A suit alleging defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress was filed last Friday in a New Hampshire federal district court by a New Hampshire Catholic priest against the controversial Church Militant website and persons affiliated with it. The complaint (full text) in de Laire v. Voris, (D NH, filed 2/5/2021), contends that false attacks on the character of Father Georges de Laire were published on the traditionalist website and on YouTube by Gary Michael Voris, his Church Militant media company and another reporter for the company. The false attacks began after Father de Laire issued a decree banning the New Hampshire-based St. Benedict Center from holding itself out as being affiliated with the Catholic Church or purporting to hold Roman Catholic religious services on its property. According to the complaint, St. Benedict Center champions the views put forward in the 1940's by Father Leonard Feeney who "became known for incendiary and hate-filled speeches, primarily anti-Semitic in nature." Feeney was ultimately expelled from the Jesuit Order and excommunicated from the Catholic Church over these views and another doctrinal disagreement. [Thanks to Eugene Volokh via Religionlaw for the lead.]
