The Rev. James Altman calls himself “a lowly priest” serving a blue-collar city in western Wisconsin.
But when his bishop demanded his resignation – after a series of divisive remarks about politics and the pandemic – Altman refused to oblige and has since raised more than $640,000 from his conservative supporters to defend himself.
While not unprecedented, a Catholic priest’s refusal to abide by a bishop’s call to resign is certainly rare.
Altman’s case, which has garnered national attention and made him a celebrity of sorts among some Catholics, has further fueled the divide between them and those urging a more progressive, inclusive church.