(LifeSiteNews) – A British freedom activist has indicated that weak bishops are the reason why he doesn’t join the Catholic Church.
The Rev. Calvin Robinson, whose faith journey has taken him from the Church of England to the freestanding Anglican Catholic Church (which is not in communion with Rome), told LifeSiteNews’ European correspondent Andreas Wailzer why he does not become a Roman Catholic or join the Eastern Orthodox Church.
EXCLUSIVE: @calvinrobinson claims ‘weak bishops’ are what is keeping him from becoming Roman Catholic pic.twitter.com/97jNcUpaJi
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After stating that in the West “we are Catholics,” Robinson blamed the bishops.
“It’s difficult because the Catholic bishops are not strong,” he declared. “And I need a strong bishop who can hold me to account, to say, ‘No, Father Robinson, don’t necessarily speak on that platform or speak on that topic’ or “Do it this way’.”
Like Anglican clergymen adhering to the philosophical strain called “Anglo-Catholicism,” Robinson considers himself to be both a Catholic and a priest and uses the honorific “Father.” He told LifeSiteNews that priests “need to be held to account.”
“This is the Catholic ecclesiology,” he stated. “But that also means we can’t have bishops who are like, ‘Silence. Do not speak.’ We need to be speaking out to the world. […] We need to proclaim the Gospel.”
“The Church is dying in the West because people have their heads buried in the sand, including the shepherds,” he continued. “It’s a neglect; it’s a spiritual neglect.”
Robinson repeated that he would need “a bishop who’s strong enough to hold me to account but also support me and encourage me in my ministry.”
“I don’t see those bishops at the Catholic Church,” he declared.
Robinson then alluded to Bishop Strickland’s loss of the See of Tyler, Texas, saying that his “good friend” was “sacked because he was a strong bishop.”
WATCH: With Calvin Robinson: CANCELED for Elon Musk salute?!
The clergyman also said that he “would love nothing better than to be in public visible communion with the rest of the Church. I would love for us all to be in communion with each other. I just don’t see how it’s practically possible.”
Robinson explained that thought of being “laicized” had occurred to him, but he took the arrival of a new cassock soon after he prayed over the question as a sign that he is called to ministry and to say “Mass.”
The Rev. Calvin Robinson’s career in the Church of England was thwarted after he, a British citizen of mixed race, stated that he didn’t believe, as did the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, that this ecclesial community was “deeply institutionally racist.” Those and other conservative views, such as the right to life, led to Robinson leaving mainstream Anglicanism to join the breakaway Anglican Free Church of England, which recognized him as a deacon. He later joined the Nordic Catholic Church, which is also not in communion with Rome and recognizes him as a priest.
Upon his moving to the U.S., Robinson joined the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), which is also not in communion with Rome but recognizes his ordination by the Nordic Catholic Church. Last month the ACC dismissed Robinson from his ministerial role this year after he lightheartedly copied a controversial gesture made by Elon Musk.
As he pursued a ministerial path, Robinson became a well-known politician (he stood for office as the Conservative Party candidate twice) and conservative pundit, especially as a commentator for the UK’s GBNews. He has repeatedly spoken out for freedom of speech, the right to life, and family values. He also opposes the mainstream COVID narrative.
In a press release about Robinson’s dismissal, the ACC indicated that he had been let go for his activism:
As Robinson himself has said, “context is key.” He was not hired by the ACC to be an official spokesman, social media influencer, or to provoke the “hysterical liberals” (his words) in online culture wars; he was licensed by an ACC bishop to serve as a parish priest. He was repeatedly warned not to engage in the sort of behavior that he displayed at the National Right to Life Conference, and he did not comply. As such, his license to serve in the ACC was revoked. In doing so, the bishops acted in accordance with ACC canons.
However, Robinson told LifeSiteNews that “a massive bandwagon” led to his ACC license being revoked:
First of all, I gave a ten minute speech on the importance of life, on the sanctity of life, that we are Imago Dei, made in the image of God, that all human life is sacred, and actually America is in a good place, because you have a president, and a vice president, and loads of politicians who support the pro-life cause, which we don’t have here in the UK, not at present anyway. That’s what I did, and then at the end of it I said, “My heart goes out to you.” Clearly a nod to Elon Musk, clearly an attempt at humor after a very dark and serious conversation. People in the audience got it; I had a standing ovation. People online got it, and then the liberals, the left, the Democrats picked up on it and launched an attack from a site called “Right Wing Watch.” A massive bandwagon sent complaints to my bishop. Forty-five minutes later I have my license revoked, and I’m no longer able to celebrate the mass in my parish church.
Robinson is appealing the decision.