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Timeline: Church Militant closure (2023–2024)

Key moments in the traditionalist Catholic world — councils and documents, communities and their founders, media launches and controversies — each with its sources.
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2024

  1. Church Militant settles priest's defamation suit for $500,000 and agrees to close

    The plaintiff's law firm announced that St. Michael's Media had settled Fr. Georges de Laire's federal defamation suit over a 2019 article with a retraction, an apology and a $500,000 payment, and that Church Militant would cease operating at the end of April 2024.

    SourcesCatholic news site Church Militant agrees to pay $500K in defamation case and… (Associated Press (via Bangor Daily News))Right-wing Catholic outlet Church Militant to close in April (National Catholic Reporter)Church Militant to shut down as defamation saga ignited by a radical… (OSV News (via The Monitor, Diocese of Trenton))

2023

  1. Church Militant founder Michael Voris resigns at board's request

    The St. Michael's Media board said founder Michael Voris had been asked to resign for breaching the Church Militant morality clause and that it had accepted his resignation, without disclosing details. Voris apologized in a video on X without specifying the reason.

    SourcesFounder of far-right Catholic site resigns over breach of its morality clause,… (Associated Press (via Bangor Daily News))Church Militant says founder Michael Voris asked to resign for breach of… (OSV News (via Detroit Catholic))

2021

  1. Appeals court upholds ruling that Baltimore cannot block Church Militant rally

    A Fourth Circuit panel upheld an October 12, 2021, district-court ruling that Baltimore could not prevent St. Michael's Media from holding a rally near the U.S. bishops' November meeting. The district judge had found likely viewpoint discrimination.

    SourcesAppeals court agrees city can't ban Catholic group's rally (Associated Press (via The Washington Times))Federal judge rules Baltimore cannot block Church Militant rally (Catholic World Report (CNA))

2020

  1. Archdiocese of Detroit condemns Church Militant video about Archbishop Wilton Gregory

    In June 2020 the Archdiocese of Detroit condemned language in a Church Militant video about Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington as racist and derogatory, and said the outlet was not affiliated with, endorsed or recommended by the archdiocese and was not a recognized Church apostolate.

    SourcesStatement regarding recent comments made about Archbishop of Washington, D.C.,… (Archdiocese of Detroit)Detroit archdiocese criticizes 'racist and derogatory language' from Church… (Catholic World Report)

2012

  1. RealCatholicTV renames itself ChurchMilitant.TV after Detroit archdiocese objection

    After the Archdiocese of Detroit said it did not regard RealCatholicTV as authorized under canon law to use the word "Catholic" in promoting its activities, the Michigan-based service changed its name to ChurchMilitant.TV in June 2012.

    SourceReal Catholic TV service removes 'Catholic' from new name (Catholic News Agency)

2006

  1. Michael Voris founds St. Michael's Media, later the home of Church Militant

    Michael Voris founded St. Michael's Media in Ferndale, Michigan, in 2006. Its video service, first called RealCatholicTV and later Church Militant, grew to more than 40 full-time staff by 2023.

    SourceFounder of far-right Catholic site resigns over breach of its morality clause,… (Associated Press (via Bangor Daily News))