True Catholic Faith: Clarion Call of the Church’s Timeless Teaching

Fr. James Marshall, a former Jesuit priest and prominent pro-life advocate, was conditionally ordained to the Catholic priesthood on December 14, 2024, by Bishop Germán Fliess of the Roman Catholic Institute, an organization led by Bishop Donald Sanborn. This ordination was performed "ad missam" (under condition), a practice undertaken due to concerns about the validity of sacraments administered under the Novus Ordo rites following Vatican II, a position held by the Roman Catholic Institute. Marshall, who had been ordained a priest in the Novus Ordo rite in 2003, left the Society of Jesus in 2022 after a growing realization of what he perceived as a lack of coherence in the post-Vatican II liturgy, particularly regarding the sacrificial nature of the Mass. He had previously served in parishes in Texas and New Mexico and was actively involved with Priests for Life, working on abortion counseling and organizing retreats. His ordination was assisted by Fr. Michael DeSaye, another former Novus Ordo priest who was also ordained by Bishop Sanborn. The Roman Catholic Institute holds the "Thesis" that the popes since Vatican II are legitimate designees to the papacy but lack jurisdiction due to an obstacle they pose to the reception of Christ's authority, a view that places them outside the mainstream of the Catholic Church.