Once again, thousands of Catholics gathered for the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress (REC). It is America’s largest Catholic religious educational conference of the year, and this year marked its seventieth anniversary.
The idea of any religious educational conference should be to help people learn how to teach fellow Catholics to grow in their faith and become closer to God.
However, unfortunately many were disappointed to find out about speakers who do not promote orthodox Catholic teaching.
On February 21, members and supporters of the American Society for the defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) protested at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. In this way, many faithful Catholics became aware of the many errors promoted at the event. It is important because it was a public testimony of Catholics affirming their Faith.
Several Dangerous Speakers
With its large red standard, bagpipes and a drum, those at the TFP rally handed out the flyer titled “Catholics Reject Unorthodox Speakers at the REC.” They also prayed in reparation for the promotion of errors at the event.
Fr. James Martin was the REC’s most well-known speaker, because of his strong promotion of his LGBTQ ministries. For example, he has said that Catholics must “reverence” homosexual unions, supported transgenderism for children and favored homosexual kissing at the kiss of peace during Holy Mass.
Unfortunately, this activist priest was joined by many other speakers with scandalous views.
Some of the other speakers denounced in the TFP flyer include:
- Father Ronald Rolheiser once dismally described Saint Therese of the Child Jesus as one who “slept alone on her celibate cot” and was “tormented by constant yearning.”
- Father Thomas Reese advocates that the Church accept homosexual seminarians.
- Sister Barbara Reid rejects papal infallibility and the Divine authorship of the Scriptures.
Other speakers are on record as denying or casting doubt upon Original Sin, the Redemption, the existence of limbo, priestly ordination for men only, priestly celibacy and many other doctrines traditionally affirmed by the Church.
Many were shocked to learn about the subjects being promoted inside. Attendance at the LA REC is required for all Catholic educators within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, meaning some participants were unaware of the event’s agenda beforehand.
Upon discovering that some speakers were pro-homosexual and supported women’s ordination, many attendees expressed support for the TFP and immediate outrage over the selection of speakers.
Catholics Join the Protest
As usual, many Catholics showed their support and thanked the TFP members for standing up for the truth and warning them to avoid the unorthodox speakers.
There were two ladies who joined in praying the rosary. They went to the conference a few years ago to visit the Catholic booths, and were shocked as some of the anti-Catholic material that they encountered. They were profusely grateful to see that the TFP was there protesting the evils of the REC.
Another man went up to thank one of the TFP members. He told the member that for several years he has been trying to get a booth to display his Catholic wood art shop Old School Catholic Traditions. The man said, “Finally, after six or seven years they let me have a booth. I’m probably too traditional for them.”
Once he set up, he was shocked to find out that the booth next to him was promoting ordaining women to the diaconate.
While the members were praying the rosary, they noticed that many people were mouthing the prayers as they walked by.
The TFP distributed leaflets to a good number of those attending, thus ensuring that many LA REC attendees were warned about the subversive doctrines being promoted inside.
Why Protesting the LA REC Matters
By protesting in front of the convention center, faithful Catholics stood as witnesses, offering reparation for the offenses against God being committed at the event.
The TFP members were able to attended this year’s protest once again, thanks to generous donors.
The protest in Anaheim was a powerful act of atonement. Our Lord was surely consoled by the devotion and courage of those who participated in the public rally. They were not concerned with being shamed or ridiculed. They understood that a public act of reparation was necessary, no matter how “uncomfortable” it might be.
First published on TFP.org.