Editor’s note: This is a developing story. For updates, see the Archdiocesan news page.
Archbishop Joesph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, has issued a call to prayer in response to the upcoming satanic “black mass” to take place March 28 on capitol grounds in Topeka.
According to a Facebook statement from Archbishop Naumann, Catholics can join him that day for a Holy Hour and Mass scheduled to take place at Assumption Church from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the same duration as the satanic ritual. Assumption Church is across the street from the capitol grounds.
Other prayer services have been announced at churches throughout Kansas. St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison has planned a Holy Hour for Benedictine students, followed by Mass at 12:10. Students may also attend a holy hour at St. Benedict’s parish church.
A “black mass” is a parody of a Catholic Mass that includes the desecration of the Eucharist. To perform the ritual, the group in question (known as “the Satanic Grotto”) has promised to defile a Bible and a cross. It is unclear if they are in possession of a consecrated Host.
“The leader initially claimed to have a consecrated host,” Archbishop Naumann wrote in a column for the archdiocesan newspaper, the Leaven. “Now, he says that he just possesses unconsecrated Communion wafers. When you worship the Father of Lies, truth is not a high priority. We are pursuing legal efforts to take custody of what he claimed was a consecrated host.”
The Leaven reported that Archbishop Naumann filed a lawsuit to recover the Eucharist under state laws governing the return of wrongfully taken personal property. Michael T. Stewart, president of The Satanic Grotto, is named as one of the defendants.
“The motion cites posts made earlier this month by Stewart on the social media platform Reddit in which Stewart — using the handle “xsimon666x” and describing himself as “Simon Satanas” — wrote that his group ‘already secured a consecrated host’ and ‘wine too’ for desecration at the planned March 28 event,” the Leaven reported.
However, during a March 20 hearing, the Satanic Grotto denied under oath that they had obtained a consecrated Host. Amid these conflicting reports, Governor Laura Kelly has allowed the demonstration to proceed outside the capitol grounds rather than inside the capitol building as was originally planned, according to the Leaven.
“Since these rights are constitutionally protected, the Governor’s Office has limited authority to respond to such actions,” Kelly said. “That said, it is important to keep the Statehouse open and accessible to the public while ensuring all necessary health and safety regulations are enforced.”
To this end, Kelly has mandated that any proceedings be held outside of the capitol building.
Topeka is not the only city in Kansas facing heightened Satanic activity. St. Patrick Church in Wichita announced March 15 that it had been vandalized. An article from OSV News described the damage:
“The photos showed a green-cloaked statue, possibly of the church’s patron, cast to the ground, its head pulverized into fragments,” OSV reported. “Votive candles, candlesticks and what appeared to be the cover for the church’s baptismal font had been thrown down and damaged, with interior glass panes shattered. The Kansas Catholic Conference said in its post that ‘a Satanic website was scrawled on the wall.’”
While a direct connection between the incidents has not been proven, the vandalization took place just over a week before the planned “black mass.”
Benedictine President Stephen Minnis released a statement March 10 calling for prayers regarding the black mass.
“I am asking members of the college’s Memorare Army to pray 10 memorares a day throughout March with the intention that Our Lady of Guadalupe will intercede for this situation in Kansas,” Minnis wrote.
Archbishop Naumann encouraged all Christians to pray in response to this desecration, wherever they may be, and to consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary. He added that he will reconsecrate the archdiocese to Jesus through Mary ahead of the “black mass” March 25, the solemnity of the Annunciation.
“The Catholic Church’s response to this mockery and blasphemy of what we hold sacred is to encourage Catholics and all Christians to pray,” Naumann additionally stated. “Pray for God’s mercy for those who blaspheme God. I encourage people to pray that God will touch this poor man’s heart to understand that Jesus gave his life on Calvary for him.”
