It’s always interesting when a CEO of an organization steps down or resigns. After all, no matter the reason, it’s fun to decipher the lines of PR talk to understand what caused it.
Something similar has happened now- Michael Voris of Church Militant, a far-right organization, has resigned. But why?
On November 21, 2023, far-right group Church Militant/St. Michael’s Media founder and former CEO Michael Voris was asked to resign by the organization for violating a “morality clause.” In a video, Michael stated, “Sometimes it takes very horrible events, even at your own hand, in your life to surface certain things that need to be faced.”
Who Is Michael Voris?
Michael Voris graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1983. He also has a postgraduate degree from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in sacred theology from Rome.
Voris used his communications degree to begin his career working for CBS News as an anchor, producer, and TV reporter. In 2006, he started St. Michael’s Media in Ferndale, Michigan.
Later, in 2008, he began the Church Militant as Real Catholic TV. However, on December 15, 2011, the Detroit Archdiocese informed him that they didn’t permit his organization to use the word ‘Catholic’ to promote their activities.
As a result, Voris changed Real Catholic to Church Militant/St. Michael’s Media. He also hosts a web show called “The Vortex” on Church Militant. He has spoken at various Church Militant events and programs.
On its website, St. Michael’s Media is described as “dedicated to the new evangelization and spreading the truth of the Catholic faith via the medium of television, radio, the Internet, and other forms of modern mass media.”
It is known for its far-right approach. It has links to controversial far-right figures like Milo Yiannopoulos, who has made disparaging remarks about minorities, transgender people, etc.
Also, they have accused several U.S. bishops of advocating for human trafficking because of their support towards migrants, especially at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Why Did Church Militant Founder Michael Voris Resign?
On November 21, 2023, Church Militant/St. Michael’s Media revealed a bombshell news. Its former CEO and founder, Michael Voris, had resigned. He was “asked to resign for breaching the Church Militant morality clause.”
They also said that the board of directors has chosen to keep Voris’ private matters out of the public eye. The board also revealed that it had accepted his resignation.
In a statement posted by the organization, the group remarked that it was founded to be a “bastion of Catholic truth and a light to the faithful in hard times,” so they were being transparent with Voris’ resignation.
They further requested,
“The apostolate will be praying for him and kindly ask that you do the same.”
Christine Niles also resigned from Church Militant on November 9 after expressing concerns over the organization’s functioning. She alleged that the group was moving away from their mission and that Voris was a changed man.
Niles revealed that Michael hadn’t prayed with his staff for two years, which was a warning sign. She also stated that Voris had hurt many people at Church Militant with his actions.
In a video posted by Michael captioned “God Love You,” Michael Voris refused to explain his reason for resignation but stated that he needed to address some issues. He apologized and cryptically said:
“Sometimes it takes very horrible events, even at your own hand, in your life to surface certain things that need to be faced. There are some very, very ugly truths from my past that I, for essentially 62 years, have avoided facing.”
In the end, he mentioned that he wanted to conquer his demons. Voris revealed :
“I wanted them resolved, but I understand that touching that pain is going to be a very horrible thing.”
He has been a vocal critic of LGBTQ rights. However, he has been criticized by many for hypocrisy. Voris admitted in 2016 (via the Washington Post) that he had previously “lived a life of live-in relationships with homosexual men” but had turned his life around and found faith.
Many believe that he was asked to resign because he had adopted the LGBTQ lifestyle again. Also, on the Catholicism subreddit, user Tiny_Ear_61 pointed out the hypocrisy of the group’s statement by saying that they want privacy. They wrote:
“‘The Board of Directors has chosen not to disclose Michael’s private matters to the public.’ After encouraging scandalous speculation about the “private matters” of bishops and cardinals for nearly two decades.”
Another Redditor, Go_get_matt, implied that Voris was getting a taste of his medicine. They said:
“Is there anyone who didn’t see through this guy’s charade?!… Stop following loudmouth charlatans who spend more time criticizing others than they do living the beatitudes.”
However, one user, Tarnhill, looked at the bright side and was glad the organization showed accountability. They wrote:
“We have no idea at this point in what ways Voris has failed – whether it be financial related, journalism/reputation/truthfulness, etc, or sexual or something else. Whatever it is… this is what we should expect from any Catholic organization when someone needs to be held accountable.”
Why do you think Michael Voris abruptly resigned? What could be the morality clause he had breached? Will Church Militant survive as an organization after this?
In the comments below, let us know your thoughts about this situation.
Source: Washington Post
