As Los Angeles burns with riots orchestrated by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) and inflamed by Antifa, our hearts ache for a city torn apart by chaos in June 2025. These events painfully echo the Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa riots of the summer of 2020, when division and destruction swept our nation. Both periods of unrest share a dark thread: a Marxist-inspired agenda cloaked in the guise of justice, threatening the very soul of society. The Catholic Church, through the prophetic voices of its popes, has long warned against such ideologies, and their words pierce our hearts today. Amid this turmoil, we find inspiration in the fearless stand of Fr. Ted Rothrock, a priest who, in 2020, spoke boldly against the insidious nature of those earlier riots, only to face cancellation by his diocese. His sacrifice, and the founding of Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace (CUP), call us to defend truth with courage, even when the cost is great.
The Los Angeles Riots: A Color Revolution
The unrest gripping Los Angeles, sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, has spiraled into a “color revolution” — a calculated effort to sow division, violence and despair. Reports reveal CHIRLA, a nonprofit flush with taxpayer dollars through ActBlue and the State of California, orchestrating protests that have turned violent, with attacks on federal agents, arson, and explosives. Antifa’s presence, alongside groups like the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) linked to professionally printed protest materials, deepens the sense of betrayal. This chaos mirrors the 2020 BLM and Antifa riots, which exploited cries for racial justice to push a Marxist vision that wounds the heart of Christian values.
In 2020, BLM’s promises of justice captured many hearts, only to leave them broken. My 24-year-old grandson, unfortunately once a fervent supporter of the Democratic Party and BLM, poured his savings into the movement, believing it would uplift Black communities. By 2023, his trust was shattered. He discovered BLM’s lack of integrity — misusing funds and failing to deliver on promises to Black Americans. Betrayed, he vowed never again to support BLM or the Democrats who backed it, choosing instead to stand as an Independent. His story reflects the pain of countless young people who, drawn in by what they believe to be noble ideals, now see through the deception of these movements. Today’s riots stir the same sorrow, as Fr. Rothrock warned in 2020 of organizers who “would see a value in the obliteration of our history” and “are the real racists and the purveyors of hate.” His words haunt us as CHIRLA and Antifa’s actions—destroying property and masking their agendas—echo this prophetic critique. Sadly, where were the U.S. Bishops while cities were burning in 2020? Bishop Seitz was taking a knee for BLM. Where are they now? As Catholics, we must weep for the exploited and discern the true motives behind these movements, which veil destructive ideologies in the language of compassion.
Papal Warnings on Marxism
The Catholic Church has long sounded the alarm against Marxism, its warnings ringing with both urgency and love for humanity. In his 1878 encyclical Quod Apostolici Muneris, Pope Leo XIII called socialism and communism “a deadly plague” that creeps into society’s core, tearing apart families and denying God’s design. His words, born of a pastor’s heart, urge us to protect the dignity of every soul. In 1937, Pope Pius XI, in Divini Redemptoris, decried communism’s “fallacious and dangerous” promises, warning that its call for class warfare and the destruction of private ownership breaks the bonds of human community. More recently, Pope St. John Paul II, in Centesimus Annus (1991), mourned Marxism’s dehumanizing vision, which reduces people to mere tools of a godless system. He reminded us that true dignity flows from God, not from revolutions that crush freedom and faith. These papal cries guide us now, as we face the Marxist undercurrents in Los Angeles, urging us to hold fast to truth with love and resolve.
Fr. Ted Rothrock: A Shepherd’s Courageous Heart
In the summer of 2020, Fr. Ted Rothrock, then pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton in Carmel, Indiana, poured his heart into a bulletin message exposing the Marxist roots of the BLM protests. With a shepherd’s love, he sought to protect his flock from ideologies that clash with the Gospel, echoing the warnings of Leo XIII and Pius XI. He wrote of organizers “throwing bombs or even marching in the streets” who would “destroy our families by welfare systems,” a cry that foresaw the orchestrated violence we witness today. His words, grounded in 37 years of priestly service, were not of hate but of truth, affirming the sacred dignity of every person and the sanctity of life.
His courage broke his heart — and ours. A small group of non-Catholics, stung by his message, demanded his “defrocking” and protested outside his parish. Bishop Timothy Doherty of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana, yielding to pressure, suspended Fr. Rothrock, a decision that wounded the faithful who cherished his voice. Yet, his sacrifice ignited a spark. Catholics rallied in prayer, their hearts united, and a petition with 40,000 signatures, delivered by LifeSiteNews and CUP, pressed for his reinstatement. By October 2020, Fr. Rothrock was sent to St. Paul Catholic Church in Marion, Indiana, a parish marked by poverty, where he poured out his love until his retirement this week. His stand reminds us that truth demands sacrifice, but it also kindles hope.
The Founding of Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace – 5 Years Ago
Fr. Ted Rothrock’s ordeal gave rise to Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace (CUP), an organization born from a prayer rally at St. Elizabeth Seton on July 5, 2020, where the faithful gathered to defend both the faith and a devoted priest. CUP stands as a beacon against assaults on our Catholic faith, championing the non-negotiables outlined by Pope Benedict XVI—religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage—which we may never compromise. These assaults, fueled by Marxist ideologies condemned by the popes, find a resolute counter in CUP’s mission, which pulses with charity: to unite Catholics in upholding human dignity and to protect brave clergy like Fr. Rothrock who face persecution for their witness.
CUP’s emergence answers a heartfelt cry for Catholics to stand firm against cultural and ideological storms, whether from within the Church or society at large. From the Marxist rhetoric of BLM in 2020 to the orchestrated unrest in Los Angeles today, these movements exploit genuine pain to advance agendas that wound the Church’s heart—Jesus’ Sacred Heart. The disillusionment of young people, such as my grandson who turned away from BLM’s broken promises, fuels CUP’s call to proclaim truth and foster unity. CUP’s victories—from securing Fr. Rothrock’s reinstatement to combating obscene library materials and the erosion of Eucharistic faith—demonstrate the transformative power of faithful hearts united in purpose.
A Catholic Call for Charity and Courage
As we grieve the Los Angeles riots and honor Fr. Rothrock’s legacy, we are summoned to act with charity and courage, guided by the Church’s timeless wisdom. The Church upholds the dignity of every person, calling for immigration policies that focus on justice — not just the mercy that the bishops endlessly speak of. We cannot ignore the deception of groups wielding revolutionary aims, as popes from Leo XIII to John Paul II have warned. Fr. Rothrock’s 2020 plea to “oppose this malevolent force” resonates as we confront CHIRLA and Antifa’s divisive, revolutionary tactics today. The Gospel begs us to see through lies, as many hearts eventually did in rejecting movements like BLM.
Fr. Rothrock’s example stirs our souls. His retirement this week from St. Paul Catholic Church in Marion, Indiana, closes a chapter, but his light shines on. In Marion, he served the poor, witnessing “a level of poverty… in the caliber of what he saw in Haiti,” yet found joy in their faith. His courage in 2020 and his love since then call us to stand firm, even when the world demands silence.
Let us pray for Los Angeles and our country, for the safety of federal agents, and for the conversion of those caught in Marxist lies. Let us rally behind CUP, which carries the torch of faith against cultural darkness and for God’s truth. Let us honor Fr. Rothrock’s sacrifice, and pray for the awakening of young hearts like my grandson who sought truth, by proclaiming the Gospel with love and fearless resolve.
Call to Action
- Pour out your heart in prayer for peace in Los Angeles and for all entangled in this crisis.
- Stand with Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace by joining our email list or attending our next event – “A Fight for Life” with Lt Governor, Micah Beckwith..
- Lift up priests and laity who face persecution for defending the faith, sharing their stories with love.
- Share the Church’s warnings against Marxist ideologies, as voiced in papal encyclicals, and inspire young people to seek truth, as many have done, turning from deception to hope.
In Fr. Rothrock’s words, “Let us not allow fear to keep us away from God and doing God’s work. Trust in Jesus.” May we, like him, be unwavering in our love for truth, unity, and peace in Christ, guided by the Church’s enduring heart.