James Likoudis (December 11, 1928) is an American

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

theologian, author and former lecturer in religious studies.

Career

In 1977 Likoudis's translation of Renée Casin's ''St. Thomas Aquinas: Orthodoxy, and Neo-Modernism in the Church'' from French to English was published. He has also authored several books dealing with

sex education Sex education, also known as sexual education, sexuality education or sex ed, is the instruction of issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduc ...

, the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops vi ...

and its teachings,

liturgical Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

issues and controversies following the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...

, and articles and commentary about prominent Roman Catholics. He is the president emeritus of the Catholic lay organization Catholics United for the Faith (CUF) and the founder of Credo of Buffalo. While working with CUF, Likoudis led the charge to remove ecclesiastical approval from the theologically problematic "Christ Among Us" Catechism, a campaign that was eventually heard by the Vatican's CDF head, Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), which took action to remove the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat before eventually requesting that Paulist Press cease further production and sales of the book. Similarly, Likoudis played a prominent role in bringing to the Vatican's awareness the dissent and theological error being taught at CUA by Fr. Charles Curran. After many years and many more reports, Fr. Curran was removed from his teaching position by the Church hierarchy. Mr. Likoudis is also the former president of Morality in Media, an organization now known as The National Center on Sexual Exploitation - an organization that campaigns against pornography, sex education and sex trafficking. The organization describes its goal as "exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation". In its beginnings, the organization was primarily Catholic. He is also the former moderator of the New York TV series "Sex and Morality." Another significant contribution of Likoudis is his work with the late

Dietrich von Hildebrand Dietrich Richard Alfred von Hildebrand (12 October 1889 – 26 January 1977) was a German Roman Catholic philosopher and religious writer. Hildebrand was called "the twentieth-century Doctor of the Church" by Pope Pius XII. He was a leading ...

and his wife

Alice von Hildebrand Alice Marie von Hildebrand, Order of Saint Gregory the Great, GCSG (née Jourdain; 11 March 1923 – 14 January 2022) was a Belgian-born American Catholic philosopher, theologian, author, and professor. She taught philosophy at Hunter College fo ...

in their work on sex education, through working with, and acting as board member of the organization, Veil of Innocence, and also contributing to the published work of Dietrich's: “Sex Education: The Basic Issues and Related Essays” which contains a personally penned recommendation from Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta. He also helped to found the late Father

John Hardon John Anthony Hardon, SJ (June 18, 1914 – December 30, 2000) was an American Jesuit priest, writer, and theologian. A candidate for sainthood since 2005, he is recognized by the Catholic Church as a Servant of God. Early life John Anthon ...

S.J.s organization, Eternal Life, as well as contributing to some of Father Hardon's books, most notably, penning the foreword to the published dissertation of Fr. Hardon which he completed at the Gregorian in Rome on the topic of "Bellarmine's Doctrine of the Relation of Sincere Non-Catholics to the Catholic Church". A convert to Roman Catholicism in 1952 from Eastern Orthodoxy, the Christian faith into which he was baptized, Likoudis has since devoted a great deal of his

apologetical Apologetics (from Greek , "speaking in defense") is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. Early Christian writers (c. 120–220) who defended their beliefs against critics and ...

and

polemical Polemic () is contentious rhetoric intended to support a specific position by forthright claims and to undermine the opposing position. The practice of such argumentation is called ''polemics'', which are seen in arguments on controversial topics ...

efforts to foster reunion and submission of the

es to the

See of Rome The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Ro ...

and the

Papacy The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

. In his essay, ''To be Truly Orthodox is to be in Communion with Peter's See'' (1988), Likoudis gives an account of his personal journey from

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

Byzantine Rite Orthodoxy to

Latin Rite Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church '' sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...

Roman Catholicism. Likoudis' book ''Ending the Byzantine Greek Schism'' (2nd revised edition, 1992) aims to answer historical criticisms as well as theological objections raised by apologists for

Orthodox Christianity Orthodoxy (from Greek: ) is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion. Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical councils in Antiquity, but different Chur ...

. In Likoudis's ''The Divine Primacy of the Bishop of Rome and Modern Eastern Orthodoxy: Letters to a Greek Orthodox on the Unity of the Church'', he refutes the objections of Orthodox and

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

critics to modern Roman Papal claims. An earlier edition of this book – ''The Divine Primacy of the Bishop of Rome, Reply to a Former Catholic'' – was written particularly to refute Eastern Orthodox writer, Michael Whelton's arguments, put forth in his book, ''Two Paths.'' His last book in the trilogy is ''Eastern Orthodoxy and the See of Peter'' in which he outlines some current controversies, as well as identifies pathways forward for reconciliation of both sides and shows a portrait of a saint who devoted his life to this ecumenical endeavor and modeled it in his personal life. His latest book is ''Heralds to a Catholic Russia – Twelve Spiritual Pilgrims, from Byzantium to Rome''. This book contains portraits of saints, philosophers, and royalty, who all found their way from Orthodoxy to Catholicism through intellectual engagement with the arguments for and against Catholicism. The book ends with a pertinent section on Our Lady of Fátima's apparitions and messages and their relevance to a future, hoped-for Catholic Russia. Likoudis co-authored ''The Pope, the Council and the Mass'' (Christopher Publishing House, 1981 and 1982; Rev. Ed. Emmaus Road Publishing, 2006), a defense of

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...

's ''

Ordo Missae Order of Mass is an outline of a Mass celebration, describing how and in what order liturgical texts and rituals are employed to constitute a Mass. The expression Order of Mass is particularly tied to the Roman Rite where the sections under that ...

'' and the liturgical reforms envisaged by Vatican II. ''

L'Osservatore Romano ''L'Osservatore Romano'' (, 'The Roman Observer') is the daily newspaper of Vatican City State which reports on the activities of the Holy See and events taking place in the Catholic Church and the world. It is owned by the Holy See but is not ...

'' noted in 1981, "This book has been sorely needed for well over a decade." Likoudis has lectured extensively on issues affecting education, family life, and the role of the laity in the Roman Catholic Church. He has also written for '' The Wanderer'' (see below). Additionally, he is a contributing author to the Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought, Social Science and Social Policy as well as the widely acclaimed ''Faith and Life'' children's catechetical series published by Catholics United for the Faith which is used as a primary resource in many Catholic Schools. He has appeared on numerous shows including EWTN's Journey Home network, the

Mother Angelica Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation (born Rita Antoinette Rizzo; April 20, 1923 – March 27, 2016), also known as Mother Angelica, was an American Roman Catholic nun of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration. She was best known for the t ...

show, the Geraldo Show, the

Phil Donahue Phillip John Donahue (born December 21, 1935) is an American media personality, writer, film producer and the creator and host of ''The Phil Donahue Show''. The television program, later known simply as ''Donahue'', was the first talk show forma ...

show, and most recently, the Reason and Theology show. He has been a part of conferences hosted by and with the

Franciscan University of Steubenville Franciscan University of Steubenville is a private Franciscan university in Steubenville, Ohio. The university had 3,040 students as of fall 2019, including 2,317 students on campus, in 40 undergraduate and 8 graduate degree programs. The studen ...

, Dr. Robert Fastiggi, and

, among others. In 2020, Likoudis received an honorary doctorate from Detroit's

Sacred Heart Major Seminary Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a private Roman Catholic seminary in Detroit, Michigan. It is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Detroit. In 2016–2017, 107 seminarians, representing eleven dioceses and two religious orders were enrolled in cl ...

for his work in Catholic apologetics, catechetics, ecumenism, and Catholic – Eastern Orthodox relations. He is a member of Aleteia's Board of Experts, a former member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, and has worked as a consultant for

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Answers’ apologetics website.

Awards

In 1957 Likoudis received a Summer Scholarship in Middle East Studies from the University of Rochester. He is the 1968 Harvest Yearbook Dedication Recipient for his philosophy of life, and inspirational approach to critical thinking. In 1973 he received the Morality in Media award. He is listed in the American Catholic Who's Who: Bicentennial edition. In 2002, he received the Blessed Frederick Ozanam Award for Catholic Social Action, which was presented at the October 18, 2002, annual meeting of the Society for Catholic Social Scientists. December 2020, Mr. Likoudis had conferred on him by Sacred Heart Major Seminary an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

Personal life

James Likoudis is married to Ruth Hickleton who together have six children: Therese, Paul (in memoriam), Mark, Celine, Cathy and Margaret. They have 35 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. James and his wife currently reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Articles

A small sampling of his essays can be found below. However, Dr. Likoudis has authored close over 200 additional essays. He also has an extensive list of books he has contributed to, in addition to the books he’s written personally. Many of his essays can be found on his website, www.JamesLikoudisPage.com List: *''A Grievous Distortion of the Catechism of the Catholic Church'' ( Serviam newsletter, May/June 1993, April 1994) *''A Modern Dissenter's Theology of Sexuality: Moral Theologian Richard C. Sparks, CSP'' (''Social Justice Review'', May/June 2001) *''Abortion And Limbo'' ('' The Wanderer'') *''Countering the Eclipse of Sin in Marriage Preparation'' ('' The Wanderer'', May 25, 2006) *''Eastern Orthodoxy: Primacy and Reunion'' (''The American Ecclesiastical Review'', February 1966) *''Fr. William J. Bausch: His Chickens Come Home to Roost'' ('' The Wanderer'', August 25, 2005) *''Honored or Ignored?: Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education Within The Family'' (''Sex Education: The Basic Issues and Related Essays'', January 31, 2001) *''Is 'Together for Life' Faithful to Magisterial Teaching on Contraception?'' (1990) *''The Marks Of The Church And Eastern Orthodoxy'' (''Homiletic & Pastoral Review'', March 2003) *''Msgr. Joseph M. Champlin as Liturgist'' ('' The Wanderer'', December 28, 2006) *''On Monika the Modernist'' ( Serviam newsletter, February – March 1994) *''The Catholic-Orthodox Dialogue: Light and Shadows'' ('' The Wanderer'', February 3, 2005) *''The 'Church of the East' Sheds Light on the Roman Primacy'' ('' The Wanderer'', September 21, 2006) *''The Modernized Jesus of the RENEW "Process"'' (''The Christian Order'', May 1986) *''The Pentecostalism Controversy'' (September 11, 1973) *''The Theology of Sexuality of a Modern Dissenter: Rev. Richard C. Sparks, CSP'' (May 1996) *''Trivialising Christ Our Lord'' (''The Christian Order'', May 1988) *''What They Are Saying about Mary to Destroy the Faith of Catholics'' ( Serviam newsletter, CREDO,

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

) *''What to Think of "Small Faith Communities"'' (''CUF News'', May/June/July 1996) *''Yet More on Monika the Modernist'' ('' The Wanderer'', June 23, 1994)

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Likoudis, James 1928 births American Roman Catholic religious writers American traditionalist Catholics American people of Greek descent Converts to Roman Catholicism from Eastern Orthodoxy Former American Orthodox Christians Writers from Buffalo, New York Roman Catholic activists Living people