Editor’s note: The following was originally published on Bishop Joseph Strickland’s Substack on July 14, 2025.
(LifeSiteNews) — In a recent post, I spoke of what many refer to as the “Lavender Mafia.” This term is commonly used to describe a hidden network of clergy within the Church who engage in or protect homosexual activity, form alliances based on mutual secrecy, and often work to silence or sideline faithful priests and bishops. This network thrives on secrecy, moral compromise, and disobedience to Church teaching – and its existence is tragically linked to the ongoing crisis of abuse, cover-ups, and doctrinal confusion.
But the Lavender Mafia is not operating alone. Alongside it, and often intersecting with it, we must also acknowledge the existence of what is known as the St. Gallen Mafia – a term coined not by critics, but reportedly by one of its own members.
This group of high-ranking prelates – including Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Belgium (deceased); Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini of Italy (deceased); and Cardinal Walter Kasper of Germany, among others – met regularly in St. Gallen, Switzerland beginning in the 1990s. They opposed the leadership of then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and sought to steer the Church in a more progressive, worldly direction.
In an authorized 2015 biography published during his lifetime, Cardinal Danneels is reported to have jokingly but revealingly coined the term for the group. The authors state: “Danneels referred jokingly to this group as ‘the St. Gallen mafia.’”(Source: Mettepenningen & Schelkens, Godfried Danneels: Biographie, 2015)
The biography also confirms that the group sought to influence papal elections and advance a vision of the Church contrary to her traditional doctrines and disciplines.
Cardinal Danneels, notably, was later implicated in covering up clerical abuse in Belgium and was known for supporting moral positions at odds with Catholic teaching, including positions in support of contraception and homosexual relationships. While some have raised serious concerns about his affiliations – including potential Masonic connections – the most damning evidence comes from his own public record and the testimony of his biographers.
What is most troubling is that these two forces – moral corruption and doctrinal subversion – often walked hand in hand. The Lavender Mafia undermined the Church’s credibility through sin and scandal. The St. Gallen group weakened her witness through strategic manipulation of leadership and teaching.
I do not bring this forward to spread fear or suspicion, but to speak truthfully and clearly. Christ did not promise that His Church would never face corruption – He promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against her. That is our confidence.
For those seeking a more thorough exploration of these networks and their effects on the Church, I recommend the book, “Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within,” by Dr. Taylor Marshall. While all historical interpretations should be read with discernment, his work documents many of these realities with clarity and courage.
Now is the time to fast, to pray, and to remain firmly rooted in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the full truth of the Catholic faith. Let us not be scandalized but purified. Let us not be afraid, but faithful.
Jesus Christ is Lord of His Church – not cardinals, not conspirators, not even popes. And He will not abandon us.
May Almighty God bless you.
Bishop Joseph Strickland
Bishop Emeritus
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