“We’ve had enough exhortations to be silent. Cry out with a thousand tongues – I see the world is rotten because of silence.”
-St. Catherine of Siena
The Catholics Aren’t Zombies blog abhors every semblance of cowardly silence. This is an essential commitment, amid so many antichurch villains torturing Holy Mother Church today. While we must expose the obvious, high-ranking interlopers, like Antipope Bergoglio and Colonel Tucho Fernandez, let’s not forget the many junior-grade officers involved as well.
Today, I draw your attention to one in my neck of the woods.
In Greenville, North Carolina, you’ll find the petty tyrant and jail keeper priest, Fr. Jim Magee, aspiring understudy of Raleigh’s Bishop Luis Zarama. He is a clergyman who implements barriers to Eucharistic adoration, discourages veneration of Christ Crucified, and drives Catholics nuts.
I’m not overly eager to reveal this unhappy reality, but as St. Francis de Sales advises us . . .
“It is a work of charity to shout: ‘Here is the wolf!’ when it enters the flock or anywhere else.”
Who is Fr. Jim Magee? Why Care About Him?
Fr. Jim Magee is the pastor of what I call St. Peter Modern Catholic Bourgeois Parish.
He’s in charge of this parish, a Catholic community with average catechesis, where several of his frustrated parishioners complain of his tyranny, characterizing it as narcissistic and dictatorial. This has included everything from removing devout Catholics from ministries to locking people out of Eucharistic adoration and making the adoration chapel resemble empty office space. This is not solely my conjecture, either.
Within just the past week, one anonymous individual/group, “Concerned Catholic,” offered this complaint letter to Magee’s bishop:
We recently received a letter for the Bishops’ Annual Appeal, but we cannot, in good faith, give money. The Diocese has stood by and done nothing while Fr. Magee has driven family after family out of St Peter Catholic Church in Greenville, NC. This has been going on since he began at this parish, the episodes I have witnessed too numerous to count, but most recently with the disruption of the confirmation class and middle school faith formation, by his treatment of the *names redacted* family. *They* have been the heart and soul of youth faith formation for years. They are devout, dedicated Catholics whose only mission is to help youth know God and bring them closer to God through their Catholic faith. The number of kids they have mentored and led over the years is innumerable, however, because something was not completely in line with Magee’s dictatorial control, he has dismissed them. We are concerned about the example he is setting for the youth of the parish, as his actions are often dishonest and deceitful. We are embarrassed that he is responsible for leading the parish and ashamed of the parishioners and diocesan leadership who are aware of his behaviors, that do not align with the Catholic teachings, and allow it to continue unchecked. The fact that he not only has this control but that the diocese does nothing to reign him in, is repulsive. He is the equivalent of a dictator and a bully. Early on in his “reign”, I questioned my faith – Why would God put such a horrible person in a position to lead me? However, I decided I shouldn’t give up on my lifelong faith, only the evil leader put in a place to supposedly guide me.
That’s the abridged version. Many others have voiced similar complaints. Perhaps, dear reader, you have experienced or witnessed abusive behavior at a parish near you.
Ultimately, if we examine beyond the parochial politics and disputes, we discover other significant stains of modernist leadership from Fr. Jim Magee, a prototypical American-Bergoglian priest.
Fr. Jim Magee: Moving Toward A Crucifix-Free Parish?
Like other Bergoglio-loyal priests, Fr. Magee suffers from a chronic case of crucifix phobia. St. Peter’s not only has a mold problem, but even the cleaner walls have little religious artwork, especially around the sanctuary or adoration chapel (photos below). There also appears to be a movement to limit the volume of crucifixes inside the parish.
About six to 12 months ago, Fr. Magee insisted on moving the parish’s adoration chapel (per his prerogative), by swapping its location with the parish’s old nursery. Since doing this, he refuses to put a crucifix anywhere around the chapel’s tabernacle . . .
I emailed him and asked about this omission, but received no response (a common theme around here). One of the chapel coordinators asked him about placing a crucifix above the tabernacle, only to learn there would not be one (without further explanation). Another adorer put a small, free-standing crucifix on top of the tabernacle, but it was removed as well.
Moreover, it’s not as if the parish has suffered an extraordinary crucifix shortage or cannot afford to purchase one. They literally have a large one relegated to a hallway, not but 15 or 20 feet away from the chapel entrance (pictured below).
The omission of Our Lord from His Holy Cross is sacrilegious and tragic. If you’ve spent any length of time with St. Alphonsus Liguori, you’ll notice how he speaks of Jesus’ crucifixion as the greatest act of love. For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish . . .
“But what is more astonishing still is, that he could very well have saved us without dying and without suffering at all; but no: he chose a life of sorrow and contempt, and a death of bitterness and ignominy even to the expiring on a cross, the gibbet of infamy, the award of vilest criminals: “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:8) But why, if he could have ransomed us without suffering, why should he choose to die, and to die on a cross? To show us how he loved us. “He loved us, and delivered Himself for us.” (Eph. 5:2)
–The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ (St. Alphonsus Ligouri)
Bold = Emphasis Mine
Why would we NOT wish to remind ourselves of this tremendous, unfathomable love?
Why would we wish to censor the exhibition of the glorious symbol of our redemption or detach it from the Most Holy Redeemer?
St. Peter Parish Sanctuary – Vatican 2 Style Decor
Then, there’s the actual sanctuary for this parish, where religious art is scarce (except the ambo), shoved aside to the corners or outside of it altogether. It at least has a crucifix over the tabernacle, but not much else. Like other modern parishes, this one prefers the minimalistic ambiance . . .
All of this may correspond with a new diocesan policy of “don’t take away from Jesus with images,” a wretched and distinctly protestant approach.
This is how things have been there for a while, perhaps worse under Fr. Magee, but alas, this sterile-decor philosophy exists elsewhere in the Raleigh Diocese. My sources tell me one of the other nearby parishes won’t even use candles around the tabernacle, in its adoration chapel, citing similar faulty reasoning.
Fr. Magee: Less Reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist
You can tell a lot about a priest’s zeal from how he behaves around the Blessed Sacrament. On the remote occasions where Fr. Magee has offered Eucharistic exposition, he demonstrates a lack of reverence by wearing tennis shoes and genuflecting on only one knee.
Even mafia dons know not to dress like scrubs. Why can’t our sacred pastors recognize their far greater dignity and comport themselves better than college bros? This isn’t my mere opinion, either. Behold how even lay people dressed for Mass not but a few short decades ago.
It’s one thing when today’s uncatechized laity don’t know the customs for respecting the exposed Holy Eucharist (two-knee genuflections). It’s quite another when a parish priest doesn’t.
Parish Eucharistic Exposition? Maybe but Probably Not . . .
Fr. Magee talks a sizable game about having Wednesday Holy Hour, but cancels it 75% of the time. That was the case for about a year. He finally abandoned it altogether a few weeks ago. Now, the Wednesday Holy Hour occurs . . . in the adoration chapel (where it always is, every other hour).
Also, when exposition did occur in the parish sanctuary, one had better not pray the Rosary out loud with other Catholics. Otherwise, Fr. Magee would storm out there, put the Host back inside the tabernacle early, and scold the participants for praying as a community (without his expressed written consent).
Don’t ask . . .
Fr. Magee’s Parish – Creating Catholic Fort Knox
Another common theme for Vatican-2-focused Catholic parishes is the near obsession with security.
Fr. Magee implemented a security system, which makes it difficult to enter the parish for perpetual adoration. He locks people out of the building with a new-fangled tech system, one that’s been very inconsistent about when it will allow folks inside. He abolished the more user-friendly (at least accessible) keypad system, employed by other parishes, even in far more dangerous neighborhoods.
He also “locks and shuts down” the chapel at bizarre times; for 12 hours at a time (to accommodate stupid Halloween parties or for no reason on Christmas Eve). I’ve heard that this has led some devoted adorers to kneel outside the building out of desperation.
Fr. Magee’s Motto: “When in doubt, lock ‘em out!”
This emanates from some ill-conceived notion that the area is unsafe and we must protect the helpless old people who visit (who could just stay home during night-time hours).
He also briefly enacted the asinine policy of parking a “retro” police car in the parking lot to “scare away trespassers.” You might have seen this tactic in other places. It’s a trick that some businesses do, by placing a cop car on the premises to make it look like law enforcement is in the vicinity. It, of course, helps to do this with one that’s been used by the local police recently.
Here’s the cheaper way, implemented (temporarily) by the Fr. Magee administration . . .
Silly gimmicks aside, Fr. Magee’s “lockdown” policies do nothing more than deter people from visiting the Blessed Sacrament, as Catholics have done for centuries. Bishop Fulton Sheen, for example, credited his fantastic preaching and evangelization to the practice of keeping a holy hour every day. This would, however, be impossible if Sheen had grown up in Greenville, North Carolina, with sacred pastors, like Fr. Magee.
Why Do I Take Umbrage with Fr. Magee?
“Chris, why do you worry over this priest? You don’t even attend the parish’s Bugnini Party Novus Ordo Mass?”
Because as a Catholic, we have every right to expect authentic Catholicity and liturgical reverence from the clergy. Also, although I avoid the modern Mass, and consider it illicit, this parish is nearby and offers a valid opportunity for Eucharistic adoration. That is unless it gets “shut down,” which often happens for lazy, capricious, and potentially vindictive reasons.
Why Hindering Eucharistic Adoration is Miserable
Today’s modern antichurch, Fr. Magee included, will, on one hand, say “come to the table of plenty,” but with the other, insist you “stay the hell out of here.”
Maybe Fr. Magee follows the way of the “Oily Father,” and ruler of the antichurch, who also places sparse emphasis on Eucharistic adoration. If so, this is tragic, and would explain why a parish of a few thousand parishioners seldom ever sees a young man aspire to the priesthood → No Adoration, No Vocations.
Furthermore, for those who harbor a consistent desire to visit Jesus every day, lockdowns are a most cruel policy. To all my married readers, imagine if a priest stopped you from seeing your spouse. That’s what it’s like for fervent adorers of Jesus whenever adoration must cease for superfluous reasons.
Yes, parish security is an important pastoral duty, but there are plenty of ways to accomplish it without hindering devotions.
Fr. Magee – No “Dialogue” + Boring Sermons
Many local Catholics at St. Peter’s have had grievances with Fr. Magee, who refuses to “dialogue” with parishioners over virtually any disagreement. Here again, we see a parallel to the hypocrisy of the Vicar of Communism, Antipope Bergoglio. Everyone from the antichurch regime insists upon discussion, listening, feelings, and dialogue . . . until you question their fascistic governance.
- NB: some disputes with St. Peter parishioners are confidential, preventing me from disclosing details, per their request. Nevertheless, the examples are quite plural (including fights over Mass intentions).
Fr. Magee also delivers boring, low-controversy sermons that sound like they were generated from PriestGPT. He wouldn’t want to offend anybody or preach about sin or Hell, seeing how his antipope believes neither exist.
While we may credit Magee for not being a mega heretic (significant pastoral achievement in 2024), he still allows other notorious priests to visit the parish and preach errors. From what I’ve heard, at least one priest will wax poetically regarding the need for hysterectomies in special cases.
Diocesan Retreat for Priests? Cancel the Parish!
What happens when Fr. Magee has to leave town for something?
Well, if there’s ever a diocesan retreat or “some event with the bishop,” you can expect him to cancel regular confession hours and masses. God help you if you’re on death’s doorstep when one of these occurs, and ALL the priests disappear. Sacraments are virtually non-essential in the Diocese of Raleigh.
This includes 1st Saturday Masses (viewed as little more than optional). Never forget, of course, that sacred pastors, like Fr. Magee, were the same ones to shut down the Church over the fake pandemic in 2020. Today’s parish priests cancel everything (including Mass) they consider unnecessary, but never any of those random obligations to their masters, the bishops.
Fr. Magee – Petty Tyrant, Low Experience
Finally, why was Fr. Magee made a pastor of such a large parish (in 2021) with only four years of experience (ordained in 2017)? Because he does what he’s told.
This occurs while other experienced priests languish in obscurity, having to accept “sabbaticals” for being too traditional, or even simply saying the Mass ad orientem.
Conclusion – Beware the Great Millstone
Now is the time to disavow all doubt over the modernist takeover of the Catholic Church, happening at every level of analysis. We have a duty to acknowledge the problem and combat it. With that in mind, I invite you to consider Fr. James Altman’s recent message on how to cope with Antipope Bergoglio and his minions.
“The best thing we can do is tie the great millstone around Jorge Bergoglio’s neck and throw him into the deep, blue, Mediterranean Sea.”
“You are not angry enough that Donald Wuerhl still prances around in the cassock of a Cardinal. If you are not righteously angry in a spiritual sense, then you’re the problem . . .”
-Fr. James Altman
Fortunately, nobody has to align with Jorge Bergoglio as his sodomite soldiers; not a single clergyman has to incur the proverbial millstone, but will if they follow him. For us, it is vital to oppose priests/bishops who do not specifically counterattack modernism, preferring silence, or worse, joining along with it.
For as Our Lord warns us . . .
“He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.”
Perhaps, per Fr Altman’s suggestion, we must toss Bergoglio and all of his loyal subordinates into the deep, blue sea. Failing that, I suppose we continue with the following.
- Pray the Rosary every day for the conversion of lukewarm, modernist, or aggressive priests.
- Offer penances for Fr. Magee and his
prisonersparishioners. - Pray that I don’t encounter another email, regarding the parish’s youth ministry, wherein he refers to himself as “Fr. Jimmy” (lest I might barf).
If you’ve had any experiences with Fr. Magee, or would like to correct something in this article, please feel free to comment below. Unlike the disingenuous, orgasm-obsessed, ultra-fallible, and vicious Bergoglian antichurch, this blog invites legitimate dialogue.
Catholics Aren't Zombies! 
Wonderful assessment that is yet another piece to the bigger problem. These are my observations.
First the good, Father Magee is solid as a Confessor. He is merciful and he offers sound spiritual guidance and not just Absolution. As a perpetual wicked sinner I truly appreciate these and with his guidance and though the Glory of God I am and will be a stronger Christian and simply a better person. He speaks often of Our Lady, which I totally appreciate but I will continue to go elsewhere for Traditional Catholic values which are openly absent in the Churches within the Raleigh diocese, save for a few crumbs which will be picked up by the birds soon.
Now my sole gripe about Confession. Availability. Father is either canceling Confession due to lack of interest on his part, by the laity’s, or the bar has been lowered and he’s cranking out Saints at record speed and there is no use for Confession twice a week.
July 2023, there was a month of Confessions on Wednesday. Four for four. This was the same month that I started utilizing Confession here in town because well, you know: the totally heartless and vindictive cancellation of two Reverent Priests and the sinister crushing of the Traditional Latin Mass by Jorge’s lap dog.
August it was two of five.
September we had one Wednesday Confession but we did have Saturday Confession for five Saturdays. The only Wednesday Confession was on the 6th of September and we did not have another Wednesday Confession until the 25th of October.
For the remaining 9 weeks we did not have Confession on Wednesday at St Peter’s. It was at that point I was considering, maybe I really am rotten and these people have the secret to Sainthood. Then I watched them for three Masses, the only three Masses I’ve celebrated at St Peter’s. Nah, that wasn’t it.
Now of the three Masses, Father Magee Offered one of them, it was the first Saturday Mass this month. I have to admit I was so excited when he prayed the Angelus at the beginning of Mass, I could hardly contain myself.
The homily for this one Mass was good. He spoke of the Baptism of our Lord, the spiritual life of warfare, and he offered a good quote from Pope Benedict XVI- who is NOT blameless in this last decade of debauchery and destruction. But that’s another story…
The homily wasn’t pointedly about Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell, sins, or the dangers of Modernism but honestly I didn’t expect that considering where I was celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. That’s no excuse and our fellow Catholics need all the help and reminders that they can get- just like we do.
We were able to receive our Lord reverently but my biggest gripe, no paten. I know this is the Novus ordo way but once again that doesn’t make it right. Our Lord deserves better.
I noticed Father’s shoes then but you know me, I don’t not have ANY room to talk; I know Father Nix wears tennis shoes, well more like skate shoes but either way not leather shoes. That does not excuse anything or make it right but at least we haven’t seen Father Magee in full civilian clothes. I consider the Priesthood like the military. You are always on duty. No we didn’t wear BDU’s 24/7 but we did not need to show everyone that we were military members all the time. A Priest should always be available (except when they are on their well-deserved vacation) and easily identifiable. Whenever I think of that one Priest (you know who I’m talking about) in civilian clothes I don’t know what it is but I always think about him being up to no good. Why wouldn’t he want others to know that he is a Priest? I digress…
Adoration. I am so thankful we have Him here. The lockdown is a bit much but I have yet to experience a time when I was not able to spend time and worship our Lord. There will be a time He is not available to me and I will be extremely irked. I understand the need for security especially with children present but parishioner should not be put out without a plan in place to continue the unobstructed availability with our Lord. Maybe there is something but I’m not privy to it since I’m not a member of St Peter’s.
Christ Crucified. Especially in today’s world, we need to see and understand this most loving but seemingly thankless Sacrifice that our Lord made for us- who become less and less worthy as each moment passes. There shouldn’t be a time that we cannot open our eyes and see a Crucifix. Every time we turn around we should see the reason for being most thankful and Faithful in out heart. Once again seeing how people act during Adoration they need that, you know aside from our Lord being presented to us in all of His Splendorous Glory. A Crucifix would be a most welcome and a greatly needed additional reminder.
Next. Silence. I’m not talking about silence during Adoration or the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass but those should also be addressed but I am speaking squarely of matters pertaining to what is going on in the Church. To be silent, indifferent, ambiguous, or cryptic, is to be complicit in destroying the Faith. It is not self-preservation to act like a coward. It is simply being a coward. This is not aimed at Father Magee, frankly because of my limited experience with him publicly but rather the Bishop, who year after year is complicit in eroding the Faith yet at the same time ask for money from those who realize he is helping destroy the Faith! Since June of 2023 I have not given one penny to Raleigh. I am not proud of that but instead I support a fraternal organization who is more aligned with my values. READ: they perpetuate the Traditional Catholic Faith, they glorify God and work towards the Salvation of Souls. Anything less and you may as well be a Protestant.
Like medicine, if it tastes good spit it out. In Catholic Christianity, if it makes you feel good, it is not good for you. The only caveats should be the birth of our Lord and His Resurrection, the Holy Eucharist and Adoration. All of these indulgences of self, one’s feelings, making everyone their own god, promoting the absolute heresy that hell is empty, it’s totally counter to everything that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ preached and that his Apostles have taught.
We should be thankful for the blessings we receive from the Church but we should work to be worthy of them. A more eloquent statement by the Superior General of the SSPX, Don Davide Pagliarani, “The call for [such] a blessing would consist only of asking these people in a non-liturgical framework, that “all is true, good, and humanly valuable in their lives and in their relationships be invested, healed and elevated by the presence of the Holy Ghost”.”
The latest mockery of legitimate relationships, the total alienation of our Lord, and the celebration of those truly evil ones who would love nothing more than to see their sinful lifestyles fully accepted in the Church, all while taking away from God and only loving their own neighbor as much as they love themselves- if that is actually possible; is the latest of scandals that have been met with little correction locally. Silence is acceptance.
All in all, I expect more from Father Magee but then again I don’t. We know where we can celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and get what we want and need. Unlike our last parish it is definitely not perfect but it is better than what we are faced with locally.
And let’s face it, dialogue is only applicable when it doesn’t deal with pious matters. If we were dialoguing about sin, including apostasy from Islam and Judaism, heresy like Protestantism, schism by Orthodoxy, or even watering down the Faith to match worldly beliefs: when it comes to divorce and remarried, abortion, and the sin that cries out to Heaven for vengeance-sodomy, we might not be treated as outsiders but rather welcome with open arms especially if we were for any of these diabolical sins. Dialog means I am potentially willing to give up something that I believe in so that the other will acquiesce or feel accepted. Who would respect someone in the offering position? No thanks.
Please pray for the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Ave Maria!
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I can really appreciate this measured and thoughtful response. The part about confession is worth noting especially. It’s true that he’s a better than average confessor, capable of identifying which virtues to use for correcting various vices. That’s perhaps what makes the cancellations even more frustrating. Here, we have a priest who has plenty of potential and we must pray he breaks free from the diocesan bureaucracy’s modernist vice grip. Again, that was a terrific response, Thomas.
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Until last week I was part of the Parish Council. I have looked for ways to support my Parish for years. I was so happy to finally have the time to do so now that my children are grown. But after watching this man and the things that he has done, I could no longer standby and not speak up. I have watched him push out countless faithful Catholics from our church and our school because they either disagree with him or don’t fall in line with exactly what he expects. I have tried to stand up for what I feel is right and for those that can’t stand up for themselves because he threatens them and their children being kicked out of school. I have written to the Vicar and the head of HR for the diocese. He is way too protected and his gross misuse of power is disgusting. It has been going on since he got to our church and school. I am not as educated as you in the faith but I know this- though I am a sinner, I have been at this church for over 50 years, and I love my church. I have watch many wonderful Priests come and go but I have never seen a Priest tear apart our church the way this one is doing! It breaks my heart and pray god will continue to bring the truth to Light!
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I hope you hang in there and don’t get discouraged. Was there anything in particular that had you leave the parish council (if you’re willing to share; no pressure)? Whatever you do, don’t neglect adoration or the daily Rosary, which is so essential in this period of diabolical disorientation.
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I still go to adoration, almost daily, and say a rosary every day. I just couldn’t standby and watch him continue to remove faithful Catholics from leadership or educational positions. Especially his most recent one. That was the straw that broke the camels back, but I am also aware of a long history of people that he has removed from positions because they had opposing opinions …Not wrong opinions, just opposing opinions.
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