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Updated 24 Jan 2024 3:04pm EST

According to an article published on January 23 by Felix Sarver for the Shaw Local News Network, a warrant for the arrest of the Rev. Carlos Martins, CC, on a misdemeanor charge of battery has been filed at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet, Illinois. Sarver wrote that court records show that Martins “is accused of placing the hair of a 13-year-old girl in his mouth.” A statement from the priest’s lawyer suggests that he has also been accused of “flossing” with the student’s hair and making a growling noise.

Fr. Martins — a well-known Canadian priest popular for his traveling exhibitions of saintly relics, his podcast The Exorcist Files, and his recent book of the same name — has been suspended from priestly ministry since his involvement in an incident at a parish in the Joliet diocese on November 21 of last year. The priest’s long-running tour of a relic of St. Jude was also halted and subsequently canceled as a result of the incident.

According to a statement by the priests of Queen of Apostles parish following the incident (which did not mention Martins by name), “an incident with the priest and some students was reported to have happened in our church. We immediately contacted the police. A police investigation is still on-going. The priest was confronted with the information. We informed the priest that he must depart from our parish and out of our Diocese.”

Following the initial visit of the police to investigate the incident (during which an initial decision was made not to launch an investigation), the girl reportedly went home and recounted the incident to her father. According to a letter from Fr Martins’s lawyer to the Pillar, “It was only after the outraged father called the police a second time, insisting that they charge Fr. Martins with battery, that the police agreed to further investigate. There is no indication that there is any new evidence that would further implicate my client of any wrongdoing.”

Attorney Marcella Burke’s letter stated that the Pillar’s initial article about the incident was “defamatory and entirely irresponsible in terms of what it suggests.” She summarized an account of the incident, writing:

During his conversation with the older students, he made a comment to a student about her long hair, remarking, “You and I have almost the same hair style,” a comment met with giggles. He then remarked that he also once had long hair like hers, and he joked he would “floss my teeth with it.” Again, his comment was met with laughter. He then asked the student, “Have you ever flossed with your hair?” Laughing, she shook her head, no. He then said, “Well, you have the perfect length for it,” as he lifted up a lock from her shoulders to show her its length.

This account, as well as statements of support from commentators like Rod Dreher and celebrities including Hollywood stars Jim Caviezel and Mel Gibson, do not mention the allegation that Martins put the girl’s hair in his mouth, merely that he “touched” it or “lifted up a lock.” Neither Church officials nor the police provided a comment as the police investigation was ongoing.

Martins’s religious order, Companions of the Cross, published a statement on their website:

On Thursday January 23, 2025 the Companions of the Cross learned that Fr. Carlos Martins, CC, was charged with misdemeanor battery in the Will County Courthouse in Joliet, Illinois. This relates to an allegation of misconduct from November of 2024.

After this allegation was received Fr Martins agreed to withdraw from his pastoral ministry. He remains entitled to due process, as is any accused.

The Companions of the Cross look upon allegations of misconduct as an urgent matter that requires serious attention.

We pray for all those who are affected by this painful situation.

Journalist Christine Niles, who has supported Martins, has an article on her Stella Maris Media website. It includes a response from Martins’s attorney, stating:

“These charges are egregious and unfounded. The evidence will show that Fr. Carlos did not ‘floss’ with a student’s hair or ‘growl’ among other completely false and repulsive accusations — this is a takedown of a good priest and an attempted shakedown of the Church. We are confident in the legal process and look forward to our client being fully exonerated. We will continue to vigorously defend his rights and reputation.”

Notably, the statement does not contain a denial that he put her hair in his mouth, a detail that was not mentioned in Burke’s letter to the Pillar. Niles writes that “The flossing and growling refer to witness statements made during police interviews in November.” The letter lists these, as well as mentioning “other completely false and repulsive accusations.” This suggests that the police report contains additional details that have not yet been revealed to the public.

This story is developing.


Image: Fr. Carlos Martins. YouTube screenshot.


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Mike Lewis is the founding managing editor of Where Peter Is. He and Jeannie Gaffigan co-host Field Hospital, a U.S. Catholic podcast.

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