Warning about a certain priest and request for advice/help

Hi everyone!

I've been away from this website for a number of years. I'd like to start participating again -- so I guess I'll have to get the hang of it. There's a story to my return that might interest some.

I don't know which forums would be most appropriate for what I'd like to share and discuss. So I'll just put my cards on the table and hopefully somebody can steer me in the right direction.

Some of the readers here might remember a couple of controversies over a certain Fr Iannuzzi and Emmett O'Regan a few years back (I don't like to dig these things up again but I need to give the context). One disagreement was about whether Father's understanding of eschatology was heretical or not. At that time I had been reading Fr Iannuzzi's books as well as Mark Mallett, Luisa Piccarreta and Daniel O'Connor. I couldn't see any problem with the idea that there will be a reign of peace on Earth sometime prior to the end of time. I thought hard about Emmett's objections but wasn't persuaded.

Now that controversy evolved into something uglier. Emmett did some research and dug up what appeared to be some troubling facts about Fr Iannuzzi. Fr Iannuzzi threatened to sue Emmett or something along those lines. From memory, devotees of Luisa Piccarreta instinctively took the side of Father in that little storm, and responded to Emmett accordingly. I know I did, though I didn't weight into it that much. I let it go after it was obvious that the arguments weren't constructive, and then forgot all about it. My life and interests went in other directions. Life got busy, etc.

Why am I bringing this stuff up again, you might ask. Well, in the last 6 months I have become increasingly concerned about things that Fr Iannuzzi has been saying publicly in podcasts and on YouTube videos, particularly on a YouTube channel called Divine Will Era, hosted by a Dr Michael James. Just two days ago he cited Canon 916 to claim that it's acceptable for a layperson to receive Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin in order to avoid embarrassment or "incrimination" in the eyes of others (for abstaining) at a wedding or funeral--as long as an interior act of contrition is made, and one has the intention of getting to Confession soon. I'm no canon lawyer, but I checked with a number of reliable and orthodox Catholics, including knowledgeable priests, and found that my instinct about this proposal was correct: avoiding embarrassment or "incrimination" is not a grave or sufficient reason for receiving the Eucharist, and does not amount to an obligation to receive even in the state of mortal sin. Fr Iannuzzi's judgement on this matter was quite off, and this is a dangerous thing pastorally speaking, not least because of the wide audience (over 15,000 subscribers to Divine Will Era) that listens to him.

To top that off, Father also suggested that one can never go wrong obeying a confessor even when he gives the wrong advice. And he effectively positioned himself as the confessor, the theologically expert superior, to his entire audience, admonishing people for not taking Communion because of scruples and so forth. In other words: don't trust your conscience if you have doubts about receiving Communion, but instead, you have to blindly trust your confessor - or your superiors, including Fr Iannuzzi himself - when they tell you you ought to go to Communion despite your hesitation. Fr weaved into his argument some anecdotes from Luisa Piccarretta's life, and a private revelation from Jesus that He suffers when people don't go up to receive Him, and that those who do this to Jesus will have to experience the same suffering themselves in purgatory.

In my judgement there is something quite warped about this. It's subtle, but it's warped. True things, but arranged falsely. And manipulative, it seems to me.

.... (continued)

 

.... But that's only the tip of the iceberg. I've been doing a lot of research. In a three part video series in which he argues for the existence of aliens, he draws upon the testimonies of people who clearly have been involved in occult activity (e.g. Bruno Sammaciccia - telepathy and automatic writing, also Yoga) and says that they had encounters with "good" aliens. He draws on some of the theories of Zecharia Sitchin, a pseudo-scientist who has been a big inspiration for the Ancient Aliens series on the History Channel--and who has a religious following in fringe circles. What's worse, Sitchin's ancient astronaut theory has inspired the formation of dangerous and demonic cults, such as Heaven's Gate and Raelism. Father does not say a single word to warn his audience about this. Father cites Sitchin approvingly as an expert archeologist, repeats several of the claims and themes of Sitchin's first book, The Twelfth Planet, and in the video footage there is shown an image of Sitchin holding a certain Sumerian artefact. Here Father repeats all sorts of wacky pseudo-scientific claims that have been debunked decades ago. He gullibly accepts the testimony of Robert Lazar (who supposedly witnessed and made use of advanced alien technology) even though Lazar has been shown to be a fraud. He cites Monsignor Balducci approvingly - the same Balducci who believed that aliens are more evolved than us inferior humans, suggesting, in New Age fashion, that man is destined to "evolve" to a higher spiritual state. He claims that Clifford Stone too is an example of someone who interacted with "good aliens" - but when you read Stone's testimony, it begins with descriptions of demonic oppression and his terror in the presence of these entities. He claims the same about Philip Corso - but when you read his book, you find that Corso repeats over and over again that UFOs carry hostile beings. None of the "evidence" that Iannuzzi cites for the notion that some of the entities that present as aliens are "good" -- none of that "evidence" checks out.

It even gets comical at times. Father cites the "secret" diary of Admiral Byrd and his supposed encounter with UFOs at the North Pole. Okay Father, so you think that story is credible - do you realise that in the same story the writer also says that he flew through a hole in the North Pole and found a wonderful world inside the Earth? I mean, what the heck? Hollow Earth theory? Did you even read the book? And then he mocks other for their lack of education and discernment!!

I could go on. There are many, many logical errors in the three video series -- and again, whenever I checked the sources, they contradicted what Fr was claiming. It appeared to me on many occasions that Father either did NO research at all on the matter yet carelessly threw it all out there to his receptive Catholic audience as if it were all true (putting on the authoritative voice of the learned academic priest) - or that he was subtly misleading his audience. Father claims he has been working on a book on exo-theology (theology about aliens) for 15 years - and here he is making all sorts of mistakes and demonstrating that he hasn't even looked at the books he cites. For goodness sake, he doesn't even know that Zecharia Sitchen is a fraud! He gullibly swallows this sort of rubbish and regurgitates it!

Over the last 6 months, the more I have dug into this, the more shocked, horrified and bewildered I have become. Fact-check after fact-check after fact-check, my estimation of the mind and person of Father Iannuzzi went down, and down further, and just when I thought it couldn't go lower, down even further.

So you can understand why alarm bells are going off in me saying THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH THIS PERSON.

I cannot prove that Fr Iannuzzi is not an exorcist. He may well be an exorcist as he says. But to be honest, after all of this, I actually find it hard to believe. It baffles me. How could an exorcist be so naive and careless as to recommend ideas and authors so closely associated with cults and the occult? What is going on? What IS this? And how can this same person be getting away with appearing on multiple Catholic platforms, giving spiritual advice, and presenting himself as a theological expert? Are there two Father Iannuzzi's? Does he have two personalities? These are the questions I ask myself!

I have found out some other troubling facts about Fr Iannuzzi too - some of these were discovered by Emmett O'Regan. Why is nobody able to find out who his superior is, or where he is incardinated? Why is he not listed any of the American sites of the Oblates of St Joseph, though he says he is an oblate of St Joseph? Why was Fr banned from all ministry in the LA diocese? https://lacatholics.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Clergy-With-No-Faculties-January-2022.pdf I also read that a Bishop in Michigan recently wrote a letter casting doubt on the authenticity of Fr Iannuzzi's apostolate - though I haven't been able to confirm this for myself.

Oh and there's the thing with Vassula Ryden. Iannuzzi claims she's in good standing with the Church just because a book about her was given an imprimatur by someone not related to Ryden eclessially - well how could he, she's not Catholic! - and not even in the place of publication.

And what is it with the host of the Divine Will Era channel where Father appears a lot of the time? He calls himself Dr Michael James but I can't find that name listed at any university or college, or attached to any publication, though he says he is a lecturer. I emailed him to ask him what his area of research is and I got no reply. I asked him in the comments section whether I could provide a response to some of Father's claims, which are wrong, but I got no reply.

I believe it's my duty to warn people about this priest and especially against some of the errors that he is spreading - even though 80% of the time it appears he's saying perfectly orthodox things, with a spirit of piety and a sophisticated intellect. I have begun responding systematically to his three part video series on aliens - see my blog www.monokosmos.com
Evidence for much of what I've said above either has already appeared, or will appear, on that website.

Reactions? Advice? Anybody have any more information that might help me to get to the bottom of this, or help me warn people? Which forum should this go in?

Thanks for reading this far. I hope I didn't say anything inappropriate. I'm doing what I think is the right thing here.

Brendan

 

I did dabble in the DW for a while but in the end I couldn't really understand it so I put it aside. It sounded quite complicated and revelations from God through various saints are easy to understand. If what you say about Fr is true it is horrific. I say run a mile.

 

Trust your instincts on this Brendan. And pray for this priest.

 

Agree.

 

Pray for him, don't worry.

 

The crazy thing about the DW is that there is like 1000s of YouTube commentators on it, all giving their own kinds of explanations. Which is beautiful if they are inspired. But often they fight among themselves, which to me is bizarre. I don't know if it is just an internet thing or a DW thing. Meanwhile, Jesus who is Peace and Love is just waiting to come into our hearts.

 

That's the word for anything not meant for me - complicated.

 

My take on all of this is that Number One, it is NEVER okay to receive Communion in a state of unconfessed and unabsolved mortal sin. Ever. That is Church Doctrine. So that's an easy one. As far as what details will happen at the End or other created beings that we may not be aware of, that is only known by God and will or will not be revealed to us depending on His will. In other words, those things are not our business, nor do they involve our salvation, so the Church has really no official stand on them. If at some point the Holy Spirit reveals to THE CHURCH something on this, then perhaps we should sit up and take notice. The best thing in all of this is let the Holy Spirit work through the Church and leave it at that. Don't follow anyone who claims to have prophecy that may or may not be true. One thing we learn the longer we stay close to Jesus, is that, yes, individuals have the Holy Spirit, and we do receive personal insights from the Holy Spirit about our personal salvation, but if there is something to be revealed to the REST of the Church, it will be revealed to the Holy See first and foremost. That is why Jesus established the Hierarchy of the Church they way He did. To bring us the Truth through the visable, universal Church to those who are her children and obedient to her. Not to me, not to you, not to any seer.... If we think we can have knowledge above the Church, we are prideful and open to demonic influence. Just as we see from the above account. If we have INSIGHTS to the end of the world or hidden creation that we are given, those can be of course pondered and discussed, but never in any official way or claim.

 

I believe that the belief that there are aliens more evolved than us is a trap to say that, in the future, we will reach that same level and, consequently, we will need less and less the sacraments.

 

How true! Less and less the sacraments = less, and eventually, no grace. No grace=no need for priests etc and ultimately, no need for Christ Himself. We've seemingly been on this road a long time now. You can't tell me a u-turn is a bad thing in this case ~

 

I have a theory that the core of Catharism still remains alive and hidden within many heresies throughout history. Catharism was more honest in saying directly that there is no need for intermediaries before God, Joachimism said that the era of the Holy Spirit would arrive, in which humanity would reach full spiritual maturity, without the need for the Catholic hierarchy. Luísa Picarreta's writings predicted the arrival of an era, at the end of time, in which people could live without sinning. The consequence of all these teachings is that the Eucharist and other sacraments could be abolished without prejudice to salvation.

 

I had no idea of this. One more reason to flee from DW....

 

https://www.facebook.com/1000092392...ry2k8K9RASqixew3DtVi5zgfBjjpvD6uKVgl/?app=fbl

 

I am afraid I have heard other things about the poor Father too. So sad. It's true he is very, very highly qualified as a Theologian so there's that.

But it's best just to leave him be and get on with our own Spiritual Journey. I believe St Paul talks of a time when people would have itchy ears for new false teachers

So sad.

 

Brendan stated:

Why am I bringing this stuff up again, you might ask. Well, in the last 6 months I have become increasingly concerned about things that Fr Iannuzzi has been saying publicly in podcasts and on YouTube videos, particularly on a YouTube channel called Divine Will Era, hosted by a Dr Michael James. Just two days ago he cited Canon 916 to claim that it's acceptable for a layperson to receive Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin in order to avoid embarrassment or "incrimination" in the eyes of others (for abstaining) at a wedding or funeral--as long as an interior act of contrition is made, and one has the intention of getting to Confession soon. I'm no canon lawyer, but I checked with a number of reliable and orthodox Catholics, including knowledgeable priests, and found that my instinct about this proposal was correct: avoiding embarrassment or "incrimination" is not a grave or sufficient reason for receiving the Eucharist, and does not amount to an obligation to receive even in the state of mortal sin.
__________________________________________________________________

Canon 916: A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.

Fr. Iannuzz, in saying the above would be really off board! First, we need perspective. The focus in attending Holy Mass is primarily to be present to worship God in the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary. So important is this that the Church commands we assist at Holy Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation (based on the Third Commandment). We go to Holy Mass primarily to worship God and give Him what is due. To say we go to Holy Mass to receive Holy Communion, as marvelous as that most precious Gift is, misses the point.

The Church only requires us to annually receive Holy Communion once a year, during the Easter season.

To drive this home let us look at the Precepts of the Church from the Catechism:

Canon 2042:
The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor") requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.
The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.

The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.


Canon 2043:
The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.
The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.

The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his own abilities.

 

I wonder sometimes a bout people wandering down these false paths. It warns me as At Paul said that we work out our Salvation in fear and trembling

 

Sounds a lot like AI interference. I had no idea until recently that one's voice and image can be copied and then presented in a video that has one saying the most absurd things, or even speaking a foreign language. AI needs only a few words to copy and it does the rest. Really scary stuff!

 

https://winepressnews.com/2024/04/2...akes-with-just-a-single-photo-and-audio-clip/

Yep. Even Kate Middleton's videos are not passing the deep fake analysis test.

 

Don't get yourself into a frazzle. You're only obliged to warn anyone you influenced into following any wacky ideas he was promoting. It's his Bishop's duty to ensure that he isn't preaching error. Emmett O'Regan seems to be a faithful Catholic and I think he has a degree in Theology. No doubt Emmet knows the correct procedures to follow to notify the Bishop if the priest is straying outside his authority or teaching error.