{"id":2078401,"date":"2023-10-24T20:39:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T00:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/roman-catholic-diocese-warns-of-fake-bishops-priests-in-california\/"},"modified":"2023-10-24T20:42:37","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T00:42:37","slug":"roman-catholic-diocese-warns-of-fake-bishops-priests-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/roman-catholic-diocese-warns-of-fake-bishops-priests-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Catholic Diocese cautions against counterfeit clergy in California."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Froman-catholic-diocese-warns-of-fake-bishops-priests-in-california%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2078401&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>California Diocese Warns Churchgoers of Imposters Posing as\u2064 Catholic Clergy<\/h2>\n<p>A Roman\u2064 Catholic diocese in California has issued a warning to its parishioners about individuals pretending to be Catholic clergymen and charging excessive fees for \u2062blessings and sacraments. The\u2064 Diocese of\u200d Stockton has urged churches and churchgoers in Modesto to be vigilant and watch \u2063out for people claiming to \u200bbe Spanish-speaking Catholic bishops and priests. These imposters engage in fraudulent activities related to the sacraments and sacramentals.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Diocese of Stockton has verified that\u200d these\u200d fake Catholic bishops and priests \u2063are using \u200bthe identities of legitimate priests in Mexico, such as Father Jose Adan\u2062 Gonzalez Estrada and Bishop Raul Gomez Gonzalez, to deceive churchgoers. They charge exorbitant fees for sacraments, classes, \u2063and \u2062certificates. Additionally, they demand\u200c birth certificates, raising concerns about human trafficking \u2063and identity theft.<\/p>\n<p>These fraudsters resort to intimidation tactics when questioned about their credibility, often <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-ags-threaten-legal-action-against-biden-admin-push-for-taxpayer-funded-abortion\/\" title=\"State AGs Threaten Legal Action Against Biden Admin Push for Taxpayer-Funded Abortion\">threatening legal action<\/a>. The Diocese has alerted law enforcement officials in Modesto, but currently, only \u200dvictims targeted by the imposters\u2063 can file complaints and initiate investigations.<\/p>\n<p>The Diocese emphasizes that Catholic sacraments are typically administered within Catholic churches, and victims may need to\u2062 have the sacraments performed again by legitimate officials. They strongly advise the public not to be deceived by \u2064these imposters.<\/p>\n<p>According to\u2064 Diocesan spokesperson Erin Haight, the fake \u200bclergymen are charging victims thousands of dollars for communions and confirmations. They even charge for \u2062the use of seats\u200c during\u2063 ceremonies. Haight clarified that the Catholic Church would never charge such amounts.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/roman-catholic-diocese-warns-of-fake-bishops-priests-in-california\/\" title=\"Catholic Diocese cautions against counterfeit clergy in California.\">fraudsters primarily target illegal immigrants<\/a>, migrant workers, and individuals who may be afraid to seek help from law enforcement. The Diocese of Stockton has been in contact with the Modesto \u2062police department,\u200b but no investigation is currently underway due to the lack of victims coming forward.<\/p>\n<p>This warning follows a previous \u200ccaution from the Diocese of Stockton about a former priest, Leo Suarez, who was dismissed from the clerical state. Suarez was\u2062 conducting invalid Masses in private settings, and churchgoers were advised not to\u2063 participate in these\u2064 events.<\/p>\n<p>It is crucial for churchgoers\u2064 to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the \u200bauthorities. The Diocese of \u200bStockton urges the \u2062public to\u200d stay aware and not fall prey to\u200d these &#8220;wolves in sheep&#8217;s clothing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How can churchgoers in the Diocese of Stockton identify legitimate clergy members and protect themselves from imposters?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200c Ies of legitimate clergy members to deceive unsuspecting churchgoers. They have been\u200d observed targeting primarily\u200b Spanish-speaking Catholics, taking advantage of \u2064their cultural and linguistic vulnerabilities. The \u200cimposters\u200c often approach parishioners after Mass or during religious \u200devents, offering their services for a fee.<\/p>\n<p>The fraudulent activities perpetrated by these imposters\u200d include charging excessive amounts for\u2064 sacraments such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals. They also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/will-hurd-says-he-will-not-sign-rnc-pledge-to-back-2024-nominee\/\" title=\"Will Hurd refuses to sign RNC pledge for 2024 nominee.\">make false promises<\/a> to families in need,\u2062 claiming\u2062 to have the power to heal illnesses\u2063 or resolve personal\u2063 problems through their\u2063 blessings and\u200b prayers. These scams not\u200d only exploit the faith and trust of the victims but also\u200d tarnish the reputation of\u2064 the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n<p>In order to\u2063 combat\u200b this growing issue, the \u200dDiocese of Stockton \u2062has provided guidelines\u200b for churchgoers to identify and protect themselves from these imposters. First and foremost, \u200dthey\u2062 emphasize\u200d that all\u2062 Catholic clergy members are \u200brequired to carry \u200ca \u200cvalid identification\u200b card issued by the diocese. Parishioners are advised to ask \u200cfor \u200bthis identification before engaging in any transactions or accepting any services.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the diocese urges individuals to be cautious \u2062of \u2064clergy members who demand excessive fees or use high-pressure tactics\u2064 to obtain money. \u200dLegitimate Catholic priests and bishops do not charge for the administration of \u2062sacraments,\u200c as they are considered essential aspects\u200d of the Catholic faith \u2064and should be\u200d accessible to all believers. Churchgoers are encouraged to report any suspicious activities to their local parish or\u200d directly\u2063 to \u2062the diocese.<\/p>\n<p>The Diocese of Stockton \u200dhas \u200dalso collaborated\u2064 with local \u200dlaw\u2064 enforcement agencies to investigate these fraudulent activities and bring the \u200dimposters to justice. They are working closely with their parishes to ensure the dissemination of accurate information \u2063to all churchgoers, including bilingual materials in both English and Spanish.<\/p>\n<p>In addition\u2062 to these preventive measures, \u200dthe diocese is\u200b taking steps to educate its \u200cparishioners on the importance of staying informed and\u200c vigilant. They have \u2064organized workshops and \u2064seminars to raise awareness about these imposters and their fraudulent tactics. By empowering the \u200dCatholic community with knowledge, the diocese aims to protect \u200dits faithful members from falling victim to these scams.<\/p>\n<p>It is disheartening to see individuals exploit the\u2063 religious beliefs of others for personal gain. The actions of these imposters \u200bnot only harm the financial\u200d stability of the affected\u2062 families but also erode\u200d the trust and credibility\u200c of the Catholic Church. Through the vigilant efforts of the Diocese of Stockton and its parishioners,\u200d these \u200cimposters will not only be exposed but also deterred from continuing their fraudulent activities.<\/p>\n<p>As churchgoers,\u200d it is important for us to remain\u200b cautious and informed. By being aware of these imposters and the\u2063 warning signs, we can protect ourselves\u200d and our fellow\u200c church members from falling victim to their deceitful\u2062 practices. Let us\u2063 stand together as a community and uphold \u2064the integrity of\u2064 our faith, ensuring that those who\u200c seek \u200dsolace and guidance in the Catholic Church can do so without fear of exploitation or fraud.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A California diocese warns churchgoers to watch out for imposters posing as Catholic clergymen, charging high fees for blessings and sacraments. The Diocese of Stockton advises Modesto churches and attendees to be cautious of individuals claiming to be clergy members.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":2078402,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2078401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2078401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078401\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2078402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2078401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2078401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2078401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}