a “vicious” and well-funded “media campaign.” -- perhaps even by the same perpetrators of +Sako's ai interview campaigns. An international Chaldean conspiracy.
Oh yes, you should see the accounts on Twitter that have sprung up defending Bishop Shaleta and the Patriarch, they claim it is "an attempt to bring down the last Aramaic speaking Church" and accusing Fr. Andrew Younan and Fr. Daniel Shaba of being complicit in attacking the Church, frankly ridiculous.
as if the Assyrian Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox and Syriac Catholic Church do not exist.
This bishop has more scandals going on than Watergate, and yet claims it's all lies made up by unnamed rich "enemies" and the media? Who does he think he's fooling?
Any responsible organization (that would exclude the Catholic Church) would require two signatures on large checks. One can make a prudential judgment about where the line is ($500? $10,000?) but no one person, even a bishop, should have this authority, "corporation sole" notwithstanding.
Agree, Kurt. But even with such controls, I too frequently witnessed fraud conspiracies in the corporate world that got around such controls for a time. But nothing like this transparent malfeasance with no controls in sight (including for the payments to the Tijuana brothel).
If there really have been three separate "vicious" and "well-funded" conspiracies against Chaldean bishops within the course of a year, ranging from Iraq to California, involving AI deepfakes, and spanning the breadth of such topics as a conclave, Israel, a brothel, a secret family, and giant piles of cash, someone absolutely needs to make a movie about it.
Thank you for continuing to uncover & report on stories like this. Shining a light on corrupt clerics can only help the Church.
It still saddens me greatly that we have men committing their life to the priesthood and rising to the rank of Bishop, all the while knowingly and purposefully stealing funds from the church that they are not entitled to and engaging in years long affairs and sinful behavior that they certainly know is wrong and forbidden.
Yes we are all sinners (myself included) but to compound the terrible sins of theft, greed, lust, and the violation of vows repeatedly for many years, by then lying repeatedly about it, and trying to lead other clerics and faithful into defending you, simply sickens me.
If there are people in power at the Vatican that recognize how terrible and harmful all of this is, then hopefully Sako gets sacked along with his bishop friend from Southern California.
I wasn't paying attention at all (we Latins have more than enough episcopal scandals of our own to keep track of) but I saw, yesterday evening, that the Daily Mail (certainly not reliable except in the sense that most of the time the gossip and rumors are presumably real gossip and rumours and not just made up at the DM offices) was reporting that "the CATHOLIC BISHOP" has been frequenting a house of ill repute in Tijuana. My impression had been that this business was all about money but evidently not (the 'woman from Toledo').
I think it is quite telling we are not seeing any of his Priests come out with public statements to defend him, and they are all quite active on social media.
I witnessed his statement live, he didn't really address anything, all misdirection trying to point at his record, discussing how many churches he has built, priests he has ordained, claiming the Eparchy was broke before him (an attack on his predecessor the late Mar Sarhad Jammo I believe), and trying to flip it on the Vatican by saying "They do not trust me" or "they began an investigation without informing me". Your Grace, if you did nothing wrong and are clean, then why does the fact the Vatican ordered an investigation bother you? Seems like fear in my mind.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" -Psalms 27:1
a “vicious” and well-funded “media campaign.” -- perhaps even by the same perpetrators of +Sako's ai interview campaigns. An international Chaldean conspiracy.
Oh yes, you should see the accounts on Twitter that have sprung up defending Bishop Shaleta and the Patriarch, they claim it is "an attempt to bring down the last Aramaic speaking Church" and accusing Fr. Andrew Younan and Fr. Daniel Shaba of being complicit in attacking the Church, frankly ridiculous.
as if the Assyrian Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox and Syriac Catholic Church do not exist.
Well. I suppose I shall join the bishop in his prayer that the Lord will mercifully limit the damage evil people do to the Church...
Follow the money. Hey, I jus listened to your podcast soon after Leo was elected. Have ya all gotten over the shock? Are you feeling better now?
Unrelated entirely to your comment, I am deeply hopeful that you are, in fact, United States Men's National Team soccer legend, Claudio Reyna.
I am named after St. Cecilia but I am not a Saint and not a female.
This bishop has more scandals going on than Watergate, and yet claims it's all lies made up by unnamed rich "enemies" and the media? Who does he think he's fooling?
Himself clearly
Scandal is common for our Patriarch in this age unfortunately.
Every other week it is something new with him.
Any responsible organization (that would exclude the Catholic Church) would require two signatures on large checks. One can make a prudential judgment about where the line is ($500? $10,000?) but no one person, even a bishop, should have this authority, "corporation sole" notwithstanding.
Agree, Kurt. But even with such controls, I too frequently witnessed fraud conspiracies in the corporate world that got around such controls for a time. But nothing like this transparent malfeasance with no controls in sight (including for the payments to the Tijuana brothel).
Maybe he was just trying to emulate Saint Vitalis of Gaza? /s
"Well-funded media campaign..."
JD: "Ed...did you hear the news?? Apparently we're well-funded!"
Ed: "Drinks all around!"
Guess I can lower my subscription then! :) LOL.
If there really have been three separate "vicious" and "well-funded" conspiracies against Chaldean bishops within the course of a year, ranging from Iraq to California, involving AI deepfakes, and spanning the breadth of such topics as a conclave, Israel, a brothel, a secret family, and giant piles of cash, someone absolutely needs to make a movie about it.
And would also make for the greatest Pillar Explainer of all time.
Carry On Chaldeans?
Sounds like he should call up cardinal Becciu to get pointers on how to respond to the media! =)
Thank you for continuing to uncover & report on stories like this. Shining a light on corrupt clerics can only help the Church.
It still saddens me greatly that we have men committing their life to the priesthood and rising to the rank of Bishop, all the while knowingly and purposefully stealing funds from the church that they are not entitled to and engaging in years long affairs and sinful behavior that they certainly know is wrong and forbidden.
Yes we are all sinners (myself included) but to compound the terrible sins of theft, greed, lust, and the violation of vows repeatedly for many years, by then lying repeatedly about it, and trying to lead other clerics and faithful into defending you, simply sickens me.
If there are people in power at the Vatican that recognize how terrible and harmful all of this is, then hopefully Sako gets sacked along with his bishop friend from Southern California.
I wasn't paying attention at all (we Latins have more than enough episcopal scandals of our own to keep track of) but I saw, yesterday evening, that the Daily Mail (certainly not reliable except in the sense that most of the time the gossip and rumors are presumably real gossip and rumours and not just made up at the DM offices) was reporting that "the CATHOLIC BISHOP" has been frequenting a house of ill repute in Tijuana. My impression had been that this business was all about money but evidently not (the 'woman from Toledo').
I think it is quite telling we are not seeing any of his Priests come out with public statements to defend him, and they are all quite active on social media.
I witnessed his statement live, he didn't really address anything, all misdirection trying to point at his record, discussing how many churches he has built, priests he has ordained, claiming the Eparchy was broke before him (an attack on his predecessor the late Mar Sarhad Jammo I believe), and trying to flip it on the Vatican by saying "They do not trust me" or "they began an investigation without informing me". Your Grace, if you did nothing wrong and are clean, then why does the fact the Vatican ordered an investigation bother you? Seems like fear in my mind.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" -Psalms 27:1
Seems to me there is an opportunity to grow the Chaldean community in Ketchikan, Alaska.