James Altman
American Roman Catholic priest
James F. Altman is an American Catholic priest of the Diocese of La Crosse who received attention in 2020 after appearing in a viral YouTube video denouncing Catholics who support the Democratic Party. After a subsequent dispute over his comments with his bishop, Altman has been banned by the Church from celebrating Mass or presenting himself as a priest publicly since 2021.
Early career
Altman worked as an attorney in family law before entering seminary at the Pontifical College Josephinum in 2004 and later transferring to the University of Saint Mary of the Lake and being ordained a priest by Jerome Listecki on June 28, 2008. He was assigned to St. Peter and Paul Parish in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin from 2010 to 2017, before being transferred to St. James The Less Parish in La Crosse, Wisconsin. While he was assigned to St. Peter and Paul, cemetery upkeep went into decline, as the cemetery soon found itself in debt.
Election videos
In August 2020, in the months before the 2020 United States presidential election, Altman gained attention after appearing in a viral YouTube video. In the video, Altman stated that "You cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat", due to the party's support of legal access to abortion.
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