EWTN News reports on the arrest of Father Richard Storey, a “priest” from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, charged with the theft of approximately $160,000 from the Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood. Storey, who had already resigned in September 2025 amid a separate criminal investigation, turned himself in on May 23. Archbishop Shawn McKnight expressed the “deep pain” of the “Catholic community” and urged parishioners to “trust in Christ” for strength and unity. This sordid episode is yet another symptom of the profound moral and spiritual decay that is the inevitable fruit of the conciliar revolution, demonstrating that the structures occupying the Vatican are incapable of safeguarding either the faith or the material resources of the faithful.
The Inevitable Fruits of a Counterfeit Church
The arrest of Father Richard Storey for the alleged theft of $160,000 is not an isolated incident of individual moral failure; it is a direct and predictable consequence of the systemic rot that has infected the conciliar sect since its inception. The structures occupying the Vatican, having abandoned the immutable truths of the Catholic faith and the rigorous discipline of the true Church, have created an environment where such scandals are not merely possible but inevitable. When the supernatural purpose of the priesthood is obscured or denied, when the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is reduced to a mere communal meal, and when the Church’s mission is redefined in terms of social justice and human fraternity, it is no surprise that those within these structures would succumb to the basest of human temptations. As Pope Pius IX warned in the Syllabus of Errors, the rejection of divine authority and the embrace of secularism lead to the dissolution of moral order: “Authority is nothing else but numbers and the sum total of material forces” (Error 60). The conciliar sect, having embraced the spirit of the age, now reaps the whirlwind of its apostasy.
The Bankruptcy of Conciliar “Leadership”
Archbishop Shawn McKnight’s response to this scandal is a masterclass in the banal, naturalistic rhetoric that characterizes the post-conciliar hierarchy. His statement that the allegations are “deeply painful for all of us in the Catholic community” and his call for “sensitivity, patience, charity, and respect” are devoid of any supernatural content. There is no mention of the sacrilege committed against the sacred trust of the faithful’s offerings, no call to repentance, no invocation of divine justice, and no acknowledgment that such crimes are an offense against God Himself. Instead, the language is purely horizontal, focused on the feelings of the community and the hope that “with faith in Christ, our community can emerge stronger and more united.” This is the language of a corporate manager, not a shepherd of souls. It reflects the conciliar obsession with “dialogue” and “community” at the expense of truth and justice. The true Church, guided by the Holy Ghost, would demand accountability, penance, and a clear reaffirmation of the sacred nature of the priesthood and the offerings of the faithful. The conciliar sect, however, can only offer platitudes and insurance claims.
The Myth of “Reform” and the Persistence of Scandal
For decades, the apologists for the conciliar revolution have promised that “reforms” and “accountability” would cleanse the Church of such scandals. Yet, the litany of crimes—sexual abuse, financial malfeasance, and doctrinal corruption—continues unabated. This is because the problem is not merely one of discipline or administration but of identity. The conciliar sect is not the Catholic Church; it is a counterfeit institution built on the ruins of the true Church. Its “clergy” are not formed in the seminary tradition of saints and martyrs but in institutions that have been hotbeds of modernist indoctrination and moral laxity. The very concept of the priesthood has been so diluted, so stripped of its sacrificial and hierarchical nature, that it is no wonder that those who occupy these roles often lack the supernatural virtue necessary to resist temptation. As St. Pius X warned in Lamentabili sane exitu, the modernist errors concerning the nature of the Church and the sacraments lead to the destruction of the priesthood and the ruin of souls. The conciliar sect, having embraced these errors, now bears the fruit of its apostasy.
The Faithful: Victims of Spiritual and Material Theft
The most tragic aspect of this scandal is the betrayal of the faithful. The $160,000 allegedly stolen by Storey was not merely money; it was the sacrificial offering of hardworking Catholics, given in good faith to support the work of the Church. This theft is not only a crime against property but a sacrilege against the sacred trust placed in the clergy. The conciliar sect, with its emphasis on “stewardship” and “transparency,” has failed in its most basic duty to safeguard the resources of the faithful. Moreover, the spiritual theft is even greater. The faithful who attended the “Masses” and received the “sacraments” from this man were being fed a counterfeit religion, a hollow shell that offers no grace and no salvation. As Our Lord warned, “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:16). The fruits of the conciar sect are corruption, scandal, and apostasy. The faithful are urged to flee from these structures and seek the true Church, where the priesthood is holy, the Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of Calvary, and the faith is immutable.
Conclusion: A Call to Discernment and Repentance
The arrest of Father Richard Storey is a stark reminder that the conciliar sect is not a safe harbor for souls but a sinking ship. The faithful must open their eyes and recognize that the structures occupying the Vatican are not the Catholic Church but the “abomination of desolation” foretold by Our Lord (Matthew 24:15). The only path to salvation is through the true Church, which endures in the faithful who profess the integral Catholic faith and are led by bishops with valid sacraments and validly ordained priests. Let us pray for the conversion of those ensnared in the conciar sect and for the restoration of the true Church, where Christ reigns as King and the priesthood is a reflection of His eternal priesthood. Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus—outside the Church, there is no salvation.
Source:
Priest charged with theft of $160,000 from Kansas parish (ewtnnews.com)
Date: 26.05.2026