SW News: The anti-Catholic memorandum of the FBI, which has now been withdrawn, was slammed by Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti of Tennessee along with attorneys general of 19 other states on Monday, Feb. 13. They signed a letter condemning the memo and it was sent to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland.

FBI’s “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities” memo was leaked and its contents appeared on the website UncoverDC on February 8. The document placed certain Catholic groups under the scanner because of their traditional beliefs such as their penchant for the Traditional Latin Mass, and their critical view of certain reforms brought about by the Second Vatican Council. Skrmetti and other attorneys general sought an explanation as to why the bureau brought out this memo and how it has affected the Catholics in Virginia. They also demanded “information on whether the FBI has begun infiltrating houses of worship in conflict with the FBI’s internal guidelines” in a statement.

The attorneys general also sought an explanation from the bureau asking it to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable Catholic practices. They made this demand as the memorandum said the Church included radical traditionalists who “could be racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists”.
The Attorney General of Tennessee said he was proud to have worked with “many honorable FBI agents and supervisors to prosecute sex traffickers, corrupt public officials, and violent white supremacists”. While acknowledging the good work done by the bureau, he said whenever it moved away from its core mission and tried to enforce political orthodoxy, it brought ignominy and affected its ability to protect citizens.

Meanwhile, a Catholic bishop has urged members of Virginia’s Congress to issue a condemnation of the infamous memo. Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond diocese made this demand on February 13. He called the document a threat to religious freedom and urged lawmakers to make sure that offenses against the freedom to exercise one’s religion do not occur.