In 2023, the FBI under President Joe Biden attempted to characterize 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 subsequently investigated them. The investigation also relied on left-wing media reports and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) to develop an unsubstantiated 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 FBI agents suggested “radical traditionalist Catholics” constituted a group capable of staging nationwide terror campaigns at any moment.
The probe began when the FBI investigated Target 1, who attended Our Lady of Fatima Chapel of the Society of St. Pius X—a group recently declared in schism and excommunicated by the Vatican, though canon lawyers have questioned the legality of that declaration. The report notes: “During his time in prison, Target 1 continued espousing violent, racial views.”
According to records, Target 1 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 vowed to “destroy” “Jews, Liberals, communists, degenerates, Zionists, progressives, capitalists, globalists, and green-party PETA-type environmentalists.”
The FBI contacted Priest 1, who indicated he knew Target 1 through the church but not well. Priest 1 stated Target 1 was not a Catholic, had never been to Confession, attended only three or four catechism classes, and required modification of his views before joining the church. He also described Target 1 as having “crazy views about race” and war, labeling him a white supremacist. When asked if Target 1 ever discussed violence, Priest 1 became nervous, stuttered, and requested to speak with church leadership or a lawyer first.
The FBI also investigated Priest 1’s uncle, Priest 2, for alleged radical connections. Agents followed Priest 2 internationally. The bureau had opened “Guardian” files on both priests but closed them after finding no wrongdoing.
Simultaneously, the Richmond field office developed a theory that radical traditionalist Catholics (RTCs) posed national security threats—a notion encapsulated in the infamous “Richmond Catholic Memo.” The memo’s thesis linked racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists to RTC ideology. To define “radical traditionalist Catholic,” the FBI created a footnote: RTCs are typically characterized by rejection of the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) as valid; disdain for most popes elected since Vatican II, particularly Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II; and frequent adherence to anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, and white supremacist ideologies. Radical-traditionalist Catholics form a small minority of Roman Catholics, distinct from “traditionalist Catholics” who prefer pre-Vatican II teachings without extremist rhetoric.
The FBI spent time creating a presentation titled “Traditionalist Catholicism Overview,” which made broad generalizations about traditionalists and described how the Richmond office differentiated RTCs posing threats from others. The differentiation centered on doctrinal disputes, including changes from Vatican II.
The memo also targeted multiple chapels and a seminary near Richmond to alert them to “warning signs of radicalization” and enlist their assistance as suspicious activity monitors.
An appendix in the report lists SPLC-defined hate groups, including Culture Wars magazine and its Fidelity Press, and The Remnant, a traditionalist Catholic newspaper.
The FBI used left-wing sources such as Salon and The Atlantic for some claims. For instance, the memo cited Salon articles about “increasing collaboration” between a “far-right Catholic media outlet” and the “groyper” movement, and referenced an Atlantic article on heightened hostility toward abortion rights advocates following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
A federal grand jury recently charged the SPLC and a top former official with wire fraud, false statements, and money laundering for funding groups it claims to combat.
After the memo leaked publicly, an internal review found that those who conducted the investigation lacked “professional judgment” and failed to adhere to FBI standards. The FBI disciplined those involved by admonishing them and terminating some from their positions.