Cardinal Pell: The Catholic Church Must Free Itself From This ‘Toxic Nightmare’
January 16, 2023
The Axis of evil in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles
February 5, 2023
Like many Catholics I was starting to follow Bishop Robert Barron and started buying his Word on Fire materials. He was spending millions to become a “social media superstar”, and his popularity was growing rapidly. But I was quite troubled to see his behaviors and the people around him when I first met him in person in October of 2017. (We will discuss his heretical messages at another time).
For some reason that is leading to a scandal, Barron is always surrounded by one or more muscular, tattooed men. Everywhere he goes, I mean everywhere Barron goes, he is always accompanied by these men. What’s more disturbing, he employs them, he pays them higher than high salaries, and it appears that one or more of them live with him. (White Pages listing)
When Barron started his Word on Fire Ministry (“WOF”) he named Jared Zimmerer as its executive director. Based on publicly available information, Zimmerer has been a competitive bodybuilder and became a catechist at his Texas parish but had no experience in non-profits or any executive level experience when Barron hired him. Today, Zimmerer is still an executive at WOF and a very close friend of Barron’s. Disturbingly, Zimmerer keeps posting pictures of himself showing his muscles with very little clothes at times. No morally driven corporation, school, private or public or religious organization would ever allow an executive to post those kinds of pictures online. Zimmerer’s public profile claims that he is an athlete, married and has 6 children. It is ironic to think that Bruce Jenner had the same public profile description at one point with the same number of children. But back to the issue, why would a Catholic Bishop, a man under obedience, allow an employee to exhibit his body publicly and lustfully?
But wait, Zimmerer is just the tip of the iceberg. It gets worse.
Meet “Father” Father Steve Grunow the CEO of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and a “priest in good standing” according to the Archdioceses of Chicago and Los Angeles. A short, 4.9 feet “priest” with a Napoleon complex that also makes a point to show the world that he has big muscles and is starving for attention (vanity).
Again, why would any man do this? And this man is a priest for crying out loud! Why? I have asked this question to many people including friends of mine that are or were gay and all of them tell me that these patterns are very common amongst gay men. They use these kinds of pictures in their profiles in gay dating sites and apps like Grindr. Does the name Monsignor Burell, (another one of Archbishop Jose Gomez’ staff member) ring a bell?
We also noticed that Barron likes to spend time meeting with young seminarians at the St. John’s Seminary, and frequently invites seminarians and newly ordained priests to stay at his house overnight. Most noticeable, Barron recently invited Fr. Michel Mesa and Fr. Justin Oh. According to seminarians Mesa and Oh have had a romantic relationship for many years.
Are we insinuating that Bishop Robert Barron is an active homosexual? That is a good question that we can not answer with 100% certainty. With that said, Barron’s statements about same-sex marriage and his close relationship and public praising of male sodomy promoter “Fr.” James Martin gives us another disturbing hint in that direction. But Martin is not a bodybuilder so let’s leave him for a future article.
Now, meet Joseph Gloor, Barron’s photographer, producer, travel companion, roommate, and closest friend. According to Gloor’s Linkedin profile, he started working for Barron’s WOF in 2016. Gloor claims to be “male model” and was a public-school English teacher before he started working for Barron. Nothing, nothing in his background tells us that he had the experience to be a producer, or photographer.
Why would Barron hire a person like Gloor and why are the two always together? A single, 40 years old, white “male model” working so closely with a Catholic Bishop? I do not know about you, but I find this extremely troubling.
Gloor is not shy and his social media postings show that he is starving for attention and public praise (vanity, lust). He posts half-naked pictures, showing his muscles and tattoos to the world while being employed by a Catholic Bishop. Again, no corporation, school or religious organization in the US would EVER allow an employee to post these kinds of images online or anywhere. Most corporations have a Morals Clause, in their employment contracts. Barron, a Catholic Bishop apparently does not have this clause in his employment contracts or perhaps he allows (and enjoys) this. What is Gloor trying to tell the world and why is Barron allowing this? Why are the Archdioceses’ attorneys not stopping this? Barron is creating a scandal by allowing these public displays of indecency and vanity from his employees. Barron is also creating scandal and raising questions about his sexuality and his views and approval of, vanity, lust and homosexuality by allowing this.
It just gets worse! Another important and quite unsettling fact to note is that Joseph Gloor is the least experienced and highest paid employee at WOF ranking a salary of $135,000 per year. Gloor makes more money than the director of development, and the president of WOF (Barron’s brother). Why would Barron pay his photographer and travel companion that much money? The median salary for a documentary producer or photographer in Los Angeles is $52,000 per year and this is for a for-profit company. His work experience does not match this level of salary, period. Gloor also gets free meals at Barron’s house and when traveling. At a 5000 calories daily diet that Gloor claims to have, that becomes another $50,000 to $80,000 yearly expense for WOF. So, in our calculations, Barron is rewarding his “producer” with over $210,000 a year in salary and meals. Plus, around-the-world 5-star travel plus other benefits. That amount of salary with that experience sounds more like a gift or a bribe than a salary. Are you getting the message so far?
Let’s not forget that Barron extorted $1.5 million from the Federal Paycheck Protection Program when he had over $7million in cash reserves that could have covered his payroll expenses for several years and while small businesses in his diocese suffered financially.
An anonymous source that works for Barron told me that Barron is also a bodybuilder, and he does this to stay fit. We have not found any evidence about this so far. Also, any experienced psychologist or psychiatrist will tell you that bodybuilding at the level that Barron’s boys are, is not a fitness practice but a very dangerous addiction. Maintaining these muscle masses very often requires steroids and other dangerous mind-altering illegal drugs according to several physicians we spoke to.
So, to answer the question is Barron an active homosexual? Well, we really don’t know and affirming this would make us sin. The fact, based on the evidence presented here, is that Barron does enjoy having younger, muscular, tattooed white men around him always and he pays them unusually high salaries that look like bribes to keep them around. We find this disturbing and very questionable to say the least.
Because Barron’s actions, behaviors, views on same-sex marriage, heretical messages and apparent strange, disturbing musclemen fetish go against Church teachings, it is our right and duty under Canon Law to manifest to the clergy and others of Christ’s faithful our views on matters which concern the good of the Church.
Are we creating a scandal? NO, Barron already created the scandal. We are only exposing it. We have communicated these concerns to Archbishop Jose Gomez and Margaret Graf, the Archdiocese attorney and the Apostolic Nuncio but our numerous written, verbal, and electronic communications have been ignored. We pray for someone with clerical authority to stop Barron for the good of the Church. We pray for the Catholic community to see what we see in Barron, a dangerous prelate with a very large ego, higher ecclesiastical ambitions, who is using his large social media platform to spread heretical messages, praise male-sodomy promoters and who is prone to self-made scandals that are and will continue to damage the Church if we don’t stop him.
For our part, we stopped listening to his heretical messages, donating to WOF or buying any of their materials a long time ago. At times, when we remember how much money we gave this prelate and his Word on Fire scam, we think about suing Barron and WOF for false advertisement and fraud.
100 Comments
I have listened to many B Barron videos. He has help me strengthen my faith. I find him very logical and rational. I know his video about hell is controversial, but I just think he does more good than harm. I pray he is not living a life style suggested by this article. I am Church Militant premium member, and I will continue to listen to B Barron but with more discernment.
oh no! Learning about Catholicism from Barron is like learning about capitalism from Karl Marx. Barron uses big words to hide his heretical messages.
Pray for good clergy. It must be excruciating for them!!
Well put Ruth!
Bingo! I believe the same. The more the verbiage, the less the truth.
You shall know him by his fruits. This article is venemous.
But Ruth, Karl kinda wrote the book on Das Capital didnt’ he? a good read actually even if you get a different conclusion from his dialectics. This one is hard to look at.
Beware, as Our Lord noted…a little leaven ruins the whole loaf. No Bishop should be doing ANY harm. Period. +Barron has promoted heresy and is now surrounding himself with scandal. There are many other teachers out there you can listen to without exposing yourself to this darkened soul. Follow Fr. Ripperger instead. Logical, rational and teaches the pure faith without scandal:+) God bless~
A friend of mine who is working as a secretary in the Bishop’s office only receives $ 140 a month as her total salary. 😢
that is pathetic! get thee behind me satan
I used to like Bishop Barron and some of his podcasts. Clearly, he’s lost his collective clerical mind if he supports or promotes the heresy and “offal” that comes out of the mouth of “ fake” priest James Martin. I was unaware that he surrounds himself with musclemen who post selfies in almost no clothes. Seems this cleric has clearly lost his moral compass, and the siren song of the “well greased” muscleman is singing in his ear…
The picture of the “boys” is a picture with the actor that plays Jesus in The Chosen series, not part of his staff. He is the man wearing the dark blue shirt and hoodie. Just thought you should know. Let’s pray for those in authority, their judgement before God will be severe because of all that has been entrusted to them.
At the end they come like ravening wolves. … their deceptions confuse even the elite…
It’s pretty clear Barron is a homo. Only a homo would deny something so obvious.
It is so easy to get fooled by this “man”. He uses big words and talks and talks and talks with words that appear to be orthodoxy but it is only a way to trap people to deliver his heretical messages.
What message are you delivering?
I too was a huge fan of Barron and watching him interacting with the “men” that you mentioned in the article was indeed disturbing. I truly believe that his views and opinions about the faith are been shaped by his close relationship with the homosexual men closely around him. He wants to make them think that they have a chance to go to heaven even if they are sinning.
Can we talk about Barron’s “sugar-daddies” giving him millions to become social media famous and promote their homosexual lifestyles? I can quickly name two of them: Brian W. Matthews a very wealthy banker in Los Angeles who is “married” to another man. Doug Brown, a flamboyant stock trader that is always surrounded by younger “men”. He has at least one of these fruitcakes living in his Beverly Hills condo and one living with him in his house in Las Vegas. But be careful, you may open several Pandora boxes with these two.
Did you notice that Bishop Robert Barron pays himself $38,000? So, part of the money he extorted from the SBA funds was to cover his salary…. Barron should also be getting a nice $60,000 to $150,000 salary as a Bishop plus all his meals, living expenses are paid by the diocese. This guy is not only heretic, most likely homosexual, but also a crook!
I stopped listening years ago. There are much better true catholics to lusten and learn from than this sheep in wolves skin.
God have Mercy on Barron.
So true, look for traditional catholic sermons.
I stopped listening years ago. There are much better true catholics to listen and learn from than this sheep in wolves skin.
God have Mercy on Barron.
I had my doubts about Barron early on when I wrote a critique of his book, Letter to a Suffering Church, which can be read at: https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/a-response-to-bishop-robert-barrons-letter-to-a-suffering-church After reading the above Clean the Church article, a friend of mine simply said, “If it walks like a duck; quacks like a duck; and looks like a duck; it’s probably a duck.”
This is garbage God have mercy on your heretical soul!!!!!
I find this entire article ridiculous. If someone is GAY they are always GAY NOT once was GAY!!! What is wrong with you? Fr James Martin is a wonderful priest. If I recall Pope Francis says we are to welcome GAYS!!!!
Do you think God is so cruel that He would create someone already at odds with His Truth? NO. God is not cruel. But the devil IS. He hates the beautiful creations of God and seeks to twist it and pervert it to become like he is. Homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism, etc. are NOT God’s handiwork. Those who suffer from these temptations need the TRUTH, and need help in the fight, not to be encouraged to act on the feelings. Theirs is one of the worst crosses to bear. And only the Truth will set them free.
Well said and true. We need to remember the Lord’s prayer. Who’s kingdom come? Not mine. God, our Father’s kingdom. Who’s will? Not mine. God’s will be done. One earth as it is in heaven. Jesus told us He came to do the will of the Father. We are to keep the commandments. Our Lord told us, “if you love ME, keep MY commandments “.
Are you for real?? Lol wow. Wake up sweet heart. Wake up. Or get off this website if you cant handle the truth. I have no sympathy or patience with you novos ordo people. You guys are so annoying.
Barron surely welcomes gays.
We are to welcome those who may have lustful thoughts about those of the same-sex. This is different from being “gay”. If you “come out” you are in fact saying, the most defining characteristic of me is my same-sex attraction. This is not of God. If you do not practice homosexuality you are no more “gay” than anyone else, you are, like God wants us to be, in control of your behavior.
The perennial Magisterium of the Church does not change with the notions of every passing pope. The papacy exists to proclaim the perennial Magisterium and to support our belief and practice of the enduring Gospel of Jesus Christ. No bishop, no pope, can contradict the Gospel as understood in the perennial Magisterium. “Gay” bespeaks an ideological movement contrary to the Gospel. Those who experience same-sex attraction do not necessarily subscribe to the gay movement. Francis, James Martin, implicitly endorse the gay subculture. Sodomy is a mortal sin.
As you can see by some comments here, there are many confused Catholics today, who have no idea about proper spiritual discernment or how to apply it. They have drunk the Koolaid, that to expose someone who presents themself as a Catholic bishop but in actuality is living a life completely contrary to what a bishop should be and do, is a bad thing. It is a bad thing to present yourself as such and bilk people out of their hard-earned money under false pretenses. If bishops want to be active homosexuals, be one. Just don’t conceal that from the people. In all honestly you must reveal that and take the consequences. No, they don’t do that, the money train might stop and who would pay all these studs for the “good times”? They don’t hang around aging bishops for nothing. Guys like these cost money. After all we’ve seen, yes, if it looks like a duck etc., it’s a damn duck!
Easy gig, a bit of theater on Sundays, free housing, insurance, food, travel with “friends” and “producers”, and access to seminarians and young people. What’s not to love? The life of a well-connected Catholic clergyman, who went into the church for anything but God.
Then, to boot, they hate Catholicism and work hard to turn it into something unrecognizable.
We’ve got about 5 faithful bishops. Most of them are retired.
There is no gay gene. The science is settled.
The Homosexuals have pumped (pun intended) millions into research since the Human Genome Project came out in the early aughts, yet not one “gay gene” has been discovered. Had it been, it would’ve made worldwide news daily forever.
Homosexuality, like all sexuality, is a choice. We can chose to be in line with God’s intentions or to run contrary to them.
I do not agree that all sexuality is a choice. I am heterosexual by nature and I am naturally attracted, in a sexual way, to young, attractive women. There is no conscious choice involved in this.
My reaction to that natural inclination, however, is to recognize that pursuing satisfaction of my natural inclination is contrary to God’s commands, and hence, to remain chaste.
Same-sex attraction, regardless of the reasons why or how it comes about, while being a highly disordered state, may not be a conscious choice, either.
Yes. You are totally correct. No one is “born” with aberrosexualism, i.e., anatomically and biologically aberrant sexual behavioral choices. Nature does not condemn anyone to behave aberrosexually, any more than it forces anyone to be an adulterer, a shoplifter, or a rapist. The opposite of Aberrosexualism is Orthosexuality, or anatomically and biologically correct sexual behavior.
Anyone can be mentally attracted to anything, be it adultery, gambling, drinking, shoplifting, etc. However, people freely choose “how” they will respond to and proceed with that attraction.
Yes. You are totally correct. No one is “born” with aberrosexualism, i.e., anatomically and biologically aberrant sexual behavioral choices. Nature does not condemn anyone to behave aberrosexually, any more than it forces anyone to be an adulterer, a shoplifter, or a rapist. The opposite of Aberrosexualism is Orthosexuality, or anatomically and biologically correct sexual behavior.
Anyone can be mentally attracted to anything, be it adultery, gambling, drinking, shoplifting, etc. However, people freely choose “how” they will respond to and proceed with that attraction.
It most certainly is not. Obviously, ALL sexual orientations are genetic in origin (or, at least, externally determined, perhaps via some as yet not understood gene/culture interaction effect). I suspect you’re heterosexual. Did you choose to be that? Are you not filled with physical disgust at the thought of homosexual practice? Having a same-sex orientation is almost certainly the same type of inherited disposition.
The fact that some people are homosexual in orientation is no excuse, however, for engaging in homosexual activity. Having said that, I admit to being a theological liberal on these issues. I cannot accept that God damns anyone not actually wicked. True wickedness is not what some fallible and shifting human-theorized and staffed Church defines it to be in a given era, but a perennial class of actions involving the intentional infliction of suffering onto others, usually by commission, sometimes by omission (as when someone refuses to be a Good Samaritan, even though the cost of doing so is very low or nonexistent – eg, not jumping into a swimming pool to prevent a fallen toddler from drowning). Sodomites may be disgusting, but it’s hard to see how their behavior is actually “wicked” as I assert wickedness ought to be understood.
To make matters yet more confusing, I’m a strong socio-political conservative, including on LGBTQ matters. I think anti-queer legislation is perfectly appropriate as one means among many for preserving public morals, which instrumentally serves many other social goods, as well as helps prevent other evils. For example, if our society were less pro-gay, I suspect we’d have less pedophilic rape, much of which is perpetrated by sodomites. Of course, preserving public morality has a broader positive “cascade” effect, just as undermining it does in the other (wrong) direction.
I think the case for anti-sodomite legislation is strong. But I cannot reconcile Christ’s compassion with the idea that practicing sodomites are damned merely for being sodomites and nothing more evil.
Comments get censored here, huh?
If I were an archbishop, and I made a habit of surrounding myself with well-endowed young women, in whose company I was constantly seen, whom I gave jobs they weren’t qualified to do at salaries well beyond the going rate, would that cause any scandal? What if I lived with one of them? What if I called my ministry Sexy Word? What if I praised Hugh Hefner and called him a stud in my preface to his book?
No evidence of Bp. Barron’s bodybuilding? Check out the photo in this articles, captioned “Mr. Muscle.”
https://musingsofanoldcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2020/11/satire-learning-to-prey-guide-for.html?m=1
So Barron has a fetish for young, white, muscular guys with tattoos and an addiction to bodybuilding. A well rounded psychopath!
Cracks me up that you think $135k in LA is a big salary…
for an inexperienced “photographer” yes. Almost 3 times the average and remember this is a non-profit.
I, too, pray this is not true. I am familiar with the Barron’s initial meeting (Jared did a video on the website) and why he named Jared his executive producer. Jared was passionate and drove a lot of the initial forming for Word on Fire so he deserved it. Secondly, Bishop Barron’s messages are wonderful, regardless – do NOT dismiss his teachings out of turn. He fills a hugely important outreach to internet atheism/insanity and is critical in these days. If you don’t like the “big” words you can learn more or choose to learn from another…but there are many who love his teachings (me included)
There are some things that are a bit iffy – like his acceptance of other religious groups, but his teachings on virtually everything is either spot on or, at worst, a little too forgiving. This is a problem with a LOT of the church today but his job isn’t in this area of the church – his job is to address the unbelievers and open doors. Also, keep in mind, this is most likely nothing more than much ado about nothing, but after the huge scandals about homosexual priests, one would hope Bishop Barron would have the foresight to nip rumors like this in the bud
I stopped listening to this fake years ago. He is a fraud and has indicated that many times with his heretical teachings. This revealing of his obvious homosexuality just confirms what I thought he was all along. Stop buying his products and giving him more money to continue his homosexual lifestyle. God have mercy!
I stopped listening to this fake years ago. He is a fraud and has indicated that many times with his heretical teachings. This revealing of his obvious homosexuality just confirms what I thought he was all along. Stop buying his products and giving him more money to continue his homosexual lifestyle. God have mercy!
I don’t listen to this heretic, but I know there are a few churches in my parish that pay for his productions! So sad that many fellow this so call Bishop! People are following this Bishop straight to hell!
Thanks for reporting with factual details as the writing is on the wall and we know what’s going on. You aren’t made a Bishop in the current leadership without being part of the Wolves in Sheep’s clothing. He’s part of the Lavender Mafia in my opinion.
God bless you for exposing this bizarre behaviour – whatever anyone says, it was right and proper for you to have done it. Hopefully this will bring Bp Barron to account for his behaviour, although under this current pontificate, don’t hold your breath . . . .
Nonsense. Bodybuilders at these level are usually not homosexuals. I was into bodybuilding when I was younger. It’s far from an effeminate activity. Eating massive amounts of food, lifting heavy weights, then doing the same while essentially fasting to burn fat. It is addicting, yes, but to imply it’s a homosexual sport is nonsense ever seen Arnold? Sly? Ferrigno? I’d rather see a manly muscular bishop that a soft effeminate Nancy boy. I’d instead concentrate on the effeminate trad priests and bishops that have most people hoodwinked.
Danny, I think on the case of Barron and this report, you need to connect the dots. The report is not a criticism of bodybuilding, it is to me, a way to expose corruption from this prelate.
Did you live with any of your bodybuilding pals? While never being alone with a female?
I didn’t say any of them were homosexuals. But the whole idea of bishops hanging around with tattooed bodybuilders IS bizarre. If you can’t see that, that’s your problem. You’ve admitted bodybuilding is an addictive behavior, so that in itself shows that it cannot be pleasing to God who doesn’t want us to become addicts to anything. Also there is the issue of tattooing, condemned in Leviticus 19:28: “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh, for the dead, neither shall you make in yourselves any figures or marks: I am the Lord.” The whole idea of wanting to look like this is just vain, conceited and conforming to the world – whether you’re a homosexual or not. And it’s not a question of being a ‘muscular bishop’ or an ‘effeminate bishop’ either. You can be a true manly man without going to the gym and bulking up and/or doing steroids. That’s just a parody of masculinity. Obviously nobody wants a ‘gay’ or ‘pro-gay’ bishop, but I’m sure the majority of Catholics don’t care what their bishops look like physically, as long as they’re orthodox and SAINTLY. That’s what is going to get them and their flocks to Heaven, not physical appearance.
You can’t convivence people who’ve already decided to hate someone. The accusations made in this article are sad. Hate has no place in Christ’s church. Didn’t Jesus say a bad tree couldn’t bear good fruit? Bishop Barron has done wonders for our church and has brought many lapsed Catholics back home.
Most bodybuilders are not gay; that is correct. But bodybuilding is not a Christian activity; indeed, it may not even be acceptable for Christians, except as a minor adjunct to a general fitness routine (which by itself is fine and even admirable, as long as it doesn’t slide into “fitness fetishism”). The only exceptions wherein it would be acceptable to engage in serious, time-consuming muscle-building (apart from those with serious muscle-wasting maladies) would be actors needing to bulk up for a certain character (like Zac Efron in the current wrestling movie The Iron Claw); athletes in some sports, like football or boxing (we can have a very interesting and illuminating debate over whether being a football player or boxer at all is morally acceptable); and police officers and prison guards for obvious reasons. (Soldiers need to be strong and fit, but that is better achieved by pushups and pullups and hard hikes carrying heavy gear, not the kind of “iron-pounding” and “calorie-counting” that will give you massive muscles and/or “six packs”).
But men of the cloth are supposed to have their eyes focused Heavenward. Not all can be or are saints, so I suppose it’s OK if they also enjoy the occasional Arnold or Dwayne Johnson movie; or jogging or playing softball; or reading murder mysteries, and not only the Bible or Aquinas. But devoting serious time to … building muscle? For what end? If a priest plays in a weekly soccer or softball league, I’m sure that’s OK (as long as he avoids the temptation to take winning too seriously). Human companionship is a good thing, and there is nothing amiss with a priest having non-clerical friends, which might even make him more well-rounded and thus effective in ministry.
But bodybuilding is a solitary, narcissistic activity whose end is either mere vanity, or, worse, to appear intimidating. The former concern might make muscle-building acceptable in moderation for scrawny young men wanting to be more attractive to the opposite sex so as to increase their chances of marriage and family formation. The latter ambition can be warranted in the cases of persons regularly forced to come into contact with lowlifes and thugs (I lifted regularly in the 80s when I lived in New York and rode the subway nearly every day for just that reason). But priests aren’t supposed to be intimidating (let alone trying to be attractive!). And they’re supposed to be more saintly (and intellectual or bookish) than the rest of us. How does bodybuilding help in that?
Finally, why does Barron surround himself with men who waste time this way? They may not be held to the same standards of conduct as the Bishop himself, but still, as some have noted, it’s not a good look for a ministry. I’m remined of those “prosperity Gospel” Protestant ministers with big cars and gold watches talking about how Christ has ‘blessed’ them (thereby revealing their total inadequacy and utter cluelessness as men of God).
I am grateful for this article. I never liked Barron, though I was hard-pressed to know why, exactly (I really don’t now that much about the man, to be honest; I like to read serious theology and philosophy, but find popular evangelization and most Mass sermons boring). Now I see yet another prince of the Church with questionable character.
The only bishop you can trust is Bishop Williamson because he is a bona fide uncompromising anti woke anti modernist Catholic. The real deal.
Interesting story. I gave up on Barron when Card. Dolan gushed that he was the new Bishop Sheen. Spare us O Lord.
I’ve been tempted to give up on Michael Voris too. After his father died, his appearance became visibly boldybuilder buff and his wardrobe changed to spotlight his pumped up arms and chest. His multiple hair colors and styles are also a distraction from his message. He made need a refresher course in the first grade catechism, viz. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.
What about the little “on fire” innuendo don’t people understand? Almost like it’s aflame or perhaps flaming or something…
BARRON YOU ARE MALICIOUS AND DISGUSTING. YOU’RE SO LOW. SO CHEAP. SO PATHETIC.
Stop Scapegoating Barron. I think people are ignoring the real problems here. Stop playing detective as if you knew everything about Bishop barron, you dont know him nor understand his mind fully for you to harshly judge him like that. Are you friends with him in real life? If the answer is no then stop causing a ruckus like this.
I’m sorry that my responding comment to ‘Paul’ was removed and I don’t know why, because it wasn’t unfactual or offensive. Out of Christian charity, perhaps some explanation can been given to me by the administrator for this website. If you don’t want to make it publicly, you have my email address so can email me and let me know why you removed my comment. I can’t recall all the points I made, but:
(A) Paul said people are ignoring the real problems. I asked what the ‘real’ problems were.
(B) I explained I was not connected to this website, just a commentor, but I never got the impression that you claimed to know everything about Bp Barron.
(C) Paul claims you don’t understand Bp Barron’s mind fully – does he? Is he a mind reader?
(D) Is Paul a friend of his in real life? If so, is Paul into bodybuilding and tattooing?
AMEN!!!! People who claim to be Christians slandering a Bishop…SMH.
It is our duty and right, as Christians to question clergy. Read Canon Law!
Almost every bishop is gay no matter what their public position on any subject. Asking the question “Is bishop so-and-so a homosexual?” is like asking if the ground is wet during a rainstorm.
The Church does not govern Herself in this time. She is in chains while the wolves prey heedlessly on Her children.
There is not a single prelate who is not a puppet and a pawn of some craven oligarchic powers.
This article is trash. “Maintaining these muscle masses very often requires steroids and other dangerous mind-altering illegal drugs according to several physicians we spoke to.“ ….. Who did you speak to?? It takes hard work, discipline, and eating the right foods.
Satan is also known as the accuser.. I pray for the repentance of this author’s soul.
…and Jesus wept.
1) Well, I’ve benefitted from him passing on the faith, whether or not he lives it himself. BUT
2) Not everyone can be evangelised with cigars, tiramisu and C S Lewis lectures. Frankly, if you want scandal, I’d be more worried about those who can be. All I see here is a good PR machine.
This entire post was one Titanic list of insinuations conjunction and just unchristian charity.
unfortunately, it is all true
Lets see some REAL evidence not just silly accusations.
Julien DeMarco
No, there were no insinuations. Facts and figures were given. Also photographic evidence of musclemen employed by Bp Barron flaunting pictures of their scantily clad bodies on social media and the internet. Get a grip. And there is no such thing as ‘unchristian charity’ which is a contradiction in terms. It’s either ‘Christian charity’ or ‘uncharitable and unChristian’.
AMEN!
This article is absurd and you should be ashamed.
I’m a far-right conservative full believing Catholic and no fan of the gay culture. But this is just nuts. If +Barron surrounded himself with women, you’d go after him for that. If he surrounded himself with weak men, you’d say he was effeminate. If he surrounded himself with anyone, you’d find a reason to go after him. Because you don’t like him. Because he doesn’t preach your specific mode of pious Catholic theology. If you want to go after him for his “heterodox” teachings, fine. But I much prefer a bishop who wants to be around authentically masculine men who are pursuing excellence in their health. I am not into the rando priest showing his muscles off, because that isn’t a part of the priestly lifestyle. But the other guys? That’s what they do. They’re fitness nuts and it is normal to show that. The insinuation that one of them having six kids and being married is just a “Bruce Jenner in hiding” is just pathetic. And their salaries are not high for California, the average filmmaker of mid 50’s is because the industry in filmmaking is filled with people who literally make $0 a year because they haven’t found work. They earned their spot at WOF, presumably because they were there from the beginning, putting work into a ministry that was important to them, well before they were earning that salary.
The only thing this article makes me question is what its author is hiding.
HERE HERE!!! and AMEN!
Man, are you ever missing the point. See my comments above. Having a bunch of buff dudes working for or around a church is weird and potentially scandalous. It certainly shows poor judgment if nothing more sinister. Moreover, at least one of those guys (the vain creep with the frosted hair and tats flashing the finger so as to ape the “rap” look) should have been terminated immediately for sexually suggestive behavior inappropriate for his employer. If you don’t recognize this, then you really do not understand the Christian faith at all, beginning with the virtue of humility and its content.
Bishop Barron, like most Bishops and priests, can’t win. If he had an all female staff he would be a suspected womanizer. If he hires wimpy or macho guys he is a suspected closet homosexual. Additionally, the method to estimate Joseph Gloor’s salary is specious at best which leads one to conclude this entire article is speculative. Based on the recent history in the church, it is advisable to be discerning when dealing with bishops, priests or ministers (the protestants have their own sexual abuse scandals- they just are not as public). However, discernment and unfounded accusations are two different things. This article is a hit piece on Bishop Barron most likely because he and his organization have experienced a modicum of success.
1. Where did you get to know that Gloors diet expenses were also paid by the Bishop? 🙂
2. You neglected to mention that Gloor does not figure in previous years filings – although his LinkedIn profile suggests that he was working there for 5-6 years.
3. His experience seems to be in Theatre – based on the LinkedIn profile. Not exactly unrelated fields. And showbiz remuneration will vary wildly.
Not buying your theory for now until we see a more trustworthy argument.
This article is amateurish–not professional journalism in any sense.
–insulting scare quotes–calling a priest a “priest” and a bishop a “bishop”
–lots of conclusory statements about psychological issues, motivations, “complexes”
–NOBODY who knows bodybuilding would conclude that any of these guys are using drugs–they just aren’t all that big.
Barron’s heresies are an open book. Attack those.
I know all the men mentioned in this story. Especially Barron and Grunow, whom I’ve known well for years. I very much doubt any of them are gay. Barron is the real deal. Yes, I don’t get the bodybuilding thing, either. It’s sort of weird but not especially alarming to me. Not a good look though, I’ll grant you. Barron lifts for fitness, Grunow for sport. The fact that Joe Gloor was fired for alleged sexual harassment of several women (your reporting) would appear to poke a large hole in this cheap-shot story. Oh, and by the way…as mentioned above, there’s no such thing as a former gay person, just as there’s no such thing as an ex-alcoholic.
By the way, I’m not gay nor Catholic. Just an interested third party.
I prefer not to identify myself so I figure you won’t publish this but thought I’d give you my 2 cents anyway. I thought your post on Joe Gloor was a much better bit of writing and fairly straightforward, considering. Thanks and God help us all.
“There’s no thing as a former gay person” you say.
Being gay is a way of life, a voluntary chosen way of life, which the gay person has chosen to lead; and in principle a gay person, if he/she so wants, may decide to live a normal life, like non gays do.
Therefore being gay does not necessarily and neither forcefully have to be a permanent inescapable condition.
There are no gay persons, just as there are not homosexual persons.
What is there is homosexual acts (conduct) and they are voluntary.
Therefore a person may choose not to perform homosexual acts as well as not to live a gay life.
Granted, an alcoholic will likely cannot stop drinking once he starts, and hence he cannot drink like non alcoholics can, and most alcoholics never cure their alcoholism; but is much easier to change a sexual liking and preference than it is to end being an alcoholic.
My goodness this article and many of the comments are so judgmental and slanderous. So unchristian.
Ye, you are right. What Barron is doing is horrible and unchristian, evil.
Bishop Baron for me has been a God send. I listen to him regularly on his Word on Fire shows and for me he has helped deepen my understanding of the Faith and Christ. There is a passage in the bible where Jesus scolds his disciples who are complaining about other apostles that are not part of their group preaching the good news. Jesus says Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you. Bishop Barons message is clearly not against God so let’s not stop him spreading his wisdom of God and Faith.
AMEN!
I now realize Bishop Barron speaks with forked tongue, just like his demented colleagues. He’s not orthodox or a traditionalist…he embraces modernism and other rubbish. Now, that said, I had no idea he was in league with a pack of body builders , all greased up with chicken fat, bronzed…flaunting their steroid bloated flesh for all the world to sicken at. Yes, I saw the Bishop exposing his “guns”, doing his best to look like Gary Conway from Land of the Giants. He’s wearing a medium clerical shirt to expose his TRT physique. Another deranged modernist, who runs around with a pack of gay bodybuilders he stools over. I stopped listening to this freaks podcasts a long time ago…you guys beautifully synthesized how far gone this wayward cleric has come. Will we ever have another saint like the holy and pious and modest Archbishop Fulton J Sheen?
Anyone who shares stories like this has no love for Christ.
If you did, you would find more fruitful way to spend your time.
Get saved, fall in love with Jesus, and you won’t let your heart be so distracted nor would you waste your time disturbing those who look at Bishop Barron as the beautiful man of God he is.
Unfortunately, the role model for Barron really isn’t Jesus – a compassionate, inclusive, less self infatuated standard of a human not interested in fasting tracking his way to the front of the Sanhedrin.
Regardless of topic, “manliness”, justifying selective inclusion, gender identity, publically clutching pearls over the Dodgers – pick your poison – he’s got a take on it designed to take advantage of his audience’s chronically mismatched or underevolved psychology or ability to discern fact from denomination fiction.
He’s peddling fluency as a proxy for truthfulness or insight. If you can say things with a sufficiently well-rounded compelling delivery, regardless of the underlying veracity or credibility, people will say “that sounds true” meaning, it’s marketed pretty and sounds fluent and that must make it true.
And it is a purposeful means of distracting you from the underlying disheveled, pockmarked philosophy nerd who likes to “hang with the guys” rather than be the married family man envisioned in 1 Timothy.
Barron ranted and raved about McCarrick and those who covered for him or looked the other way. But went he went silent about his own history supporting “good friends” like former underling at Mundelein Seminary, Denis McNamara – who is pictured as an overnight guest at Barron’s place in Santa Barbara – and the struggle with same sex attraction which likely led to his alleged actions of inappropriate behavior toward adult seminarians during and after the time he was employed there.
To whom was McNamara using as his “confessor” at Mundelein Seminary while his boss and “best friend” Barron was singing his praises? And what did that confessor do about it?
Marketing the illusion of perfection is a great cover for what should be more obvious – it’s all ultimately about self promotion. I saw it constantly in the seminary and it hasn’t changed.
This incredible slam piece with no sources and no factual evidence is such a poor attempt to defame the name of someone who is using his gifts and talents to spread the word of God in a way that is intellectually coherent for all the youth that missed the intelectual aspect when being formed in the faith. anyone on here saying that’s heretical i’d encourage you to pick up a book and google search the meaning of these “big” “long” words you can’t seem to comprehend, just because your vocabulary is limited does not makes someone’s message heretical. you can usually tell someone’s message is bs by their use of adverbs.. Bishop Barrón uses the most down to earth and simply eloquent descriptions to reflect on scripture no need for excessive adverbs to try to prove his point. With all that being said.. The author of this piece seems to hate the idea of people that care deeply about their physics being in the same realm as a bishop who wants to maintain his health.. Going to a bodybuilder as an in house trainer would actually be the most intelligent way to maintain your health and I guarantee if you could afford one and also we’re motivated enough you’d want that too.. if you struggle to make make friends then that’s on you too… just like others have commented who actually know these men, all your speculations are simply that.. you are assuming things based on others living situations, you’re making an ass out of yourself.. we are praying for you, and specifically what you need to do, whether you are christian or not, even if you claim to be christian you don’t really seem to know what that means, but i digress – you need to forgive your mother and father, and those who have trespassed against you, then let go of the anger and resentment you have built up in your heart, pray for patience and then just shut up and listen, if you are ever praying and all you do is talk about yourself how do you ever expect to hear or know God.. the purpose of life is simply to get to know God and the only way to do that is get the anger out of your heart otherwise you cannot know love. Furthermore, from your entire article it doesn’t seem like you have watched any of the Word on Fire series.. because if you had you would have known that your comments about these men’s previous work experience does not even matter when it is clear that the production value of every single aspect of the Word on Fire is impeccable and to the highest standards amounting in millions of people hearing the word of God and being brought back to the Church. If you truly are a Baptized Christian you would know the intensity of that responsibility when we are called to be priests prophets and kings of the kingdom of heaven (yes, all three). What have you done lately for the kingdom of Heaven. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. We are praying for you that you will see how sinful this is, no matter the other sins of someone else.. so repent, forgive your mother and your father, forgive yourself and then go spread the Gospel, not these demonstrably false allegations. God bless you, you will be in our prayers
Sorry Leland , no soap. Bodybuilding and posing half naked in provocative poses, pulling your waistband down, to entice a “gay” audience is not the message a Catholic priest and Shepherd in the Church, should be presenting to the world. His overpaid pack of boy-toys, who hang out with him and parasitize his mission and agency speak with forked tongue. The only thing I see and feel is the spirit of vanity, hubris and sensuality. That is a bad feeling, because it tells me the bishop just “isn’t clear”… he says some pious things, but sadly the message is incongruent with the Catholic faith, and it’s teachings on humility, modesty and self effacing behavior. The bishop and his “ buff buddies” seem to court this value system with the worldly presentation they manifest on social media. The little midget priest who is clearly roided out of his mind, has a dark, sinister, almost malevolent look. This look and presentation is the very antithesis of how a cleric and man aspiring toward holiness would comport himself. The bishop is not holy, he’s a fraud and a vain little modernist puppet, surrounded by a pack of hedonists he appears to be drooling over. That’s the fact Jack!
Sorry Leland , no soap. Bodybuilding and posing half naked in provocative poses, pulling your waistband down, to entice a “gay” audience is not the message a Catholic priest and Shepherd in the Church, should be presenting to the world. His overpaid pack of boy-toys, who hang out with him and parasitize his mission and agency speak with forked tongue. The only thing I see and feel is the spirit of vanity, hubris and sensuality. That is a bad feeling, because it tells me the bishop just “isn’t clear”… he says some pious things, but sadly the message is incongruent with the Catholic faith, and it’s teachings on humility, modesty and self effacing behavior. The bishop and his “ buff buddies” seem to court this value system with the worldly presentation they manifest on social media. The little midget priest who is clearly roided out of his mind, has a dark, sinister, almost malevolent look. This look and presentation is the very antithesis of how a cleric and man aspiring toward holiness would comport himself. The bishop is not holy, he’s a fraud and a vain little modernist puppet, surrounded by a pack of hedonists he appears to be drooling over. That’s the fact Jack!
What an insult on Bishop Barron. Some of you folks should feel ashamed of yourself. What is next? Jesus also had a bunch og male friends. What can you gather from that?
Lust and desire is in the eye/mind of the beholder.
Handsome muscular men that show off their “half naked” beautifull physique aim to be an object of desire, although not everybody feels sexual desire and atraction for such men. Maybe Bishop Barron does, but who knows?, and even if he does enjoys being surrounded by muscle-men, like a Mae West (grin), this does not disqualify him for his ministery, so far he keeps the chastity it requires.
I have the hunch that the writer of this article is an envious closeted homosexual.
One point. Is this article sure of this allegation?
Meet “Father” Father Steve Grunow the CEO of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and a “priest in good standing” according to the Archdioceses of Chicago and Los Angeles. A short, 4.9 feet “priest” with a Napoleon complex that also makes a point to show the world that he has big muscles and is starving for attention (vanity).
Grunow is in a group picture above (far right), and is NOT the shortest visible man. Did the article mean to say he’s 5.9 not 4.9? This could be sloppy reporting.
no no. 4.9 feet is accurate. He is very short
Without proof, you are guilty of calumny when accusing Bp. Barron of being gay. Know that this is a serious sin. Your personal suspicions (perhaps steeped in your own closeted gayness? I mean, if Bp. Barron is fair game, so are you, right?) are not proof.
do you have proof that Barron is straight?
If he hired weak men, he’d be accused of effeminzing the Church, he hires masculine looking men and he’s accused of homosexuality…”We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.”
Sorry DG, your dichotomous, “ all or nothing” analogy is flat out wrong, and your smokescreen of reasonableness is clearly just that…a smokescreen to conceal the truth of the matter. Barron delights being in the presence of muscular young lads he can ogle over. If it looks like a duck, 🦆 walks like a duck and quacks like a duck..,guess what? it’s a 🦆
This article is utterly disgusting. Assumption after assumption, lie after lie – I don’t even know where to begin. I truly believe some people see others have success and gain popularity, and have to create scandal where there is non. You need to address your sinful nature -especially pride and jealously.
If you were even 1% of the man Bishop Barron is you would delete this instantly. I’m glad to see many of the comments on here are also defending Barron. Luckily the Bishop will never read this nonsense because frankly he, has better things to be doing than reading what some nobody has written online. God bless – will be praying for your healing.
Oh he has read it….many times I have no doubt. He’s a fake priest and conman, just like that freak Pat Zeimann, aka Pat Semen. He was another miscreant and social deviant wearing a zuccheto, who delighted in buggering his little sex puppet, who was ordained by Semen, with only an 8th grade education he acquired in some banana republic! Barron is a fraud and narcissist, if it looks bad…amigo, it’s very bad.