Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I need to warn you of a danger of misinformation on Youtube. One of our parishioners recently directed me to a Youtube video that was apparently an audio homily by Pope Leo XIV. It was not. It was actually, a video that was created by cloning the Pope's voice. The video had something to do with things that should never be worn at Mass. I warned her that it was not really the pope.

Out of curiosity, I did a search on Youtube looking for videos about things that should never be worn at Mass. Imagine my surprise when I found out that there are many different channels with various names with that same content. In addition, I stumbled upon the same content being created claiming to be various well known Catholic persons including Fr. Mike Schmidt and Bishop Robert Barron. Whoever the creators of these channels are have been making many different channels and videos that use the popularity of these various well-known Catholic people for their own benefit.

While some of the messages seem to be good messages, it doesn't excuse the use of another person's image for their own person gain. Besides this, some of the messages are heretical (i.e. claiming there are only four valid sacraments). This is new trend is very dangerous. Some of the faithful could be led astray by these things.

I caution you to be very discerning when you are listening to audio content on Youtube. It is getting to the point where we need to even be wary of some of the video content as well. The ability to fake not only a person's voice but their video image is getting easier all the time. Our Lord's warning still apples to us: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves."

In Christ,

Fr. Ron Nelson