 20, 2022

A Slovenian priest who is said to be close to the Pope has been accused of inviting two nuns to take part in a ‘Holy Trinity’ threesome.

Marko Ivan Rupnik, 68, was accused by a former nun of using his ‘psycho-spiritual’ control over her some three decades ago to have sex, including group sex, and watch pornographic films.

At the time of the allegations, Rupnik, who is known in the church for his artwork, was a spiritual director of a convent in Slovenia and the former nun, now 58, has described how her complaints against the priest were ignored.

…The former nun told the Italian investigative newspaper Domani on Sunday in an explosive testimony: ‘Father Marko started slowly and sweetly getting inside my psychological and spiritual world, exploiting my uncertainties and fragility and using my relationship with God to push me into sexual experiences with him.’

The nun claimed Rupnik had groomed her, had sex with her and bullied her into silence during her time in the Slovenian convent between 1987 and 1994.

She claimed Rupnik had asked her and another nun to have sex with him, saying they would replicate the three-way relationship between God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

She said she believed Rupnik had abused as many as 20 women.

(Link): Jesuits ask victims to come forward in artist abuse case

Pope Francis’ Jesuit order is asking any victims to come forward with complaints against a famous Jesuit artist

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
December 18, 2022

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ Jesuit order on Sunday asked any more victims to come forward with complaints against a famous Jesuit artist who was essentially let off the hook by the Vatican twice despite devastating testimony by women who said he sexually and spiritually abused them.

Preacher Matt Chandler To Take Leave of Absence Following Inappropriate Online Behavior

Preacher Matt Chandler To Take Leave of Absence Following Inappropriate Online Behavior

This post has been edited since publication to add additional content.

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Chandler is the same guy who tried to shame and pressure a woman into staying married to her perverted, pedophile husband, he sort of mocked Christians with doubts by dismissing their position as being a sexy trend, and he’s given some very questionable advice to Christian single adults over the age of 30 who’d like to be married but who’ve not found Mr. or Ms. Right yet, and who are considering marrying outside the faith.

A lot of online chatter I’ve seen about this indicates many people do believe that there is something “sexual” about Chandler’s banter with a married woman (that’s right, both Chandler and the woman he was direct messaging are both married to other people), despite the church’s statement to the contrary.

Take note that both persons in this situation are MARRIED – very often in secular and Christian culture, single adults (especially women) are regarded as threats to married people, who are actively seeking to sleep with married persons. Quite often, it’s the opposite: married adults seek out affairs with singles or with other married people.

Married Christians need to maybe impose some kind of “Billy Graham Rule” of married people shouldn’t be alone with other married people.

This incident just goes to show yet again that men lack good judgement, lack self control, and cannot be trusted in leadership positions in churches; churches should get rid of the “man only” rule and put women in charge going forward. 😘

Contrary to the usual conservative rhetoric: marriage does not make a person more godly, mature, ethical, or loving than being single. Let this be example one thousand on my blog so far!

Marriage apparently did not prevent Chandler from making a questionable action towards another married person (this is assuming there was something sexual or otherwise “off” with his texts to the woman).

From the reports, things are so vague, it’s hard to tell exactly what happened.

The Billy Graham Rule is stupid, so if this ends up being a harmless case of a married church guy making small talk with a married lady, and he had no ulterior motives, I don’t have a problem with that, except for the church’s over-reaction to this situation.

That is to say, unlike 99% of married (usually Christian) people out there, I don’t think platonic friendship between a married person and another married person (or a married person and a single person) is impossible or inappropriate.

So, if this ends up being an over-reaction to a platonic, private chit chat between two adults (who happen to be married), I will eye roll so hard my eyeballs will fall out of my head.

But it’s hard to say at this point exactly what is going on.

(Link): Matt Chandler To Take Leave of Absence Following Inappropriate Online Behavior

Excerpts:

by Dale Chamberlin
August 2022

On Sunday (August 28), The Village Church (TVC) announced that Matt Chandler would be taking a leave of absence from preaching and teaching following an inappropriate direct messaging relationship with a woman who is not his wife.

While not romantic or sexual, Chandler described the messaging relationship as being characterized by “familiarity” and “coarse and foolish joking.”

Chandler further described his online behavior as “unguarded and unwise,” and his leave of absence is both “disciplinary and developmental.” He further expressed his agreement with and submission to the elder board’s decision, which came after an independent, third-party investigation.

Ending Priestly Celibacy Would Not Stop Abuse by E. Condon – Celibates Are Not Pedophiles

Ending Priestly Celibacy Would Not Stop Abuse by E. Condon – Celibates Are Not Pedophiles

Celibacy is not engaging in sexual activity.

Not having sex does not cause sex or sexual abuse. Celibacy does not cause pedophilia.

It’s highly insulting to adult celibates, such as myself (and no, I do not molest children or have any desire to) to suggest or plainly state, that celibacy leads to pedophilia.

Celibates are not pedophiles. Pedophilia is one type of sexual attraction or sexual behavior, and celibates do not engage in sexual behavior.

I am not a Roman Catholic, by the way.

I was raised Baptist and believed – and still believe – that the Bible teaches that sex outside of marriage is sin, which is one reason of several I did not engage in sexual behavior.

Studies have shown that a percentage of male pedophiles are married (and having regular sex with a wife) when they are molesting children. I have blog posts on this blog with links to news articles about married men (some Christian pastors) who were arrested for molesting children or using child porn.

Being married (in a hetero marriage and having regular sex with one’s spouse) does not make a person less capable of, or unwilling to engage in, sexual sin. When they’re not fondling children, hetero married persons sometimes hire and use prostitutes, have affairs with other married people, or view pornography.

(Link): Ending Priestly Celibacy Would Not Stop Abuse by E. Condon

Excerpts:

Trotting out the canard that married priests would mean less abuse isn’t just ignorant. It’s a shocking disservice to victim-survivors.

by Ed Condon
July 31, 2022

The Economist recently ran a lead article arguing that if the Catholics “want to reduce the scourge of sexual abuse by priests, they should demand an end to the rule requiring priestly celibacy.” I found myself checking the year of publication. Surely this must have been an article from 20 years ago.

But no: In the same week in which the Catholic bishops of the United States published their annual report on the (still falling) number of abuse claims made in American dioceses, the Economist was running with a tired, discredited argument.

[The author goes on to explain that the Roman Catholic Church has horribly dealt with child sex abuse, and he acknowledges that fact.]

… But the suggestion that abuse is caused, amplified, or sustained by the unmarried state of clergy isn’t just without evidence: It flies in the face of the experiences of so many survivors of abuse in other settings.

No one who has followed the terrible reckoning the Southern Baptist Convention has had with its own institutional failure to protect children could cite the “successful” example of Protestant clergy as proof that married pastors mitigate the risk of abuse.

Likewise, consider the heartbreaking experiences of survivors of abuse in families, schools, youth organizations, the Boy Scouts, and the child-welfare system.

Clergyman Caught In Sex Act With Vacuum Cleaner ‘Carried On After Being Seen’

Clergyman Caught In Sex Act With Vacuum Cleaner ‘Carried On After Being Seen’

(Link): Vicar caught in sex act with HENRY HOOVER ‘carried on after being seen’

July 14, 2022
by James Robinson

A ‘naughty’ church leader carried out a sex act with a Henry Hoover while wearing nothing but stockings.

John Jeffs was caught in the act in his office, while working as a pastoral manager at Christian faith-based group, Parents Talking Asperger’s.

He was spotted by a churchgoer at a Baptist centre in Middleton Cheney, Northamptonshire, who saw the retired vicar standing by the hoover as it was propped up between two chairs.

The witness walked past and said they saw Jeffs almost completely naked, except for a pair of ladies stockings.

Pope Francis Says ‘Sins of the Flesh’ Aren’t that ‘Serious’ – Joins His Baptist and Protestant Counterparts in Downplaying Sexual Sin

Pope Francis Says ‘Sins of the Flesh’ Aren’t that ‘Serious’ – Joins His Baptist and Protestant Counterparts in Downplaying Sexual Sin

This Roman Catholic Pope now joins the many Baptists, Protestants, evangelicals, and social conservatives who have given up on upholding celibacy and sexual abstinence until marriage in the last several years.

(Link): Pope Francis Says ‘Sins of the Flesh’ Aren’t that ‘Serious’

By Hannah Frishberg
December 8, 2021

Lust is not the worst of the seven deadly sins, according to Pope Francis.

There are worse indiscretions than sex outside of marriage, the leader of the Catholic Church told reporters on the papal plane while en route from Greece to Italy on Monday, Reuters reported.

“Sins of the flesh are not the most serious,” the 84-year-old religious leader said regarding sex outside of marriage. Top transgressions instead include pride and hatred, according to Reuters.

Italian Priest is Arrested for Stealing Thousands From Church Funds to Buy Drugs For Homosexual Sex Parties In His Home

Italian Priest is Arrested for Stealing Thousands From Church Funds to Buy Drugs For Homosexual Sex Parties In His Home

(Link): Italian priest is arrested for ‘stealing more than £85,000 from church funds to buy drugs for gay sex parties in his home’

By Charlotte Mitchell

A charismatic Italian priest has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than £85,000 from church funds to pay for gay sex parties at his home.

Father Francesco Spagnesi, 40, from Prato near Florence, is under house arrest on suspicion of theft.

Police are in the process of interviewing hundreds of people said to have attended his drug-fuelled orgies over the last two years.

Non-Romantic Nearness, The Billy Graham Rule, and Pope John Paul’s Friendship With a Married Woman

Non-Romantic Nearness, The Billy Graham Rule, and Pope John Paul’s Friendship With a Married Woman

Apparently, Pope John Paul II had a long term, platonic friendship with a married woman named Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka.

First, I will list an assortment of news articles summarizing the former Pope’s relationship with this woman –

And then I will link to (much farther down this page) a really good blog post by a Christian, Dan J. Brennan, who criticizes other Christians who sexualize all male-female relationships or who discourage male-female friendship.
He is against the BGR (Billy Graham Rule), which teaches Christian men to sexually objectify ALL women, even celibate Christian women and keep single women at arm’s length.

(Link):  Pope John Paul II secret letters: Pontiff’s deep affection for Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka revealed

Feb 15, 2016

Letters shown to the BBC by the National Library of Poland have revealed an intense 30-year relationship between former Pope, John Paul II, and philosopher, Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka. There is no suggestion the late pontiff broke his vow of celibacy with Tymieniecka, a married woman.

Christian Bishop Fired Over Sex Orgy Video

Bishop Fired Over Sex Orgy Video

Standard disclaimer: Being married and a parent, or saying you are a Christian, does not automatically make you more godly, ethical, or loving than anyone else.
And single Christian ladies who’d like to get married: time to give up on the “be equally yoked” teaching, since so many Christian men are rapists and perverts.

All these post-evangelicals, ex Christians, feminists, and liberal Christians like to say that Christians worship virginity and celibacy – really, because I’m not finding many who respect the concept and lifestyle, let alone who “worship” it. Here’s another example of what I mean:

(Link): Bulgaria bishop stripped of job after taking part in orgy

(Link): Bulgarian bishop fired after video emerges of him enjoying an orgy with four women

-Bishop Boris was sacked after appearing in a sex tape with four women
-Bulgarian headed the second largest monastery in the country
-The ‘orgy film’ leaked online and made its way into the media

By HANNAH ROBERTS
PUBLISHED: 11:44 EST, 21 February 2014 | UPDATED: 14:33 EST, 21 February 2014

A Bulgarian bishop has been sacked from his post after video emerged of him taking part in an orgy with four women.

Bishop Boris, who headed the second largest monastery in Bulgaria, was filmed frolicking at a sex party with four women, which then leaked online and subsequently to the media.

Bishop Boris was forced to step down after being found guilty of acts ‘incompatible with his office’, a statement from the Holy Synod, the Orthodox Church’s supreme clerical body read.

Boris, who was known for his weakness for earthly luxuries such as cars, women and fine wine, risks excommunication.

The case must now be examined by the ecclesiastical court. The Holy Synod is also expected to rule on the case of the monastery of Troyan, central Bulgaria, where the monks were were caught having gay orgies.

Bishop Boris headed Bachkovski Monastery, located about 117 miles from the Bulgarian capital Sofia.

It is one of the oldest monasteries in the country, founded in 1083 as a Byzantine Iberian Orthodox monastery.

It draws thousands of visitors every year and is considered one of the main tourist attractions in the area.

The sex party is only the latest scandal to hit the Bulgarian church, which counts 80 per cent of the population as followers, after revelations last year that senior clergy had been agents of the former communist regime.

(Link): Bulgaria’s Bishop Boris fired over sex orgy video

The Orthodox church bishop heads up the second biggest monastery in the country — he was allegedly seen in the online video having sex with four women.

BY DAVID HARDING / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2014, 10:35 AM

A Bulgarian priest has been sacked after a video was posted online allegedly showing him at an orgy with four women.

Bishop Boris headed the second largest monastery in the country.

He was sacked by Bulgarian Orthodox Church bosses for acts “incompatible with his office,” reported the Bulgarian daily, Trud, which also revealed the existence of the sex video.

Priest Daniel McFalls Fathers a Baby – Speaks Out Against Celibacy

Priest Daniel McFalls Fathers a Baby – Speaks Out Against Celibacy

So, because you couldn’t keep your penis in your pants makes you assume other men cannot, or should not, be held to that standard (which is a biblical standard, by the way)?

Look, I don’t agree with many Roman Catholic teachings, including that clergy must remain single and celibate, but I am oh so tired of people who can’t keep their pants zipped assuming all other believers (or even Non Believers) are just as sloppy and un-disciplined as they are.

Just because you cannot go without sex for five minutes doesn’t mean the rest of us are like that.

I don’t agree with the RCC’s rule on no marriage for priests, but dudes take the assignment knowing up front they are expected to remain single and celibate, so if this priest guy wants to diddle women, he needs to step down from his job. (I just now saw one article says he quit his priest job.)

Dude was not even married to the woman in the story he slept with, is my understanding. He had pre-marital sex. He fornicated.

(Link): ‘Flirty’ Catholic priest says clergy should be allowed to marry as a parishioner gives birth to his son

-Father Daniel McFalls made the announcement in a letter
-The mother is a ‘descreet’ member of his parish
-Will remain a priest unless he volunteers to have powers removed

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 21:09 EST, 30 September 2013
| UPDATED: 05:50 EST, 1 October 2013

The Catholic priest who quit after getting a woman pregnant has revealed that the mother of his child was a member of his congregation and he now thinks that the Church should allow priests to marry.

Father Daniel McFalls left his post at St Mary’s in Stockton, California after making the shocking announcement to his parish that he was going to be a first-time father.
The baby- a boy, named Daniel Gabriel- has since been born and the former priest is speaking out about how he feels the Church needs to change with the times.

‘It’s sad I had to choose between caring for this child and all the people I care for at our church. It’s sad I was put in that position,’ he told The New York Daily News.

‘I know I’m not worthy to be speaking publicly about this because I’m a sinner, but I hope this might help the Catholic Church to look more deeply at the possibility of finding some way to open the door to a married priesthood.’

One of those parishioners who was particularly close to his heart was the mother of his newborn child.

He has not revealed her name, but said that she is a ‘discreet’ member of his church.

‘When that little baby was born at 5.22am, it was the happiest moment of my life, along with my ordination,’ he told the news site.

…The news about the impending childbirth came from a letter sent to the church and read to his congregation.

McFalls said: ‘A child will soon be born, and I am the baby’s father. I know this comes as a shock to you, and to many a disappointment.

‘I assume full responsibility for my actions and will do all that I can so that my child receives the care and love that he deserves.

…McFalls’ was given an indefinite leave of absence by Bishop Stephen E. Blaire, head of the Diocese of Stockton, and will now have to decide if he wants to remain a priest.

One member of his congregations has said she is glad he is gone, calling him ‘flirty.’

Diana Garcia, who has attended the church for 15 years, told Fox News: ‘He’s gone after girls before and he’s gone after my daughters.’

‘He’s just lustful, he didn’t say he was in love or marry the girl, no.

‘It’s not about being a sinner, it’s about playing with God, he made a vow, this is a priest we’re talking about.’

(Link): Catholic priest quits after getting woman pregnant

(Link): ‘Flirty’ Catholic priest, 58, who stunned parishioners last week for admitting to making a woman pregnant has welcomed a son to the world

(Link): Catholic priest will remain part of clergy despite arrival of his child (VIDEO)
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Related posts this blog:

(Link): There is No Such Thing as a Gift of Singleness or Gift of Celibacy or A Calling To Either One

(Link): Douglas Wilson and Christian Response FAIL to Sexual Sin – No Body Can Resist Sex – supposedly – Re Celibacy

(Link): The Myth of the Gift – Regarding Christian Teachings on Gift of Singleness and Gift of Celibacy

(Link): Why So Much Fornication – Because Christians Have No Expectation of Sexual Purity

(Link): Ever Notice That Christians Don’t Care About or Value Singleness, Unless Jesus Christ’s Singleness and Celibacy is Doubted or Called Into Question by Scholars?

(Link): Christian Double Standards on Celibacy – Hetero Singles Must Abstain from Sex but Not Homosexual Singles

(Link): When Adult Virginity and Adult Celibacy Are Viewed As Inconvenient or As Impediments

(Link) How About Using Celibates as Role Models For Celibacy? (Oddity: Christians Holding Up Non-Virgins [Fornicators] As Being Experts or Positive Examples on Sexual Purity)

(Link): Link Round Up: Christian gender double standards on sexual purity, More Craptastic Relationship, Sex, Marriage Advice by Christians for Singles, Lousy and Abusive Mothers, Roman Catholics on Priest Celibacy, Male Fertility – Other Topics

(Link): Gift of Singleness Gift of Celibacy Unbiblical – Those Terms and Teachings Contribute to Fornication / Editorial About Sex Surrogates

(Link): Christians Who Attack Virginity Celibacy and Sexual Purity – and specifically Russell D. Moore and James M. Kushiner