LACROSSE, Wis. – In his weekly sermon the right-wing conspiracy theorist Catholic priest James Altman announced that the bishop has asked him to resign. Most parishioners at St. James Church on the LaCrosse North Side were half-anticipating the news but moaned their disappointment anyway. For months Altman has been openly critical of church leadership in sermons, online and elsewhere. He’s called progressive politicians hell-bound. Earlier he was reprimanded quietly by Bishop William Callahan but persisted. To parishioners Sunday Altman said he won’t go quietly. “As the Bishop has stated to me: ‘I am ineffective.’ So for the record, dear family, Bishop Callahan has asked me to resign as pastor as of this past Friday, two days ago, because I am divisive and ineffective.”. His faithful moaned again: “No.”
Altman. Wayward? Or right on? The pun’s intended.