NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A religious group, Faithful America, called on the Catholic bishop of LaCrosse, William Callahan, to remove an outspoken priest who has flouted covid masking rules, called vaccines a hoax, and predicted hell for those who disagree. The executive director of Faithful America, Nathan Empsall, an Episcopal priest, launched a petition, addressed to Callahan. The petition asserts that Father James Altman’s “anti-vaccine antics” have reached “a deadly breaking point.” The petition says it’s naive to believe that further private counseling for Altman, as promised by Bishop Callahan, will make a difference. Faithful America, which claims to be the largest online community of Christians for social justice, has generated as many as 600,000 petition signatures in the past. In general the organization has not been received well in Catholic circles. The president of the Catholic League, Bill Donohue, has accused Faithful America of interfering in Catholic matters and seeking to sow discord.
Verbatim
Faithful America’s call: “Dear Bishop Callahan: As your fellow Catholics and ecumenical Christians, we ask you to immediately and permanently remove Fr. James Altman from all parish ministry and pastoral leadership. Father Altman’s anti-vaccine antics and flouting of diocesan and county COVID-19 protocols have reached a deadly breaking point, and can no longer wait for private correction to run its course. As Christians who follow a healing savior, we are called to care for the sick and respect the God-given laws of nature. Right now, that means supporting vaccines, masks, and social distancing, just like Pope Francis — not jamming our pews full of maskless parishioners and slandering life-saving public-health officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci as “Nazi-esque” “godless vermin.” Father Altman is endangering not only his own parishioners but every essential worker they meet, and should be removed from St. James the Less Catholic Church before he can risk even one more life.”
Empsall. Identifies himself as a justice-focused progressive Christian organizer. With Faithful America since 2019, when he took over from Michael Sherrard, who led the organization for five years.